Story-driven games are some of the most popular games available, thanks in large part to their often-memorable set-pieces, dramatic narratives, and tangible atmospheres. Almost any genre of video game can be story-driven, though more often than not they fall under the brackets of visual novels and episodic adventures.

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While it's certainly not common for story-driven games to be released without endings, as most players like to be able to play narrative games from beginning to end, some successful games have managed to pull it off. Games such as Supergiant's narrative-driven roguelite, Hades, began life as an Early Access game, while Telltale's classic episodic adventure, The Wolf Among Us, like most of their games, didn't get an ending until the release of its final episode.

1 Death Trash – An Unfinished Indie RPG

Steam User Rating: 94%

• Platform(s): PC
• Released: 2021
• Developer(s): Crafting Legends
• Genre: RPG

This Early Access, post-apocalyptic RPG combines old-school RPG mechanics with modern action gameplay to create a fast-paced, unique experience with a dark, cosmic horror look and tone. Death Trash features a distinct world and an intriguing story, but it's unfortunately unfinished at the time of writing.

Despite a lack of content additions, Death Trash has received consistent updates throughout its Early Access run so far, ridding the game of bugs and other flaws. With any luck, Death Trash will begin to receive more content in the coming months which should hopefully bring its narrative to a close.

2 Scarlet Hollow – A Polished Visual Novel

Steam User Rating: 97%

This episodic indie game features a stark, hand-drawn art style from Abby Howard, a graphic novelist. Scarlet Hollow is a visual novel with a mystery/horror theme, but only four of its seven planned episodes have been released at the time of writing.

Scarlet Hollow puts players in the shoes of a character who arrives at a sleepy town, the titular Scarlet Hollow, following the death of their Aunt. Once there, the player meets and interacts with various characters as they attempt to reconcile with their Aunt's daughter, Tabitha, as a horror-infused mystery unfolds.

3 Hades – A Story-Driven Roguelite

Steam User Rating: 98%

This story-driven action roguelite was developed by Supergiant Games, the wildly successful indie studio behind games such as Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre. In the game, players control Zagreus, the son of the titular Hades, as he repeatedly attempts to escape Hell. Although Hades is a full package now, it was originally released in Early Access.

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Hades distinguishes itself from other action roguelites by allowing players to not only improve their character but progress through a well-crafted narrative as well. Hades achieves this with a fully-voiced cast of colorful characters and well-written dialogue that helps to bring them to life.

4 The Wolf Among Us – An Episodic, Neo-Noir Tale

Steam User Rating: 97%

This cult-hit episodic adventure from Telltale Games is one of their most beloved titles, though it does have its flaws. The Wolf Among Us was released with just one episode, with the conclusion of the story eventually happening at the end of Episode 5. However, fans have been waiting for a continuation of The Wolf Among Us for many years now.

The Wolf Among Us is a neo-noir adventure dripping with style, based on the creative comic book series, Fables. The game's story follows the life of Bigby Wolf, a Sheriff living in Fabletown, a secret community of fairy-tale creatures who were forced to abandon their home.

5 The Walking Dead – A Powerful Narrative-Driven Adventure

Steam User Rating: 97%

Telltale has released an abundance of story-driven games over the years, but it could be argued that The Walking Dead is one of, if not the best, of their titles. Like many of Telltale's games, The Walking Dead launched with just one episode, forcing players to wait for each subsequent release until the climactic conclusion in Episode 5.

The Walking Dead puts players in the shoes of Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who happens across a young girl named Clementine. What follows is the story of Lee protecting Clementine at all costs as he makes his way across post-apocalyptic America, meeting all manner of folks along the way. It's a morose and often tragic tale, but one that's certainly worth playing for fans of zombie stories.

6 Baldur's Gate 3 – An Expansive Achievement In Storytelling

Steam User Rating: 96%

This momentous RPG was developed by Larian Studios, the developers behind Divinity: Original Sin 2, and features a dizzying array of branching story paths, interesting characters, and dramatic moments. Although Baldur's Gate 3 was an Early Access title that was released without an ending, it has since reached 1.0 to great success.

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Baldur's Gate 3 takes place in the fantasy universe of Dungeons & Dragons, with a rich and detailed world to explore. The game features tactical turn-based combat, impressive visuals, and a captivating story for players to get lost in.

7 Kentucky Route Zero – A Contemplative, Visually Striking Adventure

Steam User Rating: 82%

This visually stylized, well-written narrative adventure follows the story of a delivery driver named Conway on his last job, which requires him to travel along a secret highway named "The Zero" that runs beneath Kentucky. The game's five Acts were released sporadically throughout the game's development, with several interludes in between that offer insights into other characters.

Kentucky Route Zero is a deeply atmospheric and thought-provoking experience with very little gameplay. Players will spend most of their time walking to and fro, speaking to characters, and choosing dialogue options. However, the artistic prowess on display in both the game's striking visuals and thoughtful writing, as well as its atmospheric soundtrack, more than make up for the lack of engaging gameplay mechanics.

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