Highlights

• Red Dead Redemption 2 is considered one of the greatest open-world games with an emotional and well-thought-out story.
• Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a highly enjoyable superhero game with a humorous script and creative set pieces.
• Red Dead Revolver is an important game that laid the foundation for the Red Dead series.

Red Dead was a franchise that was fairly unknown for the most part, until Rockstar Games took over the IP and bestowed upon us one of the greatest open-world adventures of all time in the form of Red Dead Redemption. For the longest time, this was the only peek that gamers had into the Red Dead series until Rockstar Games decided to up the ante and release a sequel that most people consider to be one of the greatest open-world games of the modern generation.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a marvel in every aspect, with the story, in particular, being a well-thought-out and emotional ride that most people would remember long after finishing this masterpiece. For people who still want to experience the feeling that Red Dead Redemption 2 invoked in them by playing other games, there are many other story-heavy games like RDR2 that will certainly fill up this void.

Updated February 17, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game that many fans are already quite familiar with at this point. The sheer attention to detail of Rockstar is present in every corner of this video game, and it helps that Arthur Morgan's story makes for one of the most riveting tales ever told in a game to date.

Rockstar proved everyone wrong who was decrying the studio's narrative chops as the weakest aspect of the developer, with the hype for Grand Theft Auto 6 being grander than ever before now. Fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 who want to check out other narratives on this grand scale will be spoiled for choice with the wealth of story-driven games they can check out for themselves.

1 Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy

A Surprisingly Fun Title Full Of Witty Banter And An Emotional Story

It's a shame that Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy sold so poorly at launch, with many people of the opinion that the launch of Marvel's Avengers was so poor that most people were turned off from checking this game out. Players who gave Guardians of the Galaxy a shot would find themselves enjoying one of the best superhero video games ever made, especially from a narrative standpoint.

The chemistry between Quill and his buddies is palpable for everyone to see, with the overarching narrative being rife with emotion. It helps that the script is full of humorous instances that just work, with the game setting up some creative set pieces that most people don't always see in most AAA games.

2 Westerado: Double Barreled

An Indie Open-World Game With A Narrative That Changes Ever So Slightly With Each Playthrough

The ambition of Westerado: Double Barreled should certainly be lauded, with this game's attempts to integrate a procedurally-generated narrative in a sandbox being pretty interesting to behold. After the main character's family is killed and their ranch is burned down by an unknown culprit, the protagonist must investigate the world and figure out who this person is.

The identity of the aggressor changes in each playthrough, and players must gather the relevant clues before finally landing upon a suspect. This gameplay loop is a pretty simple yet riveting one, with the combat and exploration being pretty interesting in its own right. The story may not set the world on fire but gets the job done and is pretty engaging given how elements of the plot change every single time.

3 Red Dead Revolver

The Game That Started It All

There would be no Red Dead series without an interesting take on the Wild West that features its fair share of cowboy action, tense duels, and a story rife with betrayal. Red Dead Revolver is a game that not many people may have checked out, but the importance of this title can't be stated enough.

If players take the time to figure out some way to play this unique action game, the plot is one of its strongest aspects that will keep them hooked till the end of the experience. The story of Red as he seeks revenge for the death of his family is a riveting one that shows exactly where Rockstar picked up its influences for Red Dead Redemption.

4 Mafia 2

An Excellent Tale About Vito's Life In The Mafia

The first Mafia game is a pretty fun title in its own right, receiving a well-deserved remake that has made the title way more accessible for modern games. The sequel to this title is considered by many to be a step up in every way, with the storyline being quite engaging indeed.

The crime-laden drama of Mafia 2 coupled with Vito Scaletta's brilliance as a protagonist really elevates the game in many ways. While Mafia 2 may not have the most interactive open world, the fun gameplay, great performances, and excellent narrative carry the experience with ease.

5 Telltale's The Walking Dead

An Emotional Story-driven Adventure

There was a time when Telltale was at the very top of its game, and this was around the time when The Walking Dead was released to unprecedented levels of success all over the world. The story of Lee and Clementine struck a chord with players who loved how this game explored the human side of the zombie apocalypse, with the game focusing on these survivors who gave it their all to ensure that they didn't succumb to the plague that has ravaged the entire world.

The first Red Dead Redemption game features the Undead Nightmare DLC, which was lauded for how it changed up the formula of the series while allowing players to experience a new, more supernatural side of Red Dead's gameplay. It's a shame that Red Dead Redemption 2 is probably never going to get a DLC that continues this legacy, so the closest thing players can enjoy are fantastic and emotional experiences like Telltale's The Walking Dead!

6 Ghost Of Tsushima

A Beautiful Open-World Game With An Engrossing Narrative

The PlayStation 4 was littered with some of the greatest exclusives of all time, and Ghost of Tsushima was no exception to this golden rule. While some people felt that the gameplay didn't cover any new ground, the amazing presentation and engaging narrative more than made up for this minor complaint.

The story of Jin, as he tried to save Tsushima Island during the first Mongol invasion of Japan, makes for a great time, with the narrative being highly engaging despite having some missteps of its own. However, players who love emotionally charged stories will love what Ghost of Tsushima brings to the table, with the presentation of the game being so stellar that it will take a Herculean effort for players to stop playing through this amazing game.

7 Dragon Age: Origins

An Epic Adventure With Lovable Characters

High fantasy and cowboy adventures may seem worlds apart, but there's something that both Dragon Age: Origins and Red Dead Redemption 2 have in common — strong writing. There's a reason why BioWare was put on the map with the immense success of the first Dragon Age game, with many people loving the epic story that they could experience in this truly incredible RPG.

Even with all the advancements seen in the realm of narrative RPGs, there's something special about Dragon Age: Origins that causes people to still consider it to be the greatest title in the series and one of the best video games ever made. The different origin stories still make each playthrough pretty interesting and show just how ahead of its time this title was.

8 Grand Theft Auto 4

An Important Game That Evolved Rockstar's Design Philosophy

Grand Theft Auto 4 was a massive step in the right direction for Rockstar Games. The adventures of Niko Bellic in Liberty City are pretty engaging in their own right, with fans fondly looking back on the events of this masterpiece.

The game's open-world action coupled with an amazing narrative made for a great time indeed. This was also the first game to play around with the idea of alternate endings, managing to execute the concept pretty successfully.

9 Sleeping Dogs

Action-Packed Open-World Laden With Crime

Sleeping Dogs arose from the ashes of True Crime and wowed everyone by showing just how fun the game is. The melee combat of this game is truly one of a kind and one of the best parts of the other experience.

The other impressive half of Sleeping Dogs is its story, which follows the life of undercover cop Wei Shen. His assignments lead to him making friends with his targets and getting caught in a whirlwind of events that are all pretty memorable in their own right.

10 Mass Effect

An Epic Sci-Fi Journey That Never Lets Up

Mass Effect is one of the greatest sci-fi epics in gaming history. Pretty much all three games could qualify for this list, with their stories being truly brilliant in their own right.

Even the ending of Mass Effect 3 has been improved dramatically with the various updates released over time by BioWare, making this conclusion pretty satisfying after a long and engaging journey. The inclusion of third-person combat will make fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 feel right at home, and the host of abilities that a player can mess around with makes these battles even more fun to experience.

11 Fallout: New Vegas

An Epic Adventure With Memorable Characters

Fallout: New Vegas is one of the greatest open-world roleplaying games ever made. The game might've been unacceptably buggy on launch, but a slew of updates coupled with the many mods released for this game has turned it into a pretty stable experience on modern hardware.

New Vegas absolutely shines in its storytelling, accounting for everything the player does in both small and major ways. This ultimately leads to a great and satisfying experience that fans will have a blast playing.

12 L.A. Noire

A Detective Game Set In The 1940s

L.A. Noire was a groundbreaking game at the time, with its amazing graphics and brilliant motion capture system leading to the game feeling all the more immersive. The facial expressions might seem a bit goofy right now but did a great job of letting players feel smart as they read faces and uncovered the mysteries of the cases they were pursuing.

The story of war veterans being unable to get over their trauma makes for a harrowing tale, with the ending being pretty sad in its own right. Regardless, L.A. Noire is an experience that no fan of Red Dead Redemption 2 should miss out on if they loved the complex story of Rockstar's western game.

13 Horizon Zero Dawn

A Story-Driven Post-Apocalyptic Open-World Game

Players looking for story-heavy games like Red Dead Redemption 2 will certainly enjoy Horizon Zero Dawn. The game served as an excellent addition to an already stellar lineup on the PlayStation 4, featuring an exciting world and brilliant characters that are bound to be expanded upon in the sequel.

One major thing to note about Horizon Zero Dawn's story is the ingenious manner in which its scope expands as players get through the game. Initially, the game seems rather limited, and the world map is also rather limited as a result. However, as players get through the title, the story becomes more grandiose and epic, while the world also expands to allow the player to explore new regions as well.

14 BioShock Infinite

An Excellent Action-Adventure Game With A Great Story And A Memorable Lead Duo

An excellent story-driven title that will be up the alley of any fan who wants more games like RDR2, BioShock Infinite is one of the greatest first-person shooter titles of all time. It's a testament to Ken Levine's genius that every game that he's been a part of has been phenomenal.

Stepping into the shoes of Booker DeWitt and accompanying Elizabeth on a quest for the ages, BioShock Infinite features some of the most memorable video game moments of all time. It's no wonder why people are still pining for either a sequel to this title or another Ken Levine masterpiece.

15 Cyberpunk 2077

A Tragic Narrative-Driven RPG Set In A Bleak Cyberpunk Dystopia

Speaking of story-driven first-person shooters, one can't fail to mention the immensely hyped title that was Cyberpunk 2077. While the game might've been disappointing for many, there's no denying the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 is still an incredible title that any fan of story-driven games like Red Dead Redemption 2 should try out.

If players have a system that is stable enough to play the game, then they should check this title out. It might not be the game that it was hyped up to be, but Cyberpunk 2077 is still an excellent title that deserves some praise for its great narrative and characters.

16 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

One Of The Greatest Story-Driven Games Ever Made

CD Projekt Red might be at its lowest point right now, but there was a time when the studio was celebrated within the gaming industry. This was mainly due to the massive success of its magnum opus, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Geralt's final chapter in The Witcher trilogy was a wild and entertaining ride that most fans still remember to this day. If any player is seeking out story-heavy titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, then they can't go wrong with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

17 Marvel's Spider-Man

One Of The Best Stories In A Spider-Man Game

A Sony exclusive that has made waves since its arrival, Marvel's Spider-Man has established itself as the best Spider-Man game around by quite some margin. Insomniac Studios truly poured in their heart and soul to create a game that genuinely makes players feel like the iconic web crawler.

What surprised most people in Marvel's Spider-Man was the fact that the story was genuinely brilliant to behold, with its hooks keeping fans engaged up to the very end. It's a great recommendation for any fan looking out for story-driven games like RDR2.

18 Days Gone

An Underrated PlayStation Title

The slightly bugged launch of Days Gone meant that most gamers wrote this game off from the get-go, which is quite a shame since Days Gone has one of the more nuanced protagonists and interesting plots ever featured in a video game.

While the game might not be everyone's cup of tea, players who come into this story knowing exactly what to expect — namely, an enjoyable open world and a mature story — will not be disappointed.

19 Shadow Of The Colossus

An Atmospheric, Hauntingly Beautiful Experience

Team Ico has consistently pushed the boundaries when it comes to presenting interesting narratives in video games, and Shadow of the Colossus is no exception to this golden rule.

The idea of only facing sixteen enemies in a video game might not seem all that appealing, but it's a testament to the sheer excellence of the enemy design and the mysterious nature of the narrative that Shadow of the Colossus still manages to be one of the greatest and most interesting video games to have ever been released.

20 The Last Guardian

An Emotional Experience A Long Time In The Making

The most recent game released by Team Ico might not have received all the great reviews of its past few titles — a shame, considering just how delayed it was — but that doesn't mean the game is outright bad or unplayable.

If anything, players who are willing to look past the technical faults of The Last Guardian will be able to enjoy a narrative that is truly incredible and plays with a person's emotions in ways they could've imagined.