Recommended Oddities
Exploration games, abstract experiences, unique, experimental, surreal, off-beat, left-field, and arthouse stuff. Or, occasionally, normal games with a touch of weird in them. All with at least a light recommendation from yours truly! A good variety of genres in here. This list will continue to grow.
Newest additions (entries cleared after about one month or when I get to it):
Newest additions (entries cleared after about one month or when I get to it):
125 Games
[ ADVENTURE / HORROR ]
Yume Nikki fan game in which a lost pistol must be returned. Still very early in development, but certainly worth keeping an eye out for—with a completely unique, grain-heavy, color-blasted aesthetic that sears the back of the brain and overwhelms the senses. A revitalizing experience for those looking for something fresh in their YNFGs.
Yume Nikki fan game in which a lost pistol must be returned. Still very early in development, but certainly worth keeping an eye out for—with a completely unique, grain-heavy, color-blasted aesthetic that sears the back of the brain and overwhelms the senses. A revitalizing experience for those looking for something fresh in their YNFGs.
[ ADVENTURE ]
A small, mostly lighthearted exploration game in a blobbish environment with a couple blobbish people in it. The motion blur is pretty intense (seemingly on purpose) but the sound design and overall aesthetic are really good.
A small, mostly lighthearted exploration game in a blobbish environment with a couple blobbish people in it. The motion blur is pretty intense (seemingly on purpose) but the sound design and overall aesthetic are really good.
[ ACTION ]
A typing game in which players must carry out the punishments dealt to various figures in ancient Greek mythology. There is no winning here.
A typing game in which players must carry out the punishments dealt to various figures in ancient Greek mythology. There is no winning here.
[ SIMULATION ]
The always acid-frazzled Timothy Leary has a DOS "video game" that's actually more of a psychoanalysis tool and it's about as weird as you'd think. Probably the least accessible thing on this list.
The always acid-frazzled Timothy Leary has a DOS "video game" that's actually more of a psychoanalysis tool and it's about as weird as you'd think. Probably the least accessible thing on this list.
[ ADVENTURE ]
Seizure-inducing exploration game with strange beings roaming around. Simple and short.
Seizure-inducing exploration game with strange beings roaming around. Simple and short.
[ ADVENTURE ]
Players are provided with a couple televisions and a massive stack of VHS tapes, which they can play in any combination to receive a guest.
Players are provided with a couple televisions and a massive stack of VHS tapes, which they can play in any combination to receive a guest.
[ ADVENTURE ]
Short, linear exploration game.
Short, linear exploration game.
[ ADVENTURE / CREATIVE / INT FIC ]
Explore an abstract, cartographic landscape, throughout which people have placed their short-form thoughts, feelings, and poetry. Players are no longer able to jot down their own works, but the library can still be explored.
Explore an abstract, cartographic landscape, throughout which people have placed their short-form thoughts, feelings, and poetry. Players are no longer able to jot down their own works, but the library can still be explored.
[ MUSIC / SANDBOX / VR ONLY ]
Music-reactive particle physics sandbox. Great if you like looking at shiny things. My full review of this is on its page!
Music-reactive particle physics sandbox. Great if you like looking at shiny things. My full review of this is on its page!
[ ADVENTURE ]
Very abstract exploration game. Nice colors.
Very abstract exploration game. Nice colors.
[ ADVENTURE / INT FIC ]
A short text adventure game in which you attempt to haggle a shopkeeper's food prices down. Or you could take a look around?
A short text adventure game in which you attempt to haggle a shopkeeper's food prices down. Or you could take a look around?
[ ADVENTURE ]
Explore a trippy and surreal procedurally-generated building full of TVs. No longer officially available, so you'll have to find a mirror.
Explore a trippy and surreal procedurally-generated building full of TVs. No longer officially available, so you'll have to find a mirror.
[ ADVENTURE ]
A short exploration game developed for an rpgmaker.net challenge where developers kept their games' lengths over ten minutes and their file sizes under 1.44 MB. Excellent presentation with a lovely limited palette. World and character designs stand out. Peaceful, calm vibes all around.
A short exploration game developed for an rpgmaker.net challenge where developers kept their games' lengths over ten minutes and their file sizes under 1.44 MB. Excellent presentation with a lovely limited palette. World and character designs stand out. Peaceful, calm vibes all around.
[ ADVENTURE / VR ONLY ]
Exploration game set in a desolate but clean complex in a grayscale world. The building comes off as a sort of nearly-empty museum, with some rooms emptier than others. The setting seems to concern itself more with the rooms themselves than the objects within them—in a sense, it feels like a game about architecture. Hits a very specific vibe that I like, but one that some may find bland.
Exploration game set in a desolate but clean complex in a grayscale world. The building comes off as a sort of nearly-empty museum, with some rooms emptier than others. The setting seems to concern itself more with the rooms themselves than the objects within them—in a sense, it feels like a game about architecture. Hits a very specific vibe that I like, but one that some may find bland.
[ ADVENTURE ]
Explore a damaged, dead computer world as a virtual pet.
Explore a damaged, dead computer world as a virtual pet.
[ ACTION-ADVENTURE / HORROR ]
Surrealist undead action-adventure and horror game with some eerie vibes and interesting enemy designs.
Surrealist undead action-adventure and horror game with some eerie vibes and interesting enemy designs.
[ ADVENTURE ]
A small Yume Nikki fan game in which you must find and serve drinks to customers by entering each of the surreal worlds they provide access to. This one is on the more humorous side of things, without forgoing that classic YNFG atmosphere.
A small Yume Nikki fan game in which you must find and serve drinks to customers by entering each of the surreal worlds they provide access to. This one is on the more humorous side of things, without forgoing that classic YNFG atmosphere.
[ ADVENTURE ]
Surrealist Yume Nikki fan game. Unfortunately, it wasn't translated yet when I tried to play it. This normally wouldn't matter for a YNFG, but it was very dialog and puzzle heavy. I understand that it has a translation now, and will have to check it out again soon.
Surrealist Yume Nikki fan game. Unfortunately, it wasn't translated yet when I tried to play it. This normally wouldn't matter for a YNFG, but it was very dialog and puzzle heavy. I understand that it has a translation now, and will have to check it out again soon.
[ ADVENTURE / HORROR ]
A Yume Nikki fan game with a somewhat darker presentation. It's fairly small, and development was abandoned in favor of new projects, but still worth looking into.
A Yume Nikki fan game with a somewhat darker presentation. It's fairly small, and development was abandoned in favor of new projects, but still worth looking into.
[ ADVENTURE ]
Walk along the beach as a fire-breathing seagull.
Walk along the beach as a fire-breathing seagull.
[ ADVENTURE ]
An in-development furry Yume Nikki fan game that includes significantly more linear adventure-style gameplay than its contemporaries, as well as charming character dialogue.
An in-development furry Yume Nikki fan game that includes significantly more linear adventure-style gameplay than its contemporaries, as well as charming character dialogue.
[ ADVENTURE ]
Brightly-colored exploration game about navigating trans spaces as a person going through their own transition. There are a few small areas to explore, and their inhabitants' reactions to your transition change depending on how you spend your skill points (hormones), which you also accrue through dialogue options.
Brightly-colored exploration game about navigating trans spaces as a person going through their own transition. There are a few small areas to explore, and their inhabitants' reactions to your transition change depending on how you spend your skill points (hormones), which you also accrue through dialogue options.
[ CREATIVE / DRIVING ]
Drive through the HyperLight Void, an infinite pitch black field, with your motorcycle that leaves behind a trail of color you can use to decorate the plane. The game tunes you into a lo-fi beats station right away, though you have the option to enter an online radio station's address of your own choosing. And that's pretty much it—this game runs entirely on vibes.
Drive through the HyperLight Void, an infinite pitch black field, with your motorcycle that leaves behind a trail of color you can use to decorate the plane. The game tunes you into a lo-fi beats station right away, though you have the option to enter an online radio station's address of your own choosing. And that's pretty much it—this game runs entirely on vibes.
[ ADVENTURE / HORROR ]
Yume Nikki fan game about Spencer, who begins to explore a long-abandoned MMO. No longer being developed, but still worthwhile.
Yume Nikki fan game about Spencer, who begins to explore a long-abandoned MMO. No longer being developed, but still worthwhile.
[ ADVENTURE / PLATFORMER ]
Take on the Trial of Lizards by lighting all four beacons in the void.
Take on the Trial of Lizards by lighting all four beacons in the void.
6 Comments
Looks like it'd fit in, but I haven't played it. I think Jacob Geller touched on this game in one of his vids, or maybe it was another from this dev? Looks neat, though.
Post Void for sure, seems tailor made for this set. I guess Cruelty Squad as well, if it qualifies.
Oh, Post Void looks really cool! And yeah, I'm sure Cruelty Squad would fit right in here, I just haven't played it yet. It's been sitting on the backlog for a while but I'm waiting until I'm in the mood for it
May I recommend some platformers?
The first one is a classic: Jet Set Willy for the ZX Spectrum. Arguably one of the creators of the collectathon genre; inarguably odd and surreal.
The second one is Closure. A puzzle platformer with a great sense of style and atmosphere.
Finally, Birdsong, a short metroidvania that with, uh, unique approach to mapping.
The first one is a classic: Jet Set Willy for the ZX Spectrum. Arguably one of the creators of the collectathon genre; inarguably odd and surreal.
The second one is Closure. A puzzle platformer with a great sense of style and atmosphere.
Finally, Birdsong, a short metroidvania that with, uh, unique approach to mapping.
Such a neat, well put together list! There's so much to look at here.
Gonna have to check out more of your lists.
Gonna have to check out more of your lists.
saintfrog
2 years ago