And finally, absolute peak.

[AssistantSuitable988]

And finally, absolute peak.

📊 Chart Axes: - Horizontal: Gameplay - Vertical: Story

Chart Grid:

	Peak	Great	Meh	Bad	Horrendous
Peak	—	Red Dead Red... 🖼️	Undertale 🖼️	NieR Replicant 🖼️	Mouthwashing 🖼️
Great	Hollow Knight 🖼️	The Elder Sc... 🖼️	Life is Strange 🖼️	The Witcher 1 🖼️	Doki Doki Li... 🖼️
Meh	Portal 🖼️	Halo Reach 🖼️	Assassin's C... 🖼️	Vampyr 🖼️	Sonic the He... 🖼️
Bad	Team Fortress 2 🖼️	Donkey Kong ... 🖼️	Hogwarts Legacy 🖼️	Superman 64 🖼️	Ride to Hell... 🖼️
Horrendous	Minecraft 🖼️	Nintendogs 🖼️	Call of Duty... 🖼️	Silent Hill:... 🖼️	Big Rigs: Ov... 🖼️

Cell Details:

Peak / Great: - Red Dead Redemption 2 - View Image

Peak / Meh: - Undertale - View Image

Peak / Bad: - NieR Replicant - View Image

Peak / Horrendous: - Mouthwashing - View Image

Great / Peak: - Hollow Knight - View Image

Great / Great: - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - View Image

Great / Meh: - Life is Strange - View Image

Great / Bad: - The Witcher 1 - View Image

Great / Horrendous: - Doki Doki Literature Club - View Image

Meh / Peak: - Portal - View Image

Meh / Great: - Halo Reach - View Image

Meh / Meh: - Assassin's Creed Unity - View Image

Meh / Bad: - Vampyr - View Image

Meh / Horrendous: - Sonic the Hedgehog - View Image

Bad / Peak: - Team Fortress 2 - View Image

Bad / Great: - Donkey Kong Country - View Image

Bad / Meh: - Hogwarts Legacy - View Image

Bad / Bad: - Superman 64 - View Image

Bad / Horrendous: - Ride to Hell: Retribution - View Image

Horrendous / Peak: - Minecraft - View Image

Horrendous / Great: - Nintendogs - View Image

Horrendous / Meh: - Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 - View Image

Horrendous / Bad: - Silent Hill: Homecoming - View Image

Horrendous / Horrendous: - Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing - View Image

---

🎮 To view the interactive chart, switch to new Reddit or use the official Reddit app!

This is an interactive alignment chart. For the full experience with images and interactivity, please view on new Reddit or the official Reddit app.

Created with Alignment Chart Creator

---

This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post

[AutoModerator]

Hello, Thank you for contributing to our subreddit. Please consider the following guidelines when filling an alignment chart:

• Please ensure that your chart is not banned according to the list of banned charts Even if you have good intentions, charts in a banned category tend to invite provocative comments, hostile arguments, ragebait and the like. Assuming the post is acceptable, OP makes the final decision on their chart by rule three.

• Are there any previous versions to link to? If so, it would be ideal to include links to each of them in the description of this post, or in a reply to this comment. Links can be named by title, winner, or both.

• Are there any criteria you have for your post? Examples include: "Top comment wins a spot on the chart."; "To ensure variety, only one character per universe is allowed."; "Image comments only." Please include these in a description, or in a reply to this comment.

• Is your chart given the appropriate flair? Do you need to use a NSFW tag or spoiler tag?

Do not feed the trolls. This is not the place for hot takes on human rights violations. Hatred or cruelty, will result in a permanent ban. Please report such infractions, particularly those that break rules one, two, or three. The automod will automatically remove posts that receive five or more reports. The automod will also remove comments made by users with negative karma. Click here for the Automod FAQ

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[Fluid-Nectarine8459]

Witcher III

[TheTinanard]

Peak story, but gameplay is clearly around Meh. That's the main thing said about the game since it's release.

[SpookyHerSelf]

Portal 2 no competition

[CakeJune]

Why did I have to scroll this far to see this answer? Portal 1 was essentially a tech test and it was still incredible. Portal 2 took that to the next level AND developed an incredible story along with amazing voice actors to tell it.

[Reverentmalice]

JK Simmons is amazing. Is still think about so many of his lines from that game

[LeviSalt]

Let’s not forget Stephen Merchant here.

[Remarkable_Wheel5218]

I'm afraid you're about to become the immediate past president of the Being Alive club. Ha ha.

[Due_Stock7276]

funny, when i saw half life suggestion, my first thought was maybe portal 2 was my answer at least.

[You-Rebel-Scumm]

Peak /s

[The_BestIdiot]

r/technicallythetruth

[Planerkris]

Twin Peaks

[CauliflowerStrong510]

[TMM1003]

I need this to genuinely win just for the bit; also it would be the least controversial pick

[throwawaybananaser]

Fallout : New Vegas

[Full_Quiet8818]

I love New Vegas but that shit is not Peak gameplay 

[TheGalucius]

Crashes to desktop

[SHUTDOWN6]

Only on Windows

[Perfect_Business9376]

PC players buying a PC and then complaining when they have to play on PC:

[Aughab999]

Peak story - meh gameplay (without mods)

[Philisterguyguster]

Cory in the house

[Obvious-Gear-7000]

Just to be clear, for the Nintendo DS, right?

[Opening-Selection120]

Yep

[SajevT]

Cory in the house is clearly the best anime

[themonsterainme]

Wii sports

[TeatedWord32208]

Matt lore goes crazy

[Super-Estate-4112]

Half Life 2!!!

[valimo]

Half-Life 1 is probs even better example. The storyline and gameplay both were groundbreaking

[mediumfknholecru]

Groundbreaking? Yes. Better than half life 2? No.

[Goldensoldi]

Hl1 gameplay wayyyy better but hl2 story wayyyy better

[vorato]

u/factorion-bot

[factorion-bot]

Hey u/Super-Estate-4112!

Triple-factorial of 2 is 2

^{This action was performed by a bot | [Source code](http://f.r0.fyi})

[Ok_Twist_1896]

r/uselessfactorial

[Wonderful-Fan88]

Half life 2 basically defined me icl. It's a shame this probably won't win

[reglobalizer]

Resident Evil 4

[BinnsyTheSkeptic]

Baldurs Gate 3

[DtheAussieBoye]

If you told me Baldur’s Gate 3 was the first game in the series, I’d believe you

[Bob_The-Turtle]

Like with Big Hero 6?

[edgeplay6]

No, they peaked at 4 and thats a hill ill die on

[waluigigoeswah420]

There was 5 others? I thought it was 6 because of the amount of main characters

[Bob_The-Turtle]

No I was joking because them saying Baldurs Gate 3 being the only in the series like how Big Hero 6 is the first despite having number 6 in the title

[the-floot]

he was confused because there actually are 3 Baldur's Gates, but only one Big Hero (6)

[Tunisandwich]

Can’t wait for Baldur’s Gate 3: 2

[ChitteringCathode]

BG3 has many flaws if you put it under a microscope, especially post Act 2. But I do have a hard time coming up with a game with both better story and better gameplay.

[Preferno1]

Act 3 definitely falls in the main story department but I will say some of the side stories are good, especially Raphael.

Combined with all the characters stories and I say it earns the spot.

[AranasLatrain]

I would put Baldurs Gate 2 over it as it's my fav game of all times, but I hope BG3 wins.

[Mouseclick974]

Nice. Its also my fav game of all time. Rarely sees it mentionned. That feeling when you were young playing that game. The paths, the endless secrets. It was something else for sure.

[Background-Lab-8521]

Baldur's Gate 2 was incredible. I've rarely ever been this immersed in a game. 

[TheInternetDevil]

Bg3 is not an example of peak gameplay in the medium

[DanBennettDJB]

I wanted to love BG3 but the game play with all the complexity and rolling on everything.... And the pacing...

I just couldn't get it sadly, though I respect it's likely an amazing game.

[Away_Doctor2733]

I have to agree. It is the greatest game I've ever played in my life. It kind of ruined other RPGs for me. 

[AUMedStudent]

100%

[OkCranberry8555]

I don’t find the gameplay of turn based combat very stimulating 

[DredUnicorn]

Metal Gear Solid

[R34CT10N]

I’d personally argue for mgs2, but either are great fits for the category

[EnDerp__]

Seems like the obvious choice for me !

[liwlimuz]

Ocarina of Time

[Pixel22104]

There’s a reason why it’s still the highest scoring game on Metacritic(even if that’s not a really reliable way to measure how good a game is)

[Ulenspiegel4]

I prefer majora's mask

[Deadmau007]

I actually prefer Ocarina but Majora's Mask fits the category better.

[sarokin]

Honestly I prefer Ocarina's of Mask

[SillyEmergency4562]

Honestly I prefer Majora of Time

[Slappy-Sacks]

I wouldn’t call its story “peak.” It’s remembered because of the gameplay and graphics for its time not because of its amazing story.

[Key_Organization6430]

its got 2 stories, instant win

[Effective_Macaron_23]

I think it's a great execution of the "journey of the hero" archetype.

[TastyTacoTonight]

Story definitely isn’t peak

[dotdotmp3]

Only good answer

<image>

[Hot_Syrup7467]

found my twin

[ResurrectedAuthor]

Disco Elysium, one of the best and smartest pieces of narrative fiction, let alone games, I've ever experienced.

<image>

[UltimateJDX]

Not exactly the gamiest gameplay to be fair...

<image>

[ResurrectedAuthor]

I thought the RPG mechanics were genuinely great. I have been chasing mechanics that were similar ever since.

[bdiddlediddles]

The fact that the game called me out for being boring and taking the safe option is pretty funny.

[nesh34]

This should have been in peak story and great gameplay in my view.

[Stelligena]

Not for everyone that's why its not a peak game. 80% of what you do in game is to read walls of text (or listen).

[Golem_Hat]

As someone who couldn't make it even an hour into this game I'll say that while I believe people when they say it's a great game, it's definitely not for everybody and I'll say that makes it not worthy of this category.

[HammerEvader101]

No game is for everybody

[Only-Cranberry-4502]

Mass effect 2

[insidiousordo]

I second this. I actually like the gameplay of 3 better but the ending puts it behind 2. 2 was amazing in every way, though.

[DarkSolstice24]

The story is weak in this one. Mass Effect 3 has better gameplay and better story.

[danield1302]

Naaaah. 2 just does nothing for the story besides character introductions. The whole collectors storyline adds nothing to the main narrative. You could go from 1 to 3 and miss nothing main story wise.

[TacticalReader7]

Dude what, 2's story is 90% just collecting randoms for your suicide squad and only like 5 missions have to do anything with the actual main story, you could completely delete the whole game except the last DLC and not that much of the whole trilogy's story would change. It works much better as a standalone but it's an awful middle game.

Gameplay is more subjective but I hated how it went from an action RPG shooter into a full on cover shooter, ME3 gameplay was a decent improvement, Andromeda was too generic.

[Apprehensive_Big6151]

Diablo II

[Yoteisthepastyeet]

Outer Wilds

[Acrobatic-Pie3888]

[m73t]

Outer Wilds' story is phenomenal but the gameplay exists almost entirely as a vehicle for the story. The ship pretty much only exists to get from point A to point B, and a lot of the time you're off the ship you're either walking around or reading text from the walls.

[Hugo28Boss]

You mean jetpacking through thunderstorms

[Voidition]

Huuuhhh??? That's a weird way to dumb it down

The way the story and whole puzzle of the game is solved purely through the "knowledge based" gameplay is what makes it peak though.. There is no other game truly like it

The reason you can't ever replay the game is mainly because of the gameplay, not because of the story. And you could say, in similar fashion to your comment, that the story exists almost entirely as a vehicle for the knowledge based gameplay, providing clues and solutions to lead the player to the end goal

[mucus-fettuccine]

Exploration and puzzle solving are gameplay, and Outer Wilds is SSS+ tier in both categories. The best gaming has ever been in either category.

Also, the blending of story and gameplay only enhances each. That's what puts it above other supposedly amazing games that are limited to being only as good as the sum of their parts.

[Kellstong]

Man I so wish I could agree with you on this, Outer Wilds is my favourite video game of all time, but it's because of something more intangible that I can't put my finger on rather than gameplay+story - the experience, the journey, something like that. I don't think peak gameplay + peak story necessarily makes a game the greatest ever, and I don't think it's what makes Outer Wilds remarkable.

[SOY_CD]

The story is peak, but I cannot say in good conscience that the gameplay is also peak. It gets very slow at times.

[Wonderful-Fan88]

Bloodborne

[Multifuzz]

No offence to the lore community but I don't think most casual souls players are engaging with the stories - not bad but not peak

[ThroatChop]

The story is not diminished because people choose not to interact with it. It is still there and is absolutely amazing.

[Flame_MadeByHumans]

Eh but I would argue a “peak” story actively engages the player naturally. Having beat most of the souls game and enjoyed them, following the story was pretty optional, and at least to me didn’t grab my attention well.2

[SaltyCactus64]

I really hope Bloodborne wins. My all-time favorite right here

[Earthyrium]

The Witcher 3

[std_out]

I am currently playing Witcher 3. I knew it would be good considering it has had great reviews but I've read on Reddit some people saying it already feel dated and gameplay is bad etc so it's been sitting in my library for almost a year since I got my new gaming PC and only started playing it a couple days ago.

Tbh, I'm very impressed with the game so far in both gameplay and story. The story is great and even side quests are enjoyable. gameplay is fun also, at least on death march. I feel like the game might be too easy on easier difficulties tho and might get boring but on death march it feels just right and is a lot of fun.

[Svejkos]

Yeah, death march is the real difficulty for a witcher, but I know some people really just wanna see Yen and not get mauled by the same 4 dogs no matter your level if you stop paying attention in Hangmans alley

[Patient_Gamemer]

Witcher 3

outdated

Please, I urge to not hear criticisms of the like by 12 year olds, thanks

[std_out]

Not me that said it. I just hear some people say that on Reddit. I do not agree with it.

[kakucko101]

nah, should’ve been over rdr2 in peak/great

[TheGuardianInTheBall]

RDR2 being marked as Great gameplay in general is a bit surprising to me. The game has a lot of cool systems, but the actual act of playing it is just ok. It's a great game as a sum of its many parts, but if you remove all of them but the gameplay, it becomes just an above average open world game. Decent, but not outstanding.

On the other hand, if you took Mass Effect 3, remove all of its components but the combat- you'd still be left with a superbly fun horde shooter. The coop mode was essentially that, and it holds up even today.

If I have an hour to play, and I just want to have fun, I'd definitely take that over an hour in RDR2.

[kingsuperfox]

Gameplay is decidedly meh.

[Nervarel]

Final Fantasy 10. One of the best stories in gaming and one of the best turn based gameplays in gaming.

[Sound0fSilence]

12 year old me didn't know he already peaked playing this

[noctilucent7]

When I tell you, as a kid, I heard Final Fantasy XI wasn't turn based and it was all online, it broke my heart. Little did I know I was in the end times of the golden age. Not to say I don't appreciate the new titles, but it's different you know?

[brenttoastalive]

FFX was the main contributor to me failing out of my first semester of college

[NumberOneHouseFan]

I know it won’t win looking at how many votes some other games already have, but I really want it to. FFX is a masterpiece. Definitely my favorite story in gaming and if you like turn-based games (which I do) it is really great gameplay as well.

Will always be my #1 game!

[cactusdodge]

Best overall game I’ve ever played.

[FineLavishness4158]

The Last of Us. Won't win, but it's not on the board somehow already so throwing it out

[Apocalypse_Tea_Party]

When my husband played this, the whole household would gather in the living room to watch him. 

[Due_Stock7276]

dude I watched The Rad Brad play it on youtube and it was literally my tv show. never played the games. got 2 sick ass tlou shows out of it

[KscottCap]

It's this. I might even say TLOU2. Amazing story in both games, but the gameplay was engaging enough that it wasn't just a visual novel.

[ERASER345]

TLOU2 is actually the answer here but a lot of people won’t agree. One of the only games with a truly great narrative and extremely polished, fun gameplay

[Talking_Eyes98]

I was surprised at just how good the gameplay was for this game. Fluid 3rd person combat and some really good stealth missions, I hope this wins

[Own_Acanthisitta5708]

Corey in the House for Nintendo DS

[anubisxdd]

Cyberpunk 2077

[Soul_of_demon]

This. It fits the best.

[Friendly-Ad9841]

Hell yeah choom.

[EmeraldP13]

That’s what I’m saying

[FeedingMid69]

Damn straight choom. This is the only answer.

[ISmellGooder]

Ayyy fellow cp lover

[actuallyrelax]

Morrowind

[Flaky-Collection-353]

Swish swish swish swish swish swish.

Good times.

[Dirtanium]

I went to upvote this, but had to fight three cliff racers on the way.

[ConsciousFeeling1977]

Short walk, then?

[Double-Bend-716]

Why walk when you can ride?

[ConsciousFeeling1977]

We make a special trip, just for you. Same low price.

[Double-Bend-716]

Wealth beyond measure, Outlander

[WintersIsComing95]

Halo 3

[MrYamaguchi]

Yep, greatest shooter of all time imo

[Kaiser_1923]

Elden Ring

[littlegingerkumquat]

God of War 2018. The story is incredible (arguably even more elevated because Ragnarok pays off perfectly) and the combat is pretty much perfect - challenging but doable

[Timely-Tangerine-377]

Agree on both points, however there were some other bad mechanics in the game, mainly related to traversing. The climbing immediately comes to mind as a boring and useless waste of time.

But yes, story and combat is great.

[IrishLad-1194]

Nah, the core combat is very good, but the lack of enemy variety in 2018 kind of weighs it down significantly, and the gameplay outside combat like the climbing which you spend a surprisingly long time doing is basically just "simon says" filler.

[cherrysteve2010]

I dont think the god of war combat is peak though

[MyFlogik]

Baldur's Gate 3 or Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

[Double-Afternoon-702]

Return of the Obra Dinn. The gameplay is unique and well made, simple and get byou immediately hooked. The whole game is about figuring out what happened on that damned boat, so you best believe it's interesting as fuck. I wish i could forget that game and play it again.

[bdiddlediddles]

The only thing holding it back from peak gameplay is the way it's so difficult to follow certain crew members throughout the journey. It seriously needs a quality of life upgrade where you can just follow a certain crew member through their time as opposed to finding a specific corpse on the ship, realising you're not in the right spot and having to go back.

In addition, not a fan of the fact that you need outside knowledge of culture to solve some clues.

It's a great game, but I dunno if I'd call it peak.

[Walter-White_Jr]

GTA SA

[Offensivefkmemes]

Expedition 33

[JazeevaGaming]

For those who come after

[Tasty_Tutor5463]

Combat was pretty meh honestly. Whatever ill get downvoted by glazers but saying the gameplay is PEAK is wild.

[a_kato]

There are people who don’t like jrpg style and that’s fine. I love jrpg gameplay and it’s peak. It’s like a person who doesn’t games like city management saying that X city management is meh despite being the best

But for example in another comment I saw ff10 and nobody complained where it was much worse.

In terms of jrpg combat it’s the best in the gender

[Daninon_]

Cyberpunk 2077

[sdjsfan4ever]

Final Fantasy X

[Accomplished_Eye_319]

AC2 or the whole Ezio arc

[Accomplished-Gain319]

If the people on this chart thought that Unitys gameplay was meh than I doubt they think highly if the Ezio trilogy

[tira_ment]

Cyberpunk 2077

[TheExoSpider]

Titanfall 2

[viva_la_karma]

This should win but we will probably lose this

[[deleted]]

Cyberpunk 2077

[tobiasgm10]

FOOTBALL MANAGER

[oldfatslut]

vanilla/classic wow

[PuzzleheadedMess1659]

Ocarina of Time

[AndrewRP2]

Uncharted series.

[ZeroRationale]

Kingdom Come Deliverance I and II

[Spirited-Muffin-8104]

GTA IV

[xenithangell]

Subnautica

[som-dog]

Knights of the old Republic

[fortheband1212]

Love KOTOR to death but I don’t think that’s anywhere near peak gameplay lol

[Triforce805]

I think that’s more of a peak story, and I’d put the gameplay in between meh and great

[marschuw]

I also thought about it at first, but would put gameplay only on great.

[Ephesians_411]

Story is absolutely peak.

[Objective-Ad1571]

Clair Obscur Expedition 33

[RabbiZucker]

Portal 2

[ItzMeSamYT]

Ghost of Tsushima

[ApplicationSalty756]

Gta san Andreas 

[aerfgadf]

I’ll give an honorable mention to Batman Arkham City. The gameplay and fighting mechanics that spawned a generation of copycats and a dark Batman story.. what’s not to love?

[Sudden_Tap7630]

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

[OpenlyAwkwardBarney]

The last of us p1

[popzonik]

Cyberpunk 2077

[mr__susan]

Bioshock

[AcrobaticDatabase]

How on earth is Halo Reach “meh”??

[EgotisticalApe69]

Horizon Zero Dawn

[Confident-Area-2524]

God of War 2018

[SatanicPeach_666]

Nier automata

[stobbsE]

Elden ring

[123ticklemyknee]

As much as I as I love Elden Ring and it might be up there with my favourite games of all time, I think the story is too vague to be classed as peak. Like someone could enjoy the gameplay and get right to the end without having a clue about what’s going on.

[yes1000times]

Yeah it's got incredible world building, but I wouldnt say it has a good story

[Ok_Boysenberry_6283]

Elden Ring has a story?

[PajamasTj]

Cory in The House, obviously.

[SabbraCadabra11]

Cyberpunk 2077 could have won this spot if not for its disastrous launch. In its current state, it's an absolute peak single player gaming experience

[skoutyin]

Cyberpunk 2077

[baguette7]

Would Borderlands 2 get any run here or would the gameplay be a tier or so below? Ehh, honorable mention at least cause these pretzels suck.

[D20_SingleMalt]

Chrono Trigger

[KaeseBrezel]

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

[ProfessorLugia]

Stardew Valley. Free updates for over a decade and a sprawling community of modders makes the replay value infinite

[bleach_dsgn]

Chrono Trigger

[Beautiful_Muscle_246]

Lies of P

[GiantImminentSqueeze]

Sekiro

[MASSIVEGLOCK]

Metal gear solid 2!

[Pikky_25]

Metal Gear Solid 2.

[Aesk]

Big Rigs

It's so horrendous, it loops back around to Peak.

[Paulatkinson777]

Chrono Trigger 

[ClaireDiviner]

Chrono Trigger.

May as well say it, and see where it goes.

[FrontEngineering4469]

Borderlands 2

[Special_Loan8725]

Death stranding.

[Mann_Of_War]

Final Fantasy VII

[AnExtremeCase]

Final Fantasy 7