RELATED: Story-Heavy Games To Play If You Loved God Of War
Because of this, many gamers underestimate how great the genre can be. Be it a person who has never tried this genre before or a fan looking to find another title to enjoy; these games are some of the best walking simulators ever made. Suffice to say, fans who love unique adventure titles and mysterious stories will have a great time with the following games, some of which are legendary for all the right reasons.
Updated July 24, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: The allure of walking simulators has increased in modern times. The increase in visual fidelity has led to titles using captivating stories and unique art styles to engage audiences as opposed to the action-heavy gameplay that many people have become accustomed to. Keeping this in mind, here are some of the best walking simulators that gamers can check out if they want to immerse themselves in a story-heavy title.
15 The Beginner’s Guide
Meta commentary on the development process Price on Steam: $9. 99
The Stanley Parable is one of the funniest and most unique video games ever made. The creator of this title didn’t stop there, releasing another title that hasn’t reached the heights of popularity that its predecessor did but still managed to have an impact on people who actually tested the experience out.
The Beginner’s Guide is an excellent title that details the personal struggles of a developer while working on a video game. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fans who resonate with this thought process will have a great time uncovering it in The Beginner’s Guide.
14 Yume Nikki
Story-focused surreal game Price on PC: Free
Yume Nikki is one of the most legendary walking simulators of all time, with the dreams of Madotsuki being quite surreal and even horrifying at times. Exploring her dreamscape and unlocking all the effects to complete the game makes for a great time while also shedding more light on the main character and her personality.
It’s easy to see why Yume Nikki is one of the most popular video games of all time that has inspired several other games as well. Its 3D remake was decent, although it still failed to capture exactly what made the original such an amazing title to explore.
13 Journey
Adventure game Price on PlayStation: $7. 49 Price on Steam: $14. 99
Journey is a game that took everyone by surprise when it was released. It was astounding how the simple act of walking could lead to an adventure that was incredibly beautiful and immersive.
RELATED: Great VR Games That Are Relaxing To Play
The visuals of Journey are still beautiful to this day and show exactly why the game was lauded across the board by fans and critics alike. It’s a sublime and relaxing experience that makes for a fresh change of pace from the usual humdrum of loud video games that are so desperate to capture the player’s attention throughout the entire experience.
12 Death Stranding
RPG, Narrative-Oriented Price on PlayStation 4: $39. 99 Price on Steam: $59. 99
Death Stranding is one of the few Triple-A walking simulators out there, having been developed by Hideo Kojima’s game studio over the course of many years after his split from Konami. It’s not a walking simulator in the traditional sense since the focus on walking is strictly between objectives and map locations. However, it’s certainly the central mechanic in the game.
Fans of Kojima initially criticized the game, as they had been expecting a wild off-the-wall adventure akin to the Metal Gear Solidseries. Over time, though, it’s developed a strong fanbase dedicated to deciphering the game’s complex and riddled narrative. It might not have the greatest first impression, but fans who are willing to stick around and see this game through to the end will be pleasantly surprised with the overall experience.
11 The Amnesia Collection
Horror games with Puzzle elements Price on PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One/X|S: $29. 99.
The Amnesia series includes The Dark Descent, A Machine for Pigs, and Rebirth. It ranks among the most critically acclaimed horror video game series of all time. When the player isn’t escaping from enemies or solving puzzles, there’s a lot of walking to do between locations.
RELATED: Secrets Many Still Haven’t Found In Amnesia: Rebirth
It’s not so bad, though, because the locations and aesthetics of the Amnesia games help to build tension even when nothing is wrong. Players might just be walking down an empty hallway, but the style and vibe of the games do a good job of inducing paranoia in the player anyway. There’s a reason why the first game was nothing short of a runaway success, with the horrifying nature of this title being enough to cement an entire trilogy of its own!
10 Dear Esther
Puzzle/Narrative-Focus Price on PlayStation 4 and 5, Steam, and Xbox One: $9. 99
Dear Esther begins once the main character arrives on an island. As the players explore the island, they can hear the man read letters to a woman named Esther. It is up to the players to determine what these beautifully written letters actually mean in order to figure out the true story of the game.
As the story progresses, players see how stunning the island is. Finally, they reach the top of it, where the main character wanted to go in order to be with Esther.
9 Gone Home
Thriller and self-described “Story Exploration” game Price on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One: $14. 99
Before Gone Home begins, Katie’s family had moved to a new house that she had never seen before. When she moves there and expects to see them, she is surprised to find that they aren’t around.
Players control Katie as she searches for answers to figure out where they are. In doing so, she learns a lot of things about her sister, Sam, that she didn’t know before.
8 The Unfinished Swan
Adventure with artistic, non-traditional gameplay Price on PlayStation 4, Steam: $14. 99. Price on iOS: $4. 99
After a woman who didn’t complete her painting of a swan dies, her son, Monroe, finds himself inside of an artist’s world. Players control him as he follows the swan and learns the story of the king that ruled this world.
RELATED: Story-Driven Games That Are Amazing (After A Rough Opening Few Hours)
With its creative design and the history of the king’s world, The Unfinished Swan is one of the most unique walking simulators ever created.
7 That Dragon, Cancer
Narratively-driven interactive story Price on Android, iOS: $4. 99 Price on Steam: $9. 99
Another game with an incredibly unique art style that focuses on a young boy is That Dragon, Cancer. However, this title, which is based on a true story, is much sadder than The Unfinished Swan.
After their son, Joel, is diagnosed with cancer, his parents, who are based on the creators of the game, go through experiences that nobody should ever have to face. This beautifully heartbreaking insight into Joel and his parents’ lives is one of the most impactful and underrated titles ever made.
6 The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter
Mystery game with a focus on discovery and puzzles Price on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One: $19. 99
After a boy named Ethan Carter disappears, Paul Prospero, an investigator, searches for him. As players explore the town that Ethan lived in, they find that nobody else is around either. However, players can use Paul’s detective skills to figure out things that the people who were there had done before the game began.
Throughout the title, Paul has supernatural encounters that are the last thing one would expect in a small, quiet town. These encounters, however, pave the way to learning what happened to Ethan and his family, with the answer coming as quite a surprise.
5 SOMA
Horror game by the makers of the Amnesia series Price on PlayStation 4 and 5, Steam, and Xbox One: $29. 99
Most walking simulators are very short. For those that want a longer game, SOMA is a great choice. Players control Simon, a man who woke up in the future after having a brain scan. He finds out that a lot has changed in the decades he can’t remember, and joins a scientist named Catherine to save what is left of humanity.
RELATED: Best Indie Horror Games To Play If You Loved PT
As the game progresses, Simon learns that humans aren’t the same beings they were back in his time period, and players are left to wonder what humanity actually is. Though this game is considered a walking simulator, it can also be considered a horror game. Plenty of scares await the players.
4 Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture
Story-focused game from the makers of Dear Esther Price on PlayStation 4: $9. 99 Price on Steam: $19. 99
Like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, this game has the player explore an abandoned town. They must learn about the people that lived in the town and what was going on in their lives before they all disappeared.
Two scientists, Stephen and Kate, discovered a disease that can kill people without making contact with others. It can infect people through technology, and the victims disappear after they pass. Though the main story of the game is the struggle that the scientists faced against the disease, there are quite a few side stories.
3 The Stanley Parable
Interactive story with engaging choices Price on Steam: $14. 99
After going to work one day to find that he hadn’t been given any instructions on his job, Stanley finds out that his coworkers and boss are nowhere to be seen. Exploring the building, he discovers that the company he works for has been controlling his mind.
To get his life back, Stanley escapes, turns the power of the mind control machine off, and goes outside — only to find himself back in the building. Players control Stanley as they try to escape the company, but every time something goes wrong. Multiple endings await players as they make different choices each time.
2 Firewatch
Adventure game with survival elements Price on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One: $19. 99
When Henry tried to escape his life by becoming a fire watcher, he had no idea how scary the job would be. At the beginning of the game, players learn about the life he led leading up to his arrival at Shoshone National Forest, and they can make decisions on the experiences he had.
Once Henry starts speaking to another fire watcher and boss, Delilah, the two work together to uncover mysteries in the forest, though they never actually see each other. However, it may have been best if they never searched for the answers to their questions.
1 What Remains Of Edith Finch
Narrative-focused game from the creators of The Unfinished Swan Price on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One: $19. 99
What Remains of Edith Finch is often regarded as the greatest game in the genre. The story is about a girl named Edith Finch who returns to her childhood home after being away for a few years. She explores areas of the house that she had never seen before and learns more about her family’s cursed history.
As Edith learns about how her relatives passed, players get to switch between playing as Edith and her family members. Each death tells a short story, with many of them being deep despite their short length. For those that want an emotional game that will most likely make an impact on them, there are few video games better than What Remains of Edith Finch.
MORE: Walking Sims You Need To Play If You Loved What Remains Of Edith Finch
