Summary
In the world of gaming, some titles push boundaries, going beyond simple entertainment and challenging our perceptions of what a video game can be. By reaching out of the game and playing with the system it’s on directly, they mess with your expectations, break the fourth wall, and sometimes make you question the genre itself.
If you’re up for an experience that plays with your mind and your machine, here are some games that go beyond being “just games”.
8The Prisoner
Do. Not. Give. Up. The. Code.
You have to give a nod to one of the earliest examples of games manipulating the system: The Prisoner. Released in 1980, this game was inspired by the 1960s TV Show of the same name and was a pioneering experience in both systems and mind manipulation.
It challenges your sense of reality by making you a prisoner within the game, even attempting to control and confuse your input. The Prisoner even ignores your commands entirely or provides misleading information. The title set the stage for all the other games on this list. And remember, do not give up the code.
Released in 2002, Eternal Darkness onGameCubewas an ambitious game ahead of its time. One of its most innovative features is the sanity meter, which reflects the character’s psychological state and has a direct impact on both gameplay and your perception as a player.
As the sanity meter decreases, strange things start to happen: the game simulates system errors, pretends to delete your save files, shrinks your character… and even turns down the volume on your TV. If you have a GameCube gathering dust in your attic, it’s worth playing.
6There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension
There is no headline.
There is no game on this list, so it’s useless if you keep reading.
There is no game: Wrong Dimension starts by claiming it’s not a game, and you’re just an “annoying user” trying to play it. But if you arm yourself with patience, just play this game. It’s worth a try. It breaks all the rules of the medium, constantly surprising you with its meta-commentary and unpredictable interactions.
There is no game: Wrong Dimension may not want you to play, but deep down, it just loves messing with you.
5Pony Island
The devil behind a “cute” arcade game
Don’t be fooled by itscute arcade game appearance,Pony Island is anything but innocent. This game traps you in a corrupted arcade machine where nothing is as it seems. It interacts with your computer in unsettling ways, to say the least, making you question what’s real and what’s part of the game.
It constantly breaks the fourth wall and turns the experience into a strange, disorienting nightmare. By the time you finally escape, you’ll be looking at your computer screen a little differently.
Inscryptionis unpredictable, blending genres like deck-building, roguelike, and escape room all in one game. If you may’t decide what to play, this game is for you.
Created by the same mind behind Pony Island, Inscryption plays with both gameplay mechanics and your system, manipulating files through the cards you play. It’s a game that continues surprising you, constantly turning the tables (metaphorically and literally) and taking ideas from other games to expand on them in surprising ways.
Playing your cards right takes on a whole new meaning here…
3KinitoPET
Smile for the camera!
KinitoPET just wants you to be its friend, so you’d better listen carefully. This is the first game developed by its sole creator, troy-en. He crafted a mischievous little game that interacts with your desktop in unexpected ways, blurring the line between the game world and reality. From altering your wallpaper to even trying to access your command prompt.
Kinito Pet brings the game to your computer. It’s charming yet unsettling, leaving you unsure whether you’re inside or outside the game. Just make sure to flash a big smile for the camera.
Doki Doki Literature Clubwill be impressed as a landmark in visual novel history (whether for better or worse). It begins as a typical anime-style dating sim with a classic harem protagonist and the most stereotypical female characters, but that’s exactly where Monika gets you.
This game not only plays with your emotions, it plays with your entire system, making you an integral part of the horror that unfolds. It’s no coincidence that you’re greeted with the warning: “This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.”
Undertaleis one of those games that will be discussed endlessly for years to come. It’s not just the quirky characters or the choice-based gameplay that makes it special.
This game goes so far as to mess with your save files and remember every choice you make, even after you’ve restarted the game. You can decide how to proceed - whether to fight or show mercy - and even complete the gamewithout landing a single hit. But proceed with caution, because Undertale will remember that. Better safe than sorry.
