10 Intense Video Game Thrillers That Will Melt Your Brain

You'll never be the same again.

Spec Ops The Line
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How important is a story to a video game?

It's a discussion born out of the late 90s, when - following the immaculate Metal Gear Solid and its utilisation of Hollywood-esque cutscenes - developers started expanding their horizons narratively. The 2000s became a golden age of experimentation; putting the focus on plot-spinning maestros like David Cage, Ken Levine and Drew Karpyshyn like never before.

Of course, Metal Gear's own Hideo Kojima didn't shy away from growing his own series into a cultural touchstone and entertainment behemoth. Everybody and their granny knew about Solid vs. Liquid Snake; the collective cultural consciousness eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

To be honest, that's something we've moved away from as the current industry favours game mechanics over narrative, though there are plenty examples of when a game's story was so engrossing, it completely bowled you over.

Figuring this lot out took a lot of brain power, and even then... there's always the internet.

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Gaming Editor
Gaming Editor

WhatCulture's Head of Gaming.