Best Story Games on Steam: 14 Narrative Picks to Play

The best story games on Steam are the ones that stay with you after the credits: a character you miss, an ending you keep turning over, a choice you would make differently next time. If you play for the plot first and the loot second, you want writing that earns its big moments and gameplay that serves the story instead of padding it. Below are 14 picks, from huge open-world epics to stories you can finish in an evening or two.

What makes the best story games on Steam worth your time?

A good story game does more than play a film between levels. The strongest ones tie what you do with your hands to what the story is about. In God of War you spend the trip teaching your son to fight, which is also the point of the plot. In Outer Wilds the story only exists in the pieces you find yourself.

When picking the games below, we leaned on three things:

• Characters you care about. Every pick has a cast or a central relationship strong enough to carry the whole game.
• Gameplay that serves the story. Combat, exploration or puzzles that feed the plot rather than stretch it out.
• Strong player reception. Every game here has a Very Positive or Overwhelmingly Positive user review summary on Steam.

A few terms come up throughout. A branching narrative means your decisions send the story down different paths, often to different endings. A turn-based RPG is a role-playing game where combatants take turns acting instead of fighting in real time. A narrative adventure (sometimes called a walking sim) puts story and exploration first and has little or no combat.

Steam also has a “Story Rich” tag. It is a handy starting point, but it is applied by players and covers thousands of games, so it is a broad net rather than a shortlist.

Epic journeys with characters you will remember

These are the big-budget, cinematic picks: long campaigns, top-tier performances and stories that build slowly to an ending that hits hard. If you want the best story games on Steam that feel like a prestige TV season, start here.

Red Dead Redemption 2

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It is America in 1899, and Arthur Morgan rides with the Van der Linde Gang as federal agents and bounty hunters close in. The gang robs and fights its way across the country to survive, while divisions inside the group force Arthur to choose between his own ideals and loyalty to the people who raised him.

You hunt, ride, rob, talk to camp members and let the story unfold at its own unhurried pace. That slowness is the point: by the end, the gang feels like family. It suits patient players who enjoy living in a world between story missions. Steam lists it as Single-player, with online co-op and PvP in the included Red Dead Online. Steam reviews: Very Positive. Windows only.

The Last of Us Part I

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Joel, a weary smuggler, is hired to get 14-year-old Ellie out of a military quarantine zone. A small job turns into a brutal trip across a post-apocalyptic America full of infected and desperate survivors. This version also includes Left Behind, the prequel chapter about Ellie and her best friend Riley.

You sneak, scavenge, craft and fight through tense encounters, but the relationship between Joel and Ellie is what drives everything. Pick it if you liked the TV show or want a tightly written, linear story. Single-player only, with a controller recommended on Steam. Reviews: Very Positive. Windows only.

God of War

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Years after his war on the Greek gods, Kratos lives in the Norse realm and has to teach his son Atreus to survive in it. The real conflict is Kratos trying to control the rage that has always defined him while earning the trust of a boy who badly wants his respect.

Combat is heavy and physical, shown from an over-the-shoulder camera, and you explore forests, mountains and caves full of creatures from Norse myth. It suits players who want action with an emotional core. You don’t need to know the earlier games. Single-player, with Narrated Game Menus for accessibility. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

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Once a year, the Paintress wakes and paints a number, and everyone of that age turns to smoke. Tomorrow she will paint 33. Gustave, Maelle and the rest of Expedition 33 set out to destroy her before their own year runs out. Few RPGs open with a premise this strong.

It is a turn-based RPG with a twist: you can dodge, parry and counter in real time, and aim at weak points yourself. The world draws on Belle Époque France. It is a great fit for fans of JRPGs (Japanese-style role-playing games known for party-based combat and big, emotional plots) who want something fresh. Single-player. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive.

RPGs and adventures where your choices write the story

If what you love about the best story games on Steam is your own say in how things go, these picks put the pen in your hand. Expect moral dilemmas, characters who remember what you did, and endings that differ from one playthrough to the next.

Baldur’s Gate 3

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A mind flayer parasite has been planted in your brain, and it is slowly turning you into a monster while granting strange new powers. You can resist the corruption or embrace it. Set in the Dungeons & Dragons world, the story deals with fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and the pull of absolute power.

You build a character from 12 classes and 11 races, or play a pre-written Origin hero, including the Dark Urge with its own unique story. Then you gather companions and fight in turn-based battles. It suits anyone who likes deep role-playing and choices that matter. On Steam it lists Single-player, Online Co-op for up to four, LAN Co-op, Cross-Platform Multiplayer and Remote Play Together (Steam streams your game so friends can join over the internet). Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive. Windows and macOS. For more like it, see our best RPG games on Steam.

Detroit: Become Human

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Detroit, 2038. Humanlike androids are everywhere, serving people who see them as machines. You play three different androids, and your decisions shape whether the story becomes a revolution, a tragedy or something in between.

This is a choice-driven adventure more than an action game. You investigate, talk and react under pressure, and characters can die permanently based on what you do. Steam’s page promises thousands of choices and dozens of possible endings, so it is made for replaying. Perfect if you enjoy interactive drama. Single-player. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive.

Cyberpunk 2077

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Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action RPG set in Night City, a dangerous megacity obsessed with power, glamour and constant body modification. You play as a mercenary trying to make a name in a place that chews people up.

You take on contracts, upgrade your body with cyberware and pick your approach, from stealth to all-out gunfights. The story leans into noir themes and morally grey characters. It suits players who want a dense, adult world with a lot of side stories. Single-player. Reviews: Very Positive. Windows and macOS. If you like open-world RPGs, our games like Skyrim list has plenty more.

Pentiment

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You are Andreas Maler, an illustrator in early 16th-century Bavaria, caught up in a series of murders around the town of Tassing and Kiersau Abbey. The story covers twenty-five years, and every decision has lasting effects on the community.

There is no combat. You talk, investigate and decide who to accuse, with an art style based on illuminated manuscripts and early printed books. You choose Andreas’s academic and social background, which changes how conversations go. It is ideal for readers, history fans and anyone who enjoys a slow-burning mystery. Single-player. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive.

Story games that bend the rules of what a game can be

Some of the best story games on Steam tell their story through the mechanics themselves. These three surprise you, and they work best if you know as little as possible going in.

NieR:Automata

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Machines from another world have driven humanity off the Earth. Androids 2B, 9S and A2 fight to take it back, in a war that slowly reveals a long-forgotten truth. Under the action lies a story about purpose, memory and what it means to be alive.

Combat is fast and stylish, mixing melee and ranged attacks across open areas, and it is easy for newcomers to pick up. The story is also known for continuing well past the first credits, so keep going. Great for action fans who want something more thoughtful. Single-player. Reviews: Very Positive. Windows only.

Outer Wilds

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You are the newest recruit of a small space program, exploring a solar system trapped in an endless time loop. Planets change as time passes: a city gets swallowed by sand, a world crumbles beneath your feet. Who built the ruins on the Moon, and can the loop be stopped?

There are no upgrades to grind. All you take from one loop to the next is knowledge, so the story is something you piece together yourself. It suits curious players who love “aha” moments. Avoid spoilers at all costs. Single-player, with a controller recommended. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive. If it clicks for you, try our mystery games like Outer Wilds.

Undertale

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A human falls into an underground world of monsters and has to find a way out. The twist: you never have to kill anyone. You can talk, joke and negotiate your way past every fight, and the game remembers how you treated everyone.

Battles mix timed attacks with dodging bullet patterns, a style borrowed from top-down “bullet hell” shooters. It is funny, warm and surprisingly moving, and made mostly by one person. You can also date a skeleton. It suits anyone who likes characters with personality and doesn’t mind simple graphics. The store page warns about imagery that may affect players with photosensitive epilepsy. Single-player. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive. Windows, macOS and Linux.

Short, personal stories you can finish in a weekend

Not every great story needs 80 hours. These smaller narrative games are quiet, intimate and focused. They are great for clearing your head between epics, and some of the best single player story games on Steam for players short on time. Our best indie games on Steam list has more in this spirit.

What Remains of Edith Finch

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Edith returns to the huge, strange Finch family house to find out why she is the last of her family still alive. Each story you uncover lets you live through a different relative’s final day, from the distant past to the present.

Every story is first-person, but the gameplay and tone change completely each time, which keeps every chapter surprising. It suits players who want something short, haunting and beautifully told. Single-player. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive.

To the Moon

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Two doctors can give dying patients a new life inside their own memories. Their latest patient, an old man named Johnny, has one wish: to go to the moon. As they travel back through his memories, they try to work out why.

It is a non-combat story that mixes adventure-game exploring with the look of classic RPGs, set to a soundtrack closely tied to the story. The store page promises zero filler. Pick it if you want to be moved in a single sitting or two. Single-player. Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive. Windows, macOS and Linux.

Night in the Woods

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College dropout Mae Borowski comes home to Possum Springs, a crumbling former mining town, hoping to pick up her old life. But her friends have changed, home feels different, and something strange is happening in the woods.

You wander town, hang out with friends and meet dozens of characters as autumn sets in. It captures being young, lost and stuck in a dying town with real honesty and humour. It suits anyone who loves character-driven slice-of-life stories with a darker edge. Single-player. Reviews: Very Positive. Windows, macOS and Linux.

How to pick your next story game (and mistakes to avoid)

With this many strong options, the best story games on Steam for you depend on what you want from an evening. Run through these steps:

1. Decide how much time you have. Red Dead Redemption 2, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 are long commitments. To the Moon and What Remains of Edith Finch are short.
2. Choose fixed or branching. If you want a crafted, cinematic plot, go for The Last of Us Part I or God of War. If you want your decisions to matter, pick Detroit: Become Human, Baldur’s Gate 3 or Pentiment.
3. Check how much combat you want. To the Moon and Pentiment have none, and Undertale lets you avoid killing anyone. NieR:Automata and God of War are full action games.
4. Check your platform. Several picks are Windows only on Steam. Undertale, To the Moon and Night in the Woods also run on macOS and Linux.

A worked example

Say you loved the TV adaptation of The Last of Us and want more stories like it. Start with The Last of Us Part I itself. If you want another strong parent-and-child relationship, God of War is the natural next step. Once you are ready for something with choices, Detroit: Become Human keeps the cinematic feel but lets you steer the plot. That chain moves you from fixed stories to branching ones without a jarring change in style.

Common mistakes

• Reading spoilers “just to check”. Outer Wilds, NieR:Automata and Undertale depend on surprise. Skip the wiki until you finish.
• Rushing the main quest. In Red Dead Redemption 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3, much of the best character writing sits in camp conversations and side content.
• Quitting at the first ending. Some games, NieR:Automata in particular, reward you for continuing past the first credits.
• Treating the review summary as everything. A Very Positive game can be a better fit for you than an Overwhelmingly Positive one if its tone matches your taste.

If you like your stories with more fear, see our best horror games on Steam. To share a story with a partner, our best co-op games on Steam list is a good next stop. And for what is coming next, keep an eye on new and upcoming RPG games or browse more of the best games on Steam.

Questions and answers

What are the top 10 best storyline games on Steam?

A strong top 10 for story on Steam would be Red Dead Redemption 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, The Last of Us Part I, God of War, NieR:Automata, Outer Wilds, Detroit: Become Human, Undertale and What Remains of Edith Finch. They cover open-world westerns, choice-heavy RPGs, mystery and short personal stories. Each one has a Very Positive or Overwhelmingly Positive Steam review summary.

What is the best PC game with a storyline?

If you want one pick, Baldur's Gate 3 is the safest bet for most players. Your choices shape the whole story, the companions are full of personality, and you can play it alone or with up to four players online. Its Steam reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive. If you would rather have a fixed, cinematic story than a branching one, Red Dead Redemption 2 or The Last of Us Part I are better fits.

What are the best single player story games on Steam?

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, God of War, The Last of Us Part I, NieR:Automata, Detroit: Become Human, Outer Wilds, Pentiment and To the Moon are all single-player only on Steam, so every part of them is built around one person's playthrough. Pick Expedition 33 for a turn-based RPG, God of War or The Last of Us for cinematic action, and Outer Wilds for a mystery you solve yourself.

Are there story games on Steam I can play with friends?

Yes. Baldur's Gate 3 lists Online Co-op, LAN Co-op and Remote Play Together on Steam, and you can take its story online as a party of up to four. Red Dead Redemption 2 includes Red Dead Online, a separate multiplayer mode with online co-op and PvP, though Arthur Morgan's story itself is played solo. Most of the other strong story games are single-player only.

Which story games on Steam work on Mac or Linux?

According to their Steam pages, Undertale, To the Moon and Night in the Woods support Windows, macOS and Linux. Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 support Windows and macOS. The rest of the picks in this list, including Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, are listed for Windows only, so check each game's store page before you buy.