Whatoplay presents the Top 25 Xbox One Single-Player Story-Driven games of all time.
All arranged by playscore. To check out our full list,
visit our page on all best Xbox One Single-Player games.
25. Okami HD
Opening our list is a remnant of the good ol’ days of gaming. CAPCOM’s action-adventure was
hailed as one of PlayStation 2’s best. This HD Remaster retains its original storytelling
and its gorgeous watercolor visuals that fit well for the Xbox One. A playscore of 8.76.
24. Little Nightmares II A sequel to an unlikely
kind of horror. Little Nightmares 2 takes the surreal spooks of the original to new heights.
With a new protagonist, Mono, help him make his way out around this terrifying world
that requires more than just a pair of underpants. A playscore of 8.76.
23. Devil May Cry 5
The fifth major entry to the acclaimed character action game from CAPCOM.
In DMC5, Dante and Nero are about to face their most dangerous enemy yet... who is definitely
not Vergil. There’s some goofy demon-family drama here and more stylish action. A playscore of 8.76.
22. Return of The Obra Dinn When it comes to story-driven single-players,
Lucas Pope’s indie-puzzle title takes us to a different world far from our own.
Uncover the mystery of this lowly merchant ship. Search every nook and cranny for a
possible clue as to what happened in this unfortunate vessel. A playscore of 8.77.
21. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard The Resident Evil games have come a
long way. With RE Village on the loose, the future of this survival-horror series is looking good.
In 7, this soft-reboot takes us to the amateur shoes of Ethan Winters in his journey to save
his missing wife. Encounter the Baker family in tense horror action. A playscore of 8.77.
20. Outer Wilds This first-person science fiction
exploration game is best played blind. No amount of words can capture this game’s sense of wonder,
especially when you’re a huge fan of the genre. It can get frustrating at first, but once you
experience the game’s major plot twist, you can’t wait to come back for more. A playscore of 8.77.
19. Sonic Mania This blue hedgehog’s journey has seen better days,
and this re-imagining of the classic Sonic takes us to new and improved levels in blazing speed
now that it supports 60 frames per second. Playing as Sonic, Tails & Knuckles as they
thwart the evil plans of Dr. Eggman has never been this fun. A playscore of 8.81.
18. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition The first of the trilogy of reboots
for one of gaming’s popular heroines. Crystal Dynamics, before they went out of their way with
Marvel’s Avengers, was responsible for this renewed vigor in Lara Croft’s origin story.
Help her overcome her first survival experience on this mystical island. A playscore of 8.84.
17. What Remains Of Edith Finch Walking simulators like this
one bank on the emotional depth of its storytelling. Edith Finch’s bittersweet
retelling of her family history can resonate with the players. Each of their traumas and
shortcomings are made presentable with its unique narrative-interactions. A playscore of 8.90.
16. Dark Souls III FromSoftware’s ‘final’ Dark Souls
game closes the game’s impressive lore. While there is no linear storytelling here, the bits
and pieces the players learn in this world are good enough, or you can just go to your favorite
YouTube loremasters to find out what really happened in that one scene. A playscore of 8.91.
15. GEARS 5
Microsoft’s prized exclusive next to Halo. This is the latest GEARS title they released so far,
excluding their Tactics game. Uncover Kait’s mysterious past and meet new and familiar faces.
It’s the sixth major entry of the series, taking players into a massive science
fiction adventure with a heavy focus on cover-shooter gameplay. A playscore of 8.92.
14. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Ubisoft’s award-winning open-world series goes
full Viking in their twenty-second installment. Yes, 22 games. In Valhalla, brave the harsh
Scandinavian wilderness and expand your thriving Viking army. More of a technical flex than a
story-telling machine, Valhalla’s massive world is home to many side-quests. A playscore of 8.92.
13. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Hideo Kojima’s final MGS game left a huge
hole in the Metal Gear community. Big Boss’ final moments were met with both criticism and praise,
especially with the game’s obvious cut contents. Either way, it’s still a solid
MGS entry with fun stealth mechanics and relentless action. A playscore of 8.93.
12. Mortal Kombat 11 NetherRealms’ third entry to their acclaimed
fighting franchise. If you’ve seen the movie, you probably know how MK’s story can be all over the
place. It excels in its fighting elements, but its storytelling is “somewhat” mediocre. However,
if you’re a fan of their characters, you’ll enjoy their personality here. A playscore of 8.94.
11. Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition Larian Studios’ CRPG is a story-driven game,
alright, but it’s up to you to make your own adventures.
Select your character, find the perfect buddies and embark on a grand adventure
where you feel like it’s a lengthy D&D session. A playscore of 8.94.
10. DOOM Eternal Continuing our selection of soft-reboots
and sequels, DOOM Eternal is the latest chapter of id Software’s modern take of the classic FPS.
Much like their first DOOM, the story isn’t all too bombastic, but it does
conclude a long-running arc of the series. Your Doomguy is still a badass. A playscore of 8.95.
9. Ori And The Blind Forest - Definitive Edition The first of Moon Studios’ emotional platformers.
Only 2 points higher than its sequel, Will of the Wisps, The Blind Forest takes us into this
magical world teeming with gorgeous backdrops and calming music. A playscore of 8.96.
8. NieR: Automata - BECOME AS GODS Edition
Yoko Taro’s meta action-adventure had us in tears and existential dread at the same time.
Automata was his most ambitious work to date. The Nier series aren’t much known outside of Japan,
but this game’s success pushed the series to new directions, this is clear with their latest title,
Replicant, that remastered the first of the series. A playscore of 9.00.
7. Yakuza: Like A Dragon
There’s a lot of Yakuza games out there and it takes a while to get a grasp on
its themes and story. Like A Dragon was the much-needed soft-reboot of the series.
In this entry, you play as a new protagonist caught in his own spiral of problems.
The things that made the series great are present here, including its humor. A playscore of 9.06.
6. Fallout 4 Say what you
will about the franchise, but it did deliver some memorable branching narratives in an RPG.
4’s lengthy story was enough to keep us invested in its lingering mysteries,
as well as partaking in numerous side-quests that go from whacky to serious.
It’s a shame we no longer have story-heavy Fallout games right now. A playscore of 9.09.
5. Resident Evil 2 The Remake that revived
CAPCOM’s dying franchise. RE2 was a step in the right direction for the series.
7 and 2 are different RE titles, but they exist in the same universe.
2s over the shoulder camera was the series’ return to its classic roots. Both Leon and
Claire’s journey in the infested Raccoon City is something we’ll never forget. A playscore of 9.12.
4. Grand Theft Auto V More than just a game where you go guns blazing
or do Role-Plays. GTAV had a grand story to tell. Featuring three protagonists with their own quests
and issues. It went strong on its writing, but it did suffer from its dated gameplay mechanics.
Who knows? Maybe its rumored successor GTA6 might turn it up a notch. A playscore of 9.16.
3. INSIDE
Linear storytelling will never disappear from the gaming market.
PlayDead’s second game after LIMBO was a stuff of nightmares. This is also a game where you go in
blind as each surprise keeps the excitement going. There are a lot of questions to unpack here,
but all you have to do is keep moving forward to the game’s gloomy world. A playscore of 9.19.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Of course, CD Projekt Red’s
proudest gaming achievement was giving us The Witcher 3. It’s a hallmark in storytelling where
each side-quest feels like it’s part of the main game. Geralt of Rivia’s final adventure into this
dark fantasy world is worth every replay, if you can spare 100 hours or so. A playscore of 9.22.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2 Taking the top spot in our best Xbox
One single-player story-driven games is none other than Rockstar’s latest masterpiece. RDR2 is a game
built with pure detail. Every inch in its gorgeous Western world is packed with a story to tell.
Arthur Morgan and John Marston’s journey made grown men and women cry. A playscore of 9.37.