There are video games based on film, and then video games that could be film. The latter is something that has become increasingly common with advancements in technology over the years. In 2015, you can play through a game that offers the same cinematic experience as a great movie, but allows you to interact with the world, and in some cases make impactful decisions.
One side effect of this is that there are some games that you can watch someone else play and be fulfilled. It's no wonder that playthroughs and live streams are gathering more viewership than ever. Below you will find 10 games that you don't necessarily have to play to enjoy.
Top 10 Games You Don’t Have to Play to Enjoy
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7. Beyond: Two Souls
A hotly anticipated title, Beyond: Two Souls had a tough act to follow (we’ll get there later), but it definitely upped the ante in terms of cast and immersion, adding Ellen Paige and Willem Dafoe and updating the graphics to top-of-the-line (at the time).
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rnTelling the tale of a young woman on the run from the government because of a powerful spirit attached to her, Beyond: Two Souls disappointed only seldomly throughout its impressively crafted narrative. -
1. Heavy Rain
And on that note, we have the other game that drew a crowd, the tough act that Beyond: Two Souls really had no hope of following. Heavy Rain, despite its half-decade age, is comfortably the best interactive movie game the genre has to offer. rn rnWhere The Walking Dead made you care about characters, Heavy Rain made you connect with characters, in a way that made the thought of any of them dying more terrifying than the means at which their life was threatened. rn rnWhere other games used simple quick-time events to give the controller a use beyond that of a paper weight, Heavy Rain offered up tasking button combinations paired with a fast-paced, intense story that grew more dire with every second to make the mechanic more than just an annoyance to be overlooked in favor of the intriguing plot details. rn rnAnd the details are intriguing. Heavy Rain could easily be on a list of best video game stories, instead of just a list of best story video games. Don’t believe me? Watch it. But this one is also the only one on this list that’s also worth a hands-on playthrough, putting it firmly on the number one spot. -
4. Indigo Prophecy
Quantic Dream is back! Or … rather … they’ve begun! They’re back on this list, anyway, with the game that put them on the map: Indigo Prophecy. A story about a string of seemingly random crimes of passion (murders), Indigo Prophecy puts you in the shoes of people who must solve this anomaly.
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rnIt also introduces an aspect that only some on this list do with any justice: quick-time events. While Telltale takes the “mash Q” approach, Quantic Dream made their QTEs with a little more challenge, at least on the face. -
9. L.A. Noire
How the mighty have fallen. L.A. Noire was once touted as perhaps the greatest game of all-time, and that fact is the strongest argument for waiting a few years before assigning historical context. Reception hasn’t so much cooled down as it has brought about nuclear winter. If you aren’t educated on the metastasized hatred for Team Bondi’s debut title, run a google search for “L.A. Noire overrated,” and that will get you the basic idea.
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rnAs for its place on this list, well the story was certainly the most important part. Even the developers knew it. Die once or twice on a combat sequence, and the game gives you the opportunity to skip to the story.
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rnIs it interesting? Interesting enough for those who love Noir films, and interesting enough to hide the game’s laundry list of gameplay-related flaws (for at least the immediate review period, anyway). Still intrigued by the game? Catch it on Youtube, and you’ll miss nothing. -
6. Life is Strange
For a game with a final episode still in development, Life Is Strange should consider itself lucky to be on this list. That’s the view of anyone who hasn’t played it. The story in this game matters so much that you can even rewind time and redo an event shortly after completing said mistake.
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rnBut, be careful about such instincts. The immediate aftermath of a choice may be bad, but it can bring about more positive events later. And vice versa. So you’ll want to think twice about undoing something that you think is bad, and that’s the genius of Life is Strange.
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rnLet’s not let the game off that easy, though. Dialogue, particularly that of its younger characters, leaves something to be wanted, put nicely. -
3. The 7th Guest
Sure, it pulled an amnesia plotline, and, sure, its sequel couldn’t pull off the same concept with relative success, making number three on this list likely dumb luck, but The 7th Guest truly is a hidden gem in the interactive movie genre. rn rnThis is one of those games that’s best experienced organically, without any prior knowledge, but it’s also a game that required a then-unbelievable two CD-ROMS because the developers wouldn’t entertain the idea of trimming their massive cutscenes that so intricately created a twisted story still worthy of a good play -- er … watch. rn rnEven with that, The 7th Guest is credited with a big boost in sales of CD-ROM drives, securing the format for what is now an industry standard. -
10. The Order: 1886
Although Ready at Dawn may disagree with its placement on this list, The Order: 1886 was inarguably more story than gameplay. That fact, like the game itself, was met with mixed reception, with some calling the action samey, and even boring, and others defending the PS4 exclusive to the grave (a place where I’m not convinced The Order: 1886 isn’t already).
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rnRegardless, The Order: 1886 is certainly more fun to watch, regardless of which side you’re on. While the “Dances With Wolves” story has certainly been done before, “Dances With Werewolves in an Alternate History 1886 London” gets at least a few points for originality. -
2. The Walking Dead
This is the only Telltale game that’s caused me to look beyond the developer’s inherent flaws. Mostly because of its incredible emotional weight. The Walking Dead is also one of two games that I can remember drawing a crowd around my computer while playing it, a crowd that wasn’t interested in playing the game at all. People wanted to know what would happen next, and the drama hooked them better than the show ever could.
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rnThe choice system, although not a ground-breaking exercise in the mechanic, had fun parts to it, like being able to compare who made what choice. It was an original and well-executed aspect that only enhanced the gravity of each situation, knowing that everything you did could put someone you’ve grown to care about in danger. -
5. The Wolf Among Us
No one ever accused Telltale of branching out of their formula, and The Wolf Among Us is complete with everything you’re used to in their games (yes, that includes shameless clipping and phoning in the concept of lip-syncing, but who asked you?).
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rnWhile not being an overall improvement on Telltale’s schtick, The Wolf Among Us still had a lot going for it, especially in terms of its watchability. -
8. Until Dawn
What’s that you say? I just made a point about not assigning historical context too early? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of Hayden Panettiere screaming in terror.
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rnBesides, in this extremely limited category, I’m not about to put Until Dawn below either of the previous two. While it may stay pretty glued to the story-is-the-only-thing-that-matters approach, so much so that Sony disabled archiving Twitch streams of its most recent-exclusive to avoid plot spoilers, those who enjoy a good scare will find exactly what they’re looking for in Until Dawn.
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rnBut they won’t have to play it.
