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
An interesting continuation of the mechanics from Human Resource Machine.
An interesting game about living with depression.
The impact of the villain can be felt throughout this game much more than any other NES game I've played.
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.
An interesting marriage of a golf game and a horror game.
Interesting use of the concept of infinity.
A really interesting take on the horror genre that changed it forever.
The three-day system is such an interesting concept that I haven't seen executed better since this game's release.
Use the size of objects to instil horror better than any game I've ever seen.
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.
Look at the vibes of this game.
Time is used in an interesting way during the opening of the game.
The idea of staying in one place whilst the monsters come to you is still a really interesting concept for a horror game.
Interesting detective mechanics and brings about the idea of how you can give a previously explored location a new feeling with a new protagonist.
Interesting example of a game being made to get people fit.
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.
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.
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.
Gives off the feeling of watching late night television whilst drifting in and out of sleep.
Turns the idea of a road trip into a video game.
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.
Incredible atmosphere. The original Spyro trilogy are some of the best looking games on the PS1.
One of the most interesting examples of integrating music into gameplay that I have ever seen.
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