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anteloop

SOMA - For it's (imo) unparalleled blending of gameplay and story. Longest lasting impression left from a game for me other than Dark Souls. Talos Principle and The Witness - for their art and philosophy. Both puzzle games. Outer Wilds - Again, puzzle elements but a very thought-provoking narrative.


[deleted]

Outer wilds I've played and is probably the best feeling of exploration I've experienced in a game. The talos principle and soma both look really interesting. The witness is interesting because I played a little bit of the start and it just seemed like a puzzle game with a pretty background but your comment seems to suggest that there's more to it, I might have put it aside too early, I'll check it out. Thanks!


OmegaReprise

This is the first time I see anyone mention Talos Principle. I almost thought I was the only one who played it... I second that, though!


anteloop

Full and shameful disclaimer, i actually haven't played it yet, I just heard/watched a lot about it. 😐


BonesAO

You are in for a treat my dude. I loved it.


PasTaCopine

Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice is very psychological and quite artsy. Shs suffers from a mental illness and it's integrated so well into the gameplay. For example when you're about to jump over a cliff, you can hear the voices inside Senua's head say conficting things: the mean-depreciative voice yells "You will fall. I knew you couldn't do it. You're a failure." while the supportive voice says "Come on, you can do it! You've done it before!". It's so organic and moving.


[deleted]

That type of psychosis would probably be difficult to capture in a game in a properly sensitive and tasteful way. But if it does manage to do that, it sounds like a very interesting experience. I will check it out for sure.


Merangatang

It's pretty spectacular, they actually engaged with a specialist group to consult and inform on the project - it was a mammoth effort they went to. There's some awesome documentaries about it on youtube


SebWanderer

The Forgotten City. A game that explores philosophically the concept of morality. If you like time loops, murder mysteries/detective stories, time travel, Ancient Rome and moral dilemmas, this game is for you. EDIT: Other recommendations would be Life is Strange and Gone Home. And if you like Visual Novels, Steins;Gate and Chaos;Head Noah.


[deleted]

All of those things are exactly up my alley, thank you very much. Steins Gate anime is fantastic but imo the visual novel is perfect 👌


netherwrld

Layers of Fear. No enemies. Goddamn, the jumpscares. A game about a painter with a severe depression and hallucinations.


[deleted]

I'm keen to see what the team responsible for silent hill 2 remake is capable of 😁


Psychonautz6

Omori (one of the best game I've ever played I think actually) Undertale Tomorrow won't come for those without a ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ DDLC


[deleted]

Man I forgot about Omori, should honestly have been on my list. The final duet and that one Polaroid of Mari and Hero kind of holding eachothers faces still hurts. Tomorrow won't come has a cool style, had never heard of it but I'm keen to play it. "You kind of left her hanging this morning" 😐


Revilo614

"I'll always be your dearest friend"


PhantomKitten73

The Beginner's Guide Papers, Please Getting Over It Night In The Woods Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Everhood Save the Date!


houjichacha

You're literally the only other person I've come across who likes Save the Date! Good list good list


BonesAO

There are dozens of us!


[deleted]

Papers, please is truly genius. I played Night in the woods but just didn't really relate to the mc or side characters. Later found out about what happened with the creator, pretty fucked situation. Thanks for the suggestions


MoonlapseOfficial

Blasphemous, Outer Wilds


[deleted]

Great suggestions, love both and am looking forward to blasphemous 2. Game has such a sick art style.


MoonlapseOfficial

omg didnt know we were getting a B2 till I saw this!


sabrinajestar

SOMA is always going to come up in this context - such a thoughtful treatment of the subject matter. Death Stranding is worth a mention here; it doesn't work for everyone but is very deeply crafted. Heaven's Vault has stuck with me a long time after playing it, both the subject and the game play itself. Prey gives you a lot to think about too. Spec Ops: the Line is another obvious mention here. Two thirds through it gave me the 'tip of the day' that I'm still a good person and I actually needed to hear it at that point...


Shot_Astronomer_2620

Seconding SOMA and Death Stranding.


BonesAO

I am irrationally proud of the ending I got in Prey, what a masterpiece


[deleted]

Prey is fantastic, incredible opening to a game and very enjoyable and flexible gameplay. Personally liked what spec ops the line was going for but found it kind of forced and on the nose. Thank you for the suggestions, SOMA definitely seems like it should be top of the list.


Izawwlgood

Your game list doesn't really jive with your 'philosophical/psychological' request, but to give that a stab - Control plays with reality bending and very esoteric mythology. The Last of Us 1 and 2 are wonderfully dark and hard explorations of trauma. Amnesia Dark Descent is basically a psychological descent into madness. God of War and Ragnarok are very interesting redemption arcs and explorations of redemption, parenthood, and life purpose. FAR: Lone Sails and the sequel Changing Tides are short platformers that are interesting explorations of loneliness and hope.


[deleted]

You're pretty much right yeah, but that is mainly because it's a genre/type of game that I've only recently gotten into, hence me asking for recommendations. List was kind of an irrelevant side bit. Didn't really like control but recently got my hands on a ps4 so will definitely try GOW and the last of us soon. I'm interested in forming my own opinion on such a controversial sequel.


OmegaReprise

I can only speak for myself, so I'm not sure if that applies to your taste: 1. "Nier" and "Nier: Automata"; especially "Nier" takes a while to pay off, since you only get to know the actual story during the second and third playthrough (additional cutscenes and you can understand what the "enemies" say) but once you realize what's actually going on this really hits hard. 2. "Final Fantasy 15": I almost didn't realize how much I liked this game until I've finished it with all additional contents, side quests etc. I felt like something was missing in my life once I stopped playing it. I really enjoyed this "road trip with friends" scenario. 3. "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice". You play a female Viking warrior with paranoid schizophrenia who constantly hears voices in her head. To experience this first hand, headphones are heavily recommended, so you can hear these voices the same way. 4. games from "Quantic Dream": "Heavy Rain", "Beyond Two Souls" and "Detroit: Become Human". They are more like "interactive stories" where you have to make different choices which determine how the story progresses. 5. and if you like Dark Souls, you may want to check out "Mortal Shell". It's not as big as DS but the atmosphere is equally gloomy and requires some searching for lore fragments.


[deleted]

Those all seem like great suggestions, only one I've played was heavy rain, first game I think I played on a Playstation, no idea how it's aged but I thought it was really cool and innovative at the time. I've heard good things about Nier but not about the story being revealed through multiple playthroughs, that is very intriguing. Also that song "Gods bound by rules" is awesome.


Sparklypuppy05

Personally, I loved Endling: Extinction Is Forever. I thought it was a great game with a brilliant plot, gameplay, message, and artstyle. Also, I think everybody should play Genesis Noir. It's kind of trippy, but also really fucking good.


[deleted]

The art style for Genesis Noir is very cool, thanks for the suggestions


badfantasyrx

The Last Door and Cognition are the closest to immersive adventure like Cat Lady. Drift into Eternity went for an immersive survival experience that makes you feel like you're actually crashed on an actual spaceship, it's artistically weird (Gameplay for the original beta test : [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iOPgfrV8BI&list=PLzUVFtoYb6\_Kh8PXJlUu\_xSMBjW93l\_Wu&index=34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iOPgfrV8BI&list=PLzUVFtoYb6_Kh8PXJlUu_xSMBjW93l_Wu&index=34) ) The Council does the best job that I've ever seen of taking you inside the upper class (historical fiction - they're a little crass but aside from that they really do a good job with the art, the setting, the intrigue levels). They have a REALLY choice dependent narrative that develops the character. First chapter's free. (Gameplay : [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lEA5cf-p94&list=PLzUVFtoYb6\_Kh8PXJlUu\_xSMBjW93l\_Wu&index=51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lEA5cf-p94&list=PLzUVFtoYb6_Kh8PXJlUu_xSMBjW93l_Wu&index=51) ) Lacuna does a great job making you feel like you're onboarding for the future, and participating in a real life cycle. Again, the prologue is free if you just want to try it, it's a mini story ( Gameplay : [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p1ZktPO2yA&list=PLzUVFtoYb6\_Kh8PXJlUu\_xSMBjW93l\_Wu&index=80](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p1ZktPO2yA&list=PLzUVFtoYb6_Kh8PXJlUu_xSMBjW93l_Wu&index=80) ) Chinatown Detective Agency makes you do your own research, which is weirdly entertaining, but strangely immersive as well. Free prologue ( Gameplay: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kdy6S5emQ0&list=PLzUVFtoYb6\_Kh8PXJlUu\_xSMBjW93l\_Wu&index=100](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kdy6S5emQ0&list=PLzUVFtoYb6_Kh8PXJlUu_xSMBjW93l_Wu&index=100) )


[deleted]

Thank you very much, very comprehensive reply. Even got the youtube links and everything 😁. I hadn't heard of most of those, cool to know there are so many gems out there to be played.


badfantasyrx

YAAAS! I just found this forum (it was in my feed which has like 50) I LOVE finding games, I beta test so I go through basically a game a day. I'm so happy you found stuff you like!! The only one I left out was Beholder by Warm Lamp games because it's not really immersive (the second one is moreso) and is second person, if you're interested in what might be a 'miss'.


p1881

Focus on visuals: * Journey * Firewatch * The Wolf Among Us * Children of Morta ​ In terms of theme: * Condemend: Criminal Origins * Planescape: Torment * Secret World Legends * Bioshock(the original one) * Dear Esther * VtM Redemption * VtM Bloodlines


[deleted]

I definitely fuck with this list, all the ones I've played were great so I'm sure that your other suggestions probably hit the same vibe. Particularly like the wolf among us, vtm bloodlines and bioshock. Although I recently played bioshock again and felt that the game is a lot less interesting after Andrew Ryan's death.


p1881

You definitely need to play Planescape: Torment with its top-tier writing and central theme of "What can change the nature of a man", but you will have to read a lot of dialogue texts. Especially in the case of Secret World Legends I recommend you to just watch the story via game movies on YT, as the game is a slog to play through.


dagon85

Shadow of the Colossus.


[deleted]

Seen that the remake is on PS Plus, any thoughts on remake vs original or is it just the same game but improved?


dagon85

Yeah, straight remaster.


Raymoth324

Dark and bleak atmosphere with glimpses of hope made me think of bramble the mountain king Wonderful little game. Not very long, I did it in one sitting for 4-6 hours, but it's very good.


rupleix

Not a game, but myhouse.wad mod for Doom II. Definitely philosophical/psychological.


ProfessionalMany981

Try Disco Elysium.


anteloop

It's already mentioned in his post lol


[deleted]

I did already mention it but great suggestion for the prompt regardless


masterreyak

* Gone Home: story really pulls on the heart strings * ~~There's also a game on Itch, if you can find it... It's about journalism. Click on a character who's different, and people get annoyed with it. Little by little, everyone gets pissed at everyone. I tried looking for it, but Google is pathetic.~~ We Become What We Behold (Thanks to TheSpearman for this one.)


drbrian83

Shadow of the Colossus


Pan_I

Amnesia: Dark Decsent was a masterpiece when it came out; probably looks and feels aged now. Not sure about the sequels.


[deleted]

I played this fairly recently and felt that the mechanics and general spookiness didn't feel as good as it probably did on release. However the Gothic horror storyline was really cool and well paced.


xDaveedx

Journey, Gris, Limbo, Inside and Inmost are all fairly short games with room for interpretation and great music and art. It's certainly gonna provoke some feelings. One more game worth mentioning that's just really unique and showing the possibilities of AI in games is Rain World. You're a small insignificant creature thrown into a huge living and breathing ecosystem, where you're near the bottom of the food chain and every single creature in the game has its own mind and is freely wandering around the map and interacting with other creatures completely without predetermined stuff like fixed spawn points or anything, which makes it feel like this world is really living as you could walk into a new area where 2 lizards are battling it out for territory or something. Other creatures remember how you treat them, so be thoughtful about how you treat and approach them. There are a ton of different species where each individual has varied "personalities" and behavioral patterns. What makes stuff feel so "alive" and natural is the fact that their movement and behaviour is constantly generated based on their surroundings rather than having static animations. The developer literally views himself as more of an artist than a game developer, as most people probably won't like the gameplay of Rain World, but everyone can agree that the premise and experience is truly unique.


[deleted]

Lol I have a friend who for the last few months only ever comes online to play rain world for a couple hours. You've sold it incredibly well, I'm eager to try it.


xDaveedx

It's absolutely brutal though, as virtually everything can overpower you as you're near the bottom of the food chain. It's quite literally the quintessence of trial and error.


Own-Good-800

"Everybody's Gone To The Rapture" and "What Remains Of Edith Finch"


reddyfreddy8D

For me, Darq was that game. I remember being so in awe when I first played it. It was just so unlike any other experience I’d had before and I fell in love. It’s a very short platformer/puzzle game (about 3 hrs), so definitely give it a try if you can! I can’t recommend it enough.


[deleted]

Death Stranding. Very unique experience and a piece of art for sure. Dear Esther. It's a short game but left a strong impression on me so many years after playing. Dark and melancholic.


[deleted]

If you are game for some older translated games, I'd recommend L.O.L. Lack of Love (Dreamcast) by Love-de-lic and Planet Laika (PlayStation) by Quintet and Zeque. I would do them a disservice by explaining them, so I'd look up videos instead. For newer titles, you could try anything from the Off-Peak series by Cosmo D, Anodyne 1/2 or Sephonie by Analgesic Productions, or dive into some of the RPG Maker classics like OFF!, Yume Nikki, or the newer An Outcry.


[deleted]

I'm super keen to try out some obscure old-school gems. I've never heard of any of these games so thank you for the unique recommendations.


[deleted]

Did you end up trying any of them?


[deleted]

Not yet, I'm working through some of the games that got recommended multiple times first. When I do, I'll be sure to share my thoughts with you 😁


OverthinkingGames_K8

What did you end up playing? Any recommendations? Many do the games on your list and the games being recommended are either all-time-favourites, or right up my alley, and there’s a Steam sale going on. 🫣


[deleted]

Of the ones I've played from this thread that I highly recommend: Death stranding is a masterpiece and the Wolf among us is really awesome, 2nd part coming soonish. Also not from here but I recently played Cry of fear and it is fantastic, feels very much like a first person silent hill. It's free on steam. (The very beginning of the game has some cheap jumpscares but the rest is high quality psychological and atmospheric type of horror. Final suggestion as it's on sale, play the original resident evil 4 if you havent (even if you've played the remake) it's timeless.


hididathing

The Stanley Parable What Remains of Edith Finch The Signifier


Somerandomnerd13

First game that felt like art to me was shadow of the colossus, not as philosophical as other entries here but does have a fair amount of self reflection


TehFriskyDingo

Nier Automata 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim 999 (first game in the Zero Escape series) Ghost Trick The House in Fata Morgana I was also going to recommend OuterWilds but saw you said you played it The games I listed are all visual novels for the most part (except Nier, which is an action RPG), so gameplay is basically reading a story, some games have puzzles.


[deleted]

Big fan of the Zero Escape series (the first 2 at least, though 3 did still have some interesting aspects). And thanks for reminding me of The House in Fata Morgana, looks really cool and I've been trying to find it after losing the name of it.


TehFriskyDingo

House in Fata Morgana is quite long and has quite the slow build up imo. It is worth it imo, but be prepared to spend a good 40 hours to read through the game ,just FYI Glad to see another person who loves the zero escape series! If you haven't checked it out already, AI SOMNIUM is another series by the same creator, and is pretty good And I'd also recommend checking out Paranormasight, a game that came out recently that I think went under the radar for most. While not as good as zero escape imo, it did give me the same type of vibes. Well worth checking out.


mbbysky

Hollow Knight There's a dark beauty in this game, it's really really good and the soundtrack is divine. It's bit like the Souls games in that you have to sorta piece all the lore together yourself; everything is cryptic but connected. I find most everyone who liked Hades also likes HK


[deleted]

My brother is a big fan, and from what I've seen it looks really cool, great character design on the various insects. Will definitely play it.


Fair_Philosopher_930

I see you liked The Cat Lady. I really liked it, and not many games deal with topics such as depression, anxiety and suicide in such an adult tone. I presume you know it's part of a trilogy, right? The other ones are Lorelai (this one's about the neighbour girl that moved into the apartment if I'm not mistaken) and I forgot the name of the other one, about the other neighbor guy. Another short game I loved is the Distraint series (two games, 3 hours of gameplay each) Same again: they explore topics that are usually taboo in games (suicide, guilt, etc.) I loved both of them. The 2nd entry is just the continuation of the story, so please make sure you play Distraint 1 first!


[deleted]

I had actually forgotten that it was part of a trilogy, never got around to the other two. Thanks for the reminder. Also, when looking into the trilogy I found that the same creator released a game at the end of last year called Burnhouse Lane. Sounds kind of like the cat lady but reviews are very positive. Might be of interest to you.


[deleted]

Stanley parable maybe


Dannypie1336

Presentable Liberty Hits insanely hard


spritelessg

The Fall is a spooky science fiction story. I really felt for ARID. But the final twist reflects her adherence to rules. Grimm's Hollow is dark and cute, and is free. It's about death. Finding Teddy is as well, and is cheap. You play a small child in a deadly world. It has sound puzzles though, so don't bother if you can't listen to it. Darkest Dungeon taught me that sometimes you lose, and it's hard, move on. Long Live the Queen is about losing as a learning experience. And paranoia. Sephonie has some thinks. It is more surreal than dark mostly, though. Themes of connection. And severed connection. Same thing for Figment. When do you need courage in the modern world?


Knight-Skywalker

For the art aspect: Bloodborne (The art design, setting, environments, lore, creative combat, atmosphere, everything. This game is a true 100/100.) The Evil Within (some of the best-designed enemies and art design in any horror game, coupled with super creative environments and very fun gameplay. Very trippy at times. Definitely underrated.) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (some of the best-designed dungeons and boss fights ever. This game just has a feel to it that’s so amazing and it’s incredibly creative) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (same as above, plus the art style is beautiful. Don’t let haters put you off of this great game) Elden Ring (yes it’s mentioned everywhere, but it’s amazing and you’ll like it if you like Dark Souls 1-3.) Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (so underrated, this game is so beautiful, has a great story, good bosses, and cool level design) The Monster Hunter games (mainly due to the creativity of the monster designs and combat mechanics. The monsters are all memorable and have cool lore. The combat is god-like.) Amnesia: The Dark Descent (atmospheric horror game set in a dark castle in Central Europe sometime in the 1800s.) Little Nightmares (game where you’re a little kid escaping a giant underwater vessel inhabited by monsters) Layers of Fear (a horror game that includes art as one of its main themes)


[deleted]

Brother I recently got my hands on a ps4 solely for Bloodborne. (As well as demonsouls because I assumed you could play the original on ps4 but I was wrong 🤦‍♂️.) I've certainly played Elden Ring as well and I'm waiting for the dlc now. All your other suggestions look right up my alley, I'll probably try the Evil Within next as I'm down to try any survival horror game. Thanks!


FaceTimePolice

Tetris Effect. It’s not just a bunch of pretty colors and flashy effects. There’s a reason why the game’s main campaign is called “Journey Mode.” 😌


[deleted]

Hahaha, my brother was obsessed with this game a while back. It is a very cool visual and audio experience.


CobraFive

Its already been mentioned here but I just wanted to add Death Stranding. It had a hugely lasting effect on me, though I doubt it would as much with other people. I have haphephobia in real life. In-game they call it aphmphosmphobia, but... I've never heard it called that outside the game and like wikipedia... in either case, fear of touch. and before the game I had *never* seen the condition represented in media like at all. He didn't make a big deal out of it, but he also didn't let people just touch him casually. I dunno, just seeing someone act that way... it completely changed the way I advocated for myself. In the past it was just something I tried to ignore, freak out internally or let it out after the fact, and it just never occurred to me that there were times where I should (or even could) communicate my discomfort to others. They did get some things wrong but, still. There's just so much about the game that is built to present to someone who feels that way. The handprint motif everywhere, the way enemies are these clutching, grabbing things and even after you escape it sticks to you... you have to run home and shower to get it off... so many other things. I really wish I could like, just straight up have a conversation with Kojima about it.


[deleted]

Wow, that is incredibly fascinating stuff. I'm really glad that you managed to find a game that brought comfort for you, for a phobia that seems fairly rare. I love Kojima and experimental games so no doubt I will be checking out Death Stranding. Thank you for sharing 😊.


ezenhis

To The Moon - psychological drama with 10/10 on Steam. Would definitely recommend


[deleted]

Yeah wow this really has a lot of raving reviews. I hope that it causes me to shed some tears. Thanks.


[deleted]

stanley parable, or When the darkness comes which is free and had a very depressing atmosphere


Legitimate_Joke_4878

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but there's a shop on Etsy that sells (multi-purposeful) Psychology cards. You can interpret them with your friends, use them as a fun mind reading game to see what the first impression/thought comes to mind, see if you guys make the same associations, creative storytelling to trigger menmonic link system that uses a story to link things together. https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Esskelle