Summary
Video games are a uniquely immersive and interactive experience.
Theyre often used to escape reality, plunging you into fantastical worlds of adventure and chivalry.
Games teleport you to a new world, andgreatgames make you feel as if youarethe protagonist.
You experience the world as your character and learn to interact with the world through your avatar.
Those same qualities make gaming the perfect way to express complex ideas.
While some games offer mind-bending puzzles, others pose intellectually stimulating questions.
10Bioshock
TheBioshockseries is one of the most enduring examples of immersive games with hidden depths.
Its run-and-gun tactics may seem like a strange choice for an art game, but they work perfectly.
So, too, does the setting.
Even so, the games message is as important now as it was then.
You, as Stanley, are little more than an office worker.
You press a button all day, every day literally!
When your daily routine is broken by Kevan Brightings omnipotent narration, you canabsolutelychoose to ignore everything and comply.
And that is the genius of The Stanley Parable.
The game examines predestination, the concept that everyones life is dictated by a pre-written script.
According to predestinations doctrine, everything a person does has been planned and foreseen beforehand.
The Stanley Parable refutes that notion, suggesting that desire and mischievous disobedience can break that supposedly concrete cycle.
8Papers, like
Sometimes described as a stamping simulator,Papers, Pleasehas a simple premise.
You are an immigration inspector in Arstotzka, a caricature of a slightly-more-than-a-bit authoritative country.
You inspect applications for citizenship, seek out inconsistencies, and approve (or deny) requests.
That simple gameplay loop feeds the philosophical beast of Papers, like.
Each utility is a hopeful citizen, and their well-being often hinges on their acceptance into Arstotzka.
it’s possible for you to take bribes, overlook errors, and permit otherwise undesirable applicants.
Will you deny them the right to safety, citing legal absolutism?
Or will you grant them leniency, citing human ethics?
You, as Captain Martin Walker, will single-handedly save the overwhelmed city of Dubai.
In truth, Spec Ops: The Line is a masterful subversion of the periods militaristic titles.
The deeper you progress in the story, the more desperate the situation becomes.
Youarethe titular Indika, and your job is simple: You must live the pious life of a nun.
Of course, things arent so simple.
You are plagued by the voice of Satan, and youre infrequently bombarded by surrealist puzzle game sequences.
These elements perfectly capture the games dark, foreboding turn-of-the-century setting.
Through each level, you collect important mementos, which strengthen those memories and reveal more of Johnnys story.
It fleshes out a full life filled with joys and sorrows and emphasizes the importance of every experience.
4Spiritfarer
Dont be fooled by the cartoony graphics.Spiritfareris a moving, heartfelt tribute to death.
Its calm gameplay and relaxed pace lure you in, while its lovable characters keep you engaged.
You play as Stella, a bright-eyed young woman with a passion for helping others.
Its vivid colors and charming world invite exploration, while its simple gameplay makes it accessible to everyone.
That accessibility is Spiritfarers greatest strength.
Anyone can play, and anyone can explore the unique human experience of grief and loss.
3The Talos Principle
The Talos Principleis a first-person puzzle game with a rich philosophical core.
The games name is itself a philosophical reference.
In Greek myth, Talos was a bronze colossus.
2Soma
Horror has always been a vessel for intellectual discussion.
Its inherent tension captivates audiences, giving autuers unprecedented access to the human psyche.Somais no different.
You are Simon Jarrett, an optimistic young man plunged headlong into an unfamiliar world.
You awaken in a decaying, abandoned underwater research facility, and things only go downhill from there.
Beneath its rusted veneer and heart-stopping monster encounters, Soma presents a bevy of existential questions.
Chief among these is an enduring inquiry throughout human history: What defines the self?
1Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium is a unique experience.
Its part puzzle game, part point-and-click, and part adventure game.
The surrealist experience takes place in a subversive medium between reality and Harrys mind.
Who do you ask for answers from when there’s nobody left?
