Games That Are Basically Interactive Novels

By now, the world of gaming encompasses a wide variety of styles and genres, from classic retro platformers to epic fantasy RPGs, or nail-biting horror games. There are games to suit every gamer’s skill level and taste, regardless of whether they have been playing games all of their lives, or have only picked up a controller an hour ago.

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If you’ve been wanting to get into RPGs but are unsure where to start, these games are perfect for newbies and beginners.

And for those people, or gamers simply looking to experience a fantastic story, interactive novels are the best kind of games for them. Studios like Quantic Dream have found their success making games like this, taking players on a story that can change depending on their choices, with minimal mechanics in place.

1 Her Story

A Murder Mystery FMV Experience

FMV games have become a rare breed these days, as most studios prefer to work with 3D models rather than real-life actors. But, there are some fantastic FMV games out there to experience, with one of the best being Her Story. In this game, the player is looking into a crime by watching various interrogation tapes to try and discover who the culprit is.

This classic whodunit murder mystery is almost like a movie or noir book than a game, as players navigate a police database full of footage revolving around a murder. The story is simple yet intriguing and is masterfully told, and what’s better is there aren’t too many complex or flashy game mechanics players need to worry about juggling. All they need is a computer, tablet, or phone, and a thinking cap to solve the mystery before them.

2 Gone Home

Atmospheric Walking Simulator

Walking simulators may be looked at with scorn by gamers who prefer a hardcore challenge, but these types of games are perfect for facilitating a strong story that could rival best-selling novels. Gone Home is one such game, a title that received universal praise from players and critics.

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Players control a young woman named Katie who recently returned to her family home only to find it empty, which tasks the player with piecing together clues in the environment to find out why. With no clear objectives or goals, Gone Home is a game where players don’t need to struggle through any bosses or combat to experience the story that is slowly revealed around the environment. Despite the absence of any threats, Gone Home also manages to maintain a gripping atmosphere, the likes of which book fans might feel while diving into a Stephen King Novel.

3 That Dragon, Cancer

A Devastatingly Emotional Experience

Serious, real-life issues are subjects that games have to handle with care. Even games that do touch on these topics usually flavor them for the subject at hand, such as the android uprising in Detroit: Become Human, which was an allegory for racism. That Dragon, Cancer fully embraces the topic of cancer in a story that is as heartbreaking as it is eye-opening, revealing the ugly truth about how cancer can affect lives for people who have never experienced it themselves or in the family.

In this game, Joel Green’s four-year-old son battles against cancer, retelling this tragic story through some basic game mechanics. There is little interactivity from the player other than these small game segments, as the devastating story at the core of it is the true emphasis of this title. While it may be a tough play for some players, this title is truly one of the most open and honest games of all time.

4 Until Dawn

A Terrifying Narrative Players Can Influence

Fright fans have not been forgotten, with horror games that are a step above visual novels such as Until Dawn. Supermassive Games have made a name for themselves making multiple games of this style, all starting with their breakout hit Until Dawn.

It follows the story of eight teens who gather at a remote winter lodge to party and celebrate. Host Josh has some nasty, scary surprises in store as he wants to avenge his sisters, but there is something far more sinister hiding in the snow. Players will be tasked with quick-time events and exploration to survive the tribulations, or they can allow the characters to die in gruesome fashion to ensure there are no survivors, as they have almost total control over the narrative.

5 The Wolf Among Us

Based On A Popular Graphic Novel

Telltale games are known for spinning impressively immersive narratives and kitting out their experiences with stylish graphic novel-esque visuals, with one of their most beloved titles being The Wolf Among Us. Based on the graphic novel series called Fables, players control Sheriff Bigby Wolf as he tries to keep law and order in the community of Fables, characters from fairy tales who live among mundies, ordinary humans.

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Exploration, dialogue options, and some basic QTEs are the only gameplay players need to worry about, and aside from that, it’s an intriguing plot about murders taking part in among the Fables community that Bigby must uncover before they lose even more people. Plenty of twists and memorable characters make this a narrative experience not to be missed.

6 Heavy Rain

An Immersive Thriller Plot

Before Telltale became a household name among fans of interactive novel-like games, there was Quantic Dreams, who put themselves on the map with Heavy Rain. In this game, an infamous killer known as the Origami Killer is on the loose with four separate characters on the hunt for him, one including the father of his most recent victim, Ethan.

With multiple endings and the life of a young boy at stake, Heavy Rain is a game with a lot on the line, and players can ultimately influence the ending. Though there are explorations players can do and QTEs to succeed, the narrative at the heart of it is the main draw of this game, which feels like an intense thriller/crime novel.

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