Best AI computer games in 2025: AI-powered games with AI NPCs or storyline

AI in video games has come a long way from the days of simple enemy routines and dialogue trees with limited branching. Modern titles now use artificial intelligence to control in-game behaviour and systems, with NPCs that adapt to your actions, respond dynamically, and remember what you’ve done.

Recent games like Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty use AI to make enemies more tactical. The Finals features real-time AI commentary that responds dynamically to player actions and in Echoes of Somewhere, AI shapes branching dialogue and story paths based on your choices. But what exactly is AI in games? Simply put, it governs how NPCs behave and react to you, to each other, and to the environment. With that in mind, here are our picks for AI-powered games with advanced NPCs and storylines you need to try right away.

AI-powered games you need to try out right away

– Red Dead Redemption 2
– Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
– BioShock Infinite
– Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist
– XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most ambitious simulations of human and animal behaviour ever put into a game. On the surface, it’s a Western epic about Arthur Morgan, an outlaw caught between fading ideals and a crumbling gang. But beneath the compelling story lies a complex AI system that drives immersion, memory, and consequence.

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RDR 2’s NPCs are governed by behaviour models that let them act independently, respond to the player’s choices, and adapt over time. Arthur’s reputation influences how townsfolk and law enforcement treat you, while animals behave with incredible realism, from predators stalking prey to horses recognising your riding style. Additionally, small details, such as how clean you are or how you speak, affect whether they cooperate, confront, or avoid you entirely.

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor set a new standard for AI-driven gameplay when it launched back in 2014, and over a decade later, its Nemesis System remains one of the most impactful uses of AI in gaming. The game follows Talion, a ranger resurrected with wraith-like powers, as he wages a personal war against Sauron’s forces in the heart of Mordor. The game’s most significant contribution is the way it uses AI to generate shifting rivalries and reactive, unscripted encounters. 

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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor’s Nemesis System tracks every interaction with Uruk enemies. For example, if one defeats you, they remember it; if you burn or injure them, they return scarred and seek revenge and even their dialogue changes. Furthermore, their rank within Sauron’s army evolves as they develop traits, adapt to your combat style, and may even hunt you down unprompted. None of this is scripted. It’s driven by a procedural framework that turns combat outcomes into persistent, character-specific consequences.

BioShock Infinite

BioShock Infinite is set in the airborne city of Columbia, where Booker DeWitt is sent to retrieve a woman named Elizabeth. The game’s story begins as a rescue mission but quickly evolves into a tightly constructed narrative shaped by Elizabeth’s presence. Rather than serving as a passive follower, Elizabeth actively engages with the environment, navigates spaces independently, and responds intelligently to changing situations.

She observes the world, comments on what she sees, and even helps during battle by providing supplies and alerting the player to hidden threats. Elizabeth’s behaviour is less about complexity and more about precision, with every action tuned to support the pacing and rhythm of the game, making her one of the most thoughtfully implemented AI companions in modern storytelling.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist redefined stealth AI by combining vision, hearing, and environmental awareness into a system that feels reactive and grounded. Players return as Sam Fisher, navigating high-risk missions where your actions directly impact how each encounter plays out. You can move in quietly, study patrols, and create diversions or switch to direct combat if the situation changes. 

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The AI in Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist is designed to track and process context, as enemies respond not only to player movement but also to environmental changes. They recognise unusual shifts in their surroundings, investigate open doors or altered light states, and communicate what they observe. Their awareness builds based on how exposed the player is, how long they’ve been visible, and what noises they’ve caused. Rather than depending on fixed patterns, the AI adjusts its behaviour over time, encouraging players to study routines, experiment with tactics, and adapt under pressure. The result is tension and payoff delivered in a way that feels natural and responsive.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

XCOM: Enemy Unknown brought a classic strategy series back to life with a renewed focus on battlefield AI and tactical depth. Players lead the XCOM project, Earth’s last line of defence against an escalating alien invasion. Missions unfold as turn-based battles where positioning, cover, and squad coordination are critical. Outside combat, players oversee research, manage funding, and monitor panic levels across the globe, adding weight to every choice. The enemy AI plays a central role in shaping the challenge. Each alien type comes with distinct abilities, and the system evaluates battlefield conditions to deploy them with purpose.

Enemies react to your positioning, take cover, set ambushes, and adapt their tactics as situations evolve. Instead of relying on fixed behaviour, the AI makes encounters feel unpredictable but controlled, reactive rather than random. Additionally, difficulty levels are carefully designed to reward different play styles, and Ironman mode adds irreversible consequences to every choice.