The Walking Simulator Reclamation Project
Ah, the “Walking Simulator”. A genre name both used as a pejorative and reclaimed as positive. I’ve gone back and forth on whether we should be calling them First Person Adventures or Mood Walkers or literally anything else, but I suppose when it comes to video game genre names… well.
I feel like this genre has gotten a raw deal over the last few years - Once What Remains of Edith Finch released, it’s like games crit as a whole just packed up their bags and said, “Yep, we’re done here!” Which sucks, because there’s so many amazing experiences right there coming out every single year. Here’s a chunky list to sink your teeth into.
A Cure For Jessica
A cheap less-than-an-hour sci-fi experience about a mother trying to save her daughter from a deadly virus on an alien(?) planet. A little too real? maybe, but it’s gorgeous and got nice voice acting!
I don't think I've walked this stretch of road before
The strength of walking sims are in their capital M Mood, and boy does I don't think I've walked this stretch of road before have that in spades. Short, ambiguous, atmospheric, emotional.
Ghost on the Shore
Ghost on the Shore is a higher budget “one of these”, chasing in the Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture vein of beautiful graphical style with a story to tell. Throw in some narrative-effecting choices to make as you wander and uncover the story and you have this obvious winner.
One Step After Fall
And now we wrap around to where it all started - Dear Esther-esque introspective narrative about a writer questioning the meaning of his life. A Brazilian original!
Under The Warehouse
My first touchstone for Under The Warehouse is The Beginners Guide, but only insofar as graphical style - narratively, this surreal adventure with puzzles has you clambering through a warehouse in search of a rainbow egg.
TAPE: Unveil the Memories
Set in the good old 90s, TAPE sports a really cool time rewind mechanic that is used in clever ways to puzzle your way through a small town environment. Halfway between Gone Home and Superliminal, with a tinge of horror built in.
Title_Pending
Ah yes, the good old meta-fictional “you are play testing a game as the game” schtick. It’s great hook, and the quality here in Title_Pending is top notch. Very The Stanley Parable adjacent.
Mini Mecum
Any game touting "existentialism, philosophy, and anxiety” as a selling point already has me weak in the knees, and Mini Mecum offers this and more with a great art style, trippy spaces and surprises aplenty.
Pizza Ghest
Free
Potentially more style than substance with this one, but Pizza Ghest sure has fantastic style. Also, it’s free! So there’s nothing stopping you from downloading and checking it out. Order a pizza from hell and die trying.
Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County
Grace knocks it out of the ark once again in one of the most charming, hilarious series out there. You are a frog detective, here to solve a mystery! No really, for real.
Titan Station
Firewatch, but set on a space station, set far in the future year of 1999. It’s cool to see some of that Epic mega-grant money going to small projects like this, and to to see it produce such beautiful results.
EDENGATE: The Edge of Life
If Stray was envisioning Uncharted through the eyes of a cat, then Edengate envisions Stray through the eyes of a human. A somewhat darker game, Edengate sure has some technical prowess to back up it’s musings. A pandemic game if I ever did see one.
The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe
A brilliant remake/sequel/re-imagining of the original cult classic. You can check out my full thoughts here, but in short - an easy must play, whether you’ve played the original or not.
Eschaton
A wonderful, short low poly adventure where you explore the grounds of a cult in the aftermath of a ritual in the Scottish highlands.
Albert Innovation
Free
Chapter 1 of what’s sure to be an interesting project, Albert Innovation’s unique hand drawn 3D style blends with an intriguing narrative set within an old technological powerhouse company building.