cover image from nintendosoup. i do not own the photo, deltarune, or any of the photos or content mentioned herein.
if i didn't love writing so much, i'd try to break into the video game industry. especially today, when streaming is such a massively popular entertainment option. i think back fondly on the days of my youth, when i'd rush home from school and curl up on the couch - the one spot in the whole house where my wi-fi allowed me a gracious 480p - to watch let's players like markiplier and jacksepticeye. while streamers do find incredible success with games more driven by gameplay, i keep going back to fran bow, the last of us, and even the hundreds of youtube videos teasing apart the lore of five night's at freddy's. and others do, too: jacksepticeye's undertale let's play series, for example, has garnered tens of millions of views since its launch in 2015.
time flies. i'm no longer constrained to the wifi spot on the living room couch, and i don't even have to beg my parents for a new video game at christmas. games are more accessible than ever in a number of different ways. if you're looking for an interactive story to cozy up with this holiday season, allow me to introduce you to 8 wonderfully story-driven games available for the nintendo switch (because that's the console i like, ok? leave me alone).
#1: night in the woods
when my university shut down for covid-19 precautions, i, like many americans, found myself spending a lot more time outdoors. on the evenings i wasn't running (that's something i'll have to put back on my new year's resolutions list), i took long walks listening to soundtracks. night in the woods was a huge one.
mae, the game's hero, returns home to possum springs after an unsuccessful first semester at college. she reconnects with her old high school friends and learns that something sinister is going on in her hometown. night in the woods bittersweetly rises to the occasion to face all the humor, sadness, and fear that comes along with growing up. not to mention the game is beautiful, fun, and hilarious.
you can get night in the woods through the nintendo e-shop for $19.99. i seriously can't recommend this one enough.
#2: doki doki literature club
which girl will you choose in this quirky, colorful, and lighthearted dating simulator? you have so many choices, but it really only boils down to one....
dan salvato fooled everyone with ddlc's free release in 2017. the only clue anyone had before playing was the game's explicit warning that violent and disturbing scenes lay ahead on the vibrant, pink, optimistic title screen. salvato completely subverted the player's expectations and, as the characters themselves say, "isn't it amazing how a writer can so deliberately take advantage of your own lack of imagination to completely throw you for a loop?" what ddlc delivers is a unique, frightening, and intriguing story that demands a second, third, and fourth play-through.
while you can find doki doki literature club for free on steam, just this year, the game received a physical release on all major consoles, including the switch, with some impressive updates and some adorable add-ins that come right in the box, all for only $30!
#3: famicom detective club
this gorgeous remake of titles originally created for japan-only famicom systems in 1988 is definitely worth the price tag. uncover the truth behind two eerie mysteries: the untimely deaths of members of the ayashiro family in the missing heir, and the origin of ghostly rumors circulating around ushimitsu high school in the girl who walks behind. while the stories follow the traditional beats of your standard mystery novel/movie/show, the level of interaction you have with the characters and the beautiful artwork combine for a truly entertaining and satisfying experience.
if you purchase both mysteries at once, you'll receive a $10 discount for a total of $60. buying only one mystery will cost you $35. there's no physical copy of either title, so load up the e-shop if you're interested in these spooky tales.
#4: firewatch
have you ever wanted to just throw up your hands, say f*ck it, and escape to the woods for a summer? except something creepy is afoot there too? welcome to firewatch.
since its release in 2016, this game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews for its story, its breathtaking art, and the overall experience it delivers. you'll join henry as he escapes to a lonely tower in the middle of the woods, where he'll be keeping an eye out for stray fires for the whole summer. he's alone, but not really: he has another firewatcher, delilah, to keep him company via his radio. as their friendship deepens, so does the mystery enveloping the forest. in fact, henry and delilah might not be the only ones doing some watching.
firewatch stirs something extraordinarily nostalgic in me, and it's hard to beat the story they manage in such a condensed space. i highly recommend experiencing this game at least once. you can buy it on the e-shop for $19.99.
#5: oxenfree
what's worse: being stuck on an island with time-travelling ghosts you can only see with your radio, or getting a new stepbrother?
oxenfree is an impressive indie game from night school studio. this game has a lot of heart, talented voice acting, gorgeous visuals, and gameplay that's genuinely frightening at times. you'll soon come to love alex, oxenfree's protagonist, her stepbrother jonas, and their friends as they traverse a land between the past and the present, searching for a way home. this game checks all the boxes for me: a group of ragtag teens, a supernatural villain, well-timed humor, and just the right amount of scares.
i was pleasantly surprised to find out oxenfree is available on the e-shop. pick up this amazing game for only 9.99, and then eagerly anticipate its sequel releasing in 2022.
#6: undertale/deltarune
if you know me, you knew this was coming.
releasing to immediate critical acclaim in 2015, undertale follows a young protagonist after they fall into a mountainous cavern, and their journey to get back home. along the way, you meet a varied cast of characters each more unique than the last. and, in this rpg, you have the choice to spare every monster you encounter.
but it's not just the humor, the characters, or even the phenomenal soundtrack that creator toby fox composed - it's undertale's story that has captured the hearts of players everywhere. the battle of good and evil, flipped on its side and made more interactive than one might realize at first; a tragic backstory for the game's true antagonist; and meta moments that leave us reeling all combine to create one of the best games ever made.
then, of course, deltarune came out.
undertale's not-quite successor, deltarune, is toby fox's new game slowly trickling its way into the hands of players. deltarune chapter one released in 2018 for free, and its second chapter released in 2021 - three years later - both with very little publicity preceding their release. that hasn't stopped deltarune from becoming massively popular. it's warranted, too: deltarune is funny, charming, and a clear mechanical improvement on its predecessor. plus, just like undertale, the game's lore has fans hooked.
you can get undertale on the e-shop for only 14.99 or a physical version from fangamer for $29 that includes some goodies. the switch version has a console-exclusive boss not available in any other version of the game, so i definitely recommend the switch version.
of course, you've probably heard tons about undertale and deltarune already. i promise. they are so much more than worth your time.
#7: the legend of zelda: breath of the wild
no list of story-driven (or pretty much any) games is complete without a nod to breath of the wild. it's truly an experience unlike any other: link, awakening after a hundred year's sleep, must recover his memory, defeat the calamity afflicting hyrule, and save princess zelda, who is locked in a century-long battle with ganon itself. a warning: if you pick up this game, don't plan to play any others for a long, long time. breath of the wild is incredibly immersive. a lifestyle, if you will. no need for jobs, or school. only horses and cooking and exploring the land.
breath of the wild is able to combine beautiful story elements, breathtaking art direction, and incredibly fun gameplay in a way most games cannot. because it's truly open world, you can theoretically take on the final boss as one of your first actions in the game (though you probably shouldn't). there are even some areas of the map that, if you only followed the main quest, you'd never even experience. it's massive, sprawling, and, well, a breath of fresh air. a breath of the wild. (take this computer away from me)
breath of the wild is a nintendo-exclusive, so you should expect to pay the full 59.99 price tag for it, but i honestly can't recommend it enough. for, in my opinion, the best story in the zelda franchise, pick this one up.
#8: fire emblem: three houses
i've seen people online say they've put over 200 hours into this game, and that's actually pretty easy to believe. with four unique storylines to pursue, dozens of support conversations, and different paralogues unlocked depending on who you recruit, three houses is a massive game with almost endless re-playability opportunities.
of my personal favorite games, this one is a close tie with undertale. the story, world-building, characterization, and dialogue are excellent - not to mention the hallmark fire emblem gameplay you've come to know and love. (and if you don't know it, three houses is a great introduction to the series.)
also see the extremely accomplished voice talents associated with the game: abby trott, the woman behind "lifelight" of super smash brothers ultimate (also the dub actor for nezuko of demon slayer); robbie daymond, the voice of tuxedo mask in viz's dub of sailor moon; and tara platt, who has lended her voice to aggretsuko, ben10, and cinderella 3, to name a few.
three houses is another switch exclusive priced at 59.99, but if you like games with compelling characters, varied and fun gameplay, and a story that ensures you get your money's worth, you'll love three houses.
conclusion
in all honesty, i'm of the mindset that video games are the perfect vehicles for most types of stories. they're interactive, charming, and demand immersion. whether you're a writer or you simply want a good game to get lost in for a week or two, i hope this list inspires your holiday season.
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