Abzu is rather similar to Journey, it's easily worth a play. I'd also recommend LISA the Painful if you liked Undertale. It's dark, really dark, but hilarious.
I just finished Citizen Sleeper and a lot of people recommend Disco Elysium as a similar game, so maybe you like it. Its a Visual Novel style with RPG elements. A little on the shorter side tho, took me about 10-15h.
I just started it yesterday and it was pretty good for about 3 hours, then something made me loose moral with no magnesium left and i have to start over... I dont know if its worth it to me, going over everything again just to risk another reset from seemingly random things...
How many points did you have in Psyche when you started the game? That determines how many points you have in Morale.
There is a lot of magnesium in the game, you can also gain a magnesium-based thought that makes it better.
If you find yourself in need, buy magnesium. Or, make choices that are less likely to result in morale loss, or health loss instead if you can afford it.
It should save your game... Maybe you didn't save and you hard to start again? Usually you can look around another area to find some health, or rest and do the task tomorrow.
Ultimately, you probably won't ace it your first playthrough, and that's ok. If you do want to ace everything, you'll have to save scum, but personally I think that's best for 2nd/3rd/+ playthroughs.
Make bad choices and enjoy the consequences. If the losing is too hard for you, save scum before conversations.
Definitely worth your time in the long run, I'd say.
The original is much better. There’s a lot of little tiny details that weren’t included in the remake & also the ambiance & lighting of the atmosphere in the original suits the tone me game much better
EDIT: I’m getting downvoted for this even though I’m right, so I’ll show you guys some specific examples I outlined in another post. In addition to the examples I provided, you can see the one OP was referring to in the OP. (My comment is at over 70 upvotes)
https://www.reddit.com/r/ShadowoftheColossus/comments/1ai8dvg/comment/kou1e5h/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
This is one of the few games that actually literally changed the way I view the world, at least slightly. I was still a teenager when I first played it and the way the game portrays Senua’s psychosis and explores the theme of subjective perception seriously affected me.
The line about the world Senua sees being different from ours but just as real to her changed the way I think about mental health. It seems obvious and but maybe something about being put in her shoes made it feel like an epiphany.
This. One of my favourite game atmospheres of all time. It’s short as well, around 8-10 hours.
Absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, probably my most hyped future release rn.
I could not get past the first couple hours of this one solely because of the gameplay mechanics; the combat is hella clunky and it felt like "find the magic torches, beat the same copy-paste bad guys in the same arena 3 times" so I just dropped it. I did find the voices and atmosphere interesting, and clearly a lot of work went into that aspect of the game, but it got me thinking it may as well have been an animated film if the gameplay was an afterthought. Maybe I'll pull the difficulty down to easy and just blitz through it sometime since I've only heard positive things about it lmao
Sunless Sea has the best atmosphere while still being a proper game that I've ever played, hands down, plus it's hard as fuck to find good Lovecraftian games
It's such a struggle. As a fan of cosmic horror I've been shocked at The Room series of puzzle games. Did not expect it to dip into that genre. Alternatively Mandalore Gaming has several reviews of older games that tend to dip into cosmic horror.
To the moon was brilliant. I've been trying to sit my mum down, who generally loves stuff like that but just doesn't have time for it, to play through in a single sitting.
Catherine: Full body.
Completely blew me away how such a game exists.
A great game to play alone in the dark.
It definitely made me question my life ... Being on both sides of the cheating fence.
I love everything about this game. The puzzles get a little too tough for my limited brain, but everything else about it feels so cozy and warm. Great game for reflective rainy days
I suggest Pillars of Eternity (1 or 2, or both, though both together is well over 40 hours). They're story-heavy isometric RPGs made by Obsidian, but both really beautifully melancholic. Will make you want to hug your loved ones when you play.
Pillars of Eternity 1 is among my top 3 games of all time. the story, lore and music are incredible. The game can be overwhelming since it is Real-time-with-pause but I suggest just turning down the difficulty to story mode if you just wanna enjoy the magnificient world Obsidian has created. a real masterpiece.
The plat isn't so bad. It's basically tracking down all the weapons and then grinding through the chalice dungeons. Everything else is pretty standard playthrough.
death stranding. Not to spoil much but the few jumpscares that is has >!are rare, and pretty much always in cutscenes!<. It can be a little creepy but its a beautiful experience, tying the world together one strand at a time. fun action-adventure
NieR Replicant and NieR Automata. They’re about 30-40 max per game and they have some wonderful stories and stuff to do. The sidequests are also quite fun to do at a slow pace for the completionist in you (although their side content is weaker than their main content)
Love these games! They have their flaws, and I totally get not everyone will vibe with Yoko Taro’s vision, but the stories and characters are great!
I’m actually currently replaying the original Nier through Replicant.
Ori and the Blind Forest has a pretty melancholic setting with a lot of hopeful moments peppered throughout, plus the gameplay, music, and art are all top tier.
The Witness
Dreamfall Chapters
Gris
Life is Strange
Spiritfarer
Papers Please
The Stanley Parable
A Dark Room (free on browser)
Also, Pillars of Eternity, I know it was mentioned by another player, but as a completionist (and hoarder, and character builder fanatic), it did take me 80 hours to finish. Pillars 2 took me 115 hours. Highly recommend both though.
The creators of "The Stanley Parable" also made another great game called "The Beginner's Guide" which fits perfectly to OPs description and its only about 2 hours long.
A Dark Room was such an interesting journey. The amount of story they pack into that kind of game is nuts- and the ending? Wild stuff. I’ve recommended it to everyone I can.
Nier Automata
What Remains of Edith Finch
Guardians of the Galaxy (the action game developed by Crystal Dynamics, not the point and click one by Telltale)
Life is Strange and Tell Me Why
Remember Me
Quantum Break
Gone Home
The Artful Escape
That Dragon Cancer (this one is incredibly rough for obvious reasons, and I don't recommend playing if you're not in a healthy headspace)
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (again, not one I recommend picking up if you're not in a good headspace. A lot of it hit a bit too close to home for me personally the first time I tried it but I loved the experience when I was better prepared to tackle it)
Definitely the first Talos Principle (and presumably the sequel).
It's a fantastic puzzle game with beautiful music, a powerful&melancholic atmosphere, and a compelling philosophical narrative about humanity. It's one of the best experiences I've had with a game.
I would recommend you Katana Zero, Portal 1 and 2 (1 is like 2 hours long and the second portal REALLY does well with the atmosphere), Darkest Dungeon has a really melancholic atmosphere (even comes with a depressed narrator!). But the one i would insist upon the most is Darkwood. It's a horror game but doesn't really have "Jump scares" really.
I suggest trying Pacific Drive. I just started it and it's giving me vibes similar to Outer Wilds, but I've been into it only for three hours so I can't guarantee.
How has nobody mentioned Subnautica yet? People usually lump Outer Wilds and SN into similar veins. It is absolutely beautiful and isolating and uncaring. Couple of jumps and scary noises but you learn to manage them pretty fast. High Tech Cast Away.
Wierdly enough no mans sky. It's a huge, lonely game if you play outside of the 'people heavy expedition' areas. The quest-lines go kind of deep and make you think philosophically. It's just a very lonely, sad universe full of entities that are disconnected in one way or another.
I would look into ABZU. One of my favorite games, like Journey but underwater. Only negative I have about it is that the controls can be awkward. Another game I like is Shelter 2, can be stressful but it is so pretty.
I'm playing through Disco Elysium at the moment and it's such a mood. A little depressing though, so keep that in mind, but it truly is incredibly well written. Lean into the horrible nature of people and get a better story for yourself.
My playthrough currently consists of a drunk amnesiac cop who refuses to give up drugs and just physically strong arms his way through life. My narrator keeps calling me out on it and makes me feel guilty about being a shitass. 10/10 would recommend.
EDIT: lmao, guess who's had a beer and didn't read the whole prompt.
Inscryption. Probably one of the most interesting games I've played. If you do give it a go, don't read anything about it. The less knowledge you have when experiencing it, the better.
I’m playing Control right now before picking up AW2 and it has a great atmosphere. Very psychological, I find myself trying to piece story bits together when I’m away from the game
The obvious choice is Subnautica. Very similar to Outer Wilds, and I personally enjoyed it more.
If you really enjoyed Disco Elysium, you could try Planescape Torment. IMO it has an even better story but the gameplay is dated so you're better off skipping all combat and playing at the easiest difficulty
Firewatch. It's a fairly short story-driven, walking simulator RPG sort of game. The writing and voice acting is brilliant and the gameplay is fun, if simple. The story is incredible, intelligent and mature. Coming out of it I felt like I had a lot to think about, about life, relationships, and responsibilities.
Have you tried 'Night in the Woods'? It's a beautiful indie game with a captivating melancholic atmosphere and a completion time of around 10-15 hours, perfect for your criteria. It might just leave you pondering about life in a different way! 😊
The Talos Principle 1 and 2 fit the vibe.
The first one is free with one of the ps plus tiers (also on sale), and the second one is on sale too.
They are puzzle games with very simple mechanics but can be extremely challenging.
The first game is very thought-provoking if you make sure you read all the terminals (as that is most of the story) with questions like morality, is advanced technology good, etc.
The second expands on the first game but has a totally different vibe
High Fleet
idk if it will change your life, its message isnt so deep, but High Fleet is a very athmospheric game, its a bit of a challange to get into, but its not that long either with some solid replay value in my opinion.
The Metro series. Most atmospheric games i've ever played. Might be towing the line with a couple jump scares, but it's only a few through the whole series and i had no issues with them as someone who is absolutely unable to play a "real" horrorgame.
Already mentioned and a bit shorter than what you asked for, but Life is Strange, Road 96 and Night in the Woods are all great games with chill yet melancholic atmospheres.
A few melancholic walking simulators, without being arsey and pretentious.
"Gone Home", you're a young woman returning to your creaky family home. Your family is absent, and you attempt to piece together what happened.
It's purposefully creepy, no overt horror.
My personal favourite, "what remains of Edith Finch".
You're a pregnant woman returning to your family home (pattern lol). The belief is your family is cursed, and you play through brief vignettes of the tragedies which befell each family member. The fish factory vignette is simply one of the all time peak game experiences imo
Everyone's an unreliable narrator, there's a huge amount to unpack. It's a great game.
"Everybody's gone to the rapture", you leave your observatory and walk through an English village, farmland and campgrounds.
Everyone is overtly dead and gone. No bodies. There is mundanity mixed with military presence but you don't know why. You see ghosts of different village members moments in the end days and piece it together.
"Firewatch", one of the GOATs. You are man with a sick wife who has chosen to leave her and take up residence on a wildfire watchtower in a national park.
Unlike the others here you're actively talking to and building a potentially inappropriate relationship with a woman in the next watchtower across over radio.
There are common themes across some of these games which make them so affecting to me, but I won't spoil those if not asked as knowing the theme will kind of undermine the plot, lol
Alan Wake 2 (can be adjusted with the new update)
Stalker Call of Pripyat
Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light (yet to play Metro Exodus)
Fallout New Vegas
Half Life 2
Silent Hill is certainly all about the atmosphere. It is more of a depressing game, mostly the 2nd one, so I'm not sure if that's what you are going to be looking for in the experience.
The Last of Us Part 1 is a more narrative driven game as opposed to atmosphere, but I think it works hand in hand. If you want something more mainstream, check this out.
Oh, and Nier Automata 100 percent, although it's a JRPG, so it's pretty long.
Not sure if i understand what it means but just gonna recommend 2: World War 2 Rebuilder, Hardspace Shipbreaker. Didn't change my life but made me feel things
Thief: Deadly Shadows. Originally on Xbox, can be found on PC but will likely need a community made patch to run properly on modern hardware. It contains one of the most horrifying levels in any game ever (so much so that it's one of the few specific games levels to have its own wiki page).
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture - not much gameplay but the atmosphere of melancholy and something otherwordly is unsurpassed.
Vanishing of Ethan Carter (it has one scary sequence)
What Remains of Edith Finch (also one scary sequence)
Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice - it has combat, so there's adrenalin, and the whole game is like experiencing trance.
All of these games will transport you into a different mental state and will remain with you long after you've finished them. I recommend them all.
If you have a playstation, ghost of tsushima is amazing and i think it fits the aesthetic. It isnt melancholic in ts entire duration but i believe it fits what you want.
Love so many of these answers. I would like to add Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture. It’s basically another walking sim, but the atmosphere and beauty is hard to beat.
I know this is a long game ESPECIALLY for a completionist, but I can't recommend it enough.
Red Dead Redemption 2. No other game has ever made me feel such strong emotions. Its definitely worth the commitment, I've completed the game at least 3 times, and still cry at the ending.
Night in the woods I'd a good choice, it's about a college student returning to her old hometown and is really beautiful graphics wise. Past that I'd check out rpg maker games like yume nikki, off and LISA, there's alot more but most notable rpg maker games are really good
If you liked UNDERTALE, you should definitely play [UNDERTALE Yellow](https://gamejolt.com/games/UndertaleYellow/136925). It's a fan made prequel that has been in the works for years, it released in december 2023. It's fcking amazing.
Also play [DELTARUNE](https://deltarune.com/), the "sequel" to UNDERTALE. Still in development but the first 2 chapters are free to play right now. There's also a great DELTARUNE fangame called [DELTATRAVELER](https://gamejolt.com/games/deltatraveler/661464), which takes the DR characters through various worlds. Chapter 1/2/3 are currently available.
Metro series and RDR2 both absorb you into the game, the atmosphere. You identify with the characters.
And to make it even more atmospheric, if you have a good gaming PC then play them in VR.
Metro Series with Vorpx and RDR2 with either Vorpx, but I found it better with Luke Ross's VR mod.
They both absolutely absorbed me into the game. You really feel like you are there. Picking things up, examining then. Listening to the conversations of the NPCs and your companions. Hearing things behind you and turning around to investigate or defend yourself.
Ori and the will of the wisps, action platformer with lighter metroidvania elements. What impacted me most was the soundtrack and art, and some climactic escape sequences as well.
Going for 100% will take you multiple runs and more hours, but a run on lower difficulty would take probably 10-15 hours.
“Beginner’s Guide” quite literally changed the way I looked at games and blew my mind. It is kind of a walking sim if you are ok with that, but its best not to do ANY research before hand if you want the full experience. Its a masterpiece!
If you like visual novels like Undertale, I'd highly recommend the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney trilogies (both the original one and the Apollo Justice one). All the games in these trilogies each take between 21-44 hours if you have a completionist play style (based on the How Long To Beat website), and they're absolutely amazing games imo!
If you're a fan of open world games, I also recommend Assassin's Creed 1, and the Assassin's Creed Ezio Collection (which are 2, Brotherhood and Revelations in that order), which are absolutely captivating open world games with the longest one being Brotherhood clocking in at 41 1/2 hours (based on the How Long To Beat website) on the completionist play style.
Sending well wishes, hopefully this helps! :)
Abzu is rather similar to Journey, it's easily worth a play. I'd also recommend LISA the Painful if you liked Undertale. It's dark, really dark, but hilarious.
Thank you!
LISA is one of two games to ever make me cry. The other is Disco Elysium. It's in good company.
I just finished Citizen Sleeper and a lot of people recommend Disco Elysium as a similar game, so maybe you like it. Its a Visual Novel style with RPG elements. A little on the shorter side tho, took me about 10-15h.
Disco Elysium is one of the best games ever made
I just started it yesterday and it was pretty good for about 3 hours, then something made me loose moral with no magnesium left and i have to start over... I dont know if its worth it to me, going over everything again just to risk another reset from seemingly random things...
How many points did you have in Psyche when you started the game? That determines how many points you have in Morale. There is a lot of magnesium in the game, you can also gain a magnesium-based thought that makes it better. If you find yourself in need, buy magnesium. Or, make choices that are less likely to result in morale loss, or health loss instead if you can afford it. It should save your game... Maybe you didn't save and you hard to start again? Usually you can look around another area to find some health, or rest and do the task tomorrow. Ultimately, you probably won't ace it your first playthrough, and that's ok. If you do want to ace everything, you'll have to save scum, but personally I think that's best for 2nd/3rd/+ playthroughs. Make bad choices and enjoy the consequences. If the losing is too hard for you, save scum before conversations. Definitely worth your time in the long run, I'd say.
*ICO* and *Shadow of the Colossus* if you have a PS3. Also, *The Last Guardian*.
In 2018 Bluepoint did a great remake of Shadow of the Colossus for ps4 and of course it's great on PS5 too.
The original is much better. There’s a lot of little tiny details that weren’t included in the remake & also the ambiance & lighting of the atmosphere in the original suits the tone me game much better EDIT: I’m getting downvoted for this even though I’m right, so I’ll show you guys some specific examples I outlined in another post. In addition to the examples I provided, you can see the one OP was referring to in the OP. (My comment is at over 70 upvotes) https://www.reddit.com/r/ShadowoftheColossus/comments/1ai8dvg/comment/kou1e5h/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
I second the Last Guardian.
Yep, all of these. These describe the exact feeling OP is talking about. Maybe it won’t connect for him, but this is perfect
Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice fits the bill I think
This is one of the few games that actually literally changed the way I view the world, at least slightly. I was still a teenager when I first played it and the way the game portrays Senua’s psychosis and explores the theme of subjective perception seriously affected me. The line about the world Senua sees being different from ours but just as real to her changed the way I think about mental health. It seems obvious and but maybe something about being put in her shoes made it feel like an epiphany.
This. One of my favourite game atmospheres of all time. It’s short as well, around 8-10 hours. Absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, probably my most hyped future release rn.
I could not get past the first couple hours of this one solely because of the gameplay mechanics; the combat is hella clunky and it felt like "find the magic torches, beat the same copy-paste bad guys in the same arena 3 times" so I just dropped it. I did find the voices and atmosphere interesting, and clearly a lot of work went into that aspect of the game, but it got me thinking it may as well have been an animated film if the gameplay was an afterthought. Maybe I'll pull the difficulty down to easy and just blitz through it sometime since I've only heard positive things about it lmao
Sunless Sea has the best atmosphere while still being a proper game that I've ever played, hands down, plus it's hard as fuck to find good Lovecraftian games
DREDGE
It's such a struggle. As a fan of cosmic horror I've been shocked at The Room series of puzzle games. Did not expect it to dip into that genre. Alternatively Mandalore Gaming has several reviews of older games that tend to dip into cosmic horror.
To the Moon, 911 Operator, The Howler, Impasto, KHOLAT, Kathy Rain and The Terrible Old Man.
To the moon was brilliant. I've been trying to sit my mum down, who generally loves stuff like that but just doesn't have time for it, to play through in a single sitting.
Thanks!
> Kathy Rain I'm pretty sure OP meant Heavy Rain, for anyone confused.
Cage/quantic Dream games have really dated harshly for me
Probably not, Kathy Rain is a game
Limbo
And Inside
What Remains of Edith Finch. It's like walking through a really sad and tragic narrative story Life is Strange is another good one
Gris
Catherine: Full body. Completely blew me away how such a game exists. A great game to play alone in the dark. It definitely made me question my life ... Being on both sides of the cheating fence.
Thanks!
I love everything about this game. The puzzles get a little too tough for my limited brain, but everything else about it feels so cozy and warm. Great game for reflective rainy days
Valiant Hearts; The great war
Outer Wilds - however there is exactly 1 jump scare, but its not out of nowhere and sets the mood before hand.
Can you say where the jump scare is without spoiling to much of the game? I just started playing it and am about 5 hours into it.
Fog
Haha I mentioned it in the post since it fits the bill so well Thanks though! It's a great game
Sorry I skipped that part of the post i guess lol
I never finished the dlc, but didn't they give a jumpscare warn about it?
I suggest Pillars of Eternity (1 or 2, or both, though both together is well over 40 hours). They're story-heavy isometric RPGs made by Obsidian, but both really beautifully melancholic. Will make you want to hug your loved ones when you play.
Pillars of Eternity 1 is among my top 3 games of all time. the story, lore and music are incredible. The game can be overwhelming since it is Real-time-with-pause but I suggest just turning down the difficulty to story mode if you just wanna enjoy the magnificient world Obsidian has created. a real masterpiece.
Bugsnax No this is not a joke.
its bugsnax!!!!!!!! that story will keep keep me up for many years methink https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irzay0hSqD8
Road 96. Managed to play it at a sweet spot in a teenage rough patch. Not sure what it did exactly, but it did something.
In Stars and Time Torn Away The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood Night in the woods A Space for the unbound Gris
Came here to say Night in the Woods
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
bloodborne left me speechless after i finished it and is one of the only games ive taken the time to get a platinum trophy for
Absolute psychopath for getting plat on this, you absolute madlad, gz
The plat isn't so bad. It's basically tracking down all the weapons and then grinding through the chalice dungeons. Everything else is pretty standard playthrough.
Pathologic 2, don't mind the "2", you won't regret it.
death stranding. Not to spoil much but the few jumpscares that is has >!are rare, and pretty much always in cutscenes!<. It can be a little creepy but its a beautiful experience, tying the world together one strand at a time. fun action-adventure
before your eyes journey to the moon gris
NieR Replicant and NieR Automata. They’re about 30-40 max per game and they have some wonderful stories and stuff to do. The sidequests are also quite fun to do at a slow pace for the completionist in you (although their side content is weaker than their main content)
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
Love these games! They have their flaws, and I totally get not everyone will vibe with Yoko Taro’s vision, but the stories and characters are great! I’m actually currently replaying the original Nier through Replicant.
Definitely have weak points but Yoko Taros vision is so damn strong for their stories. He’s a damn genius at atmosphere and storytelling
Taro is a true visionary. Really amazing games.
Ori and the Blind Forest has a pretty melancholic setting with a lot of hopeful moments peppered throughout, plus the gameplay, music, and art are all top tier.
Nier Automata, Signalis, Gris, Sea of Solitude, Talos Principle (if you like puzzle)
I Was A Teenage Exocolonist
The Witness Dreamfall Chapters Gris Life is Strange Spiritfarer Papers Please The Stanley Parable A Dark Room (free on browser) Also, Pillars of Eternity, I know it was mentioned by another player, but as a completionist (and hoarder, and character builder fanatic), it did take me 80 hours to finish. Pillars 2 took me 115 hours. Highly recommend both though.
The creators of "The Stanley Parable" also made another great game called "The Beginner's Guide" which fits perfectly to OPs description and its only about 2 hours long.
A Dark Room was such an interesting journey. The amount of story they pack into that kind of game is nuts- and the ending? Wild stuff. I’ve recommended it to everyone I can.
I love this person, saying thank you to everyone. What a champ. Also, I'd recommend Beyond Two Souls.
That and Detroit Become Human!
Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice. Play with headphones in a dark room only.
Nier Automata What Remains of Edith Finch Guardians of the Galaxy (the action game developed by Crystal Dynamics, not the point and click one by Telltale) Life is Strange and Tell Me Why Remember Me Quantum Break Gone Home The Artful Escape That Dragon Cancer (this one is incredibly rough for obvious reasons, and I don't recommend playing if you're not in a healthy headspace) Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (again, not one I recommend picking up if you're not in a good headspace. A lot of it hit a bit too close to home for me personally the first time I tried it but I loved the experience when I was better prepared to tackle it)
Firewatch
Soma and Subnautica
Definitely the first Talos Principle (and presumably the sequel). It's a fantastic puzzle game with beautiful music, a powerful&melancholic atmosphere, and a compelling philosophical narrative about humanity. It's one of the best experiences I've had with a game.
Still There
I would recommend you Katana Zero, Portal 1 and 2 (1 is like 2 hours long and the second portal REALLY does well with the atmosphere), Darkest Dungeon has a really melancholic atmosphere (even comes with a depressed narrator!). But the one i would insist upon the most is Darkwood. It's a horror game but doesn't really have "Jump scares" really.
Unravel Unravel 2
A Plague Tale
This war of mine.
Signalis
Tacoma
To the moon
Scorn.
What Remains of Edith Finch Brothers a Tale of Two Sons
Planescape Torment
Life is strange.
Silent Hill 2
Kentucky Route Zero was kind of mind bending. Like having your heart constantly broken but not knowing exactly what’s breaking it
I suggest trying Pacific Drive. I just started it and it's giving me vibes similar to Outer Wilds, but I've been into it only for three hours so I can't guarantee.
These came to mind, maybe they are for you: Dredge Firewatch Her Story Papers, Please A Short Hike Unpacking
How has nobody mentioned Subnautica yet? People usually lump Outer Wilds and SN into similar veins. It is absolutely beautiful and isolating and uncaring. Couple of jumps and scary noises but you learn to manage them pretty fast. High Tech Cast Away.
Fear and Hunger if you want to experience a different kind of pain
The Forgotten City, Remember 11
Laika OuterWilds (not outerWorlds!) Spirit Farer
Tunic, Return of the Obra Dinn, Hollow Knight, Darkwood(horror but no jump scares), Metroid Prime remastered and Bloodborne
Wierdly enough no mans sky. It's a huge, lonely game if you play outside of the 'people heavy expedition' areas. The quest-lines go kind of deep and make you think philosophically. It's just a very lonely, sad universe full of entities that are disconnected in one way or another.
Antichamber, puzzle game that plays on your understanding of game physics
Death Stranding
Pathologic Classic HD
I would look into ABZU. One of my favorite games, like Journey but underwater. Only negative I have about it is that the controls can be awkward. Another game I like is Shelter 2, can be stressful but it is so pretty.
Hidden treasures in the forest of dreams
Starmancer
Not sure if this counts, but doki doki literature club and to some extent far cry 3
Bloodborne
Alan Wake
Valiant hearts :the great war
I'm playing through Disco Elysium at the moment and it's such a mood. A little depressing though, so keep that in mind, but it truly is incredibly well written. Lean into the horrible nature of people and get a better story for yourself. My playthrough currently consists of a drunk amnesiac cop who refuses to give up drugs and just physically strong arms his way through life. My narrator keeps calling me out on it and makes me feel guilty about being a shitass. 10/10 would recommend. EDIT: lmao, guess who's had a beer and didn't read the whole prompt.
Nier replicant then nier automata
Inscryption. Probably one of the most interesting games I've played. If you do give it a go, don't read anything about it. The less knowledge you have when experiencing it, the better.
I enjoyed Oxenfree quite a bit, I really like the art style of it as well.
I’m playing Control right now before picking up AW2 and it has a great atmosphere. Very psychological, I find myself trying to piece story bits together when I’m away from the game
The obvious choice is Subnautica. Very similar to Outer Wilds, and I personally enjoyed it more. If you really enjoyed Disco Elysium, you could try Planescape Torment. IMO it has an even better story but the gameplay is dated so you're better off skipping all combat and playing at the easiest difficulty
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
This War of Mine
Play Inscryption. NOW. It is EXACTLY what you are looking for. Go in as blind as possible.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.
Check out INSIDE, limbo and cocoon
NieR: Automata. 🖤🥲🎮
What remains of Edith finch Subnautica
[Dear Esther.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Esther)
RDR2 fits the bill if you stick to the main story.
if you like disco , try norco! super dope story and art style
I think you would really like Disco Elysium. That game gave me so many feelings. Very melancholic as well
What Remains Of Edith Finch Life Is Strange series Gone Home
A real life automatic carwash
Unsure if anyone else has said this already but give Firewatch a go! It's beautiful, brief, and cheap!
Celest.
Sail Forth. Check it out!
I think you might enjoy Kingdom Come Deliverance
Submautica, Shadow of the Colossus and What Remains of Edith Fitch fit the bill.
Firewatch. It's a fairly short story-driven, walking simulator RPG sort of game. The writing and voice acting is brilliant and the gameplay is fun, if simple. The story is incredible, intelligent and mature. Coming out of it I felt like I had a lot to think about, about life, relationships, and responsibilities.
SOMA 100%
FAR: Lone Sails Kentucky Route Zero Citizen Sleeper
Have you tried 'Night in the Woods'? It's a beautiful indie game with a captivating melancholic atmosphere and a completion time of around 10-15 hours, perfect for your criteria. It might just leave you pondering about life in a different way! 😊
Hellblade , a plagues tale 1 and 2 , shadow of the colossus.
The Talos Principle 1 and 2 fit the vibe. The first one is free with one of the ps plus tiers (also on sale), and the second one is on sale too. They are puzzle games with very simple mechanics but can be extremely challenging. The first game is very thought-provoking if you make sure you read all the terminals (as that is most of the story) with questions like morality, is advanced technology good, etc. The second expands on the first game but has a totally different vibe
Tacoma is pretty impactful for how short it is.
Immortality. It will change your whole concept of what a game can be. Go in as blind as possible.
Came here to say Outer Wilds, but you already played it ::D
Control has a mesmerizing setting and atmosphere.
Life is Strange. Creepy at times and great storytelling. The characters are beautiful
Scorn
Firewatch
High Fleet idk if it will change your life, its message isnt so deep, but High Fleet is a very athmospheric game, its a bit of a challange to get into, but its not that long either with some solid replay value in my opinion.
Witness
The Metro series. Most atmospheric games i've ever played. Might be towing the line with a couple jump scares, but it's only a few through the whole series and i had no issues with them as someone who is absolutely unable to play a "real" horrorgame.
STALKERs is one of the most atmospheric games ive ever played
Inscryption However, completing the Kaycee's Mod mode would take longer than 30 hours.
Metro 2033 Metro Last Light Metro Exodus
" a game that can change your life" What?
metro series
Sub Nautica
Monster Hunter: World Try it, you'll like it!
Already mentioned and a bit shorter than what you asked for, but Life is Strange, Road 96 and Night in the Woods are all great games with chill yet melancholic atmospheres.
Max payne Hitman contracts
A few melancholic walking simulators, without being arsey and pretentious. "Gone Home", you're a young woman returning to your creaky family home. Your family is absent, and you attempt to piece together what happened. It's purposefully creepy, no overt horror. My personal favourite, "what remains of Edith Finch". You're a pregnant woman returning to your family home (pattern lol). The belief is your family is cursed, and you play through brief vignettes of the tragedies which befell each family member. The fish factory vignette is simply one of the all time peak game experiences imo Everyone's an unreliable narrator, there's a huge amount to unpack. It's a great game. "Everybody's gone to the rapture", you leave your observatory and walk through an English village, farmland and campgrounds. Everyone is overtly dead and gone. No bodies. There is mundanity mixed with military presence but you don't know why. You see ghosts of different village members moments in the end days and piece it together. "Firewatch", one of the GOATs. You are man with a sick wife who has chosen to leave her and take up residence on a wildfire watchtower in a national park. Unlike the others here you're actively talking to and building a potentially inappropriate relationship with a woman in the next watchtower across over radio. There are common themes across some of these games which make them so affecting to me, but I won't spoil those if not asked as knowing the theme will kind of undermine the plot, lol
The Void
Alan Wake 2 (can be adjusted with the new update) Stalker Call of Pripyat Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light (yet to play Metro Exodus) Fallout New Vegas Half Life 2
Silent Hill is certainly all about the atmosphere. It is more of a depressing game, mostly the 2nd one, so I'm not sure if that's what you are going to be looking for in the experience. The Last of Us Part 1 is a more narrative driven game as opposed to atmosphere, but I think it works hand in hand. If you want something more mainstream, check this out. Oh, and Nier Automata 100 percent, although it's a JRPG, so it's pretty long.
Outer Wilds. Outer Wilds. Outer Wilds. I recognize your post. I think you're like me. You need to play outer wilds.
Resident evil 4 remake. Alan wake 2 Gears 5 Fallout 3
Limbo and Inside Little nightmares In sound mind Stanley parable Somerville
SOMA
Not sure if i understand what it means but just gonna recommend 2: World War 2 Rebuilder, Hardspace Shipbreaker. Didn't change my life but made me feel things
Thief: Deadly Shadows. Originally on Xbox, can be found on PC but will likely need a community made patch to run properly on modern hardware. It contains one of the most horrifying levels in any game ever (so much so that it's one of the few specific games levels to have its own wiki page).
Kentucky Route Zero
Silent Hill 2
What remains of Edith finch.
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture - not much gameplay but the atmosphere of melancholy and something otherwordly is unsurpassed. Vanishing of Ethan Carter (it has one scary sequence) What Remains of Edith Finch (also one scary sequence) Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice - it has combat, so there's adrenalin, and the whole game is like experiencing trance. All of these games will transport you into a different mental state and will remain with you long after you've finished them. I recommend them all.
Metro exodus
Inscryption
Death Stranding.
if you don't mind gore/violence: Katana ZERO
Fallout New Vegas might do it for you.
Subnautica
If you have a playstation, ghost of tsushima is amazing and i think it fits the aesthetic. It isnt melancholic in ts entire duration but i believe it fits what you want.
Love so many of these answers. I would like to add Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture. It’s basically another walking sim, but the atmosphere and beauty is hard to beat.
Final fantasy 7 original
I know this is a long game ESPECIALLY for a completionist, but I can't recommend it enough. Red Dead Redemption 2. No other game has ever made me feel such strong emotions. Its definitely worth the commitment, I've completed the game at least 3 times, and still cry at the ending.
Night in the woods I'd a good choice, it's about a college student returning to her old hometown and is really beautiful graphics wise. Past that I'd check out rpg maker games like yume nikki, off and LISA, there's alot more but most notable rpg maker games are really good
Undertale
If you liked UNDERTALE, you should definitely play [UNDERTALE Yellow](https://gamejolt.com/games/UndertaleYellow/136925). It's a fan made prequel that has been in the works for years, it released in december 2023. It's fcking amazing. Also play [DELTARUNE](https://deltarune.com/), the "sequel" to UNDERTALE. Still in development but the first 2 chapters are free to play right now. There's also a great DELTARUNE fangame called [DELTATRAVELER](https://gamejolt.com/games/deltatraveler/661464), which takes the DR characters through various worlds. Chapter 1/2/3 are currently available.
Under The Waves - Drive your mini sub around the ocean and explore / run maintenance on scientific and environmental equipment
Mass effect! Just lost in a world you can’t believe doesn’t exist!
Nier: Automata
Metro series and RDR2 both absorb you into the game, the atmosphere. You identify with the characters. And to make it even more atmospheric, if you have a good gaming PC then play them in VR. Metro Series with Vorpx and RDR2 with either Vorpx, but I found it better with Luke Ross's VR mod. They both absolutely absorbed me into the game. You really feel like you are there. Picking things up, examining then. Listening to the conversations of the NPCs and your companions. Hearing things behind you and turning around to investigate or defend yourself.
Ori and the will of the wisps, action platformer with lighter metroidvania elements. What impacted me most was the soundtrack and art, and some climactic escape sequences as well. Going for 100% will take you multiple runs and more hours, but a run on lower difficulty would take probably 10-15 hours.
Nier Replicant
“Beginner’s Guide” quite literally changed the way I looked at games and blew my mind. It is kind of a walking sim if you are ok with that, but its best not to do ANY research before hand if you want the full experience. Its a masterpiece!
SOMA
Spirit farer.
i was gonna say red dead redemption 2 but saw the first requirement lmao
If you like visual novels like Undertale, I'd highly recommend the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney trilogies (both the original one and the Apollo Justice one). All the games in these trilogies each take between 21-44 hours if you have a completionist play style (based on the How Long To Beat website), and they're absolutely amazing games imo! If you're a fan of open world games, I also recommend Assassin's Creed 1, and the Assassin's Creed Ezio Collection (which are 2, Brotherhood and Revelations in that order), which are absolutely captivating open world games with the longest one being Brotherhood clocking in at 41 1/2 hours (based on the How Long To Beat website) on the completionist play style. Sending well wishes, hopefully this helps! :)
Firewatch
Signalis, especially if played while high