With the season finale of HBO’s The Last of Us in the rearview mirror, viewers are likely hungry for more gripping stories. It’ll be a while before the second season airs, but in the meantime, there are plenty of video games with excellent narratives to hold you over until then. These are games with captivating performances, well-written stories, and gripping worlds that will suck you in.
10. Red Dead Redemption 2
The Last of Us feels like a harrowing journey, with a story that seemingly never gives you a moment of breathing room. Red Dead Redemption 2 mirrors that, with an epic narrative that kicks you in the gut by the time it reaches the end. It’s one of the most immersive games ever made, with a beautifully designed world, memorable characters, and a story that will stick with you for a long time.
9. God of War (2018)
Likewise, God of War (2018) feels like an epic quest, but takes place within a condensed time period. This soft reboot changes its longtime protagonist for the better, giving him more of a personality than the angry meathead from the original games. Much like The Last of Us, God of War focuses on the relationship between parent and child in a horrifically violent world. Ragnarok, its sequel, is worth checking out, as well!
8. Mass Effect
There isn’t much the player can do to change how The Last of Us ends. If that’s something you’re looking for, we highly recommend Mass Effect. This is an action RPG that leans into player choice. In it, you can make decisions that impact just how the story will unfold, giving it a high degree of interactivity while you travel through the depths of The Milky Way galaxy.
7. Batman: Arkham Asylum
Even to this day, Batman: Arkham Asylum holds up as one of the greatest action games ever made. Its story is fairly straightforward, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time. In it, you play as Batman while you work to uncover the secrets of Arkham Asylum. Expect to encounter Joker, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, and other famous villains in this darker Batman story.
6. The Walking Dead
In terms of narrative, Telltale’s The Walking Dead is probably the closest to The Last of Us. They both focus on a young girl taken under the wing of a morally ambiguous man, eventually forming a strong father/daughter bond. However, The Walking Dead is an adventure game, with less of an emphasis on having fast reflexes, in favor of a rich plot that will probably make you cry.
5. Tomb Raider (2013)
Serving as the game that reignited interest in the series, 2013’s Tomb Raider offers a more grounded approach, giving Lara Croft a fitting origin story. The gameplay is The Last of Us, and it also features a phenomenal story that emphasizes survival in the wake of disaster.
4. Marvel’s Spider-Man
Marvel’s Spider-Man lets you swing Manhattan as Marvel’s favorite webhead, and the story is every bit as fun and exciting as that sounds. It’s far less bleak than The Last of Us, but still throws you into situations that might pull at your heartstrings. We also highly recommend the sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
3. BioShock
If twist endings are your thing, you have to play the original BioShock, a game that hits just as hard today as it did in 2007. This is a first-person shooter with light RPG elements that sends players to the underwater city of Rapture. It’s scary, thoughtful, and downright mindblowing at times, rivaling the best video game stories out there.
2. What Remains of Edith Finch
If you’re looking for something that’s easy to get through with a compelling story, look no further than What Remains of Edith Finch. In this narrative adventure, you play as Edith, the last surviving member of her family. As you explore her family’s home, you relive the events of each person’s death, learning to appreciate the complicated relationships between them along the way.
1. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
The Last of Us series is created by Naughty Dog, whose other flagship series is Uncharted. It’s about Nathan Drake, an adventurer and treasure hunter who travels the world. Its stunning setpieces and high stakes are reminiscient of Indiana Jones. All the Uncharted games are great, but the fourth mainline entry, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is easily the best.
