Open-World Games That Are Worth Playing Just For Their Main Stories

There are many games out there, and some of them offer a vast open-world to explore, but what would be made of that enormous playground without a story to support its construction? Some games are great, but their stories outshine every other aspect of them, to the point where players want to jump in simply for the pleasure of experiencing their deep storytelling.

This list contains a handful of games that are worth playing just for their main stories, with details on what aspects of them make their narrative so great that players will want to experience it over and over again.

5 Death Stranding

The Plot, If You Dare To Follow It, Is Worth The Risk

Death Stranding is a weird game all around, with stunning graphics but very limited mechanics. Some say it is a walking simulator, or a "Door Dash simulator," but what this game is truly about is the story, which is more or less about a post-apocalyptic future where ghostly beings have invaded the Earth, and people live isolated in colonies or underground fallout shelters.

The player has the sole quest to deliver parcels throughout this devastated future. The main protagonist, Sam Porter Bridges (portrayed by Norman Reedus), suffers from a rare ability that allows him to sense the approach of these creatures. At the same time, he suffers from a phobia of being touched, a condition also known as aphenphosmphobia, which provokes an allergic reaction every time someone touches him. The story is intriguing, and quite hard to explain in brief, but this is one of those games worth playing just because the story is profound and has some great character development, and players must finish the game to understand it completely.

4 Marvel's Spider-Man

Live Through The Eyes Of Peter Parker, Also Known As Spider-Man

Marvel's Spider-Man is a game the protagonist is none other than the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler, with all his legendary wisecracks and glib humor. The devs understood that this game wasn't about fighting crime, but about bonds, friendship, and the hero's journey. Therefore, its narrative is the highlight of the show.

For every important canonical event that happens in the life of Spider-Man, his counterpart, Peter Parker, suffers the repercussions, and players get to witness the developments, the stress, and the character growth this brings about like no other game has ever shown. Players might feel like the protagonists in a superhero movie instead of a game, and that's a good thing! The game has a lot of high-quality narrative content, some dark moments, and some great and heartwarming scenes too. It's worth playing for thge story along, even if the web-swinging is one of the best traversal mechanics of all time.

3 Sleeping Dogs

No Crime World Game Has Dared To Go As Deep As This One

Sleeping Dogs is an underrated narrative gem, a game that at first sight might seem like the average gangsterstorygame with a lot of similarities with the Yakuza franchise, Yet it quickly displays its own identity and a wonderfully-developed story. It is a game about redemption, vengeance, family, the journey of a lone wolf becoming part of a group, and the friends that he makes on that path.

This is not just some run-the-mill GTA clone; it is a full-on narrative experience. Players get to explore the Chinese underworld like no other game has ever reflected, and without being too cliché, nor exaggerating some of the martial arts involved in the process. The huge map that players get to explore is a good representation of Hong Kong in all its splendor, and it makes for one of the most immersive open-world crime games ever made.

2 The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter

Perfectly Integrated Story And Gameplay In A Breathtaking Supernatural Sleuth Game

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a game that has spread like wildfire among fans of mystery-solving and suspense, and there are so many good reasons for it, but we want to focus on one of the most important: the narrative. The game's environmental storytelling is so good that a few paragraphs won't do it justice. Players are basically thrown into a huge open-world map, and tasked with solving the mystery that gives the game its title.

While they investigate what happened to Ethan Carter, players will discover a deep and murky plot about murder, paranormal events, and mostly, sleuths. The story is solid, and the characters are very well-developed, but the main figurehead is Detective Prospero, who gives life to the player's avatar. This is a must-play for players who love thrilling tales of the supernatural.

1 Horizon Zero Dawn

One Of Those Stories You Won't Regret Playing

For players who are looking for the highest-quality narrative, and they don't care for anything else but to play a game with easy-going mechanics and a plot that gets thicker and tastier with every second, then they're looking for Horizon Zero Dawn. This game has some of the best character and plot developments of the last decade (no wonder it has won BAFTA and WGA awards).

The quality of the narrative is intelligent, polished, and deep. The way the main plot integrates seamlessly with the world that surrounds Aloy, and the other people living in it, is breathtaking. The story behind the story, about how society fell and the world came to be the way it is, is just extraordinary. The villain is impressive and unpredictable, and the best part is that he is played by the late Lance Reddick. There is othing else to say; play it, it's worth every second.

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By  Lucas Simons