Our entire lives, we’ve had the luxury of experiencing fictional storytelling through various media forms. Ultimately, the most creative medium is a book, as the only thing that restricts its capabilities is our human imagination.
That same imagination has evolved so much that it’s allowed video game developers to create some of the most awe-inspiring, narrative-focused video games that honestly are beginning to rival the storytelling quality of literature and novels.
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Both video games and books stand on equal terms for me as the most artistic forms of storytelling in our current day and age, because I can get myself immersed and captivated by their detailed worlds, characters, and wondrous storytelling for hours on end.
So if you want to be fascinated like me, I’ve prepared a list of the 10 best video games for fellow book fans.I hand-picked these games based on their excellent narrative composition and storyboard ideas, which can resonate vividly with almost any enthusiastic reader or literature fan.
10Pentiment
A Melancholic Tale In The 16th Century
It’s fair to start things off with a game that I had some slightly mixed feelings about during my initial playthrough, but is deserving of a game fit for book lovers, and that’s Obsidian Entertainment’sPentiment.
The game had a bit of a hype train leading to its release by hardcore fans as it washelmed by Josh Sawyer,a notable video game designer known for his multiple development roles onFallout New Vegas, so fans had high expectations of this game’s writing department and overall quality.
The highlight ofPentimentis the life story of our protagonist, Andreas Maler. Most importantly, each of the residents in Tassing (the game’s main setting) has multiple layers as they grow and change with the town,making exploring their dialogue choices worthwhile during each main act.
Pentiment’s resoundingly positive receptionis also owed to its rich historical accuracy with a laid-back mystery narrative tying it all together, one that all literature or book readers will adore, even if the downsides are the game’s singular conclusion or lack of depth to the dialogue-based choices.
9Mass Effect Legendary Edition
I’m Commander Shepard, And This Is My Favorite Store On The Citadel
Mass Effect Trilogy
The entireMass Effect trilogywas an instant pick for this list, because aside from being among my all-time favorites,all three games have one of the most intriguing universes imaginable, one that honestly rivals the likes ofStar WarsandOne Piece.
What also makes the trilogy such amemorable sci-fi RPG seriesfor many in the gaming community is theParagon and Renegade systems combined with the choice-based dialogue,allowing you to steer the narrative in more ways than one and influence the character traits of your star-studded cast of party members.
Although the first game will have you questioning some of its mildly aged elements,the second game was a sequel that delivered on the hype, and the third game ties everything together, even if I’m personally not a fan of the final moments where you bid farewell to Commander Shepard.
So, if you’re keen enough on givingBioware’s most renowned RPG gamesa shot, theMass Effect Legendary Editionis absolutely worth it, because all three games provide one of the best sci-fi narrative experiences that fans talk about and appreciate to this day.
8Life Is Strange
Ready For The Moshpit, Shaka Brah
Life is Strange
Oh, how I adore the 2010s, and the game that instantly reminds me of the teenage nostalgia I had back then in the mid-to-late ’10s is the originalLife is Strangeand it’s episodic adventure storytelling that resonated with fans for years to come.
Max and Chloe became one ofgaming’s most beloved duosas the game enveloped you with its comforting yet ominous atmosphere, gameplay focused on choice-driven dialogue, and time-rewinding powers with the cherry on top of an endearing OST composed of indie and post-rock tracks.
The game is fairly lighthearted until the time-rewind abilities of Max kick in, and when she meets Chloe, the narrative structure evolves drastically with some meaningful thrills and twists to keep you hooked and possibly shed a tear or two due to the critical choices you have to make here.
That’s the beauty of this game, and why it’s so adored by many;its whole idea of butterfly effect dialogue choices adds so much emotional weight, and in the end, you have to make gaming’s most iconic sacrificial choice of ‘choosing the Bay or the Bae.’
It’s no wonder that, even several years later, the recentLIS: Double Exposurethat I had the chance to reviewwouldn’t come close to replicating the magical feeling my friends and I felt from DontNod’s original title back in 2016.
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The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series
Even if you’re unfamiliar with gaming, you must’ve heard or at least seen the impact thatTelltale’s The Walking Deadhad on fans in the mid-2010s with various Let’s Play YouTubers likeJackspectieye having their playthrough on displayfor fans to bawl out with him.
By current standards,I recommend getting the Definitive Edition that bundles all four seasons of the game and includes some new featureslike Behind-the-Scenes footage and graphical/gameplay improvements that polish the game up for the best possible experience.
Most of Telltale’s games follow the format of an episodic adventure with minimal gameplay such as choosing the timed choices and prompts during various sections,plus with howheart-wrenching and bittersweet the game’s storyis, it’s the perfect game for book lovers to get into even if they aren’t experienced gamers.
Although I absolutely adore the first two seasons, I’d argue even the criticized third and fourth seasons are decent enough. You also have some DLC here that can enhance the narrative layers if you’re interested in playing them and can bump the overall game length factor by several hours.
6Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Objection!
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
ThePhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogyis often considered as one of thebest visual novel games of all time—and I think this genre of video games in general is the most accurate recommendation for anyone who’s into reading books.
What makes the game so popular among VN fans is its rich writing and, most importantly, the court case trials,which have you in a high-stakes battle to try and crack open the lie from the defendant from everything in your arsenal from prior investigations, evidence, and suspect interrogations.
You’ll need the perfect set of deduction skills to get through these cases,providing a fair bit of challenge that goes excellently with the charismatic cast of charactersthat you meet along the way. Whether it’s one of Phoenix’s rivals or even his closest allies, they’re all accompanied by a unique personality.
5The Longest Journey
An Underrated Classic
The Longest Journey
TheLongest Journeyis a game that you’ll be acquainted with if you’rewell-versed in the Point-and-Click genre, but for others, this might be the first time you’ve heard of this obscure gem.
Putting aside the mildly aged gameplay elements,Longest Journeyis notorious for its adventure-esque storytelling filled with discovering hope and self-growthand a charming array of characters that you get to meet along the journey.
And here’s the neat part—the game is also one of the few titles during its release period that offered us a glimpse of how 3D cinematics would evolvefor cutscenes and seamless gameplay transitions in modern video games.
If you can spare a bit of the janky stuff here, then it’s a no-brainer to pickLongest Journeyup for the in-depth narrative experience that it provides and how its soundtrack and visuals are praised to this day as the most impressive things for its time of release.
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413 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Vanillaware’s Magnum Opus
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
In a list where I had the pleasure of mentioning an underappreciated game likeThe Longest Journey, another one that I know many avid book readers out there will equally appreciate is13 Sentinelsby Vanillaware.
Depending on who you hear it from, and I assure you they’re not exaggerating anything—this game has one of thebest sci-fi narrativesout therewith one of the most ingenious instances of time travel that garners it so much praise from everyone who plays it for the first time.
The highlight of this game is its characters,and if you’ve seen anime like Durarara or Steins:Gate, expect some twists and turns that intertwine some of their story arcs together in a similar way, one that’ll honestly leave you jaw-dropped when the game transitions from one major setpiece to the other in just a few hours.
Lastly, the best part is how the gameplay is a pretty minuscule aspect here; it’s an extremely basic tower defense gameplay format where everything is pretty much on-rails for the most part, so you cancozily play this game at your leisureand enjoy its masterful storytelling.
3What Remains Of Edith Finch
Dreamlike, Enchanting, And Bittersweet
What Remains of Edith Finch
So few games have managed to really move me, but there’s a lingering feeling where it feels extremely somber and bittersweet to say goodbye, and that’s exactlyWhat Remains of Edith Finchmade me feel when I rolled credits on it a few years back.
The entire narrative is eloquently told through environmental storytelling as you explore the Finch house,which is almost like a puzzling labyrinth filled with secret passageways, locked doors, and hidden rooms.It’s just one layer on top of the otheras you slowly unravel the mysterious disappearance of each family member.
The backstory and inevitable demise of each family member via their individual gameplay sections leave an everlasting impressionas the game interweaves dark fantasy and supernatural occurrences behind each Finch member as you recount Edith’s tale and analysis of them.
Some can choke you up a bit, while others are just plain bittersweet, and it all comes full circle at the end with that twist, which I’ll refrain from spoiling if you haven’t played the game yet, since it’s actually a mighty gut-wrenching moment.
So, if you don’t mind the cumbersome walking gameplay or just a game that takes a more methodical approach to storytelling, I’m sure you’ll loveWhat Remains of Edith Finch,since the entire experience of this game feels like going through a dusty old family saga novel.
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2Alan Wake 2
It’s Not An Ocean, It’s A Spiral
Alan Wake 2
The core concept for this list was video games for book fans, and one of the games that instantly came to my mind wasAlan Wake 2, crafted by the brilliant minds at Remedy Entertainment.
It fits so perfectly here, because besides the whole tie-in of Alan Wake being a writer and all,the game’s twisted yet ambitious storytelling is almost like watching a dark crime-thriller TV show unfold before your eyes,especially when factoring in Saga Anderson as she solves the case behind Wake in her separate storyline.
Although you might get understandably turned off by the thought ofAlan Wake 2being a survival horror,I assure you it’s the opposite here; the gameplay is serviceable, and the survival aspect is pretty laid-back, since it offers you more than enough resources to make the game a walk in the park.
Furthermore, the game infamously won two categories at The Game Awards in 2023 for Best Narrative and Best Direction.Despite its sales numbers, it’s a critically acclaimed success, one that fulfilled an ever-long promise from the ingenious Sam Lake, and a game that I know will be a treat for any bibliophile out there.
1Disco Elysium
It’s An Expression Of Pain
Disco Elysium
The other game that instantaneously flashed in my head for this list wasDisco Elysium, tailor-made for bookworms, primarily due to its extensive dialogue options that can shape and impact its compelling story in multiple ways.
As a cop with no memory and whose fated actions are guided and shaped by your choices and stat rolls, it’s your job to trek around Martinaise with yourpartner and co-detective, Kim Katsuragi,as you both solve a murder case, find the culprit… and resolve any odd job along the way.
The premise sounds simple on paper, but Disco Elysium is arguably one of the most complex RPGs where your attributes and skills are your main driving force in how you impact the world—and how your main character perceives it.
Almost every single playthrough of the game can feel differentdepending on what you pick at the start,how you min-max that build, and ultimately, it can significantly alter the game’s course of progression in ways you wouldn’t even be able to fathom at first glance.
Moreover, for me and plenty of others, the game’s writing is easily the most ambitious one out of all the games on this list.It tackles various political norms and ideologies while simultaneously interweaving a bit of emotional depth via its various side characters and environmental interactions.
Disco Elysiumis such a brilliant mash-up of pseudo-philosophical and plenty of other cynical and absurd themes,that it takes the win for me asthegame for anyone who loves literature or is fond of stories that are otherwise just one-of-a-kind in the current age of video games.
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