It seems almost mean to bundle both these brilliant episodic titles into one entry for the best game stories, but they’re best experienced as one package. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS God of Warĭeveloper: Dontnod Entertainment/Deck Nine And thanks to the release of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, you have the perfect excuse to experience the story all over again or for the first time. When/if you lose one of them during the suicide mission you feel genuine remorse, a great indicator that Mass Effect 2’s story has left a lasting impression on you.

Each crew member has a deep backstory, and most ask you to make complex decisions to help them out, potentially souring your friendship with another character. It’s still punch-the-air satisfying when Shepard and friends smash through the game's suicide mission climax.įew other games make you feel so close to the supporting cast, either. And it all plays out in space, with the role of overwhelming odds being played by ancient, titanic machines. It’s hardly ground-breaking material for sci-fi, but Mass Effect 2 taps into one of the all time classic adventure stories: uneasy allies versus overwhelming odds. Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/SĪssemble a crew of sidekicks, achieve the impossible, save the galaxy. A fully-fledged psychopath, played with wonderful glee by Steven Ogg, GTA finally has a vehicle for its frenzied bloodbaths in the form of an unrepentant character who couldn’t care less about ludonarrative dissonance. Knowing and loyal, you want to actively limit the damage you do when the game puts you in the role of the young carjacker. Presented as miserable and remorseful, Michael isn’t the guy you do drive-by shootouts with. Such is the quality of the voice acting and mission structure, you’ll find yourself subconsciously role-playing whoever you think Franklin and co. Thanks to its innovative character-swapping gameplay, GTA 5 lets you live three very distinct lives over the course of a single campaign. Most of the time though, this Los Santos yarn is way too hard to pin down… and that’s a compliment. At times it’s a wisecracking take on Michael Mann’s Heat – those headline scores are incredible. The most subversive story Rockstar has ever told in GTA is also the series’ best. Platforms: PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Soap opera digest games