Jason’s Game List: Game design

Walking Simulator

• Firewatch (2016) – This game by Campo Santo is a standout example of storytelling and environmental design. Its narrative unfolds through a mix of exploration and dialogue, while the vast, visually stunning wilderness creates a deep sense of isolation and discovery. The level design encourages exploration at a slow, contemplative pace.
• What Remains of Edith Finch (2017) – Developed by Giant Sparrow, this game is known for its innovative storytelling and beautifully crafted environments. Each room of the Finch family home offers a unique experience, weaving multiple stories together through rich environmental details and creative narrative mechanics.
• The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) – This game by The Astronauts excels in environmental storytelling. Its atmospheric world feels alive with mystery, and the level design subtly guides players to key story moments without feeling forced.
• Dear Esther (2012) – One of the earliest walking simulators by The Chinese Room, Dear Esther is a narrative-driven experience with minimal interaction but a heavy focus on environmental storytelling. Its poetic story is told through voiceovers, while the island's design evokes themes of loss and reflection.
• Everybody's Gone to the Rapture (2015) – Another title by The Chinese Room, this game features a non-linear narrative and stunning environmental design. Its open-world village setting allows for slow exploration, and the design focuses heavily on ambiance and piecing together the story from the surroundings.
• Gone Home (2013) – Developed by The Fullbright Company, this game is a classic walking simulator with a deep focus on environmental storytelling. The narrative unfolds as players explore a house, discovering clues that piece together a family's story, with strong attention to detail in level and environment design.

Experiential

They play with player expectations and redefine what it means to engage with a game-like medium, often prioritizing atmosphere, narrative, and immersive interaction over traditional gameplay mechanics:

1. The Stanley Parable (2013) – This game by Galactic Cafe is a masterclass in questioning the nature of choice and agency in games. It’s a walking simulator that constantly subverts player expectations and makes you question whether you’re playing a game or simply part of an interactive experience. The narrative adapts based on your actions, creating a meta-experience.
2. Journey (2012) – Developed by Thatgamecompany, Journey is often described as an emotional experience more than a game. The minimalist narrative, stunning art, and music guide players through a desert landscape in a way that feels almost meditative. The game’s simple mechanics and focus on ambiance blur the line between game and art installation.
3. Kentucky Route Zero (2013–2020) – Cardboard Computer’s episodic point-and-click adventure offers a surreal, atmospheric experience with rich storytelling that feels more like theater or literature than a traditional game. Its dreamlike environments and fragmented narrative blur reality and fantasy, creating a unique sense of immersion.
4. Proteus (2013) – A highly atmospheric game by Ed Key and David Kanaga that forgoes traditional goals or objectives. Instead, it focuses purely on exploration and the sensory experience of interacting with a procedurally generated world. The changing seasons and dynamic soundtrack make it feel like an experiential art piece rather than a game.
5. Telling Lies (2019) – Developed by Sam Barlow, this game uses live-action video and an open-ended narrative structure to create an experience that feels more like investigating real events than playing a game. It plays with the idea of voyeurism and storytelling, keeping the player questioning what’s real or scripted.
6. Soma (2015) – A first-person experience by Frictional Games that blurs the line between survival horror and philosophical storytelling. Soma plays with themes of consciousness, identity, and what it means to be human, creating an immersive experience that makes the player question the nature of existence.
7. The Beginner's Guide (2015) – Created by Davey Wreden (also the developer of The Stanley Parable), this game is a deeply introspective experience that questions the player’s role in the narrative. It’s a meta-commentary on game design, player interaction, and the act of creation itself.