10 Perfect Stories Told In Video Games

3. Red Dead Redemption 2

I take personal offence when people tell me that Red Dead Redemption 2 is too hard to get into because my only reply is “Alright, well, you’re missing out on one of the greatest stories ever told, but you do you.”

As with the case in almost all of the games I’ve mentioned, much of Red Dead 2’s strength lies in its incredibly realised characters, especially Arthur Morgan who might be my favourite fictional character to ever exist. Another theme present here that I’ve mentioned earlier in this list is that the story, writing, and characterisation succeeds due to its subtlety.

Arthur is relatively reserved, he doesn’t want to be mixed up in the drama of the rest of the Van der Linde gang and almost everything in the story just happens to or around him and he’s forced to deal with it. The fact that Red Dead Redemption is already a masterclass in video game writing and we just added gorgeous graphics and a new fantastic character means Rockstar were set up for success and they continued to prove themselves.

There’s a deep pathos and empathy you feel for Arthur throughout his journey and experiences meaning you’re unlikely to forget Red Dead 2’s story any time soon.

The open world is available as your playground but returning regularly to the linear story at the heart of the branching sub missions and activities is essential to carrying you toward the story’s grand conclusion. The story is riddled with tension as allegiances evolve and crumble, plans fall apart, and Arthur discovers there are some things that can’t be resolved with a gun or any amount of money.

Your deep connection with Arthur is what winds you into every plot point and NPC interaction. You’ll be cheering at every win and have your heart aching at every loss and it’s just fantastic.