Gaming Links

This is the A list. Here you will find the groundbreakers of gameplay, the inspired works, and a view into the heads of some of the unsung heroes of entertainment and encouragement.

All of these games are free [and as such, if you need great graphics to get into a game: this is not the website you are looking for], and it’s likely that none of them will be suitable for young’uns. I owe a huge thank you to AdrianBrony of Reddit for his post, which may help you download many of these titles in one large package.

Anchorhead [interactive fiction, horror, this list is not alphabetical]

Anchorhead is based on Lovecraft’s stories, and contains vague spoilers, but having read any Lovecraft is not a requirement to enjoy the game. I’m at a loss for the right words to review this game, but it is currently the only title I feel comfortable comparing to the early Silent Hills. Some of the things you will read or imagine during this experience will never leave you; it’s the best horror story I’ve ever read.

View the help files, try everything, take everything, look under everything [within reason], consider downloading the game to create multiple save files, and be aware that due to some odd bug, there is an invisible cabinet [or “closet” or “cupboard,” I’ve forgotten] immediately outside the cell at the beginning of the thunderstorm day.

The White Chamber [point and click, anime styling, horror]

Story driven psy-horror is a thing for me, and The White Chamber knows how to set a mood. If you get along well with surreal events and anime visuals, save this experience for a time when you can barricade yourself up in the middle of the night with your speakers blaring.

Ib 

Ib is a hit. A legend. The deep characters, mystery, and atmosphere have left a mark on artists everywhere; run an image search when you’re done playing.

Yume Nikki [surreal, other, exploration]

Possibly the title that put RPG Maker on the map, Yume Nikki is a unique experience. Some events in this game made me sit in shocked silence, others found me noping out completely, abruptly standing up and walking away — in a good way, I think: certainly in a profound way. But never mind that. Relax, drop your expectations, and imagine yourself in the dream.

All of Our Friends Are Dead + Au Sable [platformer, horror, mystery?]
AOOFAD and Au Sable are something else entirely. As one internet denizen by the handle of metamorphosis put it, “If goth poetry came alive, it would look and play like this.” Au Sable has been called a sequel, if I recall correctly; I agree with Metamorphosis, play AOOFAD first.

Gyossait [platformer, horror]

Gyossait is the grand finale of the Amon26 trilogy which began with AOOFAD. It is strongly recommended.

Exmortis [2] [3] [point and click, horror]

The buildup and depth of Exmortis — particularly the first entry in the series — is much like Anchorhead; sublime, ethereal, powerful. Maximize that Flash window… and stay sharp. Best played on a rotty old CRT monitor which makes the shadows seem to move. [Or do they?]

Irisu Syndrome [puzzle, mystery, look for the big green buttons to download the game]

I won’t ruin it. This game has more layers than a jawbreaker [and the last one is tougher than I am]. Good luck, and take some spoiler-free tips with you: learn to right-click when you need to, watch your health bar, pair colored bricks in the air, and leave the game folder open while you play. Read the files, check the picture — and check them often.

English patch here, with profuse thanks to talented fellow WordPresser CheerfulTomboy.

http://www.nethack.org/ and http://crawl.develz.org/wordpress/ [fantasy, TBS/RPG, roguelikes]

They’re listed here in case you don’t know classic tileset roguelikes exist. They’re probably as close as you can get to  pencil and paper role playing games while alone, and they have their own merits. If you like your gaming deep, smart, mysterious, exciting, and exorbitantly difficult: play roguelikes.

If you’re a NetHack veteran already, you might enjoy some cute pictures and esoteric jokes. [link not constructed]

Elona and Elona+ [comedy, fantasy, TBS/RPG, roguelike, devours thousands of hours]

I’m recommending Elona+ even to beginners, but there are resources and connections on Elona’s website which shouldn’t be missed, like the extra sprites and the music pack [although installing the complete music pack to Elona+ has been troublesome, it’s not too difficult to customize the music for your preferred tracks].

Elona is a staggeringly gigantic post-roguelike, stretched across themes from science fiction to monster taming; virtually anything you want in a virtual world can be found here. I don’t recommend avoiding all spoilers on this one: use the wiki, and contact me or look up Elona’s chat rooms if you want help.