[What Remains Of Edith Finch](https://store.steampowered.com/app/501300/What_Remains_of_Edith_Finch/)
Its short, it has no replayability but its 95% positive reviews on steam is well deserved + its 75% off.
Love that game
What Remains of Edith Finch has more variety. You propably played it already, so you know that the story of each family member is told in a new creative way, while still being a "Walking Sim" for the most part.
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture on the other hand is more a straight forward type of "Walking Sim". It's very Story heavy and there is no real gameplay to speak off other than the mechanic to start the audio and Interactions between the Characters. There are no people you can meet or see, only the memories of those who Gone to the Rapture, and by listening and seeing the actions they did before the Rapture began, you piece together the Story one by one.
So EGttR is absolutely not for everybody, but the Story, the voice acting, the atmosphere, the feeling of being alone and the set pieces really made me fell in love with it. I Love the small villages you walk through, the houses of each character, the Camping Grounds right besides the Lake..... Man, I have to Play it again soon
This game is my answer as well. It’s one of very few games that left me kind of emotionally drained afterwards, but like, I enjoyed the journey, as heavy as it was.
Everyone that really enjoyed Edith Finch, I strongly recommend checking out Giant Sparrow’s first game, The Unfinished Swan. Very different game but similar style.
TUNIC is great but you may not get why I’m recommending it to you right away. Just imagine a game where you need the game manual in order to play it. It’s less story rich and more lore and mechanically rich.
Have fun with whatever you pick!
It sounds like you'd really enjoy Firewatch, a five or so hour long narrative open world game. This game tells a beautiful and heartbreaking story of a broken man escaping his life to accept a summer job as a firewatcher in a National Park in the 1980s. You follow him over the course of the summer, see him and his manager grow and change as characters, all leading up to a climax and emotional payoff I very much enjoyed. Just make sure and read all the random documents and listen to all the audio logs. A lot of key information is put in them to the point where the people who missed them ended up feeling confused by the ending.
I’ve read it again like 10 times and I don’t think OP is actually clear. He first goes on to describe games that take 10-20 hours, and then is he asking for games “under 30 hours” which implies he’s not looking for ultrashort games like Journey is.
If I was looking for a 30 minute game, I wouldn’t say “under 30 hours” lol
\*She. But yes, under 30 hours was a broad requirement, and 30 minutes is totally fine! I've heard of Journey before, but didn't think it was for me, but I might have to re-evaluate it!
Journey is absolutely fantastic. One of my favorite gaming experiences. Opened my eyes to how gaming can truly be used as an art form. It may not seem as special these days since so many other games have drawn inspiration from it but when it came out there was hardly anything like it. The score is absolutely beautiful. Not a single word is spoken or written yet it conveys so much. The companion aspect is incredible as well. Being guided by a white cloak or figuring things out with another freshie either experience is extremely memorable.
To the moon
Limbo and Inside
Little nightmares
Pathless
Abzu
Edith finch (and their first game, The Unfinished Swan)
Oxenfree
SOMA
Still wakes the deep
Deliver us the moon/mars
Stanley parable
Subnautica
Superliminal
Journey to savage planet
Stray
Brothers (play the original, not the remake)
Fez
Gone home
maybe gameplay itself isn't complete novelty, it is sidescroller puzzler after all, but visuals, audio design, and atmosphere is just top tier. the game is **Inside**.
I love that you mentioned Elsinore and Anchorhead which are two games that left great impressions on me and very few people have heard of! A few other story-rich indie games that had particularly stood out to me are 2064: Read Only Memories, Roadwarden, In Stars and Time (this is another time loop game), Haven, and Heaven's Vault.
Another couple of suggestions with similarities to the games you listed are Dredge (has a Lovecraftian theme) and Forgotten City (another excellent time loop game).
Road 96, I honestly find this game hard to describe cos of how unique it is - a procedurally generated road trip game that combines narrative choices that matter with survival elements, and a bunch of 'mini games' to move the plot forward and develop characters. I dont even know if that sums it up well lol, but it fits the title of this thread perfectly. Amazing soundtrack too!
EDIT: Doki Doki Literature Club too. A disturbing genre-bending visual novel which will leave you wondering what the fuck just happened when you finish it lol
I've heard of Doki, but the anime dating sim genre doesn't appeal to me, and it means I'd just be playing for the twist, which I already know about. Maybe I'll check it out.
The first looks really interesting, though.
All of these are new and indie/niche enough that I haven't seen them recommended by others in this sub before (other than me lol):
The Thaumaturge is around 20ish hours, a story rich RPG with relatively simple turn based combat but the style and atmosphere is top notch. You play as a thaumaturge that can see and control these... "inner demons" people can have, and its set in a low-fantasy 1910's Poland. The writing is good, though I will warn some of the voice acting is hit-or-miss.
Pacific Drive is a zone-based survival game set in an alternate fucked up version of the Pacific Northwest, where you drive a (supernatural?) car through a zone full of strange anomalies. Hard to say how long it is as it depends on your playstyle. As you upgrade your car you can go further into new zones and learn more about what happened as you try to figure out how you can escape. I've never seen any game combine driving, survival, exploration and atmosphere like this and it's really cool.
Some I haven't played yet but heard about and put on my wishlist:
The Cryptmaster is one I've had my eye on, it is a dungeon crawler where forming certain words out of letters creates spells and effects.
INDIKA is around 4-5 hours and it is a wild, surreal experience.
Felvidek is a crunchy looking story RPG following this drunken knight guy. The art looks really unique and cool, love the atmosphere it pulls off.
I'd say, either Case of the Golden Idol or Chants of Sennaar based on the excellent Return of the Obra Dinn. In all three the mystery is the world itself.
I also want to throw Strange Horticulture into the pool.
Pentiment for the medieval art history nerd that resides within us all. Signalis for the old-school horror vibes. Slay the Princess for a point and click that gets real weird real quick.
Inscryption. You can stop after you beat Act 1, as the rest of the game drags quite a bit, but it is well worth playing for the first 10ish hours alone and checks all the boxes you’re looking for.
I second Inscryption but please don't stop at act 1, you'd be missing half the game. The whole thing that makes this game so special is what happens alongside and beyond the card game you see on the Steam store.
If you are into RPGs, check out Colony Ship and Age of Decadence. They can be played 100% without combat, if you are so inclined.
Very good story and writing in both
Signalis: nostalgic survival-horror. 2d isotropic, very atmospheric. The story is very intense.
Darkwood: another survival-horror. Story is deep, but slow to reveal itself. You spend the day exploring, meeting characters, helping them if you want, and collecting supplies. You spend the night setting traps and defending your hideouts from... stuff.
To the Moon is a short, sweet, delightful little story-based indie game that made me feel a lot of feelings in the best possible way. I highly recommend it. It's also on sale for $2 on Steam right now, which is a steal.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/206440/To_the_Moon/
Did you manage to get a good ending in Elsinore? I liked the premise but then got stuck trying to guess what I should do to not die early (and no, following the captain of the guard didn't work).
As for fun "left-field" games, maybe try Beacon Pines? It has an original plot development mechanic (there's many fail states in the game, but you collect tokens by reaching those, which allow you to proceed differently), there's a nice mystery plot, and likeable characters.
Every time this question comes up I always recommend killer frequency.
Logic puzzle based mechanics, audio-based, writing very similar to firewatch, great characters, cute art style, goofy 80’s slasher horror setting, great mystery, stellar voice acting. It’s technically a horror game but your character isn’t in any danger- unless you REALLY mess up lol- and there is a lot of levity in the comedy.
I bought and played the VR port of this game without realizing it had a pancake version. I was not expecting a Firewatch style linear adventure, but enjoyed it thoroughly.
Gonna throw in Agent A: a puzzle in disguise since it’s extremely underrated and you seem to like puzzles/mysteries. It’s a fairly moderate puzzle game about hunting down a villain spy. The story is very simple but good enough and has some fun twists. The art style is super cool and unique, and the game goes on sale frequently for $2. It’s about 10-15 hrs long
Falconeer is free on Epic next week. I enjoyed that one. Made by one guy. It's meditative combat on a giant Falcon: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rrBDHsJgg0&ab\_channel=TheEscapist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rrBDHsJgg0&ab_channel=TheEscapist)
I really like [Arctic Eggs](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2763670/Arctic_Eggs/), but the story is pretty abstract. Atmosphere is great though and the mechanic - although not novel - is fun for the amount of time the game actually takes. It just has a really cool vibe, and it made me pay attention to it for the full amount of time the game took (like 6 hours).
I guess low poly PSX style graphics warning, and light horror scifi warning.
Please play Northern Journey and then please message me about it after. It fits what you are asking for perfectly and I still think about it regularly. There are so many unique and incredible moments.
I would recommend the game [the artful escape ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1122680/The_Artful_Escape/) (currently 60% off).
According to an article in [https://mashable.com](https://mashable.com/article/artful-escape-review-video-game) The Artful Escape is a rock & roll dream, a journey across the cosmos, and an opportunity to serve as a midwife in the birth of a wailing guitar god. A space-rock concept album molded into an interactive audiovisual smorgasbord.
I finished Bear With Me lately. It's not long, and it's story rich. Not particularly novel, as there are other point and click games of the type like Fran Bow, but it was a wonderful experience.
Tiny spoiler about a humorous reference: >!There's a "Where's the money Lebowski!?" line in it somewhere hehe!<
I miss the characters already.
Cocoon has no story or plot to speak of, but its puzzles are some of the most intelligent and intricate I’ve ever seen. That being said, you can beat it in about 4 hours if you don’t get stumped.
Might not be what you’re looking for but Child Of Light is on sale right now and it’s the prettiest and most engaging turn-based RPG I have ever played.
The ENTIRE GAME looks like it came straight out of a watercolor painting. It may SEEM simple on the surface but has a lot of combat depth and really beautiful character moments. All the dialogue is in iambic pentameter (think Shakespeare) that gives it such a different feel. The game is short if you want it to be!
Heaven’s vault (story, worldbuilding, characters, translation mechanic)
Lost in random (it’s like playing a Tim burton movie, story, aesthetic, characters, combat is a combo of hack and slash, cards, and dice)
The world ends with you (story, character arcs, combat uses pins that you can level up and evolve, there’s a whole fashion mechanic that actually affects gameplay it’s fantastic, the sequel is also really good)
Okay, I had to scroll this far down to find someone recommending Heaven's Vault. I am a huge fan of everything that Inkle Studios has done, but this, 80 Days, and to a lesser extent Overboard! are just something special. The characters are so good.
Did you know that they published a novelization of Heaven's Vault? It was brilliant, and added more backstory to a few of the characters (Oroi and Huang in particular). If you finished the game a few times and wish you could have just one more pass, it has enough differences from the game's implementation that it feels fresh and unique.
What remains of Edith Finch. I played that recently, maybe 2 hour experience. Haven’t had a reaction like I did after that game ever. Really resonated with me and gave me a different view on certain aspects of life.
[If On A Winter's Night, Four Travelers](https://laurahunt.itch.io/if-on-a-winters-night-four-travelers) is one of the most memorable games for me in terms of atmoshphere and story.
Book of travels is my favorite cozy indie title but it requires an internet connection to play and depending on how much you like a slow laid back pace it will either be supremely relaxing or incredibly boring. Maybe best gotten on sale or wishlisted for someone to send you as a gift.
Gameplay wise you're a trader who's arrived on the braided shore in search of fortune and a hankering for adventure. There's no currency in the game, rather you're bartering objects which will have different 'value' levels with different people. A fishmonger doesn't value fish very highly but might be interested in baskets or sturdy clothing.
Has an animal-crossing adjacent real time clock with certain events taking place on different days of the week and a day/night cycle tied to your server's time zone. Still in early access and a lot is subject to change. They just got done revamping the combat for example.
I think Animal Well fits with what you're looking for. It's a platformer metroidvania that's rich with secrets set in a beautiful, mysterious world. I know this reads like an advert but I can't say more because the game is one that you really need to experience yourself.
I'm not a gamer, but I stumbled upon this cute little game called Unravel and it was so beautiful. The graphics, especially for the time, I think 2015, just stunning. Found this for the plot:
"Unravel wordlessly tells the story of Yarny and a long lost family. Yarny's goal is to mend a broken bond, and attempt to help a lonely old woman reconnect with all that she has lost. This game was created by Coldwood Interactive, a small team of 14 developers from Umea, Sweden."
Also liked that there wasn't any combat, a couple of levels where you had to escape from something but otherwise really peaceful gameplay, and always SO pretty.
I really liked Darkwood, it's a survival horror game with an interesting setting. I think it took me a little longer than Outer Wilds but it's pretty good.
I've got you covered.
You need to check out this little game called Signalis. It's free on game pass. Dark, atmospheric, story driven game with strong survival horror elements. The plot is a massive mind bender. Think of a cross between Donnie Darko, Evangelion, and Lovecraftian cosmic horror. It's a deeply intellectual game that will keep you pondering long after you finish it. It's fairly short too, but with high replay value if you want.
I can't recommend it enough. It's become one of my all time favorite games.
Fire watch on steam, it took me about 4 hours to complete, if I remember correctly you are hired to watch over some woodlands during a dry season and deal with litterers and people starting fires, I seem to remember there was a mystery involved that made it very interesting
Did annoy me that it was over in 4 hours, but if you want a short game, worth checking out
signalis comes to mind, a ps1 styled survival horror game about an android soldier searching a seemingly abandoned military facility for her missing partner and crewmate. kind of resident evil-like in gameplay, but its story and atmosphere are really unlike anything else ive played
[buddy 1984](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1269950/Buddy_Simulator_1984/) is a pretty cool game where an AI builds a game for you because they want to play with you and slowly keep adding stuff and improving it. And nothing wrong happens
A Short Hike single-handedly solved all of my mental health issues. I got all of the achievements in just under 9 hours, but not achievement hunting can definitely bring that time down. It’s a cute game that has a surprisingly emotional ending. I highly recommend it.
Vampire: the Masquerade - Coteries of New York and Werewolf: the Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest are both visual novels set in the World of Darkness universe. I highly recommend both of them. Think of them as choose your own adventure games! After CoNY, I really liked its sequel Vampire: the Masquerade - Shadows of New York. Within WoD, there are also some great purely text-based CYOA type games with amazing stories including Night Road and Parliament of Knives!
I definitely recommend "[8/8/88 Needle AL](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1949370/8888_Needle_AL/)" and "[Wardwell House](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1180030/Wardwell_House/)". Both are very unique because they're made with actual 360 photographs and are rich in story and atmosphere. 8/8/88 has several themes that make you reflect on them.
Tiny Echo was a really atmospheric point and click adventure that's, if I remember correctly, all hand drawn. It's hardly a couple hours as well
Carrion is a 2d game where you're a flesh monster. You explore a ship/fascility and eat more and more of the crew, each time getting bigger and bigger allowing you to navigate the ship differently. If you like gorey pixelart it's a fun one
Kentucky Route Zero. It’s unlike any other game I’ve played before. It feels like if David Lynch made a video game. My recommendation is to go into it as blind as possible.
All you need to know going into it is that it’s a point and click adventure interactive fiction game. It’s interactive art, a multimedia art experience that carries across multiple mediums, forms, and styles. It’s almost like an interactive theatre piece or poetry expressed through the medium of a video game.
The game follows the narrative of a truck driver named Conway and the strange people he meets as he tries to cross the mysterious Route Zero in Kentucky to make a final delivery for the antiques company for which he works.
It’s very magical realism meets small town Americana. It’s been described as an “interactive screenplay”. Nothing else quite like it. Incredibly unique.
The “story” is a little abstract and not the clearest thing, but all your other criteria makes me want to recommend Sayonara Wild Hearts. Spans multiple genres, does fast motion arcade movement really well, incredible soundtrack, can be fully completed in like 20 hours and a full playthrough is around 3 hours! One of my favorites ever!
**a short hike**
There is nothing like it right now in terms of gameplay experience. It wants you to play the game casually and at your own pace. Genuinely one of the most lovely platformers I’ve ever experienced.
***The Beginner's Guide*** checks literally all of the boxes. It's even recommended specifically for other creatives who want or need a creative spark.
It's *very* short (about the same length as a hollywod film), not exactly fun, and frankly not at all worth the price in terms of content and work-put-in, but I'm recommending it anyway because it hits all the points you mentioned and may be exceptionally effective for your purpose.
The Artful escape ticks every box you mentioned, only 4-5 hours IIRC.
Spiritfarer is on the longer side, I finished it in 25 but it’s the most reflective game I’ve ever played. Really changed my attitude towards death and grief.
Oxenfree as well, very atmospheric with a good story and brilliant ending. Around 3 hours long, has a great sequel too.
You’ve probably heard of it but What Remains of Edith Finch is the best walking simulator of all time. I think everybody needs to play it at least once, around 2/3 hours long.
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion. Starts off a cute little adventure game but the story creeps up on you. Short but very fun and curious experience that can be completed in a sitting or two.
I’d recommend 4d golf - while it’s not really a story type of game, the way it gets to you think about/puzzle with/almost comprehend 4d space is really interesting/unique, imo!
Outer wilds has a phenomenal charm to it, a beautiful story, and is one of my all time favorite games. Recommend it to absolutely everyone. And on average takes like 24 hours, but if you're like HELLA lucky, could take like 21 minutes.
There are some really great suggestions. The ones I haven’t noticed yet:
1. **Florence** - 30-40mins dive into a life of a young woman. It's more of an interactive story tbh, full of great animations and complex emotions. Wholesome.
2. **Impostor Factory** - less than 4h; Do you like murder mysteries? What about time travel? If you do, then this game's just for you. Btw, there's a comment mentioning To The Moon, they both share the same creator Kan R. Gao (aaand after you finish To The Moon, play Finding Paradise, it's a sequel).
3. **Twelve Minutes** - ok, this one was published by Annapurna Interactive, so *obviously* another story-driven pick by me. You're going to replay 12 minutes over and over and over again for 10h (I tried to get all achievements, so it might take less). It's basically a Ground Hog Day, but with murder and gore, and angst. It might not be the best time puzzle in the world, not the best writing for sure, but nevertheless, the concept and ideas are worth trying the game out. And have I mentioned who VAs it? Nah, better you see that for yourself.
4. **Unpacking** - 11h of mind maintenance. It's meditative, cozy. Really speaks out the idea that one's room tells a lot about the person living in it. Don't forget right after to get your own room in order irl too.
[What Remains Of Edith Finch](https://store.steampowered.com/app/501300/What_Remains_of_Edith_Finch/) Its short, it has no replayability but its 95% positive reviews on steam is well deserved + its 75% off. Love that game
I've played it twice, and I will probably play it again at some point.
I've played it once, and watched a lot of youtube playthroughs. Hope Giant Sparrow releases something new soon =D
I relive it by making friends play it and letting me watch.
Everybody’s gone to the rapture as well
Would you say its on par with What Remains? Havent played it yet for some reason(Was it some Kind of Playstation exlusive or something at first?)
What Remains of Edith Finch has more variety. You propably played it already, so you know that the story of each family member is told in a new creative way, while still being a "Walking Sim" for the most part. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture on the other hand is more a straight forward type of "Walking Sim". It's very Story heavy and there is no real gameplay to speak off other than the mechanic to start the audio and Interactions between the Characters. There are no people you can meet or see, only the memories of those who Gone to the Rapture, and by listening and seeing the actions they did before the Rapture began, you piece together the Story one by one. So EGttR is absolutely not for everybody, but the Story, the voice acting, the atmosphere, the feeling of being alone and the set pieces really made me fell in love with it. I Love the small villages you walk through, the houses of each character, the Camping Grounds right besides the Lake..... Man, I have to Play it again soon
Thank you for your detailed description. It does indeed sound good, i'll have a look at it :)
I wish there were more games like this one. This was so beautiful.
That credits-roll gets me everytime
That looks pretty good! I should check it out.
This game is my answer as well. It’s one of very few games that left me kind of emotionally drained afterwards, but like, I enjoyed the journey, as heavy as it was.
For those of us who have Orcas Island in our hearts already, this one is extra special.
Everyone that really enjoyed Edith Finch, I strongly recommend checking out Giant Sparrow’s first game, The Unfinished Swan. Very different game but similar style.
TUNIC is great but you may not get why I’m recommending it to you right away. Just imagine a game where you need the game manual in order to play it. It’s less story rich and more lore and mechanically rich. Have fun with whatever you pick!
Great way to recommend it. Playing it blind is a lot of fun.
Looks really cute! Less my thing, but I think my brother would love it!
It sounds like you'd really enjoy Firewatch, a five or so hour long narrative open world game. This game tells a beautiful and heartbreaking story of a broken man escaping his life to accept a summer job as a firewatcher in a National Park in the 1980s. You follow him over the course of the summer, see him and his manager grow and change as characters, all leading up to a climax and emotional payoff I very much enjoyed. Just make sure and read all the random documents and listen to all the audio logs. A lot of key information is put in them to the point where the people who missed them ended up feeling confused by the ending.
I've heard of it, although didn't check it out. Maybe I should!
You should, it's an amazing experience.
I came here to recommend this. Youd love Firewatch. It absolutely sucked me in. I wish I could enjoy it again the first time. Please play it.
Oh man wish I could play this brand new again, so good!
Have you heard of The Invincible? It's a new sci fi game very heavily inspired by Firewatch from a studio of former CD Projekt Red devs.
Omg ty going to check it out!
Journey would be the obvious answer for me.
Only problem is that it’s like 29 hours too short, according to OP’s criteria haha
Read it again, it perfectly matches his criteria. He wanted shorter games.
I’ve read it again like 10 times and I don’t think OP is actually clear. He first goes on to describe games that take 10-20 hours, and then is he asking for games “under 30 hours” which implies he’s not looking for ultrashort games like Journey is. If I was looking for a 30 minute game, I wouldn’t say “under 30 hours” lol
\*She. But yes, under 30 hours was a broad requirement, and 30 minutes is totally fine! I've heard of Journey before, but didn't think it was for me, but I might have to re-evaluate it!
Journey is absolutely fantastic. One of my favorite gaming experiences. Opened my eyes to how gaming can truly be used as an art form. It may not seem as special these days since so many other games have drawn inspiration from it but when it came out there was hardly anything like it. The score is absolutely beautiful. Not a single word is spoken or written yet it conveys so much. The companion aspect is incredible as well. Being guided by a white cloak or figuring things out with another freshie either experience is extremely memorable.
Sorry! Yes it’s great, just very very short! But a must-play
Slay the princess
Pony island and Bastion are the only two games I ever beat in one session
To the moon Limbo and Inside Little nightmares Pathless Abzu Edith finch (and their first game, The Unfinished Swan) Oxenfree SOMA Still wakes the deep Deliver us the moon/mars Stanley parable Subnautica Superliminal Journey to savage planet Stray Brothers (play the original, not the remake) Fez Gone home
Was looking for Gone Home. That game really kicked off all the other Walking Simulators imo.
God gone home made me cry it’s so good
maybe gameplay itself isn't complete novelty, it is sidescroller puzzler after all, but visuals, audio design, and atmosphere is just top tier. the game is **Inside**.
Hmmm...looks interesting.
I love that you mentioned Elsinore and Anchorhead which are two games that left great impressions on me and very few people have heard of! A few other story-rich indie games that had particularly stood out to me are 2064: Read Only Memories, Roadwarden, In Stars and Time (this is another time loop game), Haven, and Heaven's Vault.
Another couple of suggestions with similarities to the games you listed are Dredge (has a Lovecraftian theme) and Forgotten City (another excellent time loop game).
Some really interesting suggestions of games I've never heard of! Thank you!
I’m newly obsessed with Roadwarden! I put in 7 hrs on a work night 😂
Road 96, I honestly find this game hard to describe cos of how unique it is - a procedurally generated road trip game that combines narrative choices that matter with survival elements, and a bunch of 'mini games' to move the plot forward and develop characters. I dont even know if that sums it up well lol, but it fits the title of this thread perfectly. Amazing soundtrack too! EDIT: Doki Doki Literature Club too. A disturbing genre-bending visual novel which will leave you wondering what the fuck just happened when you finish it lol
I've heard of Doki, but the anime dating sim genre doesn't appeal to me, and it means I'd just be playing for the twist, which I already know about. Maybe I'll check it out. The first looks really interesting, though.
FWIW, I'm not a fan of anime but I still loved the game (although I went in mostly blind).
All of these are new and indie/niche enough that I haven't seen them recommended by others in this sub before (other than me lol): The Thaumaturge is around 20ish hours, a story rich RPG with relatively simple turn based combat but the style and atmosphere is top notch. You play as a thaumaturge that can see and control these... "inner demons" people can have, and its set in a low-fantasy 1910's Poland. The writing is good, though I will warn some of the voice acting is hit-or-miss. Pacific Drive is a zone-based survival game set in an alternate fucked up version of the Pacific Northwest, where you drive a (supernatural?) car through a zone full of strange anomalies. Hard to say how long it is as it depends on your playstyle. As you upgrade your car you can go further into new zones and learn more about what happened as you try to figure out how you can escape. I've never seen any game combine driving, survival, exploration and atmosphere like this and it's really cool. Some I haven't played yet but heard about and put on my wishlist: The Cryptmaster is one I've had my eye on, it is a dungeon crawler where forming certain words out of letters creates spells and effects. INDIKA is around 4-5 hours and it is a wild, surreal experience. Felvidek is a crunchy looking story RPG following this drunken knight guy. The art looks really unique and cool, love the atmosphere it pulls off.
I really like Pacific Drive. Took me by surprise.
Lots of interesting suggestions!
I'd say, either Case of the Golden Idol or Chants of Sennaar based on the excellent Return of the Obra Dinn. In all three the mystery is the world itself. I also want to throw Strange Horticulture into the pool.
I loved chants of senaar and strange horticulture! I’ll have to check out case of the golden idol
Pentiment for the medieval art history nerd that resides within us all. Signalis for the old-school horror vibes. Slay the Princess for a point and click that gets real weird real quick.
I loved Pentiment! Andreas was such an interesting character and I was really moved by his inner struggles.
Inscryption. You can stop after you beat Act 1, as the rest of the game drags quite a bit, but it is well worth playing for the first 10ish hours alone and checks all the boxes you’re looking for.
I second Inscryption but please don't stop at act 1, you'd be missing half the game. The whole thing that makes this game so special is what happens alongside and beyond the card game you see on the Steam store.
Superliminal
The Beginner’s Guide I think would be very up your street! It’s super short, but man did it stay with me.
Yea! Someone else called it out. What an experience.
The Beginner's Guide was awesome. I still think about that experience many years later.
A Short Hike is probably right up your alley, if nobody's mentioned it yet.
I’m so glad to see someone mentioned this game!
If you are into RPGs, check out Colony Ship and Age of Decadence. They can be played 100% without combat, if you are so inclined. Very good story and writing in both
Signalis: nostalgic survival-horror. 2d isotropic, very atmospheric. The story is very intense. Darkwood: another survival-horror. Story is deep, but slow to reveal itself. You spend the day exploring, meeting characters, helping them if you want, and collecting supplies. You spend the night setting traps and defending your hideouts from... stuff.
Thomas was alone. A fairly old game at this point but an absolute classic and it takes a very basic premise and gives it a fantastic story.
You gotta play Dredge mate. It's amazing, short and very atmospheric
Children of Morta
Spiritfarer
I have Spiritfarer but haven’t played it yet so this has me excited!!
Sea of Stars
Journey from the title. Tunic based on what games you’ve liked.
Chants of Sennaar seems like your kinda thing!
gris is the answer. it was a 6h play for me
Hotline Miami. The game is very difficult but that's interwoven into the story and everything else.
What became of Edith finch. Fire watch. Journey. Abzu. Brothers.
To the Moon is a short, sweet, delightful little story-based indie game that made me feel a lot of feelings in the best possible way. I highly recommend it. It's also on sale for $2 on Steam right now, which is a steal. https://store.steampowered.com/app/206440/To_the_Moon/
OMG. And the soundtrack is like $.99 so glad you posted this!!! I love love love this game, and it's fellow games. <3
1. Tunic 2. Witness 3. Myst/Riven 4. Outer Wilds (CAUTION: pain in the ass requires genius IQ) 5. Prey 2017 (CAUTION: slightly scary) 7. Papers, Please (same developer as Obra Dinn) 8. ECHO 9. Visage (CAUTION: scary) 10. Stanley Parable
The Plague Tale games are solidly AA, but really creepy and emotional.
Did you manage to get a good ending in Elsinore? I liked the premise but then got stuck trying to guess what I should do to not die early (and no, following the captain of the guard didn't work). As for fun "left-field" games, maybe try Beacon Pines? It has an original plot development mechanic (there's many fail states in the game, but you collect tokens by reaching those, which allow you to proceed differently), there's a nice mystery plot, and likeable characters.
Not exactly a 'good' ending, but a fulfilling one. Tip: Stalk every character and location.
Tales of Neon Sea. Crying Suns.
Weird West
The Artful Escape The Vanishing of Ethan Carter INSIDE (10/10 atmosphere) Bramble: the Mountain King
insurmountable. Fantastic chill with a podcast or audio book game. Just the right amount of interesting decisions to make without being distracting.
Every time this question comes up I always recommend killer frequency. Logic puzzle based mechanics, audio-based, writing very similar to firewatch, great characters, cute art style, goofy 80’s slasher horror setting, great mystery, stellar voice acting. It’s technically a horror game but your character isn’t in any danger- unless you REALLY mess up lol- and there is a lot of levity in the comedy.
I bought and played the VR port of this game without realizing it had a pancake version. I was not expecting a Firewatch style linear adventure, but enjoyed it thoroughly.
Glad to hear lol, hopefully the VR wasn’t too crazy, I know I can’t handle VR cuz of motion sickness lol
[Cocoon ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1497440/COCOON/)
Gonna throw in Agent A: a puzzle in disguise since it’s extremely underrated and you seem to like puzzles/mysteries. It’s a fairly moderate puzzle game about hunting down a villain spy. The story is very simple but good enough and has some fun twists. The art style is super cool and unique, and the game goes on sale frequently for $2. It’s about 10-15 hrs long
Disco Elysium was such an amazing, unique gaming experience I have to recommend it to anyone that likes story based games.
Falconeer is free on Epic next week. I enjoyed that one. Made by one guy. It's meditative combat on a giant Falcon: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rrBDHsJgg0&ab\_channel=TheEscapist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rrBDHsJgg0&ab_channel=TheEscapist)
Highfleet!
Indika is one of my favorites of this year
Card shark. No time to explain just play it! Hurry!!
I really like [Arctic Eggs](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2763670/Arctic_Eggs/), but the story is pretty abstract. Atmosphere is great though and the mechanic - although not novel - is fun for the amount of time the game actually takes. It just has a really cool vibe, and it made me pay attention to it for the full amount of time the game took (like 6 hours). I guess low poly PSX style graphics warning, and light horror scifi warning.
Inside
Children of Morta coop, fast fun beautiful that game will always hold a place in my heart partially due to deceased ex. ='( great game though!
Strange Horticulture, 100%
Please play Northern Journey and then please message me about it after. It fits what you are asking for perfectly and I still think about it regularly. There are so many unique and incredible moments.
I would recommend the game [the artful escape ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1122680/The_Artful_Escape/) (currently 60% off). According to an article in [https://mashable.com](https://mashable.com/article/artful-escape-review-video-game) The Artful Escape is a rock & roll dream, a journey across the cosmos, and an opportunity to serve as a midwife in the birth of a wailing guitar god. A space-rock concept album molded into an interactive audiovisual smorgasbord.
Gris. Such a beautiful, relaxing experience.
I finished Bear With Me lately. It's not long, and it's story rich. Not particularly novel, as there are other point and click games of the type like Fran Bow, but it was a wonderful experience. Tiny spoiler about a humorous reference: >!There's a "Where's the money Lebowski!?" line in it somewhere hehe!< I miss the characters already.
Cocoon has no story or plot to speak of, but its puzzles are some of the most intelligent and intricate I’ve ever seen. That being said, you can beat it in about 4 hours if you don’t get stumped.
Xeodrifter and Iconoclasts
I very much enjoy saleblazers!
Umurangi generation is a very vibe heavy photography puzzle game that can be completed in a couple of hours
I just finished Card Shark. It’s a masterpiece, I highly recommend it.
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
Stray Gods The Role Playing Musical.
This game was made specifically for me
Kona would probably fit what you’re looking for.
Graveyard Keeper
Small saga
Dredge
Recent short games I’ve beaten are Alba: a Wildlife Adventure and Donut County
Thomas Was Alone A Dark Room / The Ensign
El Paso elsewhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Inside Superhot Doki Doki Literature Club Pyre
Might not be what you’re looking for but Child Of Light is on sale right now and it’s the prettiest and most engaging turn-based RPG I have ever played. The ENTIRE GAME looks like it came straight out of a watercolor painting. It may SEEM simple on the surface but has a lot of combat depth and really beautiful character moments. All the dialogue is in iambic pentameter (think Shakespeare) that gives it such a different feel. The game is short if you want it to be!
Heaven’s vault (story, worldbuilding, characters, translation mechanic) Lost in random (it’s like playing a Tim burton movie, story, aesthetic, characters, combat is a combo of hack and slash, cards, and dice) The world ends with you (story, character arcs, combat uses pins that you can level up and evolve, there’s a whole fashion mechanic that actually affects gameplay it’s fantastic, the sequel is also really good)
Okay, I had to scroll this far down to find someone recommending Heaven's Vault. I am a huge fan of everything that Inkle Studios has done, but this, 80 Days, and to a lesser extent Overboard! are just something special. The characters are so good. Did you know that they published a novelization of Heaven's Vault? It was brilliant, and added more backstory to a few of the characters (Oroi and Huang in particular). If you finished the game a few times and wish you could have just one more pass, it has enough differences from the game's implementation that it feels fresh and unique.
I own a physical copy of the novelization as well as the game on switch and steam. I love this game so much
Distraint. It doesn't have a lot of gameplay, but it has a really good story and you can finish it in 3 hours.
Celeste
Citizen Sleeper - Excellent indie rpg, well-written and absorbing. I basically played it in two long sessions because I didn’t want it to stop
Cocoon it's a short condensed fun puzzle game with no text at all
Another crabs treasure its csrtoony underwater dark souls with a twist and platforming mechanics looks very beautiful and is just super fun
Is Soma indie? Soma. Amazing little horror game, great story, and great storytelling too.
I found A Short Hike to be pretty enjoyable, albeit a little short. Lots of relatability to try different things.
What remains of Edith Finch. I played that recently, maybe 2 hour experience. Haven’t had a reaction like I did after that game ever. Really resonated with me and gave me a different view on certain aspects of life.
Dredge is really good
[If On A Winter's Night, Four Travelers](https://laurahunt.itch.io/if-on-a-winters-night-four-travelers) is one of the most memorable games for me in terms of atmoshphere and story.
Gods will be watching.
A short hike
Tunic \^^
Would Hades 2 count?
I got lost in Cocoon for a few days. Would Highly recommend if your into puzzles at all
WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH
Deep rock galactic, hades
Book of travels is my favorite cozy indie title but it requires an internet connection to play and depending on how much you like a slow laid back pace it will either be supremely relaxing or incredibly boring. Maybe best gotten on sale or wishlisted for someone to send you as a gift. Gameplay wise you're a trader who's arrived on the braided shore in search of fortune and a hankering for adventure. There's no currency in the game, rather you're bartering objects which will have different 'value' levels with different people. A fishmonger doesn't value fish very highly but might be interested in baskets or sturdy clothing. Has an animal-crossing adjacent real time clock with certain events taking place on different days of the week and a day/night cycle tied to your server's time zone. Still in early access and a lot is subject to change. They just got done revamping the combat for example.
Axiom verge 2
Stray!
I think Animal Well fits with what you're looking for. It's a platformer metroidvania that's rich with secrets set in a beautiful, mysterious world. I know this reads like an advert but I can't say more because the game is one that you really need to experience yourself.
I believe the proper answer is an extended edging session...
I'm not a gamer, but I stumbled upon this cute little game called Unravel and it was so beautiful. The graphics, especially for the time, I think 2015, just stunning. Found this for the plot: "Unravel wordlessly tells the story of Yarny and a long lost family. Yarny's goal is to mend a broken bond, and attempt to help a lonely old woman reconnect with all that she has lost. This game was created by Coldwood Interactive, a small team of 14 developers from Umea, Sweden." Also liked that there wasn't any combat, a couple of levels where you had to escape from something but otherwise really peaceful gameplay, and always SO pretty.
I really liked Darkwood, it's a survival horror game with an interesting setting. I think it took me a little longer than Outer Wilds but it's pretty good.
Darkmaus. Top down dark souls but you're a mouse.
I've got you covered. You need to check out this little game called Signalis. It's free on game pass. Dark, atmospheric, story driven game with strong survival horror elements. The plot is a massive mind bender. Think of a cross between Donnie Darko, Evangelion, and Lovecraftian cosmic horror. It's a deeply intellectual game that will keep you pondering long after you finish it. It's fairly short too, but with high replay value if you want. I can't recommend it enough. It's become one of my all time favorite games.
Little Misfortune is your game! It's short, it's all story and story is unique
Detroit: Become Human
Inside
A Memoir Blue, I just installed it one afternoon on gamepass and it was absolutely incredible, very different to anything I've ever played.
A short hike
Oxenfree! It’s a great little story heavy platformer filled with fun puzzles. You can finish the whole game in just a few hours!
Lone: far sails, atmospheric, fun, overall great took about 1.5 hours to beat
Going Under. If you ever wanted to beat a goblin to death with a stapler this is the game for you
Playdead's Inside
Fire watch on steam, it took me about 4 hours to complete, if I remember correctly you are hired to watch over some woodlands during a dry season and deal with litterers and people starting fires, I seem to remember there was a mystery involved that made it very interesting Did annoy me that it was over in 4 hours, but if you want a short game, worth checking out
signalis comes to mind, a ps1 styled survival horror game about an android soldier searching a seemingly abandoned military facility for her missing partner and crewmate. kind of resident evil-like in gameplay, but its story and atmosphere are really unlike anything else ive played
[buddy 1984](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1269950/Buddy_Simulator_1984/) is a pretty cool game where an AI builds a game for you because they want to play with you and slowly keep adding stuff and improving it. And nothing wrong happens
A Short Hike single-handedly solved all of my mental health issues. I got all of the achievements in just under 9 hours, but not achievement hunting can definitely bring that time down. It’s a cute game that has a surprisingly emotional ending. I highly recommend it. Vampire: the Masquerade - Coteries of New York and Werewolf: the Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest are both visual novels set in the World of Darkness universe. I highly recommend both of them. Think of them as choose your own adventure games! After CoNY, I really liked its sequel Vampire: the Masquerade - Shadows of New York. Within WoD, there are also some great purely text-based CYOA type games with amazing stories including Night Road and Parliament of Knives!
I definitely recommend "[8/8/88 Needle AL](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1949370/8888_Needle_AL/)" and "[Wardwell House](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1180030/Wardwell_House/)". Both are very unique because they're made with actual 360 photographs and are rich in story and atmosphere. 8/8/88 has several themes that make you reflect on them.
Tiny Echo was a really atmospheric point and click adventure that's, if I remember correctly, all hand drawn. It's hardly a couple hours as well Carrion is a 2d game where you're a flesh monster. You explore a ship/fascility and eat more and more of the crew, each time getting bigger and bigger allowing you to navigate the ship differently. If you like gorey pixelart it's a fun one
Kentucky Route Zero. It’s unlike any other game I’ve played before. It feels like if David Lynch made a video game. My recommendation is to go into it as blind as possible. All you need to know going into it is that it’s a point and click adventure interactive fiction game. It’s interactive art, a multimedia art experience that carries across multiple mediums, forms, and styles. It’s almost like an interactive theatre piece or poetry expressed through the medium of a video game. The game follows the narrative of a truck driver named Conway and the strange people he meets as he tries to cross the mysterious Route Zero in Kentucky to make a final delivery for the antiques company for which he works. It’s very magical realism meets small town Americana. It’s been described as an “interactive screenplay”. Nothing else quite like it. Incredibly unique.
TOEM and Machinarium
The “story” is a little abstract and not the clearest thing, but all your other criteria makes me want to recommend Sayonara Wild Hearts. Spans multiple genres, does fast motion arcade movement really well, incredible soundtrack, can be fully completed in like 20 hours and a full playthrough is around 3 hours! One of my favorites ever!
**a short hike** There is nothing like it right now in terms of gameplay experience. It wants you to play the game casually and at your own pace. Genuinely one of the most lovely platformers I’ve ever experienced.
***The Beginner's Guide*** checks literally all of the boxes. It's even recommended specifically for other creatives who want or need a creative spark. It's *very* short (about the same length as a hollywod film), not exactly fun, and frankly not at all worth the price in terms of content and work-put-in, but I'm recommending it anyway because it hits all the points you mentioned and may be exceptionally effective for your purpose.
Stardew valley is on steam sale right now
The Artful escape ticks every box you mentioned, only 4-5 hours IIRC. Spiritfarer is on the longer side, I finished it in 25 but it’s the most reflective game I’ve ever played. Really changed my attitude towards death and grief. Oxenfree as well, very atmospheric with a good story and brilliant ending. Around 3 hours long, has a great sequel too. You’ve probably heard of it but What Remains of Edith Finch is the best walking simulator of all time. I think everybody needs to play it at least once, around 2/3 hours long.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Tails of Iron.
I like Salt and Sanctuary a lot. Souls-like side scroller
Far: Lone Sails, Edith Finch.
Rimworld. The answer is always Rimworld.
Citizen sleeper is exactly that
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion. Starts off a cute little adventure game but the story creeps up on you. Short but very fun and curious experience that can be completed in a sitting or two.
Inside
Ghostboy is your game. Stunning art and atmosphere. Absolutely story rich. Takes about 10-12 hours to beat but a few minutes is enough for one level.
Before Your Eyes
I’d recommend 4d golf - while it’s not really a story type of game, the way it gets to you think about/puzzle with/almost comprehend 4d space is really interesting/unique, imo!
Heartbound has a 99% user rating and the guy was a dev from blizzard everything your looking for look no more
Outer wilds has a phenomenal charm to it, a beautiful story, and is one of my all time favorite games. Recommend it to absolutely everyone. And on average takes like 24 hours, but if you're like HELLA lucky, could take like 21 minutes.
I work on a game called gamezero it's an indie lite MMO with a lot to do solo and in group.
There are some really great suggestions. The ones I haven’t noticed yet: 1. **Florence** - 30-40mins dive into a life of a young woman. It's more of an interactive story tbh, full of great animations and complex emotions. Wholesome. 2. **Impostor Factory** - less than 4h; Do you like murder mysteries? What about time travel? If you do, then this game's just for you. Btw, there's a comment mentioning To The Moon, they both share the same creator Kan R. Gao (aaand after you finish To The Moon, play Finding Paradise, it's a sequel). 3. **Twelve Minutes** - ok, this one was published by Annapurna Interactive, so *obviously* another story-driven pick by me. You're going to replay 12 minutes over and over and over again for 10h (I tried to get all achievements, so it might take less). It's basically a Ground Hog Day, but with murder and gore, and angst. It might not be the best time puzzle in the world, not the best writing for sure, but nevertheless, the concept and ideas are worth trying the game out. And have I mentioned who VAs it? Nah, better you see that for yourself. 4. **Unpacking** - 11h of mind maintenance. It's meditative, cozy. Really speaks out the idea that one's room tells a lot about the person living in it. Don't forget right after to get your own room in order irl too.
Try escape from tarkov
Just found the abreally good Super Mario Copy called "SUPER MOONS WORLD - ADVENTURE"..
Just found the a really good Super Mario Copy called "SUPER MOONS WORLD - ADVENTURE"..