8. Undertale

Undertale let’s play from PressHeartToContinue

It is very hard to talk about Undertale without spoiling anything. The story has so many twists, turns, and reveals that are jaw dropping. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s experience of this game by accidently revealing anything.

At first glance the game feels simple, the art style and basic premise direct you to a set idea. As you move further into the game it unveils more complex concepts and characters. It plays on expectations well.

The game also features an innovative combat system that is easy to understand. Every move you make, puzzle you solve, and character you meet opens more fascinating ideas. This game is well worth your time.

A simple art style blended with a rich story gives Undertale a unique style all its own.

Combat in Undertale is a mix of decision making and a mini-game with different variables depending on the enemy type.

7. South Park: the Stick of Truth

South Park: the Stick of Truth let’s play from JackSepticEye

In a lot of ways South Park: the Stick of Truth is a traditional fantasy RPG. However, like the TV show it’s based on, it’s also its very own monster. Equal parts crude toilet humor, political commentary, and out of left field jokes, Stick of Truth delivers everything that fans of the show want. If you’re not a fan of the show there are still tons of references, story hooks, and jokes for you too.

The story follows New Kid played by you as he wanders the town, plays a fantasy war game with the other kids, and choses sides in the ultimate battle between good and evil. Even as the story lets you battle for traditional fantasy rewards it peppers in those moments that are purely South Park.

The humor won’t be for everyone. There's a long section that takes place in an abortion clinic an a bit wher you're shrunk down to make your way up another characters butt. These will turn some people off. However, if you enjoy the TV series or can look past the crude humor you will find a wonderful story that is full of surprises and laughs.

The gang's all here in South Park: the Stick of Truth. You’ll be hard pressed to think of a character that doesn’t show up at some point during the game. Everyone has a fun series of conversation options and no one felt tacked on or unnecessary.

A fun combat system gives you access to multiple items, spells, and other powers in order to deal with your foes.

6. Soma

Soma let’s play from Jesse Cox

Part survival monster horror part debate on the nature of human beings. Soma lets a dark atmosphere with more questions than answers be the story that fuels its own conversations. The twists in this game come so fast that I worry about spoiling the story before you get a chance to play.

Working under the idea that the fear of violence is scarier than violence itself, Soma makes you wait for your first scares. That’s not to say the scares aren’t there. Horror comes in short burst of terror that make you keep looking over your shoulder to make sure it’s not coming back.

Soma plays with your expectations. It allows you to get comfortable with an idea and then yanks the rug out from underneath you. One of the things that I truly appreciated about the game was how well the dialogue felt to the individual characters. I became so invested in the story of these characters, that at one point there’s a five minute conversation between two characters and I was fascinated by the scene because of what it meant to the story over all.

The game won’t be for everyone. Some of the puzzles were hard. While it may not mean much to most of you out there this game can get frustrating if you don’t get the right train of thought to solve it. Still, the story was so fascinating it may still be worth it for the conversations it starts.

The world of Soma is filled with robots in trouble. Who they are and how you try and help them creates many of the most interesting story moments.

Enemies in Soma are slow moving but unstoppable forces. This creature will pop up at some of the most annoying moments with no warning. Its ability to sneak up on you leads to some of the best tension in the game.

5. Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods let’s play from GeekRemix

There’s an old saying, “You can’t go home again.” Night in the Woods takes this idea and places it at the front of its story. Using interesting characters, simple but beautiful visuals, and difficult choices Night in the Woods leaves a distinct impression.

The story follows Mae as she returns home after dropping out of college. It focuses on everything from growing up, to religion, to homosexuality. It highlights each of these topics in an engaging way while still being respectful.

Part of what makes the story of Night in the Woods good is the use of characters, exploration, and time. You are rewarded for spending time with different characters in the town but there is only so much time each day. This forces you to choose who is important. Spending enough time with secondary characters will yield interesting results that will give you a better understanding of the town. The problem is to get time with one character you have to give up time with others. This helps give the world a living feel.

By the time you reach the end of the game and discover what is going on in the town, learn everyone’s stories, and discover why Mae dropped out of college you will feel as if you’ve taken a beautiful journey.

A huge part of Night in the Woods charm is its characters and how Mae interacts with them. Choices of who you spend time with have ripples throughout the story.

Exploration is an important part of Night in the Woods. It unlocks missions, hidden characters, and information about the town.

4. What Remains of Edith Finch

What Remains of Edith Finch let’s play from Gloom

The Finch family was cursed. This is a fact given to you near the beginning of the story. It’s also something that you get to see play out again and again.

Every member of the Finch family has died as a result of mysterious and horrible circumstances. After being willed her family home Edith returns to learn what events led to the end of her family. The story is told by Edith through her journal, a theme that will continue throughout.

Edith narrates her journey through the house. She follows a path that leads through secret doors, across ledges, and high up into towers that had been added to the original house. The story follows her exploration of how her family members ended their different stories.

As she journeys through the house she reads every other family members journals. Each one focuses on how a different member met their end. Every journal is told in a different style. One member who had been a horror movie scream queen has her journal told in the style of an old horror comic book. While another is told as a fairy tale that slowly covers up the persons dull life.

I was drawn into this story in a way I can’t quite explain. I needed to see what would happen next even though I knew it could only end in tragedy. Every new story started with the realization that I was going to see how someone died. This gave some of the stories an even more horrible cringe factor based on who the person I was following was. A particularly difficult chapter is one where you play a baby. Though, still not the hardest one to play. There is one story where every button press made my body tense.

It is not a happy game by any means. But the story is inventive, beautiful in places, and fascinating. I cannot recommend it enough.

Every story in the game is told through a journal. Even Edith’s story is her musings in a diary that explain everything she’s doing there. The theme of journals and what they contain is an important thread to the story.

Every family member has a colorful bedroom filled with things that make it uniquely theirs. Barbara’s room reflects her life as an actress. Every room is filled with image to explore to find all of the hidden details.