(electronic chiming) - [Jake] Most of the time, we just love a straightforward
single-player adventure. Not a massive open world with freedom and hundreds of hours to spend. No, something linear, straightforward, with a consistent
beginning, middle, and end. We're gonna take a random look back at 20 awesome linear single-player games from the last 10 years. We could go beyond the last 10 years, but that would make for
a really long video, so maybe we'll do that
at some other point. So, let's get
started off with number 20. "Soma" was a really interesting first-person survival horror
game that released in 2015. Still, to this day, I
think incredibly underrated due to some really
interesting story concepts, how it handles man versus machine and the underwater setting. This game can be really
creepy and unsettling, with some weird, bizarre
robotic aquatic creatures hunting you down, but it was really the
concepts behind the game. You know, the loneliness
of an underwater facility in pitch
-black darkness, machines possibly exhibiting
human consciousness. There was a lot to it, especially
the more you look into it, and it's from people who
knew what they were doing, from Frictional Games, the
people behind "Amnesia." Without spoiling anything else, it's still really worth
checking out if you never have. Next, over at number 19,
we have a more obvious one, it's "Uncharted 4." The last adventure of
Nathan Drake, seemingly, is a really compelling one. It's definitely different from t
he bombastic nature
of "Uncharted 2" and "3," but it's still got a bunch of really cool, awesome action set pieces, but it's all centered around
a story with a lot of heart, emotion, and human characters. Now, this is a linear game, but it's the first time
an "Uncharted" game kind of opened up a little bit with you able to explore
your surroundings a bit more, but still, this is a straightforward and well-paced adventure. It takes you to a lot of different places. It spans a bunch of
different t
ime periods. And even though it's a
linear single-player game, it's actually a pretty lengthy one. This one will take you some
time to really chew through. Not to mention the fact that
it looks absolutely incredible still to this day. Next, over at number 18, we have one of the undisputed champs, it's "Titanfall 2." "Titanfall 2" has one of the most underrated single-player campaigns ever. I think "Titanfall 2"
really came out of nowhere because it was a time period where a lot of first-person s
hooter games were going fully multiplayer, and the ones that did have
single-player campaigns were just kind of slapped together or really didn't get a lot of love. "Titanfall 2" is not that. This is a good, straightforward,
awesome adventure that builds out the world of "Titanfall," establishes a real
character and connection between the human pilot and
the actual Titan machine. And besides just having some
really tight, awesome shootouts in cool environments, it also manages to have
some big m
emorable moments and really cool action set pieces that we still think of to this day. A whole time travel sequence
that is really unique. The game is just constantly
introducing new things to you every hour as you play
through this adventure. It's not the longest
campaign in the world, but it is 100% the poster child
for quality over quantity. So for that, we're always
gonna love "Titanfall 2." Next up, at number 17,
we have "Dishonored 2." We would've included the
original "Dishonored," but th
at missed our 10-year cutoff. "Dishonored 2" really takes things and blows it out of the water. We really don't get
games like this anymore, other than, like, "Prey"
or kind of "Deus Ex." "Dishonored 2" is a really
awesome immersive sim that gives you the freedom
to tackle objectives however you want. Still, this is a pretty
straightforward game, an adventure you see through
from beginning to end with some really incredible moments, most particularly the
Clockwork Mansion sequence. If you haven'
t seen that or
experienced that yourself, look it up on YouTube because
it is an incredible sequence of both gameplay design and
just really cool visual trickery that will blow you away. The world that Corvo and Emily inhabit is really, really unique. It was in the first game,
and even more so in this one, as we go to more regions. Will we ever see a "Dishonored 3?" I don't know. I would love to see that, but at least we got
the original two GOATs. Next, over at number 16,
we have "Alien Isolati
on," an adventure heavily inspired by other horror games at the time that were more focused
around hide and seek. But this thing really capitalizes
on the "Alien" franchise. It has some of the cooler high
sci-fi elements of "Aliens" with a lot of the horror and simplicity, and darkness of the original "Alien," really making it just a perfect adventure. It is incredibly challenging as you are hunted down by a singular alien that is hell-bent on your destruction. It's very tricky to outsmart this
thing, but you're also encountering
synthetics along the way, which makes things really interesting. You have a limited tool set. You only have a couple
of ways to really survive and get through. But all of it just feels
authentically "Alien." There's a reason why people
keep going back to this one. People play it on harder difficulty modes. It's been modded. More recently, it's gotten
a VR version through mods. "Alien Isolation" is just
a really awesome game. Next, over at number 15, we have "R
atchet & Clank: Rift Apart." They don't make a lot of action platformer mascot games anymore. We just don't see 'em. But, thankfully, "Ratchet &
Clank: Rift Apart" released, and it's awesome. While it does have some planet
hopping and some freedom, like the previous
"Ratchet and Clank" games, this is still a good solid
adventure from beginning to end. It introduces a new Lombax to the mix, who actually is an interesting character. She doesn't feel forced or shoehorned. And this adventure fits ni
cely into the "Ratchet and Clank" universe. If you actually care about
these characters in this lore, they just do a lot of cool things with it. Plus, it's just a hell
of a lot of fun to play. from, like, zipping between
dimensions instantly to just new gadgets and
guns and fast gameplay, it's awesome. Next, over at number 14,
we have "Hi-Fi Rush." This game has recently
gone multi-platform, and everybody should check it out. If you like cartoons, anime, and action hack-and-slash
games like "Bay
onetta" or "Devil May Cry," and music, of course, then this is the game for you. It's a hybrid between, like I said, a "Devil May Cry" slashy combat and a rhythm-based beat 'em up. So the game encourages
you to whack and hit and combo enemies on a
beat for damage bonuses and this really translates to
everything else in the world. Everything is bouncing,
everything is moving, and the boss battles
when tuned to the beat are some of the coolest
boss battle sequences we've experienced in a long time
. This is a level-based simple game. You play through each level,
that's it, it's cut and dry, just like how they used to make 'em, but it feels absolutely new and fresh, from its visual style to
its rhythm-based gameplay. "Hi-Fi Rush" is another banger. Next, over at number
13, believe it or not, we have "The Last of Us Part II." We would've included the
original "Last of Us," but, you know, not
counting the re-releases, that game is beyond 10 years old, so we'll include "The Last of Us Part II
." Not everybody loves this game. It has a lot of divisive
story choices, of course, that have been hashed out to death. But this is still just a big old linear single-player adventure. Granted, there are parts where you can explore the environment. You know, they did this a
little bit in "Uncharted 4," "Uncharted: Lost Legacy," but this is still really a
compelling and long journey that you see through to the end. And it is a brutal end, that's for sure. Now, this is probably one of the longer
linear adventures on this list. "The Last of Us Part II,"
whether you like it or not, does feel like a really,
really long journey. A massive trek. It takes you to a lot of places. It has some scary horror elements. It has some beautiful locations, some crazy shootouts, creepy cults. This game has a lot. And if for some reason, you've
been living under a rock and you don't know what
happens with this game and you're going in blind, good luck. Have fun. Next, over at number 12, we have "Mafia: De
finitive Edition." This is a remake of the
classic original "Mafia" game, and believe it or not, this is actually a completely linear game. I know you're looking at it, and you think it's like an
open-world "Mafia" city game, and while, yes, you can
drive around a city, it really all serves as set dressing for a completely straightforward
linear adventure: A kind of rags-to-riches tale of a guy who ends up becoming a mafia
underling who rises to the top and ultimately flies too close to the sun.
It's a tale as old as time. But it is a hell of a
good one to play through, with just gorgeous
graphics, cool environments, charismatic characters,
and exciting shootouts. There's nothing better
than like a Tommy gun in a hotel ballroom. I say that as a diehard mafia movie fan. But, yeah, "Mafia" is
definitely worth playing if you like the genre or if you just like a good
single-player adventure" You know, one that doesn't
really overstay its welcome. Next, over at number 11, we have "Inside."
This is the follow-up from
the creators of "Limbo," in a genre I kind of call, like, you know, character walks across a 2D plane in a three-dimensional environment. You're a small character essentially navigating a
world from left to right, but there is so much more going on from a gameplay standpoint,
a visual standpoint, and this, you're just a boy. Like, you're just a boy
going through a weird world, and weird, crazy happens, and I don't wanna spoil
it, but things get wild. It is a little abs
tract, it
doesn't have any dialogue, it doesn't really have any complicated video game elements going on. But the game can still be challenging. There are moments where you
have to really do stuff. And when you do win, when you finally actually get
to the end of this adventure, it's gonna leave your jaw
hanging open, believe me. It's fun enough, too, to go back and play through a second time
to really see what you missed 'cause the game is just filled
with rich, creative detail. "Inside" is one
of the best. We'd love to see it get a
follow-up at some point. Next, over at number 10, we have "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice." This is a very interesting
and creative adventure, one woman's quest, not only
through a harsh, brutal world where you're killing ghouls
and zombies with swords but also a battle inside her head. This is somebody suffering
with loss and psychosis, and the game works really
hard to portray that in interesting and believable ways, and it really makes for an
incredibly un
ique experience. By the end of this game, you'll probably end up
just as exhausted as her. But there is some combat,
there's some good sword fighting. It does get a little
repetitive towards the end, but some of the scares,
the visual elements, the sound design in this game make it an adventure worth experiencing. It's not super long, so
if you haven't played it and you're getting ready for the sequel, there's definitely still time. Next, over at number nine,
we have "Psychonauts 2." Another gam
e where, like, we just don't get games like this anymore: Fun, cartoony, creative adventures. "Psychonauts 2" is a little more open, but it is still a game
where you're platforming, and you're playing through creative, brilliantly designed levels
that are zany, weird, creepy, and funny. There is a lot of heart to this game, way more than you'd expect if you just, like, looked at the box art or didn't know anything about it. If you were a '90s kid, you like cartoons, or maybe you played the origi
nal game, and you haven't gotten to this one yet, you definitely should. Next, over at number
eight, we have "Sifu." This is a linear game
if you're really good. Essentially, "Sifu" is a challenging, fun, combat adventure that is
incredibly challenging. It is kind of centered
around roguelite elements with you dying and coming
back to life and you aging. But we're making an exception
for this game, in particular, just because, number one, it's so good, but also because it is pretty simple. There
's only a few levels,
but getting through them is really, really rewarding
and also engaging. It was an incredibly addictive experience the first time we played through it, and since it released, it's gotten a bunch of
updates and different modes to make it easier for some people to play, to make it harder for some people to play. And when you strip away the
complicated elements of dying, coming back, you know, getting older, like the roguelite stuff, it is just a really good collection of a cou
ple of good levels,
great enemy designs, and really, really fun boss battles. As of right now, there
is nothing else out there like "Sifu," so that's why
we're including it here. Next, over at number seven, we
have the "Dead Space" remake. This classic, now, survival horror game is about as linear as it gets. The remake did add a couple of moments and reasons to backtrack around the ship, explore a little bit more, but still, this is really just a linear narrative horror game,
and it is one of t
he best. This remake didn't really rock the boat. It made the game absolutely gorgeous, tweaked a couple of things
where it made sense, added things that really
helped improve the experience, but it didn't forget or lose sight of what the original was at all. And the original was absolutely kick-ass. And now it's just better. You can blast through
it in a couple of hours, and it is so good. Next, over at number six, we have the "Resident
Evil" games, of course. I mean, the "Resident Evil 2" rema
ke, the "Resident Evil 4" remake,
whatever you wanna cover, the most recent "Resident Evil" games have been on a really good
run, and they are, typically, linear, straightforward adventure games. Because it is a survival horror game, yes, by nature, you are backtracking, you are wandering around
looking for clues, but still, especially "Resident Evil 4," it is briskly paced, always
putting you in new scenarios, new areas, and the adventure
just gets crazier and crazier as things move forward. Th
at really makes it an adventure worth experiencing on its own. But whether it's the
"Resident Evil 2" remake, the "3" remake, or "4," they're just good single-player
adventures top to bottom. They were originally, and
now that they're remade, even more so. Next, over at number five,
we have "Devil May Cry 5," another game where we just
don't get 'em like this anymore. This is an awesome
hack-and-slash combat adventure that is pure chaos from beginning to end. It is level-based, so there is no BS
. You are hacking, slashing,
comboing, blasting, shooting, whatever, high-scoring your way through this really weird gross horror adventure with multiple playable characters that all have their own
in-depth combat systems. The amount of variety here, the weapons between each
character, the swapping, everything is just incredible. "Devil May Cry 5's" combat
really is a fine-tuned, well-oiled machine, however you play it. Whatever level of your skill is the nuances can really
be experienced here,
and it's just a cool adventure. Next, over at number four, we have "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice." We're talking "Sekiro" today specifically because people will be
mad if we didn't include a soulslike game. But to be honest, they all have some degree
of freedom to them, and, you know, you dying a million times. So, if we're talking
something more linear, I think "Sekiro" is arguably
one of the more linear of FromSoftware's games. There are some branches here and there, but this is just a straight-u
p adventure where you don't create your own character. That's another thing here,
we're not doing open-ended RPG, we're doing something
more interesting here where you play as the Wolf. You are a character with motivations, with a set play style, sort of, and it makes for a hell of an adventure. The variety here, from,
like, environments to enemies is pretty constant. It's like nonstop. The amount of new things you're
introduced to consistently from baddies to big bosses to just move sets and ga
meplay mechanics, it just makes it so much fun. It is absolutely challenging,
arguably very brutal at times, but it is really, really unique if we're looking at the whole catalog of FromSoftware's games. Next, over at number three, we have "Wolfenstein
II: The New Colossus." The original or new "Wolfenstein" game was absolutely incredible, and "Wolfenstein II" just
went zanier and crazier. You play as B.J. Blazkowicz,
and he is just like a badass, almost like movie hero
character archetype, but
there are some subtleties
to him and this adventure. It is a weird one, but it
is a mostly linear adventure that is filled with memorable moments, some of which are just so out there. Like, this game is
written like a comic book. It feels like a comic book where, like, even though it has, like, hyperrealistic kind of graphics, there's so much zany
shit that happens here I don't wanna spoil for you. It's not the longest thing in the world, but it is pretty challenging,
but it is a ton of fun. It
is an adventure worth experiencing. Where do they go from here? God knows. Next, over at number two, we
have "Guardians of the Galaxy." Well, yes, a lot of other
big superhero games, like the "Batman Arkham" games
or the "Spider-Man" games, go open world, the "Guardians of the Galaxy"
game keeps it really simple. It is a level-based adventure
where you play as Star-Lord. You have control over
your other Guardians, but you are going through an adventure that is just steeped in
Marvel comic book s
tuff. I'm not talking Marvel movies, MCU stuff, I'm talking real good silly
space galactic comic book stuff. It's a fun shoot-'em-up
third-person adventure where you get to see a lot
of planets and weird stuff, but it's a story that has a lot of heart. While it does have some
archetypes and similarities to, like, James Gunn's movies, this game actually dives
deeper on these characters in really, really
interesting heartfelt ways. This game gets emotional,
but it's also cool as hell. It's got som
e good boss battles and a really awesome ending
that you should experience. When this game was first announced, everybody thought it looked bad, and it turned out it was
actually really awesome. So, don't sleep on it. Now, down to number one, we
have the "Plague Tale" games, both "A Plague Tale: Innocence" and "A Plague Tale: Requiem." These are linear narrative
sort of stealth games where you play as Amicia
and her brother, Hugo, going through a plague-ridden Europe that is downright horrifying
. And because you play as a
young girl escorting a boy, you're not the most action-packed badass. So a lot of the times,
you need to stealth around and use the environment and
your handy dandy slingshot to get around both hoards of rats and the horrors of the plague, as well as soldiers hunting for you. The second game amps up
the combat a little bit. As she gets older, she
becomes more capable. But either way,
gameplay-wise, these are fun, but it's really the story. It's these characters, it's
this emotion, it's the bond between brother and sister, but also the horrors that
are impacting this world that are really worth experiencing. There's not a lot of video
game stories like this, certainly not anymore. But thankfully, this studio is keeping that, like, AA tradition alive. These are great adventures. Now, those are 20 linear
single-player games you shouldn't miss, but we got a couple of
bonus ones we couldn't fit. The first is "Evil West." Just kind of a throwback
to early-2000s ga
mes, this cowboy horror shoot-'em-up third-person action-adventure
game is schlocky and perfect. Also, "The Dark Pictures Anthology." These games are from the
creators of "Until Dawn," so it's like a linear horror adventure where your decisions matter, and they are worth experiencing
despite their flaws. Of course, there are so
many other games, though, that we couldn't squeeze on this list. We know we miss stuff, it's the nature of making these lists. So let us know in the
comments your choices
, your picks for some of
the best linear games from the last 10 years. You know, we're not
talking open-world games or, like, endlessly replayable
roguelites or roguelikes or anything like that. No, just a straight-up old video game. If you've got any picks,
let us know in the comments. But if you like talking
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