Best Narrative Games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated narrative games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals and best free narrative games are available at the bottom of the page.
Filters & Lists
Heading Out
Flee your fear and carve your story. Blaze a trail across mythic American highways, where choices twist your tale and danger’s always in the rearview mirror. With roguelike routes, limited resources, and breakneck chases, this isn’t just a drive—it’s your legend in the making.
The Thaumaturge
The Thaumaturge is a character-driven RPG with a rich story, morally ambiguous choices, and turn-based combat. In a city on the brink of change, use your mystical powers to read emotions, uncover motives, and command folklore-inspired demons — while resisting the temptation of your own pride.
A Highland Song
Moira McKinnon is running away. A wild adventure through the Scottish Highlands, with open platforming and dynamic storytelling, maps and music. From the creators of Heaven's Vault and 80 Days.
Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout
Jack Nelson, a 24-year-old fire lookout, transferred to a new outpost. As he settled into his new home, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, little did he know what was transpiring down in Ironbark State Park.
Long Gone Days
A modern-day JRPG that imagines a world of war. Overcome language barriers, forge unlikely friendships, and find hope amidst conflict.
Strongblade - Puzzle Quest and Match-3 Adventure
Strongblade is a match-3 puzzle game where you play as Sean the Mouse. Travel through a captivating world filled with puzzles, outsmart cunning villains, befriend charming animals, and build unique camps.
Ugly
Unravel the dark secrets hidden throughout this stirring puzzle platformer about a tormented nobleman confronting the traumas of his past. Use an innovative mirror mechanic to solve challenging puzzle rooms and defeat towering bosses as you strive to piece together the ugly truth.
Under The Waves
Stan, a professional diver in the North Sea, is struggling to overcome a life-changing loss during an extended mission underwater. Stuck in his self-imposed solitude, he starts to experience strange events and will have to make the most significant choice of his life...
Fort Solis
Answer the call from a mining base on Mars as engineer Jack Leary and search for the missing crew. Fort Solis will immerse you with cinematic visuals powered by UE 5 and voice acting of Roger Clark and Troy Baker. Explore the mining complex and reach climax of this narrative thriller experience.
BOOK OF HOURS
Restore a crumbling occult library by a winter sea. Build the world’s foremost collection of grimoires and arcana. Master the invisible arts. BOOK OF HOURS is a narrative crafting RPG set in a 1930s world of hidden gods and secret histories. What sort of Librarian will you choose to be?
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
Immerse yourself in an enchanting narrative experience as Fortuna, a fortune-teller Witch condemned to exile on her asteroid home. Craft your own Tarot deck, regain your freedom, and shape the fate of the cosmic Witch society.
Venba
Venba is a short narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations, and explore South Indian food in this story about family, love, and loss.
Inworld Origins
Origins is a playable short created by the team at Inworld AI to showcase NPCs powered by artificial intelligence. After an explosion in Metropolis, you’ve arrived on the scene as the lead detective. Question witnesses, uncover the mystery, and solve the case. From the creator of The Matrix Awakens.
TRY AGAIN
You're Benny, a test character trapped in an unfinished game by a figure called The Designer. She's up against a deadline for her publisher which means it's your last day as a test character. Navigate the facility, dodge game-dev chaos and defy expectations to become the main character.
OXENFREE II: Lost Signals
Five years after the events of OXENFREE, Riley returns to her hometown of Camena to investigate mysterious radio signals. What she finds is more than she bargained for.
Layers of Fear
All stories must come to an end, even twisted and eerie ones. The canvas. The stage. The novel. This narrative-focused psychological horror experience is ready for its final brushstrokes, its curtain call, its final chapter. Are you ready to return and face your fears one last time?
Road 96: Mile 0
The prequel to Road 96. Play Zoe and Kaito where it all started. Change their destinies!
The Pale Beyond
You didn’t ask to lead this expedition, but here you are. Stuck in the ice, Captain missing, miles from civilisation. Someone has to take charge. Manage your meagre resources, balance safety and morale, make the hard calls, and head in the only direction you can - through The Pale Beyond.
SEASON: A letter to the future
Leave home for the first time to collect memories before a mysterious cataclysm washes everything away. Ride, record, meet people, and unravel the strange world around you in this third-person meditative exploration game.
Sail Forth
Sail a fleet of customizable ships across an ocean whose ancient depths have swallowed the key to the mysterious past. Befriend fishfolk to expand your boat crews, take up arms against petulant pirates, and chart a course across an expansive watery world. Will you answer the call of High Adventure?
Most played narrative games on Steam
Take a look at the top narrative games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of June 15th 2025.
1. Vagrus - The Riven Realms
Embark on a perilous journey across a realm forsaken by the gods and devastated by an arcane cataclysm. Accompanied by a hardy crew, you must trade, fight, and explore your way to success as the leader of a traveling company in Vagrus, an award-winning turn-based post-apocalyptic fantasy RPG. Vagrus - The Riven Realms is a story rich, open world and dungeons & dragons game developed by Lost Pilgrims Studio and published by Lost Pilgrims Studios. Released on October 05th 2021 has received 1,418 reviews of which 1,212 were positive and 206 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #1 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.2
1,212
206
80
players
2. Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout
Jack Nelson, a 24-year-old fire lookout, transferred to a new outpost. As he settled into his new home, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, little did he know what was transpiring down in Ironbark State Park. Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout is a horror, atmospheric and psychological horror game developed and published by Rayll Studios. Released on October 20th 2023 has received 4,650 reviews of which 4,303 were positive and 347 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. The game currently holds the #2 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.9
4,303
347
49
players
3. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged
The classic multi-award winning adventure "Broken Sword - the Shadow of the Templars" returns with glorious 4K visuals and iconic remastered audio, pitching intrepid American George Stobbart and fearless journalist Nico Collard into a journey of perilous adventures and ancient conspiracies. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a mystery, point & click and narrative game developed and published by Revolution Software Ltd. Released on September 19th 2024 has received 776 reviews of which 751 were positive and 25 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.1
751
25
41
players
4. Fort Solis
Answer the call from a mining base on Mars as engineer Jack Leary and search for the missing crew. Fort Solis will immerse you with cinematic visuals powered by UE 5 and voice acting of Roger Clark and Troy Baker. Explore the mining complex and reach climax of this narrative thriller experience. Fort Solis is a walking simulator, cinematic and mars game developed by Fallen Leaf and Black Drakkar Games and published by Dear Villagers. Released on August 22nd 2023 has received 2,992 reviews of which 2,026 were positive and 966 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.6 out of 10. The game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played narrative games.
6.6
2,026
966
22
players
5. Before Your Eyes
Embark on an emotional first-person narrative adventure where you control the story—and affect its outcomes—with your real-life blinks. With this innovative technique you will fully immerse yourself in a world of memories, both joyous and heartbreaking, as your whole life flashes before your eyes. Before Your Eyes is a emotional, narrative and story rich game developed by GoodbyeWorld Games and published by Skybound Games. Released on April 08th 2021 has received 17,499 reviews of which 17,136 were positive and 363 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. The game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.5
17,136
363
17
players
6. Epistory - Typing Chronicles
Epistory immerses you in an atmospheric action/adventure game where you play a girl riding a giant fox who fights an insectile corruption from an origami world. As you progress and explore this world, the story literally unfolds and the mysteries of the magic power of the words are revealed. Epistory - Typing Chronicles is a typing, adventure and narrative game developed by Fishing Cactus and published by Fishing Cactus, PID Games and Dear Villagers. Released on March 30th 2016 has received 6,581 reviews of which 6,235 were positive and 346 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.2
6,235
346
17
players
7. Heaven's Vault
An archaeologist uncovers a lost history in an ancient space Nebula. Award-winning narrative adventure game with hieroglyphic language puzzles, from the creators of 80 DAYS. Heaven's Vault is a adventure, narrative and mystery game developed and published by inkle Ltd. Released on April 16th 2019 has received 2,209 reviews of which 1,889 were positive and 320 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.2
1,889
320
16
players
8. Venba
Venba is a short narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations, and explore South Indian food in this story about family, love, and loss. Venba is a cooking, casual and narrative game developed and published by Visai Games. Released on July 31st 2023 has received 2,577 reviews of which 2,379 were positive and 198 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.8
2,379
198
14
players
9. Clone Drone in the Hyperdome
Cut robots apart in VR. Feel your sword disintegrate their metal bodies. Now you live and die in the Crashloop, a roguelike tournament to the death. Lock swords! Shoot shurikens from your wrist! This is CLONE DRONE... in the HYPERDOME!!! Clone Drone in the Hyperdome is a action, swordplay and fighting game developed and published by Doborog Games. Released on December 12th 2024 has received 718 reviews of which 659 were positive and 59 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.6
659
59
10
players
10. How Fish Is Made
Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC! How Fish Is Made is a surreal, short and horror game developed by Wrong Organ, Johanna Kasurinen, Jeffrey Tomec and Martin Halldin and published by Wrong Organ and CRITICAL REFLEX. Released on January 14th 2022 has received 4,784 reviews of which 4,566 were positive and 218 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.2
4,566
218
5
players
Best deals on narrative games on Steam
Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of narrative games available on Steam right now, updated on June 15th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted narrative games.
1. Venba
Venba is a short narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations, and explore South Indian food in this story about family, love, and loss. Venba is a cooking, casual and narrative game developed and published by Visai Games. Released on July 31st 2023 has received 2,577 reviews of which 2,379 were positive and 198 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Featuring a massive 98% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for narrative category.
8.8
2,379
198
-98%
14.99€
0.33€
2. Dordogne
Immerse yourself in a unique narrative experience and explore the thousand summer colors of Dordogne as you revisit your childhood to uncover lost family secrets in this touching formative journey. Dordogne is a narrative, wholesome and cute game developed by UN JE NE SAIS QUOI and UMANIMATION and published by Focus Entertainment. Released on June 13th 2023 has received 1,086 reviews of which 999 were positive and 87 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.7 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 98% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in narrative games.
8.7
999
87
-98%
14.99€
0.33€
3. Fort Solis
Answer the call from a mining base on Mars as engineer Jack Leary and search for the missing crew. Fort Solis will immerse you with cinematic visuals powered by UE 5 and voice acting of Roger Clark and Troy Baker. Explore the mining complex and reach climax of this narrative thriller experience. Fort Solis is a walking simulator, cinematic and mars game developed by Fallen Leaf and Black Drakkar Games and published by Dear Villagers. Released on August 22nd 2023 has received 2,992 reviews of which 2,026 were positive and 966 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.6 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 98% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in narrative games.
6.6
2,026
966
-98%
24.99€
0.72€
4. Heaven's Vault
An archaeologist uncovers a lost history in an ancient space Nebula. Award-winning narrative adventure game with hieroglyphic language puzzles, from the creators of 80 DAYS. Heaven's Vault is a adventure, narrative and mystery game developed and published by inkle Ltd. Released on April 16th 2019 has received 2,209 reviews of which 1,889 were positive and 320 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 91% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for narrative games.
8.2
1,889
320
-91%
21.99€
2.00€
5. Before Your Eyes
Embark on an emotional first-person narrative adventure where you control the story—and affect its outcomes—with your real-life blinks. With this innovative technique you will fully immerse yourself in a world of memories, both joyous and heartbreaking, as your whole life flashes before your eyes. Before Your Eyes is a emotional, narrative and story rich game developed by GoodbyeWorld Games and published by Skybound Games. Released on April 08th 2021 has received 17,499 reviews of which 17,136 were positive and 363 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for narrative games.
9.5
17,136
363
-90%
9.75€
1.07€
6. Epistory - Typing Chronicles
Epistory immerses you in an atmospheric action/adventure game where you play a girl riding a giant fox who fights an insectile corruption from an origami world. As you progress and explore this world, the story literally unfolds and the mysteries of the magic power of the words are revealed. Epistory - Typing Chronicles is a typing, adventure and narrative game developed by Fishing Cactus and published by Fishing Cactus, PID Games and Dear Villagers. Released on March 30th 2016 has received 6,581 reviews of which 6,235 were positive and 346 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #6 position in the best deals for narrative games.
9.2
6,235
346
-90%
14.99€
1.54€
7. Thirty Flights of Loving
Explore the world of Thirty Flights of Loving through a first-person short story. Take a deep dive with high-flying schemers, lovelorn criminals, and more stray kittens than you can shake a stick at. Thirty Flights of Loving is a first-person, experimental and walking simulator game developed and published by Blendo Games. Released on August 20th 2012 has received 1,826 reviews of which 1,152 were positive and 674 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #7 position in the best deals for narrative games.
6.2
1,152
674
-90%
4.99€
0.50€
8. Afterparty
In Afterparty, you are Milo and Lola, recently deceased best buds who suddenly find themselves staring down an eternity in Hell. But there's a loophole: outdrink Satan and he'll grant you re-entry to Earth. Afterparty is a indie, supernatural and narrative game developed and published by Night School Studio. Released on October 22nd 2020 has received 897 reviews of which 619 were positive and 278 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 75% discount, this title has earned the #8 position in the best deals for narrative games.
6.7
619
278
-75%
19.50€
5.01€
9. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged
The classic multi-award winning adventure "Broken Sword - the Shadow of the Templars" returns with glorious 4K visuals and iconic remastered audio, pitching intrepid American George Stobbart and fearless journalist Nico Collard into a journey of perilous adventures and ancient conspiracies. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a mystery, point & click and narrative game developed and published by Revolution Software Ltd. Released on September 19th 2024 has received 776 reviews of which 751 were positive and 25 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 65% discount, this title has earned the #9 position in the best deals for narrative games.
9.1
751
25
-65%
29.99€
10.56€
10. SEASON: A letter to the future
Leave home for the first time to collect memories before a mysterious cataclysm washes everything away. Ride, record, meet people, and unravel the strange world around you in this third-person meditative exploration game. SEASON: A letter to the future is a open world, mystery and visual novel game developed and published by Scavengers Studio. Released on January 31st 2023 has received 1,863 reviews of which 1,739 were positive and 124 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 58% discount, this title has earned the #10 position in the best deals for narrative games.
8.9
1,739
124
-58%
24.99€
10.55€
Free narrative games on Steam
Check out this fantastic list of free-to-play narrative games you can enjoy on Steam right now, updated on June 15th 2025. Looking for even more free titles? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of free to play narrative games.
1. How Fish Is Made
Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC! How Fish Is Made is a surreal, short and horror game developed by Wrong Organ, Johanna Kasurinen, Jeffrey Tomec and Martin Halldin and published by Wrong Organ and CRITICAL REFLEX. Released on January 14th 2022 has received 4,784 reviews of which 4,566 were positive and 218 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #1 spot among the most played free narrative games on Steam.
9.2
4,566
218
5
players