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Desolate games?

Orta

Orta

Banned
I've recently repayed three of my all time favourite games, Tomb Raider 1, Super Metroid and Quake. I'm also currently playing Unravel 2.

One thing they all have in common (maybe Quake to a lesser extent) is the overwhelming sense of isolation in their respective game worlds. It really does feel at times as if it's you and you alone in their expansive environments save for the ocassional ruckus. And its the best thing about them imo.

So I'd be really interested in knowing what else is out there (any gen) or you if share a similar liking for barren and desolate yet atmospheric games?
 
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Fuel (2009) game - very relaxing to just roam around
Dark Souls games. Especially 2 and 3. Just drab, sad atmosphere
The Darkness (2007) is very atmospheric
Gears of war trilogy
Some parts of Half-Life 2
Doom 3
 
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Dead Space.

I just love the theme of space and horror. You never know what lies around the next corner.

Bloodbornes atmosphere is also something else. This game has a special place in my heart.


For the future I hope that the new System Shock will be just as good. It sure looks like it.
 
Shadow of the Colossus springs to mind

I do like the empty or "negative" space in game, but prefer it when coupled with areas of human habitation that you can return to.

(Death Stranding nearly but not quiet delivers on this /nopun)
 
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Shadow of The Colossus is the king of desolation.

Everywhere there are ruins that look like an ancient civilisation once thrived there. It's amazing to explore and full of fan lore.

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Dead Space and Shadow of the Colossus are two I really have to try. Think Dead Space may even be on my Steam account.

Music or lack of I find plays a major part in generating atmosphere in these particular kind of games, Tomb Raider's short orchestral bursts were spine tingling whereas its use of dead silence as you glared upwards at a sheer cliff face or ancient colosseum contributed hugely too. No distraction, just a moment to take in the vastness of the task at hand and nobody is there to help you.

*Soul Reaver is another to add to the list.
 
Orta said:
Dead Space and Shadow of the Colossus are two I really have to try. Think Dead Space may even be on my Steam account.

Music or lack of I find plays a major part in generating atmosphere in these particular kind of games, Tomb Raider's short orchestral bursts were spine tingling whereas its use of dead silence as you glared upwards at a sheer cliff face or ancient colosseum contributed hugely too. No distraction, just a moment to take in the vastness of the task at hand and nobody is there to help you.

*Soul Reaver is another to add to the list.
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When you open up the inventory in dead space the game doesn't pause. Its a hologram.
Same for the rest of the hud. Really cool for imersion. You are always vulnerable.

Soul Reaver is also wonderfull!
 
Memory of a broken dimension
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I haven't played it (it's more like a walking/exploring sim) but i have watched many playthroughs and it's one of the most atmospheric and visually unique games i have ever seen. If you're also a fan of the manga Blame! then you should definitely check this game since the developer took a lot of inspiration from that.
 
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All the Myst games are all about the unique atmosphere, isolation and puzzles which you can solve at your own pace.

From that series i recommend RealMyst Masterpiece edition (remake of the first game), Riven, Myst III Exile and Myst IV Revelations.

Obduction, Portal (more 1 than 2) and The Talos Principle are also similar in that sense: puzzles in loneliness.
 
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sublimit said:
Memory of a broken dimension

I haven't played it (it's more like a walking/exploring sim) but i have watched many playthroughs and it's one of the most atmospheric and visually unique games i have ever seen. If you're also a fan of the manga Blame! then you should definitely check this game since the developer took a lot of inspiration from that.
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Never heard of this game.

But it looks cool.

Thanks for sharing!
 
Subnautica, if you want something terrifying. No bricks were shat, but a lot of mom's spaghetti when I went head first into the dark, unknown depths.
 
Not as desolate as those games, but Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and X sure gives a feeling of a big adventure and discovery. Enviroments are on another level in those games.
 
  • Resident Evil Remake
Resident-Evil-Remake.gif


  • Alien: Isolation.
27d9a-alien2bfdp.gif


  • The Thief trilogy.
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(The Shalebridge Cradle - Thief: Deadly Shadows)

  • Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.
tumblr_or4kxiXUvv1wpyxh6o1_500.gif
 
There's a Clive Barker game on PC that felt really desolate to me. Undying maybe? Very sparse yet creepy environments. Great sound design and music as I recall. Very creepy for an older game.
 
Scorn.

This game is a dream come true. Something I didn't knew I wanted until I saw it.
It's still in development and heavily HR Giger inspired.

The soundtrack and the sound effects are made by Adis Kutkut aka Billain or Aethek.
This guy is a beast and one of the best sound designers on this planet.

 
Con-Z-ept said:
Scorn.

This game is a dream come true. Something I didn't knew I wanted until I saw it.
It's still in development and heavily HR Giger inspired.

The soundtrack and the sound effects are made by Adis Kutkut aka Billain or Aethek.
This guy is a beast and one of the best sound designers on this planet.

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I forgot about this one! Is this ever coming out though?
 
Probably not as intentional....but Crackdown 3.

Sure there was a city with civilians and cars but it felt hollow - not really alive.

(Crackdown 3 wasnt as bad as rep says, it wasnt great either).
 
Being your nickname Orta, I assume you already played Panzer Dragoon? It can get pretty desolate at times, especially Panzer Dragoon Zwei.
Always on Sega Saturn, I also suggest Torico, a strange, weird and (yes) desolate FMV adventure set in a strange sort-of-german town.

I see people already suggested Shadow of the Colossus, so the next logical step is to suggest you the other two in the series: The Last Guardian on PS4, and ICO on PS2/PS3. They're all desolate and full of heart.

And, maybe this is an odd one, but I'll suggest grabbing a physical copy of No Man's Sky, and playing it without any patch. The game is much more barebones, but the feeling of desolation and just being so damn far away from everything I know is perfect, and I miss it very much.
 
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System Shock 2

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Amnesia: The Dark Descent

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Deus Ex and Deus Ex: Invisible War also have pretty good atmosphere, although they are not as desolate as the above games (some levels more than others).
 
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Fallout series
Shin Megami Tensei games
Ys Lacrimosa of Dana
Legacy of Kain/Blood Omen series
Darksider series
Code Vein
Space Minecraft game eh forgot the name
 
There's a racing game on original Xbox called World Racing. Even though you can race through open world cites and environments, everything is so sterile and lifeless, it always stuck with me as being a strikingly eerie world where the people just vanished suddenly. Almost like that movie Langoliers.
 
Mad Max and Assassin's Creed: Origins have a lot of loneliness. In Mad Max it's the creepy, dead world kind. Origins is pure serenity.
 
Survival horror games, the thread. Try Resident Evil REmake for a great sense of isolation. Outside of survival horror games, you can try Ico. It's really isolated in that castle.
 
Con-Z-ept said:
Dead Space.

I just love the theme of space and horror. You never know what lies around the next corner.

Bloodbornes atmosphere is also something else. This game has a special place in my heart.


For the future I hope that the new System Shock will be just as good. It sure looks like it.
Click to expand...

Space armor ruins dead space

Before you get the armor, it feels scary and disgusting that some mutant bastard can be around any corner and rip your flesh.

Get the armor = now the feeling is gone, you are isolated from the environment and aliens are the prey and you are the predator.

IMO big design failure that kills the mood.

Kind of like Alien isolation, it starts really nice but fucking Immortal alien just fucks it up. Why play the game if alien runs with IDDQD cheats and wont die with 6 revolver bullet in its brain from 2m away?

Dead space is still good, without suit it would be epic

Alien is just stupid roleplay of "hey immortal alien, lets play a game"
 
PocoJoe said:
Space armor ruins dead space

Before you get the armor, it feels scary and disgusting that some mutant bastard can be around any corner and rip your flesh.

Get the armor = now the feeling is gone, you are isolated from the environment and aliens are the prey and you are the predator.

IMO big design failure that kills the mood.

Kind of like Alien isolation, it starts really nice but fucking Immortal alien just fucks it up. Why play the game if alien runs with IDDQD cheats and wont die with 6 revolver bullet in its brain from 2m away?

Dead space is still good, without suit it would be epic

Alien is just stupid roleplay of "hey immortal alien, lets play a game"
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You also say this about Resident Evil 2 remake I take it? Or is that too popular for you to bother knowing more people will rush to defend it against you nonsense? It's the same system at its core, instead of having many enemies that you use ammo/resources to kill it has one enemy you use ammo/resources to temporarily repel or just avoid it while you try to get on with your real objectives in the game. RE2 remake happens to employ both styles of course. You also say it about every boss ever that takes more than 6 headshots to kill since that's your problem, the lack of realism (lol)?
 
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