There are plenty of video games with stories that can compete with the best books, TV shows, and movies out there. They are different beasts, though, and there is some meandering that can affect the pacing. For example, Final Fantasy 16 starts strong with a tragic and epic opener followed by some great stuff in the middle, but in the end, it can feel a bit lackluster for some Final Fantasy fans.
The Last of Us Part 2 also has some fans on the fence about pacing. So, with those examples in mind, are there any video game stories with good pacing to help keep the story engaging from beginning to middle to end? Across a wide variety of genres to keep things interesting, let’s get into it. There will be no spoilers either.
The Last Of Us
The American Nightmare
The Last of Us has one of the most startling beginnings of any horror game ever, and the nightmare does not stop until the end. Not many zombie or zombie-related games show how the horror begins, but this one does it well, almost daring players not to cry.
Beyond the opening, what really matters in the narrative is how Joel and Ellie open up to one another. How they act and what they say changes over time as they wander across most of the U.S. to get to Seattle, where players are met with one heck of a divisive finale.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Better Than Most Movies
Even though this is setting up a new universe, Marvel’s Spider-Man does not waste time on Spider-Man’s origins. He is an established hero who knows his way around New York City, but he’s not perfect yet. There are still villains yet to reveal themselves to him, including Doc Ock, who is the central villain.
The student/teacher dynamic between Peter and Dr. Octavius is heartwarming, which makes their downfall all the more tragic. Beyond Doc Ock, the other characters and villains in Peter’s life shine too, especially a young Miles, and so far in the trilogy, Marvel’s Spider-Man is the best-balanced.
What A Thrill
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, for many, is the best entry in the series, which features Big Boss before he becomes a dominating villain in the series. Set within the jungles of the Soviet Union, players will sneak through leafy brush and take down guards with ease using various gadgets, weapons, and camouflage suits.
Like many Metal Gear games, fans can expect a long line of rich bosses who help make the story stand out, from an astronaut obsessed with fire to a man who shoots bees. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is a thrilling narrative treasure, no matter which version players engage with, from the PS2 original to the remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
Hades 2
Dying To See The Next Scene
Hades 2 centers on Melinoe, a witch in training who takes up a war with Chronos in the underworld, who is making life miserable for everyone. Even though it’s a roguelike with lots of death, the story never seems to lose its momentum.
From big moments confronting major characters to smaller moments, perhaps in a bath, this game does not falter. The ending was a divisive one at launch, but now that it has changed, more players are now down on calling it a better game than its predecessor, which also has an impressive story.
Until Dawn
Whodunnit, Mountain Edition
Until Dawn is a tight horror adventure game that keeps players on their toes. The game starts with a cabin in the woods atop a snowy mountain, with friends reuniting after a while. Things start to go awry when people start disappearing, and a masked killer is on the loose.
Players will switch between multiple characters, with each one able to die if they make the wrong choices, thus affecting the story. While there are some leaps in logic, it’s a gripping and terrifying horror game throughout.
Spec Ops: The Line
Mind Game
The Spec Ops games are a low-budget series of squad-based shooters that not many paid attention to until Spec Ops: The Line. The story was better than anyone could have hoped for, involving a grim tale of three soldiers navigating through a war zone in Dubai.
The squad leader, Captain Walker, senses that something doesn’t feel right, but it’s more than the usual instinct within a military game. Without saying too much, it’s one of those games that takes two times to appreciate the full twist of the matter, and both times are as thrilling as the last.
Chrono Trigger
Across Time And Space
Chrono Trigger was released for the SNES in 1995, and it has not lost its luster three decades later. It’s one of the tightest games of this era, with both a complex and simple story involving time travel.
Players will go through different periods like the medieval times, the prehistoric era, and the future, all connected by an evil alien from space. It’s one surprise after another and does not linger on any one area or plot point long. The PS1 version gave rise to animated cutscenes, which help illustrate some of the bigger moments.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Twist After Twist
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is mostly a visual novel, also about time travel, and occasionally, there are some tactical battles involving mechs. Without giving too much away, players will follow chapters with alternating characters across different timelines.
It’s a big cast that may start a bit slow for some, but others will be riding high from minute one. Thanks to the art style, well-rounded characters, brilliant voice acting, and some deeply troubling twists, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim will be a hard one to put down.
