A great video game is challenging, has great graphics, and helps you take your mind off of your troubles for some time during the day. Popular video games sometimes go even further than that and create intriguing and elaborate storylines that go along with the gameplay. While some storylines fall flat, other top video games have compelling plots that keep gamers coming back for more. Here are 10 of the best video game storylines of all time.
1. Final Fantasy VII
The Final Fantasy series has always been known for detailed storylines that entertain and keep video gamers motivated. One of the best was “Final Fantasy VII,” which was released in 1997. In the game, the main playable character was a mercenary named Cloud Strife. Cloud joined up with a team of other talented individuals to battle villain Sephiroth. Along the way, one of the most popular game characters, Aerith, was killed by Sephiroth in a dramatic cut scene.
2. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
In 2004, the seventh volume of the popular video game series “Grand Theft Auto” was released. This version, named “San Andreas” became one of the best-selling video games of all time. The game brought to light the story of CJ Johnson, whose mother had been murdered. Gamers experienced the world of San Andreas through Johnson’s eyes as he navigated the world of gangs, corrupt police, and crime.
3. The Walking Dead
The television series “The Walking Dead” inspired the next game on the list. The video game version of this show was released in 2012 to acclaim. Users could interact with the game by choosing what to say and what steps to take next. The main character of the game was a new person not featured in the show named Lee Everett. He embarked on a story of redemption in the new reality of a world populated with zombies.
4. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The popular Star Wars film franchise got a top offering in 2003 with the game “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.” The game’s high-quality production values helped make it a top seller that year. Players could customize their character and make choices that led them to either be on the light side or dark side of the force.
5. Kingdom Hearts
What would you get if you combined the beloved characters of Disney with some of the most popular video game franchise personalities? This question was answered with the creation of one of the most popular video game series, “Kingdom Hearts.” The main character in the game, Sora, enlisted the help of Disney icons, Goofy and Donald Duck, to find King Mickey Mouse. They journeyed through various worlds inspired by popular Disney movies and met other characters from the Final Fantasy games.
6. Silent Hill 2
“Silent Hill 2” was the second part to another popular video game franchise that was released in 2001. This video game, which seemed more like a horror film, had players battling monsters while following the protagonist, James Sunderland. With several different possible endings, video game players could create an entirely new story with different choices.
7. Chrono Trigger
“Chrono Trigger” was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995, but it was so popular it continues to hold a legacy. The game took players through different epochs of history with main character Crono. Time travel, monsters, and other elements of science fiction made this game one of the best of all time.
8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Among first-person shooters, “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” was one of the best. Released by Activision in 2007 and still discussed on Activision CEO Bobby Kotick’s facebook, the game elevated the combat style video game. For most of the game, players controlled Sergeant John MacTavish, a British Special Forces officer in a modern war setting, which was different from the rest of the series.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
In 2011, the future classic “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” was released. In this roleplaying game, players worked to explore a world of dragons and fantasy. The game gave the user plenty of options with creation and development of the character. The main point of the game was to defeat the dragon Alduin. During gameplay, there were many frequent side quests and other stories that brought the world to life.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
One of the greatest video game series in history was revamped in the Nintendo 64 1998 release “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.” In this offering, the player became the legendary Link character, who once again was trying to save Princess Zelda from the evil Ganondorf. Through many different puzzles and quests, the player could finally save the land of Hyrule.
The best games from history often had engaging and unique storylines that kept video game players going back for more updates. These are the games that will be most remembered even as more consoles and newer products are introduced each year.