Find Your Next Favorite Narrative Game Where Every Choice Counts
Telltale has brought the first-ever Choices Matter Festival to Steam, featuring discounts that stick around until August 17.
Games may look increasingly realistic and can rival cinema in terms of presentation, but their foundation remains distinct: agency. They give players something other entertainment mediums cannot: the ability to make choices and influence the outcome.
From August 10, Telltale Games, a veteran of the genre, is hosting the Choices Matter Festival on Steam, where you can discover and save on some of the best narrative-driven games. The event runs through August 17, featuring over 90 discounted titles and more than 40 playable demos spanning a variety of genres, all centered around branching storylines and meaningful decisions.
We've rounded up ten games worth checking out, a mix of old favorites and newer releases: there's definitely something for everyone to enjoy.
Heavy Rain
First up is a classic from Quantic Dream: the studio's 2010 psychological thriller that earned plenty of praise for gritty realism, emotional storytelling, and cinematic feel. The story follows the hunt for the Origami Killer, who uses prolonged periods of rain to drown his victims. And, of course, your choices matter. It's one of Quantic Dream's trademarks, and the sheer number of possible endings is pretty remarkable.
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
Not sure this one needs much of an introduction, but if you haven't had a chance to try it yet, you can jump into the Ultra Deluxe version, which includes the original 2013 game plus hours of new meta-commentary, new choices, and new endings, basically doubling the experience.
Reigns
Another classic from the early days of the indie game boom. The basic idea is simple: you sit on the throne and rule your kingdom by swiping left or right to make decisions.
If you're into minimalist gameplay, there are several games in the Reigns series to try, including Beyond, Her Majesty, The Witcher, and Game of Thrones versions.
No, I'm Not a Human
This indie hit isn't even a year old, but it's already becoming a memorable game. Its main themes are paranoia and survival, so keep that in mind if you're not comfortable with that. Each night, you'll interview people who show up at your door seeking shelter and make life-or-death decisions about who to let in, leading to multiple dark and branching endings.
Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut
What starts with a simple goal - you have to kill a Princess who might destroy the world - soon becomes a much deeper and more surprising story. The hand-drawn art style perfectly matches the themes of uncertainty and change, while Jonathan Sims, best known for the horror podcast The Magnus Archives, delivers a voice performance that fits the game wonderfully.
Life is Strange
It feels wrong not to mention this iconic title, which was a huge critical and commercial success and became especially memorable for its iconic "This action will have consequences" butterfly notifications. Get ready for a coming-of-age story with a supernatural twist, where changing the past can lead to devastating consequences in the future.
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
You'll play as a 10-year-old child who arrives on a planet called Vertumna after spending 20 years aboard a spaceship. Growing up in humanity's first extrasolar colony means exploring a world filled with wonder, danger, and beauty. The game combines visual novel elements with card-based gameplay, with your choices shaping your character's stats, relationships, and ultimately, the fate of the colony.
Esoteric Ebb
Esoteric Ebb, one of this year's standout releases, gives you an impressive amount of freedom. It's heavily inspired by Disco Elysium and the rules of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, letting you choose your political beliefs, class, and allies as you unravel a political conspiracy alongside your goblin sidekick.
Road 96
This is a wild road-trip story inspired by Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, and Bong Joon-ho. The game is set in the fictional authoritarian country of Petria in the summer of 1996: you'll guide a group of teenagers as they try to escape the regime. What makes it really interesting is the procedural generation, which turns each teen's escape into part of a bigger political story.
The Wolf Among Us
It would be pretty unfair not to mention one of the biggest titles from the event's host, Telltale Games. The Wolf Among Us is based on Bill Willingham's Fables comic series, where you'll investigate a brutal series of murders as Bigby Wolf, aka the Big Bad Wolf, the sheriff of a secret New York community where fairy tale and folklore characters live.
In case you missed the news, The Wolf Among Us 2 now has a 2027 release window, and a remastered version of the first game is expected to arrive this holiday season.
Travelling At Night
Disco Elysium would be the obvious pick here, but let's talk about this game, which has been in the spotlight this week following the release of its public demo. Set in an alternate 1948 Europe shaped by cosmic horror and Cold War tensions, Travelling At Night promises a combat-free CRPG inspired by classics like Disco Elysium, Planescape: Torment, and Fallout 1 & 2.
Don't forget, the Choices Matter Festival runs until next Monday. You can find the full list of featured games here.
Also, subscribe to our Newsletter, join our 80 Level Talent platform and Discord, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, and Instagram, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
Are you a fan of what we do here at 80 Level? Then make sure to set us as a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our content in your feed.
