It feels like new games are just more of the same, with no real meaning. However I recently started playing "Return of the Obra Dihn" and love open ended deduction in it. It feels like I'm actually figuring things out by myself without being handheld through it. Are there any other games that don't coddle the player that you guys recommend?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Specifically similar to RotOD is Heaven's Vault in that its pretty nonlinear, not hand holdy and that you figure out (a foreign language in this case). But it is more adventure style than RotOD.

Another one already mentioned Outer Wilds (not Outer Worlds!) and I completely agree and recommend it as well!

In general I have to say I disagree that new games are more of the same. We are in a golden age regarding new games and game genres. It's just, that there are so many games, that there are also many similar ones. And the big studios are the worst in that regard, just bury AAA and start to love Indie games!

As example, games which are different from others and not already mentioned in this thread:

Eastshade (you are a painter exploring a fantasy world, solving quests by painting pictures)
Rain World (you are a small animal trying to survive a hostile simulated world, you need to learn how the interaction between you, NPCs and the world works)
INSIDE (nearly pure atmosphere & no gameplay, but still great!)
Papers, Please (you are a government worker who has to check people coming over the border)
Her Story (you try to figure out what happened to a person via searching videos from her interrogation by the police)
What Remains of Edith Finch (part game anthology, part great story to connect those "mini games")
A Little To the Left (OCD in game form)
Ancestors: Humankind Odyssey (you play a primate tribe and evolve it towards Homo Sapiens in an african tropical forest)
Edit: and how could I forget: Disco Elysium, the greatest RPG! without combat, only social encounters and technical problems to solve in a wonderful world full of memorable and interesting characters.

[–] Trail 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Sorry, the greatest Rpg remains planescape Torment.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Both are among the greatest RPGs.

Planescape suffers from it's zeitgeist and that it "needed" the fighting to be considered a RPG. I imagine it would surpass DE if they could have focused only on the story, the world and it's inhabitants.

DE could only reach it's high because PT existed first and showed what was possible and that the fighting only distracted.

If you haven't played Disco Elysium yet, I highly recommend it. Since you like reading long texts, that part of the game will not bother you as it does some other players.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut adds full voice over, so no reading required. Also the voice work for the inner thoughts is done by Lenval Brown and it is incredible. Like, seriously, go look up some gameplay footage on this. That man has a voice that you can listen to all day.

Also, Mike Goodman now voices the Horrific Necktie in the final cut and its the best thing ever.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

I wholeheartedly agree, the voices in this game are all awesome and fitting. I just didn't mention that because you either read the texts or sit even longer hearing them. Both ways you need a certain patience to enjoy this game. (Which not everyone has and that is okay as well)