The best introspective story games

Key foods

• Firewatch's compelling mystery unfolds in solitude with introspective gameplay and emotional connections.
• Awakening features surreal battles interwoven with healing and meditation, with popular help.
• A Short Hike's peaceful open world provides a space for introspection with activities and no conflict.

The prospect of massive games, with huge pieces and exciting action, can be overwhelming for any player looking for a more relaxed and contemplative experience. Fortunately, there are plenty of introspective and emotional games that will please fans of any genre. Many games put the player in isolated situations or slowly uncover narratives that are emotional and hidden.

Others emphasize player choice and agency, or the cozy nature of gaming as a medium. These introspective titles are often slow and take their time, but they can also be some of the most powerful experiences in modern gaming. These are some of the best introverted titles for fans of quiet, thoughtful games.

1 fire department

The secret of solitude in the desert

Dive into the woods of Wyoming, fire department It sees players take on the role of a man who has escaped his previous life and become a lone ranger. Sitting in complete isolation and watching the vast expanse of nature, his only contact with the outside world comes in the form of a radio conversation with his boss, Delilah.

These moments of connection become focal points for the player, with a silent exploration in between giving fans a chance to reflect on where they came from and the nature of their relationships. With an odd mystery to uncover, and gameplay that focuses on introspection as well as exploring the haunting landscape, any fan of slower games will love it. fire department.

2 waking up

Exploring the mind

• was published: June 18, 2020
• Platforms: PC, Xbox One
• Developer: Jason Oda

One of the strangest backgrounds for a video game. waking up It sees players using their emotions and thoughts as weapons. Players are invited to think of the entire game as something between a therapy session and a meditation, as they battle their negative self-perceptions and use weapons named after the qualities they find most positive about themselves. they see

While the combat is exciting and tense, the dream world that must be traversed between each encounter uses surrealism to provide a strange and wonderful exploration experience. With the emotional aspect of summoning loved ones and beloved animals to help players, it's easy to see why this thoughtful game has become so popular.

3 What's left of Edith Finch

Discovering the tragic secrets of the family

Exploring a large house as she tries to piece together the disparate strands of her family's history, players What's left of Edith FinchMore and more of what happened to the Finch family will be revealed through Edith's own eyes.

The game is divided into the stories of different family members, each taking on a different style but reaching the same tragic end. Each story comes together to form a portrait of a family struggling to free themselves from the shadow of mortality in a game that asks players to really think about the story they're experiencing.

4 went home

Explore your family home on a stormy night

similar to What's left of Edith Finch, went home It allows players to enter an abandoned house, which at first appears to be quite an eerie environment. On a stormy night, the player returns home to find the house empty. Fans must find a way to let themselves in, where they'll find scattered clues about what's going on with their family.

At first, these letters and notes tucked away in closets paint a fragmented picture of what happened in the house, but as players continue to solve simple puzzles and become familiar with familiar halls, the story that takes center stage is a love story. . The coming-of-age romance is a great treat for those players who can trust a slower pace and more storytelling.

5 in front of your eyes

Emotional exploration through a whole life story

Using a strange storytelling device by advancing the narrative every time the player blinks, in front of your eyes It sees the player go to the afterlife and tell the story of life to a sailor who helps the protagonist. Key moments in the character's life are shown and pass faster with each blink.

The story is beautifully voiced and makes its purpose clear early on, doubling down on the emotional story about the passing of time and the value of life. in front of your eyes It has a simple gameplay trick that goes a long way in making this a thoughtful experience that forces fans to look inside.

6 Night in the forest

A humble homecoming for a young cat

Somewhere between an episode of becoming more and more and melancholy mood of Life is strange, Night in the forest It sees cat protagonist Mae Borowski return to her hometown after dropping out of college. Returning home is very sad, with her friends all grown up and things changed from when Mai was a child.

But the game strikes a perfect balance between humor and heartbreak, while also providing space for the eerie happenings in the forest. The core gameplay consists of exploring, chatting with lovable characters, and finding Mae's place in a city that has moved on without her.

7 short walk

If you like, climb a mountain

Perhaps the game that provides the most space for introspection, short walk It allows players to do as they please in a small open world that is free of any major conflicts. plants, racing with his friends, riding water vehicles, playing volleyball and collecting feathers.

His overall mission is to climb to the top of the mountain just to feel successful. His journey is not really important. The player makes what they want out of the game and it is completely in the hands of the person playing the game short walk To decide what it is