Games That Do Something Interesting With The Art Form
Slowly adding notes to these to explain why they're on the list as I get the time.
Just a list of games I've played that remind me why I love video games. Every game on this whether a masterpiece or simply just ok explores concepts that can only be explored within video games. This includes games with interesting aesthetics that are worth exploring in the medium of video games, games that say something interesting about video games, games that let you explore an interesting environment in a way that other art forms wouldn't allow, games that do something I have never seen before, to games that simply have a few interesting scenes or techniques that could only exist in a video game. These aren't my favourite games just the ones that make me excited about gaming as an art form.
These games also have to be interesting from a modern-day perspective. I want someone to be able to pick up any of these games and experience something unique. That wouldn't happen if this list was filled with influential games that shaped video games, yes, but without the context of when they came out wouldn't seem that unique.
Just a list of games I've played that remind me why I love video games. Every game on this whether a masterpiece or simply just ok explores concepts that can only be explored within video games. This includes games with interesting aesthetics that are worth exploring in the medium of video games, games that say something interesting about video games, games that let you explore an interesting environment in a way that other art forms wouldn't allow, games that do something I have never seen before, to games that simply have a few interesting scenes or techniques that could only exist in a video game. These aren't my favourite games just the ones that make me excited about gaming as an art form.
These games also have to be interesting from a modern-day perspective. I want someone to be able to pick up any of these games and experience something unique. That wouldn't happen if this list was filled with influential games that shaped video games, yes, but without the context of when they came out wouldn't seem that unique.
211 Games
Before Your Eyes uses your webcam to monitor when you blink which it then uses as a gameplay mechanic. This alone would give Before Your Eyes a place on this list but where the game really shines is how it uses this gimmick to communicate the story and themes of the game. The hardest part of this game is trying not to blink when your eyes are full of tears.
Virtual museums have been made before and have always fascinated me. What puts Monuments to Guilt on this list whilst other virtual museums are absent is its dedication to replicating a real museum. If you told me this was a one-to-one replica of a real-life museum I would 100% believe you if I didn't know any better. Monuments to Guilt also deserves a spot on this list for being a game that taught me a lot. I thought I knew about hostile bench design before this but Monuments to Guilt really opened my eyes to just how hostile most cities are for homeless people.
An exploration of the concept of dreams in a way so interesting that rarely a day goes by where I don't think about this game.
An interesting game about the perils of game development and fan culture.
An interesting exploration of vapourwave.
An actually good liminal space game in the ocean of mediocre trash that usually makes up that genre. Has a really interesting photo mechanic.
A horror game that uses claustrophobia and a lack of visuals to elicit a feeling of fear that no other game has.
Look at the vibes of this game.
A puzzle game that uses perspective itself as a puzzle mechanic.
Uses live-action in a really interesting way to craft a great mystery game.
An interesting game that communicates via a 2000s PC.
One of the few games that manages to balance beauty and horror perfectly. It's also a game which is endlessly deep, with so much to discover that we'll likely be searching for its final secrets for years to come.
An interesting marriage of a golf game and a horror game.
Every game that is a part of Haunted Cities Volume IV is fascinating in its own right. Each of them gives off a unique feeling of horror that I haven't experienced elsewhere.
One of the most interesting uses of colour I have ever seen in a game.
A game made up of three unique movies made for the game.
An interesting game about manipulating the rules of a video game.
A horror game that manages to make you scared of your own home.
Interesting use of the concept of infinity.
Use the size of objects to instil horror better than any game I've ever seen.
The portal gun mechanic is genius.
Manages to somehow improve upon the perfection of the original Portal. Adds tons of new interesting ideas to the original Portal Gun mechanic making the origianal Portal feel like a tech demo.
A really interesting horror concept about observing a location for anomalies.
I don't even really like this game. It's just one of the first examples of a short game about a darker topic going viral and paved the way for better games to gain recognition.
One of the most interesting examples of integrating music into gameplay that I have ever seen.
This (and its sequel) are the only games that I've played that look truly photorealistic. If you took a random screenshot of this game it would look like a photograph nine times out of ten. Whilst I'm not the kind of person to demand realistic graphics in games (in fact I normally prefer something more stylised), achieving photorealism is something that should be celebrated on a pure artistic front. It's what games have been moving towards since the beginning and now it's finally been achieved, albeit in a setting that's relatively speaking easier to make look photorealistic than other locales would.
An interesting game that deals with the idea of out-of-bounds locations in games. I would love to see this concept expanded on in the future.
An interesting concept of the eeriness of playing a multiplayer game by yourself. Does devolve into nonsense later on but the first ten minutes of this thirty minute game are great.
A gamified version of the feeling of going clubbing taken to the extreme.
An interesting game about depression.
An interesting parody of the very concept of a demo.
A metacommentary on game structure and the relationship between developers and those who play their games.
Both a remake and sequel to the original The Stanley Parable and a commentary on the idea of sequels and remakes.
An interesting game about living with depression.
Gives off the feeling of watching late night television whilst drifting in and out of sleep.
A fun satire about the structure of free-to-play mobile games.
Untitled Goose Game is one of the only comedy games I can think of where the humour comes from the gameplay instead of the writing. It's comedy and more specifically slapstick translated into a gameplay mechanic.
A really interesting take on the horror genre that changed it forever.
Resident Evil VII: Biohazard is straight up the scariest game I've ever played which would on its own warrant it a spot on this list, but weirdly that's not why this game sprang to mind when compiling these titles. No, it's two other things.
One, the idea of viewing a tape in-game and then playing out what's on that tape is a really interesting concept.
And two, the first boss fight against Jack is one of the tensest boss fights in anything. Scrambling together to find any way to kill this seemingly immortal man is just amazing. It's a very scripted boss fight that manages to feel more free-form. You get into the car to ram him not because that feels like the obvious way to do damage but out of a sense of desperation to do anything to slow him down. There have been few times in a game where my only thought has been "I need to kill this guy now" but this was one of them.
One, the idea of viewing a tape in-game and then playing out what's on that tape is a really interesting concept.
And two, the first boss fight against Jack is one of the tensest boss fights in anything. Scrambling together to find any way to kill this seemingly immortal man is just amazing. It's a very scripted boss fight that manages to feel more free-form. You get into the car to ram him not because that feels like the obvious way to do damage but out of a sense of desperation to do anything to slow him down. There have been few times in a game where my only thought has been "I need to kill this guy now" but this was one of them.
A really interesting VR game. It's a shame about the Justin Roiland shaped elephant in the room.
Makes you the monster in a really interesting way.
Used the player's perspective as a game mechanic before games like Superliminal did. Whilst that game used the mechanic much better than Perspective did, Perspective still deserves some credit.
The three-day system is such an interesting concept that I haven't seen executed better since this game's release.
Has the really interesting mechanic of going into the walls. Also allows you to explore an old world in a new way.
Completely redefined the open world genre.
The sheer possibilities of the physics engine in this game amazes me.
Interesting example of a game being made to get people fit.
Incredible atmosphere. The original Spyro trilogy are some of the best looking games on the PS1.
The vibes of this game are so dreamlike and magical.
Interesting anti-piracy measures.
Adapts the Yakuza mechanics into a much more wholesome context.
Truly one of the most expansive games I've ever played which somehow manages to avoid falling into the traps that most games this long and expansive do.
A perfectly executed video game prequel.
Interesting detective mechanics and brings about the idea of how you can give a previously explored location a new feeling with a new protagonist.
Uses the main character as a way to justify turn-based RPG tropes in an interesting way in the game.
By existing it justifies the idea of smaller spin-off titles that mostly just reuse assets to exist more.
Does multiple interesting things. Integrates a character's illness into gameplay in a devastating way, integrates side-content in a way that most games can only dream of, and works nostalgia into the game in a way that doesn't feel pandering but instead like a true celebration of the Like a Dragon series.
A game that truly makes you feel like Spider-Man. Is a great example of how video games can put you in the shoes of an iconic fictional character.
Still one of the best-looking games I've ever played. That mixed with some of the most creative level concepts ever seen in a 2D platformer made this game an obvious choice for this list.
The perfect celebration of all things Nintendo and to a lesser extent gaming as a whole.
The impact of the villain can be felt throughout this game much more than any other NES game I've played.
Turns the idea of a road trip into a video game.
Interesting way of doing a remake by expanding so much on a small part of the game it's "remaking".
Time is used in an interesting way during the opening of the game.
An interesting game that helps teach the thought process needed for programming.
An interesting continuation of the mechanics from Human Resource Machine.
The idea of staying in one place whilst the monsters come to you is still a really interesting concept for a horror game.
Outsmarting a single character without the ability to move is really interesting to me.
To play this game you really need to have your volume high preferably with headphones. This is just a great way to make jumpscares work. Yeah, jumpscares are normally one of the laziest forms of horror but the way Five Nights at Freddy's 4 plays around with that concept is interesting.
The use of gravity in this game is really fun.
The idea of becoming the enemies in the game is really interesting.
Anti-gravity is such a cool idea for a racing game.
The idea of being able to create your own Mario levels is a really fun one.
4 Comments
Ditto!
Is that the right FFII?
The_Gaming_Dog12 - thanks for pointing that out to me. All fixed now.
snimat
7 months ago