Our Game of the Year coverage continues with the Best PS5, PS4 Story Game of 2023, of which a top four has been put together by the Push Square editorial team. This category highlights the best adventures you can venture on from a narrative perspective on PS5 and PS4. With an intriguing main plot, wonderful characters, and fun distractions of the core path, they'll keep you engaged with their story no matter how long it takes to roll credits.
Bronze Trophy: Final Fantasy XVI
The story of Final Fantasy XVI comes in fits and starts, to the point where you can go from slaying one of the world's biggest bosses to picking flowers for a non-descript side character in the space of five minutes. It most certainly has its highs and lows, but boy is it high when it reaches those peaks. That's what sees the story of Clive and company make it on this list; a main character all up in his feelings that wants to rid the world of evil. The cutscenes too are consistently incredible with ludicrous production values, elevating the narrative above its usual standard.
Silver Trophy: Alan Wake 2
There's the traditional way of telling a video game story with cutscenes and character dialogue, and then there's what Remedy gets up to. The Finnish developer takes those two core elements and goes to town with them, using more fascinating ways to tell an interactive narrative like FMV and musicals within Alan Wake 2. Introducing Saga Anderson as a co-lead character alongside the famous writer, the two plots can be approached independently of one another, allowing you to see what Alan's up to in the Dark Place and then switch to Saga in the "real world". It's a plot that's gripping throughout, and with its inventive ways, goes down as one of the most unique takes on how to tell a story in games.
Gold Trophy: Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
The Yakuza / Like a Dragon series has been focusing on newcomer Ichiban Kasuga for a little while now, so as veteran protagonist Kazuma Kiryu is set to return in 2024's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, what's he been up to in the time since The Song of Life? You'll find your answer in Like a Dragon Gaiden, a sort of side game designed to fill in the blanks. Let that optional nature take nothing away from what is an essential and emotional story for franchise fans, though.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll remain gripped through a roughly 12-hour narrative that documents the highs and lows of Kiryu's retreat into hiding as his own death is faked. One that'll seriously pluck on your heartstrings, it all comes together for a final chapter that won't leave a dry eye in the building. This is why the Yakuza / Like a Dragon series really is one of the best.
Platinum Trophy: Baldur's Gate 3
The main objective of Baldur's Gate 3 is actually a very simple one: remove the parasite a Mind Flayer placed inside your head at the start of the game. Otherwise, you'll turn into one. This goal is just the very tip of quite possibly the biggest iceberg in all of gaming, though, as the RPG out of Larian Studios bundles in 100+ hours of exceptional storytelling that puts most of the genre to shame. The adventure finally fulfils the promise of an experience that actually reacts to your decisions and changes the narrative accordingly, with so many branches you can take and so many endings you can conclude your story with. Perfect for repeat playthroughs as there's just so much to see and do, Baldur's Gate 3 tells the best story of all: your own.
Honourable Mentions: A Space for the Unbound, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Trails into Reverie, and Trails to Azure.
What was your favourite PS5, PS4 story game of 2023? Place a vote in our poll and then explain your personal pick in the comments below. For further Game of the Year coverage, click the link.
What was your favourite PS5, PS4 story game of 2023? (965 votes)
- A Space for the Unbound 0.4%
- Alan Wake 2
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2
- Trails into Reverie 0.7%
- Trails to Azure
- Other
Comments 24
Not played Baldur's Gate 3 but having played Alan Wake 2, Like A Dragon and Spider-Man 2 amongst others, I've got to go with Like A Dragon Gaiden for best story. An emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, with a particularly poignant ending
Didnt play the weeb dragon game, but i personally enjoyed AW2 story way more than BG3 which, in my opinion, was way too safe.
Didnt play BG3 or AW2 but XVI had an emotionally gripping story with themes that resonated with me.
It feels weird when it comes to LAD: Gaiden, I've been a fan of the series since the original PS2 games and my reaction to Gaiden is different compared to others. I agree the final chapter is good but the overall story is meh, it's ranked in the lower half of the series for me. If anything the final chapter shows how the rest of the game could have been amazing if they had more development time. Out of the list of games my favourite story is probably Spider-Man 2 since I haven't gotten around to playing the others yet, but I spent most of my time playing Spider-Man with a huge grin on my face. I had a great time with the story.
XVI had a really good story despite its maddening pacing. I thought Gaiden didn't really get going until the second half, but its finale is fantastic. THAT scene during the finale killed me.
Alan Wake > all other games this year for narrative.
Alan Wake 2 should be 2nd in my opinion but yeah naturally BG3 should be top as its incredible.
Really loved FFXVI, I can't deny it: the mix of epic moments, music and characters made me fall in love with this game.
Like a Dragon explodes in that fu**ing ending, my god😭😭
Alan Wake 2 is in my backlog and Spider-Man 2 was really good
Baldur's gate 3. 🕷spiderman 2.like a dragon gaiden the man who erased his name.alan wake 2.and final fantasy 16.are all excellent games.word up son
Only played final fantasy 16 out of them so far but thought it was outstanding. Clive and Jill are great characters! As I'd cid and mid!
I voted Alan Wake 2, but BG3 and FFXVI can take the #1 spot and I’ll agree with it. What this list tells me is that this year has been incredible for games.
I have my vote, but yeah, all this tells me is that damn, we had some heavy hitters this year. I wish it had been as great a year for developers as it’s been to enjoy their work.
Haven't played Baldur's Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2 but I'm not sure either would top Like a Dragon Gaiden for me. I did play FF XVI and Spider-Man 2 as well but didn't care for the story in those at all. LaDG has the typical over the top nonsense I expect from the series, even if this one is shorter, I still enjoyed it all the same.
Like a dragon gaiden is the only game I played out of what was mentioned. It's a great game, but can't say I enjoyed the story much.
Like a Dragon Gaiden being higher than Alan Wake 2 is practically a crime against humanity
Alan Wake 2 easily wins this award for me. I love BG3 and FFXVI but AW2’s story is incredible.
Damn BD3, FF16, and SM2 have the same percentages of votes, that is impressive to see
a astonishing year for gaming!
can't remember i have played such a great final fantasy game since final fantasy X, it is realy a remarkable game. for me game of the year on playstation 5.
i did not play baldurs gate, but i hear only great things about this game, it is not realy my kind of game but with so much positive reviews a gamer can not let this game pass by.
but first i want to buy alan wake 2, i love remedy, i love the people of remedy, i absolute loved alan wake 1.
Final 16 is my GOTY. it goes to that for me
Why mention PS4 in the title when only one of these games is available on that platform?
FFXVI all the way
Voted for FF16, also surely Yakuza doesn't have that great of a story, I just thought those games were silly as hell. If that can get a top place then something like Fate Samurai/Remnant could too.
Like a Dragon? Hell naw
BG3 has some spectacular resolutions to arcs, but FFXVI won me over this year. The pacing is absurd (one minute I’m hurtling through space, the next I’m collecting sand). But the characters, the scale, the emotion was absolutely on point enough times to keep me gripped. And you end up appreciating the quieter moments after a while, too.
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