8 Video Games That Are Epic From Start to Finish
Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts.
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Video games offer a variety of different experiences; some offer a feeling of wonder and amazement, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, while others offer a fast-paced action frenzy like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Whatever it is gamers prefer, they can find it in these titles, especially if they want an immersive epic gaming experience.
Epics are meant to evoke a grand sense of scale, something that fans can only experience in stories, and video games in particular are better at offering this than most. That is why this list will feature ten video games that are epic from start to finish based on aspects such as scale, scope, gameplay, design, narrative, visuals, set pieces, originality, feelings evoked, critical acclaim, fan opinion, and overall quality.
8 'Outer Wilds' (2019)
It is most common for AAA games to be the most epic since they have larger budgets, but indie video games continue to get more popular every year. Most of them aren't epic perse, but one of the greatest modern titles of the genre is Outer Wilds. Trapped in a solar system while investigating the ancient ruins and lore of a lost civilization, players must learn all of its secrets within the 22-minute time loop before they run out of time and the galaxy implodes.
Outer Wilds is a fascinating video game, and some might not say it is the most epic, but it has a certain charm and scale to it. The game exudes a sense of curiosity and experimentation that is vital to learning all of its secrets. The knowledge-based progression is a magnificent system that wonderfully paces it based on players' capabilities. Outer Wilds is a modern classic that holds an ambitious scope, but handles it in an intelligent way to create a uniquely epic experience.
7 'Red Dead Redemption 2' (2018)
2018 was one of the best years for video games of all time, and this list features two of its heavy hitters, including Rockstar Games' magnum opus, Red Dead Redemption 2. Arthur Morgan is a cowboy during the dying age of the Wild West in 1899. When he learns of his tuberculosis diagnosis, he sets out on one final adventure across the Western frontier in order to find redemption in his final days.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest games not to win Game of the Year, and while that has annoyed fans, it has not impacted its legacy as one of the most epic video games ever. The world is one of the most ambitious in gaming history, creating an authentic, yet dramatized Wild West with so much to explore and plenty of content to indulge in. Red Dead Redemption 2 also boasts an unforgettable narrative epic in scope and prestige that ends with one of the best character arcs in video games.
6 'Elden Ring' (2022)
This list features a handful of games from all eras, but one of the most recent titles is also among the greatest. FromSoftware is a legendary studio, but Elden Ring is their newest and best game. When the titular ring shatters and the children of Queen Marika claim them, the player must travel across the Lands Between to fight these demigods and take the pieces for themselves in order to restore the ring and become the Elden Lord.
Some have criticized Elden Ring for its story, but it makes up for that with its lore and worldbuilding, which was bolstered by George R.R. Martin. FromSoftware is known for its challenging gameplay and boss fights, and this game embodies those aspects best. Elden Ring has an unprecedented scale that it doesn't hold back, showcasing it for everyone to see in its open world. The game rewards curiosity in spectacular ways, letting the player travel off the beaten path to experience whatever it is they encounter, whether that be grand bosses or epic lore tidbits.
5 'Mass Effect Trilogy' (2007-2012)
A lot of video games don't live up to their predecessors, but others enhance them, such as the Mass Effect games. It may be unfair to put three games into one entry, but they are all so incredible that they deserve to be recognized together. Reapers are an advanced ancient race of machines that consume all life in the galaxy. However, Commander Shepard and his team are dedicated to stopping these creatures that risk killing every form of life in the Milky Way.
2007 was a fantastic year for video games, and Mass Effect was one of the best, only getting better with each new game. Known for its narrative and worldbuilding, the Mass Effect trilogy is massive in scope, delivering an epic story that spans multiple games. Consisting of the galaxy and all its known races, the narrative, lore, and worldbuilding connect through characters and their dynamics, which continue to evolve on an epic scale.
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you'd actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
🚀Star Wars
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you're honest about what you're actually afraid of.
04
How do you deal with authority you don't trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn't just tactical — it's physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they're actually made of.
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You'd Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You're a systems thinker who can't help but notice the seams in things.
- You're drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
- You'd find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines' worst nightmare.
- You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
- The Matrix built an airtight prison. You'd be the one probing the walls for the door.
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn't reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That's you.
- You don't need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
- You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you're good at all three.
- You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
- In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Blade Runner
You'd survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
- You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
- In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
- You're not a hero. But you're not lost, either.
- In Blade Runner's world, that distinction is everything.
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
- Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they're survival tools.
- You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
- Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You'd learn its logic and earn its respect.
- In time, you wouldn't just survive Arrakis — you'd begin to reshape it.
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn't have it any other way.
- You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
- You'd gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire's grip can be broken.
- You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn't something you're capable of.
- In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
4 'Resident Evil 4' (2005)
2026 has been an excellent year for Resident Evil, mainly because it is celebrating its 30th anniversary with projects such as Resident Evil Requiem and the new movie. While the new game and movies are spectacular, the best project in the franchise is still Resident Evil 4. When a cult in Spain kidnaps the daughter of the President of the United States, Leon S. Kennedy is on the case to save her. However, when a parasitic virus infects the cult, escaping becomes even more dangerous.
Some fans didn't appreciate it at the time, but Resident Evil 4 was a game changer for the franchise, reinventing the series with a new action-focused style. The over-the-shoulder camera and inventory management system were defining mechanics, but what made Resident Evil 4 so special was its action. The epicness may not have been because of the grandness, but this game was still a spectacle to witness with stylish brawls.
3 'Doom' (2016)
Video game revivals happen all the time, and while it is more common nowadays, they are rarely good. However, sometimes they exceed expectations and are better than the original, as was the case with Doom 2016. After a breach in a scientific facility on Mars lets demons from Hell take over the planet, the only hope for humanity is the Doomslayer, who must kill as many demons as possible.
Doom is a fantastic game and a prime example of how to revive a franchise successfully, keeping the core of what made the original good, but reinventing the flawed aspects. The fast-paced action and rushed pacing force the player to be ambitious and bold, constantly pushing through enemy lines that makes them feel like a badass. Doom is a violent and rage-fueled masterpiece that earns its epic status through a grand atmosphere and riveting combat.
2 'Uncharted 2: Among Thieves' (2009)
Some of the most epic video games are also action-adventure titles, and while modern titles can achieve this better with a larger budget, it is hard to beat the classics, such as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Nathan Drake is a renowned treasure hunter, and his nose for finding new artifacts leads him to search for Marco Polo’s fleet, which is rumored to contain a precious artifact. However, the journey to get it will be full of twists, turns, betrayals, and epic moments.
Uncharted 2 is a rather short game compared to modern titles, but that is why it can be such an epic game from start to finish. It is such an engaging experience because it boasts some of the best set pieces in gaming history, using these exhilarating experiences, such as a train hanging off a cliff, to heighten the drama, excitement, and action. Uncharted 2 features an unbridled sense of adventure and all the epicness that comes with it, and this feeling only increases the more gamers play.
1 'God of War' (2018)
Sony is one of the best video game companies ever, but it has recently come under fire for some of their bad decisions; no one can complain about the Game of the Year winner in 2018, God of War. Kratos has put his past life of rage behind him and made a new peaceful life in Midgard. However, after his wife passes away, he and his son, Atreus, set out on an adventure to scatter her ashes, only to be met by the angry wrath of the gods who want something from Atreus.
There are few games that manage to be epic right from the beginning and all the way to the end, but God of War somehow achieves that. It comes out swinging right out of the gate with a remarkable boss fight, and from there on out, it continues that flawless pace with more epic boss battles and cinematic events. God of War is perfect from start to finish, and that is because of its constant epicness that is felt in the narrative, scale, emotion, combat, gameplay, and general experience.
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