Story-Driven Games That Feel Like Reading a Good Book

I don’t know what I love more: curling up on the couch with a blanket and reading a good book or playing a narrative-heavy game that lets me craft my own adventure and meet memorable characters. There’s really no way to choose between the two, so why not do both simultaneously?

As a book lover and gamer at heart, I’m always looking for story-driven games that feel like you’ve settled into a cosy evening of reading. When a title has excellent gameplay and captivating writing, there’s a good chance it’ll be one of my favourites. So, if you’re one of those people who have a “to-be-played” backlog quarrelling with your “to-be-read” list, here are some narrative-rich games that I think you’ll love.

In Other Waters

If a relaxing sci-fi novel and Subnautica collided, you’d get In Other Waters, a calming adventure game developed by Jump Over The Age. Here, you’ll follow the text-based story of xenobiologist Ellery Vas, playing as an AI that guides the scientist across an expansive alien ocean as she searches for her missing partner. With its beautiful, minimalistic art style, playing In Other Waters is very much like reading a book, as you get to put your imagination to work by visualising the various creatures and areas you come across. From Ellery’s observations of glittering particles in softly flowing water to colourful, rapidly moving creatures, this unfamiliar world truly comes to life with every word.

What Remains of Edith Finch

Have you ever wished you could read a book again for the first time? What Remains of Edith Finch is one of those games I’d love to re-experience completely fresh. It’s a first-person, story-driven walking simulator that begins with the opening of a journal and turn of a page, as you play through a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale, exploring the lives and deaths of the Finch family. It’s like you’re playing through a collection of distinct yet intertwined short stories, each deeply sad, surreal, and magical — all narrated by the titular Edith herself.

Slay the Princess

Book lovers and good visual novels are a perfect match, and if you’re looking for a VN with a little romance, fantasy, comedy, and suspense, you’ll find all that and more in Slay the Princess, developed by Black Tabby Games. Diverging from the typical hero-saves-princess trope, you’re tasked with slaying a very ordinary, trapped human princess. But will you do it? Is she truly a threat to the world? And what are these voices you keep hearing in your head? In my review, I called Slay the Princess “compelling and strange,” and I still stand by that description. The excellent voice-acting, branching choices, and intriguing dialogue make it easy to recommend, especially if you love choose-your-own-adventure novels.

Beacon Pines

Beacon Pines might be one of the best narrative-heavy, cosy (and spooky) games for book lovers because it actually takes place inside a mysterious book. You’ll play through the pages of this cute storybook, following the tale of Luka VanHorn, a young boy whose father has passed and whose mother has gone missing. You get to shape how the tale unfolds by choosing single-word charms, such as “Ponder,” “Chill,” or “Hide,” and as you progress and unlock new charms, you’ll discover different versions and endings of the story. If this sounds like your type of game, be sure to read our review written by Violet Plata! “If you’re a fan of books, I think they did some incredible work with their writing,” she wrote.

I truly love how developers find unique, innovative ways to tell stories through videogames, drawing us in with intriguing premises and compelling writing. Do you have any games that feel like reading a good book? Be sure to leave us a comment down below!