Summary
The immersive quality of video games makes it one of the best entertainment mediums for fans to get lost in. Actively controlling a character and driving the narrative forward gives people a sense of control in these games that lets them experience story beats and gameplay moments at their own pace, making it clear why so many fans can’t get enough of playing a wealth of amazing games. The best video games know how to mold this sense of immersive to suit their stories, and this can manifest itself in some interesting ways.
Some video games do a great job of subverting expectations and making players wonder if what they’re experiencing is constrained by the bounds of reality or not. For the most part, most games are defined by certain limits, which is why it’s all the more interesting whenplayers are lulled into a false sense of securitybefore being bombarded with revelations that are executed brilliantly and make players question what’s real and what isn’t.
The firstSilent Hillfeatured monsters that were very much physical and existed as palpable threats regardless of whether Harry Mason entered this town or not. This is what makesthe change inSilent Hill 2’s approachso intense, with players not realizing until later that the monsters that James encounters during his adventures are manifestations of his guilt that serve to punish him for his actions.
On top of this, players meet characters who seem relatively normal at first glance, only to talk about things that they should have no business knowing about James. It’s not until the tail end of the game that players realize that James' entire journey throughSilent Hillis governed by the trauma that haunts him for his monstrous actions, with Maria being a great example of the same. This character resembles his wife, Mary, and is killed violently throughout the series to serve as a reminder of his heinous murder, making James question the very fabric of reality itself.
Hotline Miamiis one of the most popular and beloved indie games of all time. The fast-paced shooting action and brutal gameplay will lead to players dying numerous times before they eventually clear a level and move on, with the plot starting out relatively grounded before eventually turning into a fever dream of sorts. Corpses start talking, masked personas taunt the player, andthe game slowly becomes more surrealbefore a pivotal moment where Jacket, the protagonist, is shot and sent into a coma.
It’s revealed that Jacket was reliving the events of the past in this comatose state, finally clearing any doubts as to why the game’s perception of reality was slowly getting skewed. It can be argued thatHotline Miamiwas at its very best before this turning point, with the players' murderous rampages being called into question and making them doubt if anything shown in the game was even real or not.
Players who love walking simulators should make it a point tocheck outYume Nikki, a title where players explore a hikikomori’s dreams and uncover imagery that ranges from wondrous to deeply disturbing. The feverish nature of the game coupled with its surrealism is a huge reason why the game garnered such a massive fanbase, spawning numerous fangames and inspirations that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt why this title is one of the earliest indie games to have such a major impact on audiences.
While it’s clear that the bulk of the game takes place in Madotsuki’s dreams, some of the imagery is telling and hints at the trauma that this character has experienced in real life. It’s clear after exploring a decent chunk of the dreamscape that Madotsuki suffers from anxiety and loneliness, expressing a fear of being touched and wanting to escape this life to go somewhere else. This is manifested in the ending, where Madotsuki jumps off from the roof of her balcony, but whether this scene is real or not is brought into question because of the two Jellyfish that appear during this scene. Some people argue that the entirety of this game is a dream, while others feel that Madotsuki is already dead but can’t escape her nightmares.
Players who love psychological horror games will have a great time checking outLayers of Fear, a game that pulls no punches when it comes to showing the deteriorating mental state of a painter who is struggling to complete his magnum opus. Players explore a Victorian mansion withimpossible hallways and surreal rooms, making players wonder if the game is taking place in the painter’s mind. Reality merges with the painter’s addled mental state more often than not, causing players to question what they’re experiencing at every moment.
It’s not until later on in the story that the full picture comes to light. The painter and his wife had a passionate marriage before an incident caused her beloved’s beauty to be permanently scarred. Losing his muse causes the painter to slowly lose his artistic mojo, with his wife feeling unloved and taking drastic measures to escape her crippling loneliness. It’s a harrowing tale that warps the player’s sense of reality to tell a compelling story.
The absurdism ofThe Stanley Parableis prevalent from the word go, with players controlling a mundane office worker who is thrust into a peculiar situation when everyone in his office randomly disappears. This causes players to go down a wild route, experiencing numerous endings as a hilarious narrator keeps players engaged with his dry wit. The sheer number of ending paths players can experience makes it clear whyThe Stanley Parablewas such a major indie phenomenonwhen it launched.
While the regular ending path can still be believed to an extent, it’s when players check out the path less traveled that reality breaks down. The narrator breaks the fourth wall numerous times, with one of the endings letting players explore a museum with concept art for the game. It’s wild to see all the endings this game has in store for players, making for a fun experience as players experience the entirety of whatThe Stanley Parablehas to offer.
