Summary
- Gaming narratives are cinematic with facial capture, mature storytelling, and impressive graphics.
- GTA4, RDR2, and The Witcher 3 stand out as games with cinematic storytelling, engaging plots, and impactful endings.
- Cyberpunk 2077, Spider-Man, Far Cry 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Yakuza 0 offer immersive, cinematic experiences.
Gaming has evolved to the point where its stories can be cinematic and movie-like in some instances. Facial capture, graphical fidelity, and mature storytelling have become widespread in the gaming industry, allowing fans to enjoy some of the best video games they can get their hands on.
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This is especially true in the case of the open-world genre, where games need something to grab a player’s attention and keep them wanting more. A great story with cinematic qualities that rival most movies is a great way to accomplish this.
1 Grand Theft Auto 4
Many People Consider Niko Bellic’s Story To Be The Very Best Shown In A GTA Game
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
Grand Theft Auto 4 is one of the best games in the series for many fans, who love the urban trappings of Liberty City. However, it would be impossible to talk about the game’s strengths without mentioning its narrative, which is arguably the very best seen in a GTA game.
Fans love just how engaging Niko Bellic’s story is, with this immigrant delving into a life of crime and using his hard-earned skills to earn a pretty penny. His story is marred with tragedy and culminates in a sad ending that feels more impactful courtesy of the cinematic storytelling.
2 Red Dead Redemption 2
Boasts The Best Story In A Rockstar Game
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the closest Rockstar has come to storytelling perfection. Any fan who had reservations about this game being a remake had all their doubts wiped away by what is easily one of the most cinematic Rockstar games ever made.
Even the simple act of moving from one location to the other on a horse can become ridiculously cinematic courtesy of Rockstar’s amazing camera controls. Meanwhile, the story is presented immaculately and gets players invested in Arthur Morgan’s tale with ease.
3 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt’s Epic Adventure Is Full Of Ups & Downs
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the greatest video games ever made that needs no introduction. CD Projekt Red crafted an amazing game full of memorable characters and hard-hitting plotlines with writing that could rival movies in terms of how deep it is.
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It helps that the game’s biggest moments are given all the love and care they deserve to look as cinematic as can be. The Witcher 3‘s story ends up feeling all the more impactful as a result, rivalling and even surpassing the impact most movies have on people.
4 Cyberpunk 2077
V’s Struggles To Regain Control Of Their Body Is Quite Riveting
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
V’s journey to regain control of their body makes for an excellent premise to kickstart Cyberpunk 2077 after a cinematic opening. Players will love controlling the protagonist in a beautiful adventure full of many twists and turns.
The story is easily one of Cyberpunk 2077‘s strongest assets and will keep fans engaged for hours on end. From the main story to the side quests, the writing all across the board is so riveting that fans will find themselves immersed in the stories of the many relevant NPCs and other entities in Night City.
5 Marvel’s Spider-Man
Insomniac’s Web-slinging Adventure Is A Blast To Experience
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
While Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may be a huge improvement over its predecessor, most fans feel that the narrative of the first game is better-paced. It’s hard to argue against this, especially since this title managed to make Doctor Octopus’ origin story riveting despite many people being familiar with it.
It helps that the performances and story beats are strong, allowing fans to get invested in one of the best Spider-Man games of all time. It never pulls its punches and lets fans enjoy one of the most cinematic and riveting comic book storylines in a video game.
6 Far Cry 3
To This Day, Vaas’s definition Of Insanity Speech Hits A Chord With Players
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
There’s a reason why many people consider Far Cry 3 to be one of the greatest video games ever made. Sure, the formula it brought to the table was riveting, but it’s the scintillating stories and memorable characters that elevate this title to new heights.
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Vaas is an obvious mention here, with this psychotic pirate serving as a thorn in Jason’s side for a long time. There’s a reason why the game feels lacking after he exits the story, even though the events later on in the game are cinematic enough to keep fans engaged for the long haul.
7 Horizon Zero Dawn
Aloy’s Epic Journey In A Rich World Dripping With Lore Is Amazing
Horizon Zero Dawn
- Released
- February 28, 2017
- ESRB
- T for Teen – Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Mild Sexual Themes, Violence
Horizon Zero Dawn boasts one of the richest worlds that players can get lost in. Aloy’s adventures are full of memorable moments as players help her uncover the truth behind her existence and the details of the tragedy that destroyed the world.
The battles against massive monsters are extremely cinematic and put most action movies to shame, and the story has just enough to keep players curious about the events that befell the world. It’s a huge part of what makes the game so special and helped Horizon establish itself as one of the best PlayStation franchises around.
8 Yakuza 0
Kiryu And Majima’s Rise To Become Legends In The Yakuza World Is Quite Riveting
Yakuza 0
- Released
- January 24, 2017
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
Almost every Yakuza game features a cinematic story that takes players for a wild ride, but most fans agree that it took a while for these narratives to become more memorable than ever. Yakuza 0 can be considered a major step forward in the series’ narrative development, with its status as a prequel ensuring that RGG Studio wasn’t shackled by certain narrative restrictions.
This allowed Kiryu and Majima to blossom into memorable protagonists in the eyes of fans who understood why fans love the Yakuza games. Players who want a breather from the serious and riveting story can check out the game’s hilarious side content that can be surprisingly cinematic in its own way, adding to the game’s unique nature.
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