Of the many reasons we play video games, the idea of playing one to experience its story is still probably the strangest motivation for those still largely unfamiliar with the medium. Obviously, the idea that games don’t (or can’t) tell compelling stories is an antiquated notion that is slowly fading from the public consciousness. Yet, you sometimes get the feeling that more people are coming around to the idea that video game stories can be great rather than the realization that there are countless video game stories that are already definitively great.

If you are reading this, there is a good chance you don’t need to be told that great video game stories have existed for nearly as long as video games themselves. Yet, there are times when it feels necessary to stop and really appreciate what diverse, essential, and, more often than not, unique stories gaming...