Forget RPGs and run of the mill shooters. There is a world of videogames out there with some of the most unique AND memorable gameplay you’ve ever seen.
Thirdy here and here are 10 of those unconventional games from the last 10 years that you NEED to know. Starting with…:
1. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
PC — PS4 — Xbox One — Switch — iOS
Have you ever seen that one episode in Tom and Jerry where Tom sets an elaborate trap for Jerry. It didn’t end well for him, but those Rube-Goldberg contraptions are what Ghost Trick is all about. It’s a point-and-click puzzle where you play as a literal Ghost ‘tricking’ objects to work in your favor.
You have the ability to rewind time 4 minutes before someone dies. Say, you wanna save someone from certain death. You’ll have to move the right objects to create the most satisfying domino effect you’ll ever see.
It's a creative use of the point-and-click gameplay. Sure, there are games about traveling back in time and saving a special person. But name one other game where you team up with an adorable pomeranian in the afterlife just to save the world. Unfortunately, you can’t.
Its art direction, characters, and soundtrack make this great game more memorable. If you love puzzle games with light visual novel elements, you’ll love it even more. This game was so underrated it didn’t get a Remaster until this year. So if you want to check this game out, you came at a perfect time!
2. SUPERHOT
The word SUPERHOT wouldn’t make sense to you the first time you hear it, but once you’ve had a glimpse of what the game is about you’d be saying SUPERHOT on repeat.
It’s a first-person shooter, so what’s so different about this? Can you imagine a first-person shooter where nothing moves? Well, it's a shooting game, sure, but here’s the kicker: time moves when you move. The bullets stay in place and your enemies stand still waiting for you to move an inch.
The only way to finish the level is to defeat all the enemies in the room. So how do you do it? You can go fast, but time is your enemy and you’d be at a disadvantage with multiple guns aimed at you.
Which is why you go slow. SUPERHOT’s methodical approach to action lets you survey the room before making your moves. Like Denzel Washington from Equalizer, you’re a one-man army when you have a plan set in place.
Once everything is in motion, you’ll be surprised you’ve done the coolest shit ever by just throwing a billiard ball to an enemy’s face.
3. Death Stranding
Kojima hasn't cared about gaming trends for a while now. There was the stealth action of the Metal Gear series, and then there's the scariest demo of all time, PT. But if there's one proof that Kojima doesn't care, it's this game.
With Death Stranding, Norman Reedus turned into a futuristic delivery man. Released in 2019, the reviews were polarizing. Critics called it a "walking simulator." But even then they couldn't help but praise how different it was from the standard triple-As. There's nothing quite like Death Stranding. Where you fight shadow people and Mads Mikkelsen with a baby strapped on your chest, just to deliver packages to Conan O’ Brien.
It was such an anomaly it split the gaming community between those who see Kojima as a hack and those who don't.
Either way, the dude does not care. Okay, let’s pretend that Death Stranding really is a ‘Walking Simulator’, sure, but can your favorite walking simulator do this?
4. Papers Please
Papers Please is a game about a dude who manages the border in a fascist society.
If there’s one thing it shows us, it’s that reading between the lines and paying attention to detail can be fun. At first, everything sounds like a chore. Declining and approving passports can be a tedious job in real life. In this game, it's an addicting power trip that you’ll keep coming back for.
It was such a hit that other games started copying it. Not Tonight, Death & Taxes and even VA-11 Hall-A are just a few examples of turning tedious into treasure. Not one of them can compete with Papers Please’s morbid minimalism though.
It’s a rare game that its creator, Lucas Pope, is right to be proud of. He set the bar high for his next and equally unique project.
5. Return Of The Obra Dinn
From border control to insurance inspector. Your case: the merchant ship called The Obra Dinn and the disappearance of its crew.
You'll find your first mystery corpse, and you're tasked with identifying WHO the person was, WHAT his job was, and HOW he died. Easy enough with your magical compass replaying the corpse's final moments...but you're still left scouring every inch of the crime scene for more information.
It’s a game that requires a lot of deductive reasoning and trial and error. But the satisfaction when you put two and two together is enough for a dopamine high.
Fascinating as that already sounds, even that is just a cover-up for something more interesting. One moment it's a murder mystery, next, it's a nautical horror. These bizarre surprises are exactly what makes this game shine.
6. Neon White
Neon White is a weird game. It’s a shooter, sure, but you’re not just doing it for the sake of eliminating everybody in the room. You speedrun your way to the very end of a level using your god-like powers. By god-like powers we mean sacrificing your heavenly abilities for Guns.
Even for non-speedrunners like me, it actually makes me feel like a badass clearing one level with my limited selection of moves. The constant rush of movement is a nauseating yet riveting experience for gamers like me who enjoyed old-school Quake lobbies where we slide and jump across the battlefield taking down our enemies.
It’s from the creator of Donut County, which is also a game with a unique gameplay. Honestly, Neon White still fits his style of eccentric titles.
7. Hypnospace Outlaw
Ever feel like going back in time just to experience the old internet again? Not the one we doomscroll and watch TikToks on every day. You know, the once lawless place full of cringe content from personalized web pages.
Hypnospace Outlaw actually does that. In this parody of the 90s internet, you're the internet enforcer laying down the law of the World Wide Web. Whether it’s banning cyberbullies, or reporting scams. It's a fully-realized internet and there's so much going on.
The storytelling is non-linear. Everyone can have a different experience of the Hypnospace, but the end goal is the same. Then again, with all the game's secrets, it would be stupid not to poke around its hidden layers.
8. Viewfinder
On to more recent entries we have Viewfinder. It’s a game about perspective. See what I mean? It’s a first-person puzzler where you manipulate the world using a Polaroid camera.
It’s more than just a puzzle adventure though. Behind its surreal landscapes is an emotional story that we won’t spoil for you.
Sure, other games may have played with perspectives before. Monument Valley and Fez, for example. But the first-person perspective puts a new spin on storytelling and puzzle mechanics.
It’s an oddly therapeutic experience lining the pieces up.
9. Not For Broadcast
PC — PS4 — PS5 — Xbox Series X
Do you ever wonder how your local news network manages camera angles on TV? Not For Broadcast tells you how to do it...and it’s not the easiest job in the world.
It simulates being behind the curtain as a broadcast engineer, with all the bits and bobs. The number of tools can be overwhelming. Thankfully, the game does a great job of teaching you the basics.
But once the live feed goes on, you’re left scrambling. What angle are you getting on the live commentaries? What music do you want? Whose face should you show? Conservative agenda? Or the working class issues? There are a lot of political choices that will impact not only your life but the entire game’s story as well.
While its themes are dystopian in the long run, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There's some lighthearted moments in there like...messing around with someone's broadcast.
10. The Outer Wilds
PC — PS4 — PS5 — Xbox Series X — Xbox One
The Outer Wilds is absolutely one of my favorite games in the world. It’s the one game I always recommend to someone looking for a ‘one-in-a-million gaming experience.
Without saying too much, it’s a game set in a fictional solar system on a ticking time bomb to extinction. You play a lonely cosmonaut traveling to its fascinating, handcrafted planets full of mysteries and weird physics.
I can talk about how philosophical or life-changing it is but there are a lot of video essays for that already. Instead, I'll talk about what makes this sci-fi adventure special.
As you take off from your trusty spaceship and into the great beyond, you’re met with the gorgeous sight of the stars, the void, the sun and the planets. And from there, you’re on your own. The game doesn’t tell you what to do, but as you venture into the outer wilds, you’ll find clues and breadcrumbs that lead you to answers.
Whether you want to go to this place or THAT. There’s bound to be some ancient secret that tells you about an old civilization.
You might be sick of hearing this, but this is the kind of game you really wouldn’t want spoiled. If you enjoy games like Ocarina of Time, Firewatch, Subnautica, or emotionally driven stories that make you rethink your life, The Outer Wilds fits the bill, and it does more than just make you cry.
These aren’t the only games with unique and unconventional gameplay. Do you have something in mind? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!