From a consumer's perspective, video games have taken a hit in the last decade. Remember when developers would actually build a complete game? Now, due to the internet, games are released in portions. Expansions and season passes cost as much as a whole game, giving developers double the amount of revenue that they were earning in the past. The internet has also made multiplayer a priority. Look at the new Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4. Yes, I’m still playing the hell out of Black Out mode, but the game’s developers completely stripped away the campaign, making the game useless to those who don’t have online subscriptions. Fortnite is no better. Kids are more obsessed with quick in-and-out games, where they build and loot each and every time they play. What happened to intricate stories that captivated our hearts and souls? What happened to staying up for hours and hours getting lost on side missions?
Instead of crying about how the game industry has taken a hit when it comes to single player games, we’ve compiled a list. A list for those who love their single-player stories, and want to dive into the best they can get their hands on. Now, for this list, we only included games that can be played on current-gen consoles (Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch). If we had to dig through ALL the best single players games in history, there would be too much content. From Grand Theft Auto V to Resident Evil 7, here is our list of the most essential single-player campaigns on the market right now.
-Side Note: Shadows of Mordor just missed the cut, but it gets an honorary mention. Batman just beat it out by a hair. Still a worthy purchase for those looking for amazing single player games.
Arkham Knight
Batman’s fourth and final Arkham game was glorious. The map kept expanding throughout the series’ existence, but things really opened up once the Batmobile was introduced in Arkham Knight. For DC fans, it was a little disappointing that the Arkham Knight storyline was really just the Jason Todd plot revitalized. Still, the inclusion of the Batmobile and Scarecrow’s storyline more than made up for the slight misstep. The Riddler fueled race courses and the remote control Batmobile features brought a whole new level of gameplay to the forefront, and we hope Rocksteady Studios brings us another DC hero game.
Resident Evil 7
The legacy of Resident Evil continues. Unlike Resident Evil 5 and 6, the seventh installment strayed away from the action adventure route. Instead, Resident Evil 7 returned to the series' survival horror roots, and reinvigorated the story with a new focus. Ethan Winters decides to check out an old plantation after a message from his presumed dead wife reaches him. He finds his wife Mia, but she’s been infected with a mold that turns humans into monsters. Solving puzzles and map exploration are key in Resident Evil 7, and the twists and turns in the evolving plot are some of the best the series has delivered in years.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Spider-Man has long been one of the most popular Marvel characters. In fact, throughout the 80’s and up until the early 2000’s, the X-Men and Spider-Man were Marvel's most lucrative heroes. That’s why they got their own movies years before the Avengers appeared on the screen. Spidey games have been a hit or miss for years now, but Marvel’s Spider-Man capitalized off everything the Arkham series did for DC and made it better. The endless customization and gorgeous visuals are what kept most fans stunned, but the intricate and intertwined plots were well written and joyous to complete.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
A Thief’s End is the conclusion to the Uncharted storyline that features Nathan Drake. Although the entire series is amazing, the fourth installment really opens up the gameplay. The levels are much larger and free-roam is more expansive. Vehicles and stealth options also gave different types of gamers more options to complete the storyline. Drake has retired from treasure hunting, but his estranged brother comes back into his life and prompts one last adventure. This is an emotional and satisfying ending to Drake’s storyline.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Zelda games are usually pretty epic. To this day, Ocarina of Time still ranks as one of the best video games ever, but nearly half of the Zelda games make yearly “Best Of All Time” lists in one way or another. For Breath of the Wild, Nintendo created the biggest and most interactive Zelda to date, which is an accomplishment all on its own. The graphics are stellar and the story telling is mysterious and captivating. Once again, Ganon is the main baddy, and gamers must save Hyrule from his tyrannical ways by completing several missions. You can never go wrong with a Zelda game.
The Last of Us
This has to be one of the most emotional games on the market right now. After a mutated fungus turns humanity into monsters, all hope is lost. A small mission to find a weapons cache turns into an adventure once Joel meets Ellie, a young girl who is immune to the disease. He is tasked with getting her to a group called the Fireflies, who will utilize her immunity to create a cure. Their path leads them from Boston down through Pennsylvania and through the midwest, exposing gamers to several savage and heartbreaking stories along the way. A sequel has been in the works for years, but The Last of Us could go down in history as one of the best games ever without expanding the franchise.
The Witcher 3
Geralt the monster hunter returns for a third installment that was so epic it helped jump-start a TV series for the game starring Henry Cavill. Geralt is tasked with finding Ciri, the emperor’s daughter who has run away and is being pursued by an evil force called The Wild Hunt. The open world third person dynamics of The Witcher 3 feel like a mix between Grand Theft Auto V and Skyrim. The only downside to this game is the seemingly endless tasks connected to the wild goose chase of the main plot. A simple sidestep into one of the hundreds of side missions will lead gamers on some of the most exhilarating and fulfilling missions in current-gen gaming though.
God Of War
Kratos is destined to live a life of war. The soft reboot to the God Of War series is the best in the franchise, and that’s saying something. The setting is moved from Greece to Norway, and some familiar Norse gods enter the story. Baldur, Odin, Thor, and others are integral to the plot, which sets up a Ragnarok sequel that will most likely touch down on Playstation’s next system. The villains are massive, the graphics are gorgeous, the plot is enthralling, and the violence is sickening in all the right ways. After Kratos’ second wife dies, he and his son Atreus attempt to spread her ashes on the highest peak in Midgard. That brings them into conflict with Baldur, and a new battle with the gods is sparked. Kratos has the worst luck.
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto has been a staple in gaming culture for two decades. The latest installment, which is almost six years old, only makes the list because it was re-released on the current-gen consoles. The storyline of GTA V really opens up in the game’s seventh installment (if you don’t count the early London based offshoots or any of the expansion stories). This time, three main protagonists are highlighted as playable characters. The street-smart Franklin, the criminal mastermind Michael, and the wildcard Trevor. Outside of the sprawling main story, GTA offers the standard endless list of extra missions, expansion stories, and just straight up free roam madness.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Hands down, this is the best single-player experience to ever grace current-gen consoles. Red Dead Redemption 2 is the Godfather of all games. It’s just that good. The instant classic is Rockstar’s most in-depth and realistic game ever. Even the horses' balls shrink in the cold weather. The third Red Dead story spans five states in the Wild West. Arthur Morgan is the main character, who must navigate a Western America that is advancing. The time of the outlaws is drawing to a close as technology becomes more efficient, forcing Morgan and his crew on a set of adventures that leads to death, sex, betrayal, and war. There is so much to do in this game that it may be impossible to unearth all the easter eggs and hidden missions that are integrated perfectly into gameplay. If you can’t decide on what game to buy next, and you don’t own Red Dead 2, this is the most essential title on the list. You're welcome.