Most of the time we love a straight forward single player adventure.
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0:00 Intro
0:25 SOMA
1:12 Uncharted 4
2:02 Titanfall 2
3:08 Dishonored 2
4:11 Alien Isolation
5:10 Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
5:51 Hi Fi Rush
6:44 The Last of Us: Part 2
7:44 Mafia: Definitive Edition
8:39 Inside
9:36 Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
10:26 Psychonauts 2
11:00 Sifu
11:55 Dead Space Remake
12:37 RE24 Remake
13:22 Devil May Cry 5
14:10 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
15:17 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
16:06 Guardians of the Galaxy
17:08 A Plague Tale: Innocence
18:09 BONUS
Like this comments if you’re on the toilet, like me!
Headed to the toilet
the first comment i opened the video to on the toilet
Aaah the golden.. 😂
Let's shit
Busting a valve now 🥵
A well crafted story arc can be just as satisfying as the biggest open-world RPGs if done right.
More so, I would argue.
💯
Linear stories are better than those long ass boring RPGs
Disagree. The story could be just as good (or better) but the gameplay will never feel as good.
@@businessgamerprb5398your complaining about the length of a game where your kinda completely in control how long it will be? I’ve never in my life heard someone complain that a open world game is too long 🤦♀️
Dishonored 1 and 2 were so good. Definitely up there for my favourite games
He failed to mention the Dishonored Side game where you as that black chick I for got her name but she is able to communicate with rats
Wolfenstein 2 and Max Payne 3 are great experiences.
Glad to see Plague Tale Innocence getting the spotlight, this game (and its sequel) is a fantastic experience, and the OST is *chef's kiss*
Finished requiem last week and they truly deserve more appraisal. It was such an amazing experience and the ending is just insane
requiem is even better tho
Guardians of the galaxy game was definitely a pleasant surprise of how good it was.
And also really nice to look at. Nowhere was awesomw
I liked it a lot as well, actually cared enough to get the Platinum Trophy.
This is one of my favorite games of all times. Soundtrack, story, characters all super good! I like the constant bantering between the characters as well. So funny. Definitely worth playing
@@Sainte305 same got the plat too
The way they did the story makes it very possible for potential sequels which would be nice
DMC5 and the recent Resident Evil Remakes show where Capcom truly shines despite the recent contraversies. They are still great linear games in their own right.
A plague's tale 1 and 2 are really impressive games and truly wish more game studios would attempt making games in that category because I believe there's a huge audience that seeks out games like those, like me
Agree. 100%. I start open world's and I lose track of my main story half way through. Linear is what many I know prefer
I've heard good things about Ghosts of new Eden, from the same studio
Linear games are 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 for busy people like me (as a college student). They are relatively short and you don't spend hours just to figure out where to go next, each time. Open worlds are cool, but when you start one, that's the only thing you play for months.
Yes. Too many extremely bloated.. yet empty open world games with too much grind and crappy side quests. Some of the best games of all time are linear.
Same here lol I'm studying at university and damn, I just want a linear game easy to chew, not a whole open world with 100 hours of gameplay
Open world is good for time wasting if you have a lot of free time.
Listen to this sesifuck Games. Wtf
Good for single CD pieces
i just sold a friend of mine on the Titanfall 2 campaign, and he came back to me all excited and talking about how awesome and fun it is. YES
Yes I just played it last year for the first amd couldn't put down best fps campaign imo
Bump. Anyone reading this comment chain who hasn’t played Titanfall 2’s campaign yet, this is your sign to do it. The campaign is only a few hours long and has no filler - it’s just one amazing idea/set piece after another. The game goes on sale for $5-10 pretty often too.
Played it for the first time myself a couple of weeks ago, fantastic campaign and gameplay. Was also pleasantly surprised that multiplayer was still active!
one of the (if not THE) best SP campaign i ever played.... still w8ing for a sequel which will never come due to warzone beeing their main game....
What a fantastic 4 hours you’ll get out of it lol
I just beat Uncharted 1-4, Titanfall 2, and now playing Control... Thanks Gameranx for the recomendations!
You’ve got to play Alan Wake 2 after Control. If you dig Control, you’ll most likely dig AW2.
@@lesterbronson2385 I never played the first. I do really want to play 2 though. Do I need to do 1 first?
Guardians of the Galaxy is criminally underrated. I paid no attention to that game until I prayed it through Gamepass, then just went out and bought a copy.
Doom and Doom Eternal are great single player experiences. The Rebooted Tomb Raider games are all good fun. And having just played Robocop Roghe City thats a good time too. And for a slept on indie game try Pumpkin Jack.
I think they add two Bethesda games to list already - Wolfenstein and Dishonored. I am pretty sure they thought about Doom too - they decide to give spotlight to other publishers too. And we can agree about Doom that while gameplay is fantastic, lore and atmosphere is great, but it lacks good storytelling.
YES, Pumpkin Jack is such a fun game! I loved it!
Pumpkin Jack is?
@@Baldur1005I don't think storytelling is the thing Doom really needs
Doom 2016 is the best single player games ive played in my life and ive been gaming hard since 94. I really love the new Wolfenstein stuff but they got NOTHING on doom. RDR2 is mos def out there but is another thing and dont count in this list.
Linear games are like novels. You play through the story instead of reading them. You finish the game and you put them on the shelf
Ikr it's like you get to experience someone's story in a visual way and then it's done before it becomes a drag
And admire your collection while occasionally going back to the best ones to read a second time. It's a nice thing.
@@bryceking255 this is why I am all for physical games. we could have ebooks vs digital only games, but they are just not the same with physical collection on the shelf. it's about the aesthetic
Or replay them.
Exactly! I had this same epiphany about Uncharted 4, I’ve probably played through it half a dozen times. Each time I play this game I can’t help feeling like I’m playing through an interactive adventure novel.
I feel Control should be here
Kinda not linear in the traditional sense. Which makes Sekiro make even less sense, but ofc we need a Souls-like 🙄
@@neeko.b Theres a literal open world game in the list tho
Boring game uninstalled 😅
Yeah it can be subjective, I just expressed my opinion
nah its boring
I found Plague tale by pure luck, and it became one of my favorite games of all time. It's beautiful in every aspect.
Castlevania Lords Of Shadow.
Great game !
I was worried that A Plague Tale wasn’t making it on the list the further it went despite knowing that Jake loves the series, glad to see it made the top spot!
The first one was disappointing to me. Story was very predictable and they jumped the shark at the final boss fight.
@@devilhunterred I liked the first one too, the setting is still something only A Plague Tale can offer so at the time it was something very fresh. I enjoyed the characters a lot even in the first game and they did a lot of the heavy lifting for me and totally made up for the predictable story. There’s no arguing in favor of the last boss fight though 😅 If you haven’t played Requiem I’d still recommend it to you even though you didn’t like Innocence, it’s a step up in practically every way.
Just finished Evil West the other day, such a fun old school style of game. Dead Island 2 is definitely up there as a fun single player game
YES! Dead Island 2 is the most fun I've had in a single player game in the past 5-6 years! Pretty shit story but such a beautifully made game!
@@takemeseriouslyplx2124 For a game that went through multiple studios and development hell, it turned out to be great fun, I enjoyed it a lot. Best fun I've had with a game in so long.
Evil West surprised me with how fun it was, I hope more gamers give it a chance.
It's kind of old but "Ryse: Son of Rome" was a great single player linear game. Easily beatable in a day or two.
I am glad someone else enjoys it!
@@forthemysterians7630 I still play it here and there. But moreso in the last year and a half thanks to it running great on my Steam Deck.
I’m on the last chapter right now, can’t believe this game didn’t get a sequel it had so much potential especially in the gameplay aspect
Great game! I've been a playstation player forever but bought the xbox for Ryse and a few other exclusives, and it really was enjoyable, shame it has never had a sequel!
Good story but the combat was boring.
I'm playing through the Darksiders games right now and I'm having a blast
I suspect it has to do with how there’s *technically* post-game backtracking and collecting that can occur, which might disqualify it to some. Funny enough I was about to comment and say that the God Of War 2018 reboot is one of my favourite linear games I’ve played in the past 10 years.
Uncharted 4 graphics still holds to this day.
Thanks for mentioning Titanfall 2, one of the best fps campaign I've ever played.
Inside, just like Limbo and a bit of Little nightmare, are awesome games and their stories are so nice. I wasn't prepared for the end though... jaw dropped.
I’m so glad every time you talk about Soma It’s in my top ten favorite games of all time And it’s awesome to hear people talk so highly about it!
It's critically acclaimed. Why WOULDN'T he talk highly about it?
Even after 5 hours I couln't get into it so I had to drop it. I guess even great games aren't for everyone
Linear games are becoming a lost art. The older i get the more my time gets strained. I rlly appreciated the GOTG game, ratchet and clank rift apart, hi fi rush, ff7 remake and soon Stellar blade
You have time to play video games. Quit acting like you don’t.
@@yngtrey1638 my guy im an adult with a job and in college in a relationship. I dont have the same time i had in middle school. You also dont know me?
@@literallyeuphoriaStop lying
@@literallyeuphoria there is no point in responding to these people
@@heyo4935 im seeing that now. Mental illness is real
Glad the hugely underrated Wolfenstein series is getting its dues. Clean, sharp, Arcade-y joy, and the ultimate antidote to multiplayer fatigue. When I was sick of sweats and hackers in warzone 1 I decamped to Wolf and loved it.
Sifu is amazing. I didn’t get through all the challenges after the story mode but every moment I spent with it was incredibly satisfying. Play it today!!!!!!!
Will definitely be making note of a few of these, single player adventures are where I think Video Games shine.. Mass Effect Legendary Edition has to be my shout though.. That trilogy got me through Covid and I can't even find the words to explain how much that game means to me 💕
The Evil Within games are always worth mentioning in these kinds of lists. Way too underrated. And it's always nice seeing new IPs in familiar genres where only a few often dominate. I genuinely believe that both games offer a unique experience for survival/action-horror fans that really shouldn't be missed out on in spite of some of their flaws. And it makes sense, too, since the first one definitely still fits inside the 10-year window.
Evil Within 2 is 🐐
Dishonored is easily in my top 3 series of all time and I am so happy to see Dishonored 2 get a shout out, that game got me through Hurricane Harvey while I lived in Houston… memories I’ll never forget
Appreciate this list, I’m 35 with kids and work that means linear games really appeal to me now my time is so limited. The Dead Space remake is perfect just replayed that. Love you guys!
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is still one of my PS5 favorites
Same 👌
Agreed I’m currently going for platinum
@@LeroyJenkxns nice!
@@BSparksGaming it’s an easy platinum I just enjoy the gameplay so much I’m a fan of all ratchet and clank
It’s very good!
Max Payne 3 was a great linear game, unfortunately it doesn't fit the parameters of the list and was made in 2012. Maybe do a top 20 list from 2004-2014.
Ngl I think best thing about having an Xbox is that you can play old Xbox and 360 games. Anytime I’m feeling nostalgic I can just download and play it.
In that time period you'd need a top 50 lol
No matter what anyone says, Mirror's Edge Catalyst is underrated and def worth a playthru. The music and atmosphere is top tier. _Yeah, it's technically not a linear game but how many chances are there to give a shout out to Mirror's Edge Catalyst?_
Thank you for showing Guardians some love. It is criminally under appreciated.
Open world games are so played out . I love a good linear game
Until GTA 6 comes out.
Lets be honest dude theres no way GTA6 lives up the the exaggerated hype. im pretty sure it will be above average but thats it@@noobbotgaming2173
If open world games are played out then so are linear ones of which there are far far far far far more games. What you're saying doesn't make any sense, we need every kind of game, that is the beauty of the gaming artform.
@@cenciende9401 gameranx liked my post . Be quiet nerd
The crazy thing about Guardian of the Galaxy is just how beautifully vibrant the levels are even though you may only be there once. I wish Embracer Group would let Eidos go before there is nothing left of them.
Just the video I needed. Been looking for some linear single player games and surprisingly I havn't played many of these! Thanks for the list and the effort!!
Dude Titanfall 2 is hands down one of the best campaigns ive ever played. Still play it 3 to 5 times all the way thru every year. Want part 3 so damn bad
Love how you say, "Hi Fry Rush!!"😂
Thank you for this review - a long needed look at past single player games that still have excellent value and gameplay. Please more of these!
I was waiting for you to mention Senua's Sacrifice ❤ what a game! What labour of love! A massive fan of well told, well elaborated, meticulously planned linear stories
I really appreciate you dropping such a video; although most of the games you mentioned were a reminder to me. Not everyone has got a lot of hours to dump into video games so I really enjoy it when game channels take this into consideration.
Please make a part 2 this list was great
The need and want for more guided straight forward games comes with age and responsibilities... the older you get the more you have to interact within the real world and make plenty of decisions that influence your outcome. Prioritizing which "quest" is more important and what order to compete your daily objectives. Sometimes, it's just really nice to sit down to a game where those aspects aren't involved and you can relax a little bit.
Stresses me out just reading you describe it again. Some developers forget the key part, having fun
Excellent list. I didn't know that Alien Isolation was in VR but I'm pretty sure my heart would give out if I played that. Just played Capcom's Remember Me which is a fun linear game with an interesting combat system which I would recommend in this category.
Missed Doom Eternal. Game was a blast
Yep, definitely should have been at least mentioned alongside Wolfenstein
Love the remake of both RE2 and 4, have both played the original and remake and still enjoy them equally.
Guardians of the Galaxy deserves a sequel
👍
Glad to see Evil West made it somewhere on here. It gave me back that “I just got a random cool looking game from blockbuster and am gonna do nothing all weekend but play” feeling that was so purely nostalgic to the ps2/3 era. Criminally underrated
Uncharted 4, Last of Us Part 2, Mafia: Def Edition and Wolf 2 are all great linear games!
I miss the 360 era of super high polished 8-10 hour games. I'd replay them a couple times, and even now they're worth a revisit. Not sure why post-Skyrim, it started to feel like longer games meant better. Although the past few years have finally shifted to a better mix.
Skyrim and GTAV were historically successful and profitable so I believe the out of touch corporate jackoffs at these studios saw that and said “massive open world games are what gamers want!” Not realizing that those 2 games were so highly successful mainly because of their story and not so much because of their massive open worlds.
Enslaved Odyssey to the West 🤩
It's probably because people got angry at call of duty for having short campaigns around the future warfare era, and also the shift to try and push as many microtransactions into every game as possible... Then it needs to be a filler world for "stupid" players to invest time and money into!
damn saw many underrated games in this one.
Just finished Titanfall 2, I agree it's a very underrated game but boy, when I got the Smart Pistol from the SERE kit and blasted the enemies like a deathmachine, I had the biggest grin on my face in a long time. The titan fights, the wall running mechanics, the time shifting platforming/puzzle sections, everything was so fun in that game.
I was super excited for Evil West, but I rarely buy games at launch anymore and I just picked it up on Steam a few weeks ago. I played it for 40 hours and beat it twice. I absolutely love that game. Thank you Gameranx and Jake for putting that one on my radar.
Now that a majority of games seem to wanna be giant open world, I really value the linear games more. I still love an open world, but I get so happy when I see a level select
Same. I love open worlds but saddly devs dont know how to to them properly anymore. They focus on making the world bigger and full of random stuff do do instead of making a good experience
I'd say original Bioshock and the Gears of War series deserve a mention in this series
They’re older than 10 years
too old to make this list but they are great games also.
Bioshock Remastered was the nuts
Gameranx Is the Reason I still Have the opportunity to Experience new games and stories... I have played Mafia, Bioshock, Titanfall 2,Sekiro and Many other games recommended by your channel and i have come to appreciate all of them...Thank you For providing amazing content...
Guardians had me so choked up both on the Mom scenes and the ending. Very few games have made me feel that way. I was emotionally wrecked by the end. Such a sleeper game and one of the few I played through multiple times. The game Gardians felt like more of a cohesive family than the movies ever did. I mean come on, you have a giant space battle with 80’s rock music blasting while fighting along side a badass female “Conan” while she is riding a giant dragon. That whole level made the game worth its weight in gold! It’s makes down nicely if you have not played it yet, please check it out. I really want them to make another one
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is visually insane using PCVR.
The amount of times I had to replay certain sections of Dishonored 2 in order to keep the pacifist progress intact, just for Jindosh to die from one of his machines...
This was a much needed video for people like me who only have the bandwidth to complete linear games. I would like to explore more massive open worls games, but its hard for me to sit and focus on multiple objectives that involves alot of traversal lol
Guardians of the Galaxy was an absolute banger, and definitely in my top 5. I keep trying to convince my friends to play through it, but they won't listen.
Evil West is underrated af
Brilliant, loved every second
No doubt it has a fun gameplay...I played it on Co-op mode with my friend, just so many game breaking bugs it left us so frustrated and stopped mid way
Just came onto game pass can’t wait to give it a go
Got it free on Plus, maybe I’ll get into it
I see people bashing DMC5 online a lot these days but I loved it. It wasn't perfect but the gameplay was so good and I thought it put a decent end for now on the series. I like DMC3 more but DMC5 is probably my 2nd favorite.
I’m playing DMC5 right now actually (never played the earlier games much) … It’s really fun but I’m so confused why they didn’t design any blocking system & seems like you can’t even dodge/evade mid-air 🤔 Really weird.
well most of the people that hated or still hate it, are just nostalfaggots. "the prequel i played 15 years ago is better then the one the with the flawless looking graphics, the sick combat system and the way better camera angle" like that. :D
Oxenfree, Ghostrunner and Doom 2016 are some of my personal favs. Aragami is really open in level design but I feel the it could still be included here.
Thanks, @gameranx ! This list had a good mix of games. I loved Ratchet and Clank A Rift Apart. The graphics and color on that game is next level!
Rayman 3, BioShock 1 & Infinite, Manifold Garden, Murdered Soul Suspect, Valiant Hearts
Murdered Soul Suspect. I never see this one get mentioned anywhere. I got it for free from Games for Gold on xbox and thoroughly enjoyed it
@@cyberra0180 I don't know how I found out about this game, but no regrets for playing it. One of if not the most underrated game in my list
The Plague Tale series is amazing, the ending of 2 was 😢
Great list and loving the love for the linear story games. Extremely surprised God of War isn’t on the list at all though, or even mentioned!
Perfect timing for this video. January - Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth. February - FFVII rebirth and Persona 3 March - Dragons Dogma 2. There are more big games on the horizon. Just finished rebirth, and I need a break from massive RPGs.
I'd Add Lies Of P To The List
oh the pain i felt completing the game... i love it
Best game of 2023!
Absolutely loved it got up early everyday before work to play it. Van not wait for some DLC. Im 50 hours into elden ring now and its not hitting the same
Surprise that Lies of P and Kena Bridge of Spirits didn’t make the list.
I wouldn’t consider Lies of P a fully linear game. There are vast open areas you can explore and revisit, as well as totally optional bosses/areas.
Great list. I'm adding "Metro Exodus".
But it has 2 open world segments the Volga and the Caspian (I really liked the game)and I agree it's a linear story with open world segments just like Allan wake 2. (Well they describe Alan wake like that, I gonne buy it from ps store later today) but I played metro exodus a lot off times. I liked the semi open world parts.
Always great to hear Hi-Fi Rush get another shoutout, but I also did just replay Psychonauts 2 at the end of last year. Despite losing some steam near the end, the levels are still so unique, inventive, and visually stunning that it's hard not to wish we could have more games like it. There are quite a few impressive-looking platformers with fun visual styles out there, but the vast majority stay on a 2D plane. Getting to explore these kinds of wild environments in every direction is special and increasingly rare.
Any list that includes titan fall 2 makes my heart happy - i will always shout this game from the rooftops as i believe its one of the biggest video game snubs of all time. 10/10 game for anyone who hasnt played it
Alan wake 2, the evil within, bloodborne, armored core 6
The fact that no games from the Tomb Raider survivor trilogy are on this list is criminal. I preferred them over Uncharted.
They weren’t as good as uncharted gameplay wise.. I think if naughty dog made it with the tombs it would be great
Tomb raider games are more open world rather than linear chapter based game
@@WizzlyBearW0rms Uncharted puzzles are ass. Thought they were boring. ND would ruin the tombs
@@hazelcrisp I loved uncharted for the combat and story
@@WizzlyBearW0rms I didn't enjoy the story. I still haven't finished 4 cus I found it boring. Nathan is annoying and unfunny
SOLID list ! i've played several games from this list and all of them are definitely must play
If you like Inside or Limbo, I recommend American Arcadia. This is an overlooked gem. A short 2D (3D environment) game with puzzles, chase sequences and an awesome Truman-Show-esque narrative. Oh and sometimes it switches to 3D passages in a really creative way.
But where is god of war? 😢
it's open world 😂❤❤❤
@@ThatOneWaterfirst one is considered open world?
@@hornation after you beat it, yes. You can literally go anywhere you want, whenever you want, or at least most places I can remember of (talking about GoW4, btw)
not on the list because it is a god tier game(2018)
@@hornation the old God of war games should be #1 through #6 on the list ngl. The best game ever!
Where my Bloodborne? :(
😢greatest game ever made
Not underrated
Bone marrow
I don't think that's linear since there's branching paths for different bosses.
Bruh, it's not linear.
Amazing you put Plague's Tale on #1! I'm a missionary for both games because I believe they are the best lineair games out there!
Surprised Stray isnt here, but it just goes to show that there are still studios making great, well crafted stories and characters without needing fluff game chores of an open world.
Thia is the video I have looking so far for a long time, this is the series that we need more
Enslaved is my all time favorite linear game it was so chill and not too long just on point
I can't really thank you enough for this video! I'm fed up with 60+ hours open-world games that lack immersion (except for Witcher 3 and RDR 2). Definitely adding some from this list to my wishlist!
I just recently started "Road 96", it's also a linear game but branched. It's a choice based game and let me tell you even if choice based games are not your thing, still just give it a try. You play as multiple characters and learn new things in each playthrough (more like a branch than a playthrough) and learn about all the characters, overall world. It's just amazing, just give it a shot. Each branch or character story takes about 30mins to 1 hr
Love road 96
I recently upgraded to an rtx 3080 and i was looking for recent games to experience rt graphics, thanks for the list
Thank god for this video. Got back into gaming recently after a few generation gap (last time i had time to play was PS3), and I've just been feeling burnt out by the only games my buddies recommending to me being these gigantic open world games that require endless running or fast travel. Yeah, I get it, it's beautiful...but sometimes I just want a "video game-ass video game" as Jake occasionally calls it. Something arcade-y, something linear, something with some punchiness and allows me to dive in and out during a nice 30-45 min break.
Wow this list has some of my all time favorite games on it. Really solid round up!
SOMA is such an underrated gem, it has one of the best takes on body/spirit I have seen in games and movies, plus one thing that doesn't get mentioned enough, the voice acting is top notch, the two main characters are so well voice acted, they make you feel an entire range of emotions as you journey with them through a really well told story. Hugely underrated but a true work of art for everyone who has played it.
loved Plague Tale (both, thanks Falcon) and Sekiro. adding love for Scorn, Samorost 3, and Machinarium
Soma is easily one of the best stories I have ever experienced. Nothing really comes close to this philosophical masterpiece.
You guyss....are just awesome, I was just looking for a compiled list of such games and bamm!! Gameranx to the rescue!!
Hi Fi Rush and Hellblade are some of my personal favorites. Loved Inside as well as The Little Nightmares. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is another great linear game imo and it doesn't take long to finish.
A plague tale series is one of the best games I've played. And the ending is just a cheff's kiss for me. 👌
This is a great list idea and great choices too!! Thanks for the amazing video as always man :)
Love me a Jake Baldino video. Also love seeing Hellblade mentioned
Bioshock Infinite released 11 years ago but if you've never tried it and love linear games you just have to play it! I've still not to this day played a game that has stuck with me as much as that game... The story, characters, gameplay is all top-notch and not to mention the aesthetic of the world! It blows me away even when just thinking about how good that games is!