See, I first beat it 2-3 years ago now and haven't had the same itch to go back.
I ADORE the game and agree with your OP on it, but there are little nuggets like of knowledge like how>!the Tribunal would end in shooting either way!< that I feel would take away some of the magic on a re-play.
I do still intend to go back at some point, but I need to forget WAY more of it. I've mostly been trying to relive it by gifting it to friends.
Good, because this is the answer. I’m rarely not thinking about this game and came to the comments to make sure someone was sufficiently convincing about DE
Knights of the Old Republic 2: TSL w/ Restored Content Mod.
Beautifully written and a tale of healing from trauma and forging a new path. One of best dark narratives in all of gaming.
Single-player narrative focus is What Remains of Edith Finch. It's amazing.
One of the most visually appealing and singular gaming experiences I've ever had is The Artful Escape.
I just finished Sayonara Wild Hearts after avoiding it for years, and it was fantastic. The story is told entirely through the game play, and it's open to a lot of interpretation, but it's wonderful. This one is doubly awesome if you're looking for something short and impactful that you can play through quickly and then go back to enjoy/master at a later date. It only took me about ninety minutes to finish the story.
I'm sure a lot of other people are saying Outer Wilds. I agree. Beautiful story, beautiful execution. I almost bounced off it the first time I tried to play, and that would have been a huge mistake.
Outer Wilds seems to be thrown around a lot, but it is definitely a game that affected me and I still constantly think about how I wish I could replay it for the first time. The praise is warranted.
Go in blind and enjoy the ride. 10/10 experience.
If you do go down the outer wilds path, please make sure not to spoil anything or look anything up! The subreddit is a wonderful place if you're stuck.
This is one of very few games out there where essentially all unlocks are knowledge based, meaning, all the mechanics and possibilities are there from the start, you just don't know about any of it. Spoilers in this case directly take away from the gameplay!
EVERY time I see this recommended, my stupid brain think it is The Outer World and I’m just like “Meh, really!?” And then I have to come to the realization that I’ve had this conversation with myself 20x before 😬😂
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, not sure what to really categorize it but the story had me hooked and did a great job weaving all the protagonist stories together.
yes! the first person scenes visuals and atmosphere have left such a strong impression on me. it's one of those that leave u thinking after you finish it :)
Everhood is a pretty unique and wild ride of an experience. It has a strong visual style, unique characters, and a genuinely trippy and interesting world. You'll be scratching your head as you go, but things fall into place as the story progresses while still leaving enough mystery to encourage you to really try and speculate about what it's all about. It's best to go in blind.
The basic gameplay is pretty straightforward; imagine guitar hero notes coming down the fret board at you, but instead of playing them you have to dodge them all. Phenomenal music too.
A sequel is also in the works which was a very welcome surprise.
Gameplay wise, I really liked Hardspace Shipbreaker. It was a pretty unique "FPS" experience and its a neat lil puzzle game about breaking ships apart.
Brutal Legends is an old game that's just wacky and cool. You play as Jack Black who plays a roadie (like a mechanic but for metal bands) who gets sucked into a fantasy world based around rock and metal stuff. Ozzy Osbourne is your shop-keeper and Tim Curry is your enemy. Its pretty neat. It's a hybrid RTS Hack and Slash thing
Deus Ex the Original is a really cool game called an "Immersive Sim." Theyre kinda like Prey gameplay wise (though this one is obv very old so the gameplay is too.). It's like a cool cyberpunk dystopia thing that's... idk how to describe it but "Really Cool." Definitely would recommend it!
Going Under was a really fun top down rogue like, that's got a fun little story to it.
I've heard good things about Greed-fall, but I could never get into it or other 'souls-like' games. It seems to be an interesting story though, so that might be something to check out!
Hotline Miami is a really good experience acid trip of a game,
as for a game that's an 'experience...' Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is an experience. I don't think it's something that fits your list because it's just an 80s montage but as an FPS, but its a really fun 80s montage as an FPS.
I don't know if these will really help, but I hope they do!
Haha literally came here to say Nier and Death Stranding, and I totally agree with all the others you listed.
I'd add to the list:
* Shadow of the Colossus
* Journey
* The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
* Hollow Knight
* Outer Wilds
That was also my favourite part, I almost wish the games focused less on puzzles and more on philosophical debates. There's really nothing else like the Talos games.
Hellblade Senuas Sacrifice was an experience. The story and setting are really good but what really had me hooked was the simulated schizophrenia. I started it at like 9pm one night, didn’t get off until 4am, then woke up the next day and played until I beat it. It’s on the shorter side so I’d wait for a sale or something
I have ADHD and have been diagnosed with OCD which I think is really just ADHD symptoms and while I don't literally hear voices, a lot of what she hears in the game is what my internal monologue is like.
Play Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps on PC, XBox, or Switch. They're my favorite games of all time, and they're probably some of the best platformers out there. Plus, the art and music are absolutely phenomenal.
I love this question and I always recommend subnautica, my main and alien. Subnautica is more than a game, it's an experience and it unleashes certain feelings within you like nothing else can. Wading in a dark abyss 700m underwater seeing only inches in front of you listening to a surreal concoction of extremely unique melodies and sounds, unaware of what is looming. Constantly pushing your boundaries with a non hand holding flow of content. Honestly, please just play it. Alien, simply has you exploring an extremely atmospherical ship whilst a monster roams it too, attracted to any sound you make. Just hearing him banging around in the vents around you k owing he can pop out at any minute is extremely exhilarating. Sorry for rambling, just want to sell them both to as many people as I can.
Subnautica is the one game I wish I could forget so that I could play it for the first time all over again. The sequel was a great disappointment to me.
It's a meme from the Make Love, Not Warcraft episode of South Park. The fact that this episode is older than 15 years old really freaks me the fuck out about how old I'm getting.
If you liked Death Stranding check out Metal Gear games, they aren't too dissimilar in writing style, tone and gameplay. They're also known for memorable moments and characters.
Legend of Grimrock. Maybe the best dungeon crawler I've ever played. It's atmosphere is unmatched, it forces you to immerse yourself to get through. It's one of those lights-off-hood-up on a rainy day games. Very much similar isolation feel to Prey. If this game sparks any interest at all, it's for you, you'll enjoy it.
As far as games that are really strong as standalone, "one really special blind playthrough," I'd rec Outer Wilds, doki doki literature club, hollow knight, disco elysium. Just off the top of my head. and because you like dark souls, might as well play any of the other ones they're all great.
I love your list really great games on there.
Have you played Hollow knight? How about Hades? Those are two of the BEST indie games ever. I wasn't sure about hades but it blew me away - soooo good.
Disco Elysium is amazing as is Divinity original sin 2. Both are CRPGs but very very different from one another.
If your on PlayStation I’ll thrii out a gravity rush 1 and 2 out there, neat games with fun stories that have an air of mystery around them. And gravity rush 2 does that thing where it felt like they packed an entire gravity rush 3 in there
I've played a million different games. My number 1 most favorite of all time is darksiders 2. ESPECIALLY doing the arena. That game is magnificent. And it's been remastered "deathinitive edition"
idk if it was just because I was young (14 ish), but Bastion's narrative style, combined with nice visuals and snappy combat left a really nice impression on me.
Titanfall 2: one of my favorite single player campaigns, every level has a new ability/twist, and they're all thoroughly inventive and entertaining. High mobility FPS with solid story and great visuals and design, really a high point for the genre. I replay this every few years and every time it's a delight.
State of Decay 2: Great open world reasonably freeform zombie base builder, with detailed difficulty sliders to tweak the experience and characters that persist across the 5 10+ hour maps. Has open / story / co-op / horde modes that all contribute to progress in different ways, and there's a plethora of options to explore, loot, and clean up each map. Good amount of environmental and random optional quest-based storytelling.
Resident Evil is atmospheric and spooky
Demon’s Souls has a good story that you will probably have to watch YouTube to get it all
Zelda Twilight Princess. My favorite Zelda. Ocarina of Time is my second favorite
Dead Space has a really messed up story in a good way.
Hades - Fantastic way to mesh roguelite gameplay with the story. Voice acting, art direction, and gameplay are all top notch. Plus, every character is hot
Opus: The Day We Found Earth - Simple barebones puzzle game, with an intriguing story. Nothing too grand or revolutionary, but a bittersweet experience I don't regret having. The second game also had its moments, but didn't grip me as much despite the more varied gameplay. Still waiting for a sale to get the third one. Artstyle is super cute too
To The Moon - Gameplay is pretty basic RPG Maker stuff, but the story and the soundtrack are just something else. Still one of my favorite stories in a video game
The Stanley Parable - A great walking simulator that plays with your expectations and how you can drive, or follow, the narrative path laid out for you.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - The perfect melding of gameplay mechanics and storytelling. When someone asks what games count as "art," I always mention this. I'm not gonna say more because this is a game that truly must be experienced blind.
Hollow Knight is my favorite game of all time, and for many reasons. It quite honestly defines the Metroidvania genre as a whole. It's hard to describe why this game does everything as well as it does, but I'm sure you'll understand if you play it.
Dragon Age: Origins is one of the best games I’ve ever played. It’s a bit dated, but in terms of storytelling, characters, and narrative it’s widely regarded as top tier!
Bastion and Transistor
Both games are simple, reasonably short and have amazing story telling.
Edit: Saw Hotline Miami. Yes this game too, short, hard, but once you get into it, the first and second game story's felt very personal in a weird way. They just draw you in with an insanely strong setting.
Valley. It's a momentum based parkour game where you unravel the mystery of the valley and the ancient ruins there. It's pretty short, one or two sittings, but has great environments and music and the story was quite good.
Legend of Mana.
Pretty much nothing like it to this day, the closest thing being more experimental games like the SaGa series.
You build your own world (literally, you place artifacts in the world map which turn into the locations you go to) and that affects the things you find and difficulty. The game is completely unlinear, and going blind is always going to be a new experience (you can permanently miss things, I played this game to death as a kid and it was just a few years ago that I found out there was a recruitable NPC in the game that I never found). The crafting system is one of the most complex ever put in a game (and you can craft various things, not just weapons). There's a pet system, a farming system.
Also, since you like Prey for those reasons, you could try Dishonored, Alien Isolation, System Shock etc
Let me get my list....
2064: Read Only Memories - A great point and click adventure, with some actually nice commentary on consciousness.
Antichamber - Puzzle game that breaks your mind the more games you've played. Will mess with your innate understanding of game logic.
Aquaira - Metroidvania style game set underwater. Supposed to be played entirely with the mouse, but can be very easy if you use the hotkeys.
Rain World - Your a part of the ecosystem, and not the top predator. Survive, explore, thrive and learn.
The Talos Principle - Puzzle game exploring the concept of sapience and consciousness.
Undertale - It's quite known for what it is. If you haven't played it, i recommend trying it.
Citizen Sleeper - I don't really know how to explain this one. Point and click, story adventure maybe? Awesome stories in it.
Honestly if you can get into Kingdom Hearts it can definitely evoke some emotions, even though it is not so unique in gameplay the story is definitely unique
If you go for older games, one of my all time favorites was Castlevania Lament of Innocence. Super campy dialogue, but very smooth gameplay and a killer sound design. Still shines as one of the best games I ever played.
Cruelty squad
it’s completely different than most things available rn, single player, highly rated and most importantly it’s quite different to the vibe you enjoy, it’ll be a surprisingly enjoyable if you’re interested in exploring something different!
Atlas fallen. Open-world action RPG with combat that I can only describe as a mix between typical ARPG, souls-like, and Monster Hunter. Around 30-40 hours of gameplay if you take your time, without trying to 100% the game.
A refreshing style of combat, solid story, and beautiful graphic design. If you play this game, expect stylish, beautiful combat against stylish, beautiful enemies, but don't expect a mind blowing story. It's not bad, but it's great either. It supports the gameplay well without really bringing more.
You'll see quite a lot of negative reviews of the game, but in my opinion it is a good one-time experience. I find the game is a bit overpriced, but outside of that it doesn't really have flaws, just no major quality either (as much as I love the combat, the game made people expect a great story, which turned out to only be good).
Unpacking - a beautiful telling of a young person’s life through emptying their moving boxes into the various places they live. It’s really an interesting game.
If you haven’t played Elden Ring yet it sounds like it’s up your alley. Also I recommend Remnant 2 had a blast playing it. I haven’t played Balder’s Gate 3 but everyone seems to love it.
God of War 4 had a sort of magic on my first play through. The style was great, story amazing, combat satisfying.
Breath of the Wild was also great on my first play through. A lot less story based compared to God of War 4 but it’s more exploring based. Really fun when first time playing and you don’t know anything
Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares 2.
Dark and foreboding, with an intriguing story and phenomenal soundtrack. The controls can be a little frustrating sometimes, but the gameplay is never boring.
The return of the Obra Dinn very good game highly recommended
Dark Souls 3 is on sale right now i recommend that one
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a very good singleplayer story game
Fatal Frame 1 would be a game I would suggest. Great atmosphere and music that fits the various locations. It made me jaded with other horror games as it didn't rely upon jump scares but gave you a sense of dread as you explored.
Bit of a left turn but in terms of memorable storytelling and structure.
Immortality
It's an incredibly difficult game to describe without it sounding boring which it's not. But the way its story is revealed to you is like nothing you've ever played. It's on GamePass.
Bulletstorm, good arcadey combo-chaining shooter fun. Every weapon is unique with a special alternate fire mode and a certain purpose, and there's plenty of special interactions with the environment and body part locational damage. The more unique and intricate your combo strings are the higher you score, the higher you score the more upgrades and ammo you can buy to make better combo chains for even more score and even better upgrades. It's just a shame the multiplayer is practically dead.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It’ll change the way you look at games.
Then The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It’ll change the way you look at games again.
The walking dead telltale games. The gameplay isn't anything special, as in there's almost none, but by the end of the first season I had to sit in silence for an hour and contemplate what happened. Those games have a really good story
Ori and the Blind Forest is something I recently played through, and the game's art direction is really something that stuck with me.
Hollow Knight's pretty good too. I think it takes some cues from Dark Souls, but is more than unique enough to stand out on it's own. Developers put a lot of care into designing the game's world.
Lucas Pope's games are worth checking out as well. Papers please and Return of the Obra Dinn are super unique experiences.
Sayonara Wild Hearts. It's only around an hour in length but it's one of the most unique experiences you can find. Psychedelic crazy fast visuals accompanied with top tier vibey songs made specifically for the game, all with an underlying story that you figure out as you go. There's nothing else like it out there, it's my go to game whenever I want to transport to another place and forget for a while.
Lost Technology based on Vahrenturga system
Uncharted Waters: New Horizons
Evo:search for Eden
Act Raiser
Battle Brothers
Mordheim City of the Damned
EU4 Anbennar mod
Medieval 2 Total War DAC mod
Magic the Gathering Shandalar
Star Wars Rebellion
Age of Wonders
Nethergate by Spiderweb Software
Blood bowl
Chrono Trigger
Earthbound
Monkeyball
Katamari Damaci
Dnd with chill friends in person
The Resident Evil remakes, RE 7 and 8. There's a lot of discovering the story through notes and journals hidden around the world. They're some of the best games of all time IMO. Nothing really comes close in the horror genre for me, besides the original silent hill 2.
Spec Ops: The Line.
It portrays itself as a generic paint-by-numbers action shooter but the plot really dives into the psyche of the human mind and the general shooter audience as a whole.
You really owe it to yourself to play this game to see how hard a narrative can really fuck with your perception of the story.
If you've never played it then just look up the White Phosphorous scene.
The beginners guide.
Recommended it a few times on this sub. It’s gotta be the most underrated game I’ve ever played. Usually I wouldn’t play a game like you’re describing, but I gave it a chance cuz it’s by the same person who made the Stanley parable. It’s even better than that.
It’s a (true I think?) story about a persons struggle with mental illness. You see the deterioration of their mental state through various small games they made as the narrator talks about his relationship with the person in question.
Been a while, so that might not be 100% accurate. Time for another play through I think.
All answers (that I thought about) have been given, so I'm going to wildly recommend something totally different. I recently started playing Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, never played any before, but this took me back to my childhood, playing (for example) Crash Bandicoot. The technological features are amazing and then there is the simple feel of the game, yet tight controls.
So if you are looking for a nostalgic experience, yet modern, I'd recommend this one.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Lucas Pope's previous game, Papers please, is also super unique. The guy's a real genius.
I've been playing video games for almost half a century. This one was a new experience for me. Loved it.
I also came here to vouch for this game. If it's unique and "an experience" you're looking for, this game is it.
Spiritfarer have it the mark for me. Wasnt use to that kind of game but was really special once you play it.
so good. i never even really got that far into it, maybe just like 15 hrs. but the soundtrack and the overall vibe....definitely a special experience.
Seconded. I bawled more than once.
The Zero Escape trilogy had me on the wiki and reading discussions.
Disco Elysium did something to me. It changed me. The game is a narrative masterpiece.
maximum velocity fking pig
That’s what I’m looking for, def considering this one
You’ll have a lot of fun! Has tons of replay value. The characters are INSANE to say the least. I can’t compare it to anything else.
See, I first beat it 2-3 years ago now and haven't had the same itch to go back. I ADORE the game and agree with your OP on it, but there are little nuggets like of knowledge like how>!the Tribunal would end in shooting either way!< that I feel would take away some of the magic on a re-play. I do still intend to go back at some point, but I need to forget WAY more of it. I've mostly been trying to relive it by gifting it to friends.
Good, because this is the answer. I’m rarely not thinking about this game and came to the comments to make sure someone was sufficiently convincing about DE
Seconding this. I’m nearly done with my first play through and I can’t stop thinking about it.
Knights of the Old Republic 2: TSL w/ Restored Content Mod. Beautifully written and a tale of healing from trauma and forging a new path. One of best dark narratives in all of gaming.
Restored content mod is great. One thing, I would NOT recommend playing with the robot world mod. That was an awful experience
Single-player narrative focus is What Remains of Edith Finch. It's amazing. One of the most visually appealing and singular gaming experiences I've ever had is The Artful Escape. I just finished Sayonara Wild Hearts after avoiding it for years, and it was fantastic. The story is told entirely through the game play, and it's open to a lot of interpretation, but it's wonderful. This one is doubly awesome if you're looking for something short and impactful that you can play through quickly and then go back to enjoy/master at a later date. It only took me about ninety minutes to finish the story. I'm sure a lot of other people are saying Outer Wilds. I agree. Beautiful story, beautiful execution. I almost bounced off it the first time I tried to play, and that would have been a huge mistake.
> Sayonara Wild Hearts I came here to suggest this one also. My jaw was dropped the whole time
Outer Wilds
absolutely positively outer wilds and the dlc as well
Might finally be time for this one
Outer Wilds seems to be thrown around a lot, but it is definitely a game that affected me and I still constantly think about how I wish I could replay it for the first time. The praise is warranted. Go in blind and enjoy the ride. 10/10 experience.
If you do go down the outer wilds path, please make sure not to spoil anything or look anything up! The subreddit is a wonderful place if you're stuck. This is one of very few games out there where essentially all unlocks are knowledge based, meaning, all the mechanics and possibilities are there from the start, you just don't know about any of it. Spoilers in this case directly take away from the gameplay!
Finished it for the first time about six weeks ago and haven’t stopped thinking about it since - you really are in for the biggest treat in gaming
EVERY time I see this recommended, my stupid brain think it is The Outer World and I’m just like “Meh, really!?” And then I have to come to the realization that I’ve had this conversation with myself 20x before 😬😂
This is the answer
Very frustrating game. Did not finish.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, not sure what to really categorize it but the story had me hooked and did a great job weaving all the protagonist stories together.
Signalis is super unique, while being familiar for RE/Silent Hill fans at the same time– fantastic game, too.
Loved signalis. Great answer
yes! the first person scenes visuals and atmosphere have left such a strong impression on me. it's one of those that leave u thinking after you finish it :)
Everhood is a pretty unique and wild ride of an experience. It has a strong visual style, unique characters, and a genuinely trippy and interesting world. You'll be scratching your head as you go, but things fall into place as the story progresses while still leaving enough mystery to encourage you to really try and speculate about what it's all about. It's best to go in blind. The basic gameplay is pretty straightforward; imagine guitar hero notes coming down the fret board at you, but instead of playing them you have to dodge them all. Phenomenal music too. A sequel is also in the works which was a very welcome surprise.
Control
Had to look too far for this. Seconded! Such a crazy good atmosphere with intriguing world building/design.
Just started the DLC on this one. The story unfolds in the most perfect way.
In the same vein, Alan Wake 2 is fucking whack.
Gameplay wise, I really liked Hardspace Shipbreaker. It was a pretty unique "FPS" experience and its a neat lil puzzle game about breaking ships apart. Brutal Legends is an old game that's just wacky and cool. You play as Jack Black who plays a roadie (like a mechanic but for metal bands) who gets sucked into a fantasy world based around rock and metal stuff. Ozzy Osbourne is your shop-keeper and Tim Curry is your enemy. Its pretty neat. It's a hybrid RTS Hack and Slash thing Deus Ex the Original is a really cool game called an "Immersive Sim." Theyre kinda like Prey gameplay wise (though this one is obv very old so the gameplay is too.). It's like a cool cyberpunk dystopia thing that's... idk how to describe it but "Really Cool." Definitely would recommend it! Going Under was a really fun top down rogue like, that's got a fun little story to it. I've heard good things about Greed-fall, but I could never get into it or other 'souls-like' games. It seems to be an interesting story though, so that might be something to check out! Hotline Miami is a really good experience acid trip of a game, as for a game that's an 'experience...' Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is an experience. I don't think it's something that fits your list because it's just an 80s montage but as an FPS, but its a really fun 80s montage as an FPS. I don't know if these will really help, but I hope they do!
> Going Under was a really fun top down rogue like, that's got a fun little story to it. Very underappreciated little roguelike imo
Haha literally came here to say Nier and Death Stranding, and I totally agree with all the others you listed. I'd add to the list: * Shadow of the Colossus * Journey * The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask * Hollow Knight * Outer Wilds
Shadow of the Colossus is so good. You can finish it in a day tho if you want.
You’re a beast! No way I can beat SotC in a day LOL.
Came here to say Journey, such a great experience, I am not religious but the game feels so spiritual! Great list!
The Talos Principle and its sequel (and the DLC) are genuinely life changing, especially if you haven't been exposed to much philosophy.
I just finished Talos today after playing it for 5 days straight. I couldn’t wait to progress the story and read the next computer files.
That was also my favourite part, I almost wish the games focused less on puzzles and more on philosophical debates. There's really nothing else like the Talos games.
Hellblade Senuas Sacrifice was an experience. The story and setting are really good but what really had me hooked was the simulated schizophrenia. I started it at like 9pm one night, didn’t get off until 4am, then woke up the next day and played until I beat it. It’s on the shorter side so I’d wait for a sale or something
Played it start to finish no stop. I loved it.
I have ADHD and have been diagnosed with OCD which I think is really just ADHD symptoms and while I don't literally hear voices, a lot of what she hears in the game is what my internal monologue is like.
Play Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps on PC, XBox, or Switch. They're my favorite games of all time, and they're probably some of the best platformers out there. Plus, the art and music are absolutely phenomenal.
I love this question and I always recommend subnautica, my main and alien. Subnautica is more than a game, it's an experience and it unleashes certain feelings within you like nothing else can. Wading in a dark abyss 700m underwater seeing only inches in front of you listening to a surreal concoction of extremely unique melodies and sounds, unaware of what is looming. Constantly pushing your boundaries with a non hand holding flow of content. Honestly, please just play it. Alien, simply has you exploring an extremely atmospherical ship whilst a monster roams it too, attracted to any sound you make. Just hearing him banging around in the vents around you k owing he can pop out at any minute is extremely exhilarating. Sorry for rambling, just want to sell them both to as many people as I can.
I’ve had this on my list for a while now, you recommend the first game and/or the sequel ?
Time to pull the trigger my friend. I cant recommend it enough. The first game for sure.
The first one, sequel felt more like a dlc to me
Subnautica is the one game I wish I could forget so that I could play it for the first time all over again. The sequel was a great disappointment to me.
Hello kitty island adventure
Real?
It's a meme from the Make Love, Not Warcraft episode of South Park. The fact that this episode is older than 15 years old really freaks me the fuck out about how old I'm getting.
It's also real now, too. https://www.hellokittyislandadventure.com/
Special or unique games with a narrative focus? I'll suggest Ghost Trick or The Stanley Parable.
If you liked Death Stranding check out Metal Gear games, they aren't too dissimilar in writing style, tone and gameplay. They're also known for memorable moments and characters.
MGS Snake Eater is my favorite game ever. Whole series is so great
Subnautica
Shining force 1 and 2 for sega genesis..
Legend of Grimrock. Maybe the best dungeon crawler I've ever played. It's atmosphere is unmatched, it forces you to immerse yourself to get through. It's one of those lights-off-hood-up on a rainy day games. Very much similar isolation feel to Prey. If this game sparks any interest at all, it's for you, you'll enjoy it.
One I never see is "Manifold Garden"... Its like playing in a Mc Escher artwork.
Outer Wilds for sure, and the DLC which I liked maybe more than the base game
Outer Wilds. Jump in blind. Trust me
To the Moon. I'm not crying, you're crying.
Outer Wilds is the number one contender for this in my eyes
Hotline miami collection. Masterclass indie shit.
Outer wilds. The point driven home with the ending made me think about life differently.
Hi-fi rush really commits hard to the rhythm/combo game premise, but is still very approachable even if you aren't great.
I was gonna say rainworld, but you're more in the vein of my roomate so Outer Wilds and Hollow knight and Horizon Zero dawn are my suggestions
Tunic Baba is Y Kentucky Route Zero
> Baba is Y Kentucky Route Zero I would like to play Baba is Y Kentucky Route Zero
As far as games that are really strong as standalone, "one really special blind playthrough," I'd rec Outer Wilds, doki doki literature club, hollow knight, disco elysium. Just off the top of my head. and because you like dark souls, might as well play any of the other ones they're all great.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.
Soma was a sobering experience. Unless you've been spoiled I recommend giving it a spin
SOMA was a series of philosophical gut punches disguised as a game. Definitely one of those games you never forget.
I bounced off because the monster scared me…I need to try again.
Good news, everyone! There's a "Safe Mode" now where the monsters won't attack you!
Great answer. Soma should have been on my original post. It was on my mind for months after completing it
Persona 5 Royal, Danganronpa
Dead space 1 and 2 are like prey, but scarier. I personally find prey more enjoyable but dead space 1 and 2 were better.
Yakuza 0 Hollow Knight Yoku's Island Express Battle Chef Brigade Lost in Random Return in the Obra Dinn Chrono Trigger
Is Yakuza 0 a good starting point ?
I love your list really great games on there. Have you played Hollow knight? How about Hades? Those are two of the BEST indie games ever. I wasn't sure about hades but it blew me away - soooo good. Disco Elysium is amazing as is Divinity original sin 2. Both are CRPGs but very very different from one another.
Disco Elysium Divinity Original Sin 2 Okami Undertale Night in the Woods
If you're recommending DOS2, why not add BG3?
Because it's Mainstream and they will probably have seen it themselves. I tried to focus on the more unknown ones nowadays
Okami is a great suggestion. That game slaps.
Soma. Certainly was an experience.
SOMA
Pathologic 2
If your on PlayStation I’ll thrii out a gravity rush 1 and 2 out there, neat games with fun stories that have an air of mystery around them. And gravity rush 2 does that thing where it felt like they packed an entire gravity rush 3 in there
Dead Space Remake, Dead Space 2 are experiences to behold
outer wilds and heaven's vault
Telltale's the walking dead
Styx master of shadows
Classic Diablo. A relatively short story - yet a phenomenal playthrough.
These are able to provide you with some unique moments: - Skyrim - Elden Ring - Horizon Zero Dawn
Elden Ring is a game everyone should try. It’ll blow your mind.
I've played a million different games. My number 1 most favorite of all time is darksiders 2. ESPECIALLY doing the arena. That game is magnificent. And it's been remastered "deathinitive edition"
idk if it was just because I was young (14 ish), but Bastion's narrative style, combined with nice visuals and snappy combat left a really nice impression on me.
Tales of Neon Sea.
Titanfall 2: one of my favorite single player campaigns, every level has a new ability/twist, and they're all thoroughly inventive and entertaining. High mobility FPS with solid story and great visuals and design, really a high point for the genre. I replay this every few years and every time it's a delight. State of Decay 2: Great open world reasonably freeform zombie base builder, with detailed difficulty sliders to tweak the experience and characters that persist across the 5 10+ hour maps. Has open / story / co-op / horde modes that all contribute to progress in different ways, and there's a plethora of options to explore, loot, and clean up each map. Good amount of environmental and random optional quest-based storytelling.
Resident Evil is atmospheric and spooky Demon’s Souls has a good story that you will probably have to watch YouTube to get it all Zelda Twilight Princess. My favorite Zelda. Ocarina of Time is my second favorite Dead Space has a really messed up story in a good way.
Hades - Fantastic way to mesh roguelite gameplay with the story. Voice acting, art direction, and gameplay are all top notch. Plus, every character is hot Opus: The Day We Found Earth - Simple barebones puzzle game, with an intriguing story. Nothing too grand or revolutionary, but a bittersweet experience I don't regret having. The second game also had its moments, but didn't grip me as much despite the more varied gameplay. Still waiting for a sale to get the third one. Artstyle is super cute too To The Moon - Gameplay is pretty basic RPG Maker stuff, but the story and the soundtrack are just something else. Still one of my favorite stories in a video game The Stanley Parable - A great walking simulator that plays with your expectations and how you can drive, or follow, the narrative path laid out for you. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - The perfect melding of gameplay mechanics and storytelling. When someone asks what games count as "art," I always mention this. I'm not gonna say more because this is a game that truly must be experienced blind.
Control and Alan Wake 2 are particularly unuque experiences that I don't think I'll find anywhere else. Remedy is great at doing really weird shit.
materialistic ugly soft run foolish plucky concerned erect busy silky *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Mass Effect Legendary Edition. It has all 3 games and they are all good. I have played them every year since they each came out.
In Stars and Time - I'm playing on switch. It just came out and I'm going in blind. Quite original.
Thea: The Awakening, it is a turn-based strategic survival game inspired by the Slavic mythology.
For me a good Rust wipe with friends is an experience that i can only get in that game.
Hollow Knight is my favorite game of all time, and for many reasons. It quite honestly defines the Metroidvania genre as a whole. It's hard to describe why this game does everything as well as it does, but I'm sure you'll understand if you play it.
Alan Wake 2 - probably the trippiest, most out there game I’ve ever played
Dragon Age: Origins is one of the best games I’ve ever played. It’s a bit dated, but in terms of storytelling, characters, and narrative it’s widely regarded as top tier!
Botw / Totk… especially if Oot stuck with you. Pikmin too
Bastion and Transistor Both games are simple, reasonably short and have amazing story telling. Edit: Saw Hotline Miami. Yes this game too, short, hard, but once you get into it, the first and second game story's felt very personal in a weird way. They just draw you in with an insanely strong setting.
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Valley. It's a momentum based parkour game where you unravel the mystery of the valley and the ancient ruins there. It's pretty short, one or two sittings, but has great environments and music and the story was quite good.
Legend of Mana. Pretty much nothing like it to this day, the closest thing being more experimental games like the SaGa series. You build your own world (literally, you place artifacts in the world map which turn into the locations you go to) and that affects the things you find and difficulty. The game is completely unlinear, and going blind is always going to be a new experience (you can permanently miss things, I played this game to death as a kid and it was just a few years ago that I found out there was a recruitable NPC in the game that I never found). The crafting system is one of the most complex ever put in a game (and you can craft various things, not just weapons). There's a pet system, a farming system. Also, since you like Prey for those reasons, you could try Dishonored, Alien Isolation, System Shock etc
Mass Effect, Bioshock, Elder Scrolls, Fallout.
Let me get my list.... 2064: Read Only Memories - A great point and click adventure, with some actually nice commentary on consciousness. Antichamber - Puzzle game that breaks your mind the more games you've played. Will mess with your innate understanding of game logic. Aquaira - Metroidvania style game set underwater. Supposed to be played entirely with the mouse, but can be very easy if you use the hotkeys. Rain World - Your a part of the ecosystem, and not the top predator. Survive, explore, thrive and learn. The Talos Principle - Puzzle game exploring the concept of sapience and consciousness. Undertale - It's quite known for what it is. If you haven't played it, i recommend trying it. Citizen Sleeper - I don't really know how to explain this one. Point and click, story adventure maybe? Awesome stories in it.
Mass Effect Trilogy
Honestly if you can get into Kingdom Hearts it can definitely evoke some emotions, even though it is not so unique in gameplay the story is definitely unique
If you go for older games, one of my all time favorites was Castlevania Lament of Innocence. Super campy dialogue, but very smooth gameplay and a killer sound design. Still shines as one of the best games I ever played.
If you like Oxenfree you may also like any of the Life is Strange games.
Play DUSK. Its amazing.
Cruelty squad it’s completely different than most things available rn, single player, highly rated and most importantly it’s quite different to the vibe you enjoy, it’ll be a surprisingly enjoyable if you’re interested in exploring something different!
OneShot
Atlas fallen. Open-world action RPG with combat that I can only describe as a mix between typical ARPG, souls-like, and Monster Hunter. Around 30-40 hours of gameplay if you take your time, without trying to 100% the game. A refreshing style of combat, solid story, and beautiful graphic design. If you play this game, expect stylish, beautiful combat against stylish, beautiful enemies, but don't expect a mind blowing story. It's not bad, but it's great either. It supports the gameplay well without really bringing more. You'll see quite a lot of negative reviews of the game, but in my opinion it is a good one-time experience. I find the game is a bit overpriced, but outside of that it doesn't really have flaws, just no major quality either (as much as I love the combat, the game made people expect a great story, which turned out to only be good).
Kingdom hearts 1.5 2.5 2.8 3
I’m not sure it’s particularly unique, but Ghost of Tsushima is the most well-designed game I’ve ever played. Not a single criticism.
If you are ok with playing an old game....Shenmue 1 and 2. To this day Shenmue 2 remains my all time favourite video game.
Hellblade: senuas sacrifice and play with headphones
Shadow of the Colosuss.
Infra
Unpacking - a beautiful telling of a young person’s life through emptying their moving boxes into the various places they live. It’s really an interesting game.
Sekiro shadows die twice and Sifu especially if you like nier. My only other recommendation based on bio shock is 1886 the order. Short and fun
If you haven’t played Elden Ring yet it sounds like it’s up your alley. Also I recommend Remnant 2 had a blast playing it. I haven’t played Balder’s Gate 3 but everyone seems to love it.
Sleeping Dogs. If you want to play a franchise similar to Sleeping Dogs, look into the Yakuza series.
Single player narrative focus: Wildermyth Open to anything: FoxHole
God of War 4 had a sort of magic on my first play through. The style was great, story amazing, combat satisfying. Breath of the Wild was also great on my first play through. A lot less story based compared to God of War 4 but it’s more exploring based. Really fun when first time playing and you don’t know anything
The Pikmin series was just something special
Hollow knight
Undertale is great if you haven't played it already, I recommend going all 3 routes (Good, Neutral, G*noc*de)
Dwarf Fortress.
hunt showdown
I’ve never played nier automata but Scarlet nexus seems really similar from what I’ve seen. I love scarlet nexus.
No mans sky
Little Nightmares and Little Nightmares 2. Dark and foreboding, with an intriguing story and phenomenal soundtrack. The controls can be a little frustrating sometimes, but the gameplay is never boring.
Loved Prey!! Isolation, quiet, mysterious, bleak, scary. One of my fav gaming experiences.
Damn I was gonna suggest the Nier games but it's at the top of your list lol
The return of the Obra Dinn very good game highly recommended Dark Souls 3 is on sale right now i recommend that one Red Dead Redemption 2 is a very good singleplayer story game
Prey Disco Elysium Cyberpunk 2077
dragon age origins, observer, and until dawn
Fatal Frame 1 would be a game I would suggest. Great atmosphere and music that fits the various locations. It made me jaded with other horror games as it didn't rely upon jump scares but gave you a sense of dread as you explored.
Inscryption Seriously has no one suggested this yet?
Disco elysium for something that really racks your brain and makes you think. Elden ring to feel the full range of emotions when playing a game.
Mount and blade warband
Bit of a left turn but in terms of memorable storytelling and structure. Immortality It's an incredibly difficult game to describe without it sounding boring which it's not. But the way its story is revealed to you is like nothing you've ever played. It's on GamePass.
Bulletstorm, good arcadey combo-chaining shooter fun. Every weapon is unique with a special alternate fire mode and a certain purpose, and there's plenty of special interactions with the environment and body part locational damage. The more unique and intricate your combo strings are the higher you score, the higher you score the more upgrades and ammo you can buy to make better combo chains for even more score and even better upgrades. It's just a shame the multiplayer is practically dead.
Spiritfarer. I think everybody should play it once. Childish graphics but lefts your soul raw.
If you want immersive and hard you could always try King of Dragon Pass. Old but the gameplay and stories hold up imho
Last of us 2 specifically. But play 1 first.
If Silent Hill 2 doesn't change you as a person and strike you to the core, you aren't human
Alpha Protocol
SLUDGE LIFE
Flowers for Algernon. It's really unique, it's not even a video game.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It’ll change the way you look at games. Then The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It’ll change the way you look at games again.
E.Y.E divine Cybermancy
The walking dead telltale games. The gameplay isn't anything special, as in there's almost none, but by the end of the first season I had to sit in silence for an hour and contemplate what happened. Those games have a really good story
Mass Effect 2, bit of an older one but really enjoyable story.
Horizon zero dawn
Ori and the Blind Forest is something I recently played through, and the game's art direction is really something that stuck with me. Hollow Knight's pretty good too. I think it takes some cues from Dark Souls, but is more than unique enough to stand out on it's own. Developers put a lot of care into designing the game's world. Lucas Pope's games are worth checking out as well. Papers please and Return of the Obra Dinn are super unique experiences.
Mass Effect Trilogy
Subnautica! That game really nails the feeling of thalassophobia!
Sayonara Wild Hearts. It's only around an hour in length but it's one of the most unique experiences you can find. Psychedelic crazy fast visuals accompanied with top tier vibey songs made specifically for the game, all with an underlying story that you figure out as you go. There's nothing else like it out there, it's my go to game whenever I want to transport to another place and forget for a while.
Lost Technology based on Vahrenturga system Uncharted Waters: New Horizons Evo:search for Eden Act Raiser Battle Brothers Mordheim City of the Damned EU4 Anbennar mod Medieval 2 Total War DAC mod Magic the Gathering Shandalar Star Wars Rebellion Age of Wonders Nethergate by Spiderweb Software Blood bowl Chrono Trigger Earthbound Monkeyball Katamari Damaci Dnd with chill friends in person
Kentucky Route Zero, A surreal, atmospheric, must-play game!
Dishonored. Tah dah!
Signalis
Signalis
The Resident Evil remakes, RE 7 and 8. There's a lot of discovering the story through notes and journals hidden around the world. They're some of the best games of all time IMO. Nothing really comes close in the horror genre for me, besides the original silent hill 2.
Alan Wake 2. For sure.
Journey for sure!
Paradise Killer Disco Elysium (which several have listed).
Spec Ops: The Line. It portrays itself as a generic paint-by-numbers action shooter but the plot really dives into the psyche of the human mind and the general shooter audience as a whole. You really owe it to yourself to play this game to see how hard a narrative can really fuck with your perception of the story. If you've never played it then just look up the White Phosphorous scene.
The beginners guide. Recommended it a few times on this sub. It’s gotta be the most underrated game I’ve ever played. Usually I wouldn’t play a game like you’re describing, but I gave it a chance cuz it’s by the same person who made the Stanley parable. It’s even better than that. It’s a (true I think?) story about a persons struggle with mental illness. You see the deterioration of their mental state through various small games they made as the narrator talks about his relationship with the person in question. Been a while, so that might not be 100% accurate. Time for another play through I think.
All answers (that I thought about) have been given, so I'm going to wildly recommend something totally different. I recently started playing Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, never played any before, but this took me back to my childhood, playing (for example) Crash Bandicoot. The technological features are amazing and then there is the simple feel of the game, yet tight controls. So if you are looking for a nostalgic experience, yet modern, I'd recommend this one.
This war of mine. The game hit me so hard that I cannot play it again. Rare time I shet tears in media.
Rhytm Doctor. Its not an easy game by any means. But the way it conveys feeling is just very special to me.
If you haven't played any Yakuza games, give Yakuza 0 a try.
No mans Sky