PS5 - What Storyline Games Would You Recommend That Aren't Shooting/Car Chase Formats?

cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 11:34
Last edited 01/06/2023 - 11:35 by 1 other user

New to gaming, but avid watcher of game play. My partner plays Red Dead Redemption II and I really like the mission/story qualities of this game but despise games that shoot and pillage etc. Do not like Grand Theft Auto.

Can anyone recommend a game where there is a storyline involved such as maybe a murder mystery whodunnit searching for clues or a fantasy game where you need to collect/complete tasks to create something bigger? Something to that effect, but a storyline is paramount, otherwise I lose interest quickly.

Thanks for any suggestions 🙏🏻

Gaming PS5 Game Video Game

Comments

  • follow on 01/06/2023 - 11:40
    +27

    Detroit: Become Human

    • CrispyChrispy on 01/06/2023 - 11:49

      Found the game a bit slow, but that's coming from someone who enjoyed RDR2… should be good for OP

    • cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 12:02

      Oooh this looks great, thanks for the suggestion! I like the whole robot/evolution angle with this.

      • follow on 01/06/2023 - 12:24
        +5

        The Talos Principle
        Disco Elysium
        Outer Wilds

      • Chandler on 02/06/2023 - 16:06
        +1

        Similar vein but likely too much shooting: Deus Ex: Human Revolution. (although having said that at times there is the option to complete areas/stages with stealth/non-lethal methods)

    • KaTst3R on 01/06/2023 - 15:24
      +3

      When I first played this game, the reality of things in the game's future seems very unlikely. But the moment ChatGPT is available, it makes you wonder what if AI takes over the world and 50% of the world's population is unemployed. It is a very scary vision.

    • ArmyKnifey on 01/06/2023 - 16:28

      Great suggestion, I love this game.

  • CodeXD on 01/06/2023 - 11:42

    Does it have to be on PS5?

    I was going to suggest frog detective series but I think it is PC only.

    • cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 11:58
      +1

      PS5 is the only game console we have, I never play games on the computer, we only have a laptop and the screen is too small for my ageing eyes 🤓

  • scrimshaw on 01/06/2023 - 11:42
    +6

    LA Noire? Game came out in 2011. Game has you read facial animations as a detective to see if the person you're speaking with is telling lies or not.

    Also the source of the Press X to Doubt meme.

    • cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 12:06
      -1

      LA Noire sounded interesting until I saw there was combat and gun shooting. I’m just too girly to get in to that kind of thing 😖

      • brendanm on 01/06/2023 - 15:59
        +6

        Lol, girls can shoot.

        • djsweet on 02/06/2023 - 12:00

          Lol

      • b0rnwithabeard on 02/06/2023 - 11:00
        +1

        it's been an age since I've played it, but I don't remember a hell of a lot of combat?

  • Porker on 01/06/2023 - 11:45
    -1

    Ghosts of Tsushima.

    Some cheesy parts such as 'grappling hook', but combat was more timing/skill based as opposed to button mash. The story had me hooked in good (not the mentioned grappling one).

    Ended up also getting the expansion.

    • cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 12:08

      I was excited at ghosts but looking at it, seems similar to Red Dead as it’s warrior based. Fighting just doesn’t appeal to me 😔

  • tabz on 01/06/2023 - 11:51
    +24

    the "Life is Strange" series is amazing on story.

    The only one I haven't finished yet is "Life is Strange 2" but it gets some great reviews.

    • cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 12:10

      OMG this looks amazing, thanks for your recommendation. This looks right up my alley 😍

      • OverburdenedWarrior on 01/06/2023 - 12:59
        +2

        Life is Strange is amazing. If you find yourself liking this style of game, I’d definitely recommend Telltale’s The Walking Dead games!

        • CrispyChrispy on 01/06/2023 - 13:28
          +1

          May not be for OP, if they don't really want shooty games then they may not enjoy Telltale's TWD due to the occasional jumpscares, themes, etc. Great games though, will probably replay the series myself some time soon

    • Rimzi on 02/06/2023 - 11:25

      Life is Strange 2 is MINT!!! It is also a standalone title (mostly)

  • CrowReally on 01/06/2023 - 12:01
    +3

    Persona 5 (ultimately Persona 5 Royal for the best version)

  • cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 12:16
    +1

    This looks amazing, thank you for the recommendation. The premise of this game sounds quite interesting especially with the inclusion of the supernatural. Adding to the list 🙌🏻

  • non-core promise on 01/06/2023 - 12:16
    +20

    Firewatch might be one you're interested in.

    It's more of an interactive movie rather than a conventional game. No explosions or shooting, mostly walking around a national park by yourself while talking to a woman on the radio.

    Can be quite therapeutic if you're into that sort of thing.

    Downside is that there isn't much replay value, given the focus is on a lower profile emotional story.

    If you like the sound of it, add it to your wishlist on your preferred gaming platform and wait for a sale, don't buy it full price.

    • CrispyChrispy on 01/06/2023 - 12:24
      +2

      Amazing game! Despite the fairly linear storyline, I've still replayed it multiple times, the soundtrack/art style and everything else is just that good. Can be had for quite cheap as well, under $10 when on sale on Steam.

  • coxjon on 01/06/2023 - 12:23
    +4

    Until Dawn was great for the first time. I don't think there was too much challenge to the combat - more about making choices.

  • solidussnake on 01/06/2023 - 12:52
    +1

    Death Stranding, there's a little bit of shooting but able to get by without shooting etc

  • snooksy on 01/06/2023 - 12:58
    -3

    Any JRPGs will likely suit you. Yakuza like a dragon is good. Tales of Arise, Dragon Quest XI etc. Also consider Judgemebt / Lost Judgement. For more action adventure - Ratchett and Clank rift apart, Mass effect 1, Crash Bandicoot perhaps as well

  • carlJack on 01/06/2023 - 13:26

    uncharted series

    • FireRunner on 01/06/2023 - 21:11
      +5

      The series has lots of shooting and some car chases …

      • carlJack on 01/06/2023 - 21:21
        -1

        True. But it also has everything OP has asked for like mystery, searching for clues, completing puzzles, great characters and story line.

  • nomoneynoproblems on 01/06/2023 - 14:24
    +1

    Highly recommend the dark pictures anthology series of games.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Pictures_Anthology

  • friedmaki on 01/06/2023 - 14:38
    +5

    TLOU and TLOU2, great storylines.
    Assassin's Creed Origin
    GOW - my all-time favourite
    Spiderman, decent storyline and great gameplay

    • Ghost47 on 01/06/2023 - 15:05
      +1

      +1 for Spider-Man, that game knocked it out of the park on all fronts.

  • azngamer on 01/06/2023 - 14:42
    +7

    It takes 2? It's a coop game that you could play with your partner

    • navyskies on 02/06/2023 - 16:19

      Bloody great game. Highly recommended.

  • AustriaBargain on 01/06/2023 - 14:48
    +2

    Persona 5, whatever they are calling the PS5 edition (don't buy any of the many older editions). It feels silly and childish at first, but the story is pretty deep, it's basically about how psychopaths are scary and can be anyone pretending to be normal people, but you can break into their brain and fix them by fighting their demons. As far as video games it's a bit deeper than normal and has a cool bass line besides.

  • Fergy1987 on 01/06/2023 - 15:06
    -6

    GTA V

  • cowboybrews on 01/06/2023 - 15:07
    +8

    The Witcher 3 is probably one of the best games ever. There is fighting but just play it on easy and enjoy the storyline and quests. The scenery is incredible.

    • AustriaBargain on 01/06/2023 - 15:14
      +6

      Yes, Witcher 3 is unusually great. Unusual because every other game CDPR has ever made are unusually janky. I think they accidentally made one of the best games of all time and they aren't sure how they did it.

      • z720 on 02/06/2023 - 09:30
        +2

        Lmao. It was janky at the start, worse than CP77. But then kept patching it into what it is now.

    • lew380 on 02/06/2023 - 15:15

      The Witcher 3 is just so well done, the main quest line is just phenomenal with the ability to shape how you want the story to go.
      Even the side quests are great, I can spend hours just doing side quests for their interesting narrative and the ability to have an impact on the outcome, it's addictive!

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 01/06/2023 - 15:38
    +5

    Goat Simulator

  • blitz on 01/06/2023 - 15:41
    +4

    I loved and am still loving Horizon: Zero Dawn. Aloy is a terrific hero and the storyline is very compelling.

    • follow on 01/06/2023 - 16:38
      +1

      i recently finished the first one and couldn't play the second one straight away. The changed mechanics felt weird. Don't know why they changed it. Things like the weapons draw and searching for resources.

      • blitz on 01/06/2023 - 20:21

        What????? This makes me very sad! I really think they got the user interface right in the first one.

        • follow on 01/06/2023 - 21:54

          now you have to scan the area first to see if there are resources

          • KlyJuly on 04/06/2023 - 00:02
            +2

            @follow: You can change that in the settings, to have resources always show up, there's a fair few things you can change especially in the accessibility settings to tweak things to your liking.

            Personally, I think the controls and UI were really perfected in HFW. Sure, if you're jumping straight in from HZD it might take a few hours to adjust your muscle memory, but there are so many quality of life features, like the stash, better control of your quick access tools, having 6 weapons not 4, and then of course so many gameplay upgrades like the shieldwing, new abilities etc.

            If you bounced off it, I'd highly encourage you to give it a second shot. I recently went back to FHW to play through the DLC after 100%ing the manin game last year, and it's one of my top 5 games of all time.

            • follow on 04/06/2023 - 03:48

              @KlyJuly: sounds great. i do plan on playing it, just felt a bit off jumping straight into it.

  • Belsesame on 01/06/2023 - 15:54
    +2

    I think you might like Telling Lies, Erica, Child of Light, Tomb Raider, What remains of Edith Finch and Assassin's Creed Odyssey, plus the HZD games as mentioned above and Detroit Become Human is amaze-balls. Also GOW is amazing. Yakuza LAD and Judgment are good, but take a long time.

  • KiKH on 01/06/2023 - 16:18
    +5

    Disco Elysium might be the greatest narrative game ever made.
    2 Cops going around a town talking to people to solve a murder mystery.
    The game is almost 100% dialogue driven.

    • b0rnwithabeard on 02/06/2023 - 11:02
      +2

      +1 for Disco Elysium.

      I can see how people might hate Disco Elysium, but holy shit that's one of the greatest gaming experiences I think I've ever had. I got totally and completely sucked into the story. The world-building is amazing

    • nk7 on 02/06/2023 - 17:33

      I struggled with my short attention span and my terrible memory makes it hard to remember names and details, but even then I could tell how great of a story and game it was. Definitely tempted to revisit it

  • CascadeHush on 01/06/2023 - 18:18

    Do you have Playstation Plus Extra?

    • cheriemoore666 on 01/06/2023 - 20:50

      Yes

      • Rimzi on 02/06/2023 - 11:27
        +6

        What Remains of Edith Finch.
        Brilliant story game roughly 4 hours in length and on PS+ Extra

        • Blargman2001 on 02/06/2023 - 21:25

          This. What Remains of Edith Finch has excellent story writing and no combat. Exactly what you are looking for. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is also another one, a bit scarier though.

  • Dorge on 01/06/2023 - 18:59
    +1

    Enjoyed Road 96 as i nice chill game that i could not stop playing. Multiple character arcs and development and good for a hour or two at a time.

    Ghostwire: Tokyo is great, has a heart felt story, but does have a few horror/ghost fighting aspects.

    Sounds like you may like some of the TellTale games, talking and investigating character driven - The Wolf Among Us, Game of Thrones, Batman the Telltale series.

    If you have a partner or kid to play with It takes 2 and A way Out are fun too.

    As mentioned above Witcher 3 is one of the best games ever made. Highly recommend.

  • rbrb on 01/06/2023 - 19:23
    +15

    Not sure why no one has mentioned Stray, it is an amazing game.

    https://www.playstation.com/en-au/games/stray/

    • lunchbox99 on 03/06/2023 - 13:54

      Yes Stray is perfect. Your game character is a cat.

  • sharkyoz on 01/06/2023 - 20:32
    +2

    lemmings

  • FireRunner on 01/06/2023 - 21:14
    +1

    Not really a storyline game but a fun non-shooter game I recommend is A Hat in Time if you like 3D platformers

  • BoltThrower on 02/06/2023 - 04:37
    +2

    Days Gone had me hooked and was one of the few games I got emotionally invested into, and was a rollercoaster at that! I expected it to be nothing more than a Daryl Dixon simulator that I could have fun with for a few hours. It became the only gave I've Platinum'ed on PS4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGudc9_qn-M

    • CascadeHush on 04/06/2023 - 13:08

      But so much shooting I gave up, and I've played a lot of open world games.

  • Soundwave on 02/06/2023 - 09:15
    -1

    God of War (2018) then God of War Ragnarok.

  • z720 on 02/06/2023 - 09:32
    +1

    Have you thought of playing Visual Novels?

    It’s not so much as playing them, rather reading them.

    The mysteries of Fata Morgana and Umineko are some of the greatest stories I’ve encountered.

    • Wuffybrother on 02/06/2023 - 13:54

      AI Somnium Files is a visual novel style game in the murder mystery vein that I would highly recommend.

  • stedmaster on 02/06/2023 - 11:02

    Syberia although the first games are a well dated now.

    They had a new release last year PS5 too Syberia: The World Before but I've not played it.

  • lechuck123 on 02/06/2023 - 11:35

    Shadows of Doubt
    It's a new game, I've got it on PC. I'm having a lot of fun with it. You play as a detective in a procedurally generated city. You need to investigate murders. Collect evidence, speak with suspects, break into apartments and offices, put together the clues to find the murderer.

    I'm between the murders there's some more general detective work. Stalk and take a photo of people, find stolen items, humiliate targets. All of it involves finding and identifying the person.

    • rogerwilko on 02/06/2023 - 12:24

      Not on ps5

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 02/06/2023 - 14:46
      +1

      Note - it is very early access. It has the potential for greatness but I've set it aside the revisit in 12 months or so.

  • happyhammer on 02/06/2023 - 13:47

    I have a similar interest in games. Although don't mind some shooting, but main thing is storyline.

    Some suggestions:

    -Detroit become human, heavy rain and beyond two souls are all by the same developers and amazing.

    -What became of edith finch,firewatch, Stanley parable, short hike, journey, vanishing of Ethan carter- all shorter indie games and will cost you a few $ each.

    If you can do a bit of shooting then you can't beat the Uncharted games or Tomb raider for adventure storytelling.

  • yamborghini on 02/06/2023 - 14:00
    +1

    I'm a huge adventure game buff. One of my favourite game is Dreamfall. Its about the the magical Vs science world. Main protagonist is a female bioeng.

    Indigo prophecy (sometimes it's called Farenheit) is also a really good one about investigating mysterious murders around NYC.

    Other ones I love are the telltale games stories, especially Wolf Among us. Its based on fables comics and essentially the fairy tale fable world, is now mixed with the modern world.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 02/06/2023 - 14:45
    +1

    Grim Fandango Remastered

  • kaleidoscope on 02/06/2023 - 14:56
    +1

    From the makers of Detroit, try “Heavy Rain”. It was released for ps3 but there are ps4 editions that can he played on ps5 as well. If you don’t like lot of shooting and challenging enemies, try uncharted series and last of us series on easy modes. Its pure story goodness with really amazin graphics.

    Some others come to mind.

    Dishonoured
    Diablo iii

  • sjj89 on 02/06/2023 - 15:54

    Deliver Us The Moon then the recent sequel Delivery Us Mars are both great and fit your parameters quite well.

    • serpserpserp on 03/06/2023 - 10:29

      This looks alright. What is the usual sale price? The current steam bundle for both is too expensive for me

  • Cheapsize on 02/06/2023 - 16:27

    Judgment and Yakuza series mix of comedy and action , minigames and little quests.

    Particularly, Like a Dragon! (RPG style) also Yakuza Kiwami 1 and 2 are standouts.

    These games are hilarious and have an epic story. In the world your character can play baseball, sega arcade games ( the actual game is playable like space harrier or virtua fighter) business simulator, do quests for money. Eat at restaurants, race model cars.
    Find cats, battle zoo animals…

    It's weird, out there and just one of the funniest series you can play.

    Judgement is more serious and id recommend Yakuza over Judgement even though it's set in the same world.

    Otherwise God of War and Ragnarok are mandatory. Unbelievable games top 50 of all time. The story is so incredible you will finish it and want more.

    Last Guardian great story, Tetris Effect, Ratchet and Clank ( the movie version, you literally play the movie, it's identical and an awesome game) No man's Sky (what a game ) Spiderman. Final fantasy XV
    Last of us 1 and 2 have such a crazy story they made it into a series.

    The Dark Pictures series is a survival cinematic horror mystery game series.
    Man of Medan, House of Ashes. The studio also made The Quarry and Until Dawn kind of like playing Scream the movie.

  • charmed_tiger6 on 02/06/2023 - 18:28

    Story based games are any of the Telltale series games that have already been mentioned above (I played and enjoyed The Walking Dead ones, Game of Thrones and Tales from the Borderlands… however I loved the Borderlands games so maybe that is also why I liked this one too?!?).
    Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls, Until Dawn, Murdered: Soul Suspect were all story-based games.
    If you can get past or change your mind on shooting/combat games, my favourite games/series of all time are The Last of Us and Uncharted.
    If you like puzzle type games, the Portal games are great too and can be played on the Playstation (however they are better on a PC).
    If you are into artsy, short adventure games, I recall enjoying Journey, The Unfinished Swan and Flower.

  • cybapete on 02/06/2023 - 18:46
    +2

    Hogwarts Legacy anyone?

  • ChadHominem on 02/06/2023 - 20:36
    +1

    Highly rated recent murder mystery game
    https://store.steampowered.com/app/1677770/The_Case_of_the_G…

  • sbot on 02/06/2023 - 21:29
    +1

    The Forgotten City is a fantasy/mystery game where you're stuck in a city in a time loop and have to work out what's going on, figure out what all the character's storylines are, help people with their problems etc. It's great! I think it would suit your request for something with mystery, and something like a fantasy game where you're completing tasks.

    I does have 1 tiny section with some simple bow-and-arrow combat and fleeing enemies, but that one segment is completely self contained so you could always hand the controller to your partner for 10 mins in that bit. I kinda wish that bit wasn't in there because it makes the game a little harder to recommend to people who don't like combat.

    If you don't mind horror, I would also recommend Soma, which is a horror game where you explore and follow a story and work out what went on in an underwater facility infested with creatures - it has one of my favourite videogame stories. There's no combat but you have to flee from monsters, and if you want there's a 'safe mode' where you can't die so you can just focus on the story with slightly less stress. But it's definitely horror so be warned haha.

    For mysteries, if you don't mind something kinda goofy and anime-style, there's the AI the Somnium Files series of murder mystery games. But if you have no appetite for anime, I wouldn't recommend these.

    I definitely second Firewatch, Detroit Become Human and the Life is Strange games! There's also one called 'Tell me Why' by the same developers as Life is Strange which is similar but for whatever reason isn't under the 'Life is strange' banner.

    Quite a lot of the games mentioned here are good but also have a huge focus on combat so I don't think they quite suit what you're after, like Yakuza, Ghostwire Tokyo, the Witcher, Horizon Zero Dawn etc.

  • Sinnerator on 03/06/2023 - 08:36

    any walking sim

  • serpserpserp on 03/06/2023 - 10:26

    No Man's Sky

  • serpserpserp on 03/06/2023 - 10:30
    +4

    I love how OP is like "I don't like combat games" so everyone suggests combat games that have a quirk or interesting setting lol

  • akashra on 03/06/2023 - 12:12
    +2

    A Plague Tale: Requiem isn't either of those, but it's kind medieval of the same style without the shooting.

  • dawnflower on 03/06/2023 - 12:29

    yakuza like a dragon
    valkyria chronicles 1-4

  • RobVH on 03/06/2023 - 13:07

    A short and sweet game I played when I got the ps5 out of my normal taste was Erica, Until dawn was good too, both choose your own adventure style with consequence. But Erica had an Immersive story, quite a unique format and was live action. Witcher is really good. But no shoot n pillage rules out a lot of games like, The last of us, or Days gone, horizon.

  • worldpc on 03/06/2023 - 14:28

    Immortal fenyx rising, Sackboy, crash Bandicoot to name a few.

    But I must say if you looking for non violent story game, switch maybe a better option.

  • GrimCheaper on 03/06/2023 - 14:47

    Heavy Rain

    And also

    Beyond Two Souls

    I think it’s the same studio as Detroit almost Human. They got real actors for the 3d character models.

  • fatherofcats on 03/06/2023 - 15:18
    +1

    Portal got a brief mention by someone but I'd like to suggest it again. Portal 2 would have to be my all time favourite game.

  • Herbse on 03/06/2023 - 16:32

    Horizon forbidden west is amazing.

    I played the first one (zero dawn) and didn't love it tbh. But they made the gameplay and storyline of forbidden west really detailed and high quality. I actually bothered with talking to NPCs and played literally every side story because I enjoyed it that much.

    • AlanHB on 03/06/2023 - 16:44
      +1

      Interesting - I preferred the story in Horizon Zero Dawn over that of Forbidden West but that's how goes. The Forbidden West DLC is pretty fun though.

  • Gamer Dad Reviews on 03/06/2023 - 17:59
    +2

    Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments

  • buckster on 04/06/2023 - 09:13

    Try King's Quest or in addition to the good recommendations above

  • happyhammer on 04/06/2023 - 21:27

    I forgot to say earlier: Shadows of Colossus.
    Probably the most memorable game you'll ever play. There's a remastered version.

  • kazuyamishima on 05/06/2023 - 08:33

    Final Fantasy 16

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