Summary
Almost every video game fan can list a handful of titles that are known for their amazing narrative, imaginative plot, and engaging storytelling.A good storycan make a world of a difference as it can carry games that would otherwise not be as highly praised, making up for lackluster graphics or clunky gameplay. However, how many gamers can think ofamazing games that have little to no real story?
A game that has no real plot but still manages to hold players' attention does this purely off of amazing game design and addictive mechanics. Sometimes, a game doesn’t need an entire storyboard to maintain its interest; sometimes, all that is needed is a quick premise, and the player will be set on their way.
Among Ushas no real story or plot, just a simple premise. Amongthe spaceship’s creware imposters, and players must get rid of one another to win. The crewmates must complete their tasks (without getting killed) or correctly vote out the impostors in order to win. Meanwhile, the randomly selected impostors must make themselves seem trustworthy, getting the crewmates to turn against one another after committing each stealthy kill. Once most of the crewmates are dead and an even number of impostors and crewmates remains, the impostors win the game.
Social deduction is the main star of the show inAmong Us. While the gameplay mechanics are fairly simple, it is the actual interaction between players that makes it as engaging as it is.
A Little to the Leftis all about feeling a sense of great satisfaction when things are in the exact place they need to be.The puzzle gamebegins with no story, no dialogue, and no real instructions or rules.A Little to the Leftallows the levels to speak for themselves, presenting a problem and allowing the player to find the solution on their own.
Without any guidance, the player must find some kind of pattern or order to the scattered mess in front of them, placing them in a satisfying sequence that holds some line of logic. In certain levels, there is more than one solution, keeping players on the lookout for any alternatives that may not be as obvious during the first pass.
Dance Dance Revolutionis a music game that tests players' hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and sense of rhythm.DDRfeatures a wide variety ofhigh-energy songsfor players to choose from and requires gamers to press the correct directional button (either on a handheld controller or dance pad) on beat/at the right time to fully complete a song/stage.
DDRis all about the vibes, the music, and feeling the rhythm. Although there are a few different characters to choose from, there isn’t any story to go along with the gameplay; it simply features great music and teaches players the best dance moves.
Balatrois apoker-themed deck-building game. In a game where every single hand, play, and item counts, there’s just no room for story. It is a card game that is heavily based on poker and shares many of its rules with traditional poker but also offers a twist.
In between rounds, players can access the shop where they can purchase special cards and vouchers. These special items can then alter the rules (restricted to the current run) that can offer unique bonuses or boosts for the player’s score.
While there is a bit of a premise at the very beginning ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, the other hundreds of hours players log into the game are all about “me time,” whether it be redecorating the house, town planning, or looking for new neighbors to move in. At the beginning ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, the player visits a new island where they are tasked with creating alivable and welcoming environmentthat will soon flourish into a beautiful community of adorable animal folk.
Once the player has completed most of the beginning tasks, they are free to do what they please. While Tom Nook does dictate some of the player’s main choices and actions at the beginning of their island journey, the majority of the game has no real plot to move things further, other than the player’s own drive to keep bettering their ever-growing island.
Who needs a story with gameplay likeParty Animals? A hilariousparty game to play with friends,Party Animalskeeps things simple and throws players into the heat of the battle with no lore or exposition. Gamers must simply eliminate all other players and be the last one standing to be named the winner. The variety comes from the various stages, characters, modes, weapons, and unpredictability of the (intentionally) wonky physics. Every match is a completely new experience and guarantees a hilarious competition between friends.
The hilarious visual of floppy, adorable animal pals trying to beat each other until they ragdoll into submission speaks volumes by itself; no lore or plot needed.
3Rhythm Heaven
A Rhythm Game That Doesn’t Rely On A Cohesive Plot
Rhythm Heavenisa rhythm gamethat consists of multiple microgames.Rhythm Heavenfeatures mini-games (set to catchy original music) that the player must master to unlock the next mini-game. After the player has completed the entire set of four mini-games, a remix then unlocks, allowing gamers to practice all four mini-games in tandem with one another, upping the difficulty.
Each level and set of mini-games features adorable characters, satisfying beats, and surprisingly intense challenges, all set to infectious little tunes. Although each mini-game has its own little “story,” there isn’t any actual cohesive plot that follows each remix level.
The Sims 4can have as much or as little “story” as the player wishes. It takes players into a world where they can create their own cast of characters (Sims), whether it be a group of misfits that end up becoming a found family or a ragtag crew of friends that decide to move in together.
TheSims 4community is still alive and well despite its 2014 release date, with players contributing theirown unique challenges, such as making their Sims have as many babies as possible, building houses with a specific theme, or even killing all their Sims in the most ridiculous ways fathomable. The game simply has no story because it acts as a blank slate, ripe for imaginative players to create their own vision.
Tetrisis one of the most (if not the singular most) iconic/famous puzzle games involving blocks. Without any exposition or “fluff,“Tetris 99puts a twist on the classic game byturning it into a battle royaleand allows players to get right into the action; no backstory is needed. A group of 99 players are pitted against one another to organize the falling blocks as the speed slowly increases.
Once the tower of blocks reaches the top of the screen, the player is eliminated. The gamer who survives the longest, successfully clearing each line of blocks faster than everyone else, is declared the overall winner.
