The Last of Us.

Observation: playing it got really tedious really fast for me but the story was so intriguing I ended up watching probably the final 2/3 of the game on YouTube just to see how it worked out, and it was worth it.

Hot take: Games like this have more artistic value than glorified slot machines like Fortnite or Warzone

Sure, but the best games manage to tell an incredible story through gameplay alone - and crucially, one that gameplay is integral to. Outer Wilds doesn’t have a single cutscene in the base game, for example, and it’s my go to example that games can be art (while still being incredibly fun to play).

I sort of have similar opinions on the 2016 DOOM game; That game maybe littered with lore and exposition dumps but the real narrative is the actions of the Doomguy himself and how he frankly does not give a shit about everything happening around him

Yes, that’s a great game too because the gameplay is so well moulded to the narrative - you play with furious intensity rather than crouching in cover. And that puts you right in the shoes of the DOOM guy.

Death Stranding