Given the importance of cinematics in modern gaming, it can be pretty easy for people to assume that using high-budget cutscenes and full-motion voice acting is the best way to convey a story. However, this couldn't be further from the truth, with many developers doing a great job of integrating stories that merge seamlessly with the gameplay.
This can be quite a task, so it's great to see that many promising studios have done a great job of integrating gameplay and narrative into one seamless package. This includes some of the best video games around, where the gameplay compliments the narrative quite a bit, and vice versa.
1 Undertale
Undertale is an indie gem that needs no introduction. The endearing nature of this title led to its immense success, with the story of this title being reflected brilliantly through its gameplay.
Undertale aims to subvert the classic tropes seen in most RPGs, with players actively being discouraged from killing enemies and being told to negotiate with them instead. Players who do decide to kill off anything and everything in the game will embark on a Genocide Run that is pretty twisted and changes the game in many ways.
2 Papers, Please
As an immigration office worker, players in Papers, Please need to reject people with incorrect documentation and only let in the ones who have followed the rules of the government. However, things take a turn for the worse after a war breaks out, leading to several situations where players will either have to fend for their families or stand by their morals.
It's this constant balancing act that makes Papers, Please such an engrossing affair. The choices players have to make in the game can be pretty harrowing at times, and no particular option is the most viable one of the lot.
3 BioShock
BioShock is an incredible story-focused FPS where players control Jack and explore the halls of Rapture. They take orders from a character named Atlas, with the truth of the game being hidden until players reach Andrew Ryan and figure out what's really happening.
It turns out that Jack was nothing more than a slave, conditioned to follow any order that would contain the phrase "Would you kindly?" Atlas was actually Frank Fontaine in disguise who was manipulating the protagonist to do his bidding and give him control over Rapture.
4 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is an action title where the main character suffers from psychosis. The game was made while taking the advice of several psychologists, and this shows in just how severe and traumatic the game's depiction of this affliction really is.
Senua is constantly hounded by voices and visions that cause her to become incredibly paranoid over the course of the game. The game's chilling atmosphere contributes to her sanity breaking down at times, and it takes a ton of will for both her and the player to reach the end of this unique experience.
5 Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is the first of many games developed by Josef Fares that would use cooperative gaming to tell a great story. Despite having no spoken dialogue, it's amazing how a simple gameplay loop is enough for Brothers to feel so compelling from start to end.
This reaches a head during the final moments of the game, where tragedy strikes and is depicted quite brilliantly through both cinematics and gameplay. Fans of emotional video games should definitely give Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons a shot.
6 Return Of The Obra Dinn
Mystery games are a blast to play through if the gameplay and story are both riveting. Thankfully, not only does Return of the Obra Dinn excel in both departments, but they work so well in tandem that the game gets elevated to new heights in terms of quality and enjoyability.
Watching a person's last moments flash before their eyes and figuring out the details and cause of death for the entire crew of the Obra Dinn makes for a great time. This riveting mystery incorporates trial-and-error in a pretty unique way as well, allowing players to both feel smart at making the right choices and make wild guesses if certain things aren't clear even after checking things out repeatedly.
7 Omori
Omori is a unique indie RPG that takes place mostly in the head of a young boy who tries to disassociate himself from reality by retreating to his Headspace. This makes the real-world segments feel rather unique while also showing just how much Sunny is disassociated from reality, with the character using an actual knife to attack people in one of many memorable instances.
As the mystery of the game story comes to light, everything questionable that occurred in the game slowly starts making sense. The game is clever enough to show just how much Sunny is willing to forget the past, with small parts of the game-changing to reflect his trauma.
8 Hades
Supergiant Games is excellent at weaving gameplay and narrative together, with Hades being a great example of how the developer managed to do the same with the roguelike genre. Every failed run feels like more of a victory as players slowly uncover the layers of the main plot while also figuring out the motivations of the side characters.
Even after reaching the end of the game, the post-game still has so much content that it genuinely boggles the mind. Hades is a perfect example of how to blend gameplay and narrative seamlessly, with its sequel proving to be quite enticing in its own right.