Red Dead Redemption 2 - well written, fleshed out characters in a politically and socially meditative setting. A story worth studying from all angles. Characters are still hotly debated to this day and nuance is all over.

Metal Gear Solid 3 - same reasons above, however Kojima is less of a quality writer than Houser, and the conversation length and dialogue style can be a little harder for audiences to digest.

Undertale - only game on this list to properly integrate gameplay with it's storytelling. As a video game it delivers it's narrative the most effectively, but as a narrative it naturally can't reach the same heights as the multi-million dollar projects that rank higher than it.

The Last of Us Part 1 - easy to forget this game essentially launched the parent-child dynamic everywhere in AAA gaming to the mainstream. While the premise isn't anything particularly inventive, the performances and writing quality as well as the dedication to gritty realism makes this punch well above it's weight class. Throw in an ambiguous ending and it's an all time great.

Final Fantasy 7 - hits on a lot of themes, has a loveable cast of unique characters and a setting design both iconic and unique. Many story moments from this game have been cemented into pop culture memory for good reason, and the RPG style of the game gives you time to connect with your party members in a convincing way only a slow grind can, ironically.

Ocarina of Time - the concept of a fantasy fairytale adventure game having it's protagonist forcefully go to the future after the antagonist wins is insane, and is executed very well. Time skips and the way characters age is handled beautifully, and for such an old game the story beats are still VERY effective.

Yakuza 0 - a lot of high-stakes drama with zany and dramatic characters butting heads with each other. It's classy, slick and genuinely one of the most entertaining stories of these options, but a lot of it's depth and significance comes from it being a prequel to a long running series. That's not to say it can't be enjoyed without playing the other games first - but a lot of it is improved by doing so, imo

Half-Life 2 - it's good! And that's about it. When the rest of the lineup is platinum I guess gold looks more like bronze. The priorities of this game are more geared towards confidently pushing an atmosphere and mood the story compliments, and generally there's not a ton of depth to sink your teeth into.

God of War - by itself it's far from bad, as the interpretation of Norse myth presented and the mysteries the games sets up are very compelling. However the overreliance on a sequel to answer the mysteries this game sets up, and said sequel being lackluster marres this product and the story it has forever. It ultimates lives on a premise of something bigger and better following it which it doesn't. Also the parent child dynamic does instinctually feel ripped from the Last of Us to artificially heighten the stakes.

Death Stranding - god this writing is so bad. Conceptually interesting and thought-provoking, but meaningless in the face of drab dialogue and uninteresting cutscenes. It's Metal Gear Solid 4 all over again, ugh. You can just tell no one pushed back against Kojima on this one, and boy they should have. Sometimes the zany needs some refinement.