The best stories in PC gaming#BYF6

The best stories in PC gaming A look at some our recent Game of the Year winners - Spelunky, Metal Gear Solid V, Dishonored 2 - suggests that baked-in narratives are less important to us than personal stories plotted by physics and AI. Hellblade is an important game, not just because of the subject matter it tackles - a young woman s struggle with psychosis - but also because it proves that modern-day audiences are willing to listen to developers that want to tackle difficult themes. The Thief trilogy The first Thief game tells a neat noir story complete with dry narration from a cynical protagonist and a femme fatale who hires him for a dangerous job. The overarching tale of the Finch family is full of intrigue, but its the individual stories of each family member that stand out. Mafia and Mafia 2 The first two Mafia games each contain their own compelling stories, built from familiar cinematic influences - but the first is my favourite, telling a more sympathetic tale of cab driver Tommy Angelo being drawn into the criminal underworld, before finally trying to escape it. Youd think that if you take a murder mystery, chop it into bits and deliver all those parts in the wrong order then the resultant story would be a mess. Bioshock 2 While its the first game that gets all the attention for its fantastic concept, its Bioshock 2 thats secretly the high point of the series. An emotionally draining game that has caused many a tear to drop on our keyboards. Realms of the Haunting This obscure British gem has enjoyed something of a resurgence of late, and justifiably so. GTA IV dialled back the wacky, fun stuff of San Andreas - military jets, jetpacks, getting fat from eating burgers - in favour of a sober story set in a stunningly realistic interpretation of New York, Liberty City. The Yawhg The Yawhg is coming, and it isnt going to be good, and thats all you know. Danganronpa stands out from other visual novels because, rather than a game about making decisions, its a game about making deductions. A Mind Forever Voyaging When did games get so political, people demand. A solid space romp from start to finish. The Witcher 3 What can we say about The Witcher 3 that hasnt already been shouted from the rooftops? The Bloody Baron quest alone warrants its place on our list. Investigating an abandoned spacecraft inhabited by untrustworthy AI is a videogame staple, and its been done well . Oxenfree Here are the ingredients: a spooky deserted island; a group of quirky teens who are better at banter than any of us; a mystery involving radio frequencies.