The term “Walking Simulator” was coined as an insult to games that lacked the standard functions or length of regular games but relished in its artistic form and narrative strengths. Not a lot of AAA titles demand or deliver the kind of moral engagement that is present in these small games made by indie developers.
Walking Simulators have a niche fanbase and most hardcore gamers hate the genre and often pass them off as boring. In this list we look at 10 of the best games that represent the essence of concentrated storytelling and engrossing art which makes up a “Walking Simulator”.
10. Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture
Developed by: The Chinese Room & Santa Monica Studios
Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment
A spiritual successor to another great game Dear Esther, Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture takes place in a fictional English town called Yaughton in 1984. The town’s inhabitants have mysteriously disappeared and it’s up to the player to find out why.
9. Last Day of June
Developed by: Ovosonico
Published by: 505 Games
Based on the song “Drive Home” by British progressive rock artist Steven Wilson, Last Day of June is about a wheelchair bound man who is coming to terms with the accident that took his partner’s life through her various paintings. Last Day of June is a haunting tale of letting go elevated by a beautiful soundtrack by Steven Wilson.
8. Night in the Woods
Developed by: Infinite Fall & Secret Lab
Published by: Finji
Night in the Woods follows the story of college dropout Mae, an anthropomorphic cat who returns to her hometown discovering the effects of the shutdown of the town’s coal plant and the disappearance of her friend Casey which leads her to the woods. Tackling issues like depression and class struggle, Night in the Woods is a wonderful story best experienced in the Weird Autumn edition which includes extra content and companion games.
7. Jazzpunk Director’s Cut
Developed by: Necrophone Games
Published by: Adult Swim Games
Jazzpunk is the quintessential comedy game for pop culture fans as this game is packed with references from pre 2000 era films like James Bond, games like Quake, wrestling, and influences from cyberpunk and film noir. The game begins when Polybank is given missions by a top-secret spy agency working out of an abandoned subway in Japanada in the late 1950s. Each assassination begins with ingesting a dose of prescription medicine which results in some hilarious and wacky shenanigans like cooking a mechanical pig, smuggling pigeons and wrestling a monster truck.
6. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Developed by: The Astronauts
Published by: The Astronauts
Created by Polish developers formerly of Gears of War team People Can Fly, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter takes place in 1973 as paranormal investigator Prospero travels to Wisconsin to investigate the author of a fan letter, a 12-year-old boy called Ethan Carter. He discovers the Carter family has gone missing and a rash of supernatural events have begun taking place in the remote town.
5. >observer_
Developed by: Bloober Team
Published by: Aspyr
Another Polish made game on this list, inspired by Blade Runner this first-person psychological horror game starring Rutger Hauer is a masterful mix of cyberpunk mythos and horror. Polish detective Daniel Lazarksi, an agent of the Observer unit investigates a string of murders in Krakow by interrogating various suspects by hacking into their brain implants.
4. Firewatch
Developed by: Campo Santo
Published by: Panic
Firewatch is an immersive look into the life of a fire lookout Henry, as he navigates through the hurdles of his new job at the Shoshone National Forest. As the days pass by, Henry and his supervisor Delilah become involved in a mystery from the park’s sketchy past. Firewatch builds suspense in isolation and uncertainty as the only companion you have is the voice in your walkie talkie.
3. Oxenfree
Developed by: Night School Studio
Published by: Night School Studio
The debut game from Night School Studio is influenced by classic teen films with a harrowing soundtrack by scntfc. This coming of age story follows a group of friends visiting a local island for a party and accidentally opening a dimensional rift with their radio and the horrors within. Oxenfree has no game over conditions as every dialogue or decisional choices you make affect your relationship with the other characters and thus determine the ending.
2. The Stanley Parable
Developed by: Galactic Cafe
Published by: Galactic Cafe
Remade on the Source Engine after its initial release in 2011 as a mod for Half Life 2, The Stanley Parable is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling. Office worker Stanley finds himself in his abandoned workplace guided by a narrator through various different weird scenarios with the choice to obey or disobey the narrative. With hilarious fourth wall breaking moments, this game is a thought-provoking lesson on the nature and consequences of one’s decisions.
1. What Remains of Edith Finch
Developed by: Giant Sparrow
Published by: Annapurna Interactive
A hopeful Edith Finch returns to her ancestral home at Orcas Island off the coast of Washington after her mother dies. She learns about her relatives by visiting their rooms which have been turned into shrines in their memory and learn more about her family history and the curse which causes one family member of each generation to die unnaturally. What Remains of Edith Finch is an enchantingly sad tale about the deterioration of an immigrant family portrayed through vividly beautiful memory sequences enhanced by an amazing soundtrack by composer Jeff Russo and is a triumph in its genre.