
Sunless Sea is one of the best open-world games because of how much it incentivizes exploration and remembers your actions. There’s a high-skill floor to actually get far in its dangerous world expect to restart several times before you get the hang of it.

You’ll take control of the ship captain in a massive underground ocean. The game shares the same stellar, captivating, and oftentimes cryptic writing style. Sunless Sea is set in the immensely lore-rich world of Fallen London, a text-based browser game. Sunless SeaĪvailable on Windows, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, OS X, and iOS. Although there are small puzzles here and there, the strength of the game comes from the meaningful conversations you’ll have. However, as Stone finds out more about the case, it hits a little too close to home and he’s forced to confront his own baggage.Īside from that, it’s lighter on its gameplay mechanics and is more akin to an interactive novel.

The game is a point-and-click adventure where you have to solve the alleged murder-suicide of a local couple in that town. Oftentimes, it feels like a well-crafted drama. Its art direction, clever use of lightning, and framing really push the limits of its minimalistic art. While solving the case, you’ll also unpack Stone’s unresolved trauma, which feels familiar for players searching for games like Disco Elysium. Rainswept is a murder mystery game that stars an emotionally troubled protagonist named Detective Stone. RainsweptĪvailable on Windows, Mac, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This game should be ranked higher on this list-but as of now, all episodes haven’t been released yet. It’s able to flawlessly switch from immersive, to comical, to horrifying, to absurd, and to endearing, like during romance sequences. Scarlet Hollow has some truly sharp writing. You can only pick two traits in each run, which makes the game replayable for those invested in the story. These traits severely impact dialogue and the choices you can make throughout the game.įor example, Keen Eye makes your character extremely observant. Like Disco Elysium’s skills, Scarlet Hollow features seven unique traits. However, this is the worst time to visit since several horrors are coming out from the shadows. Scarlet Hollow puts the protagonist in a small town in North Carolina for your estranged aunt’s funeral. It has impeccable writing, charming characters, and some absurd elements perfect for players looking for games like Disco Elysium. Scarlet Hollow is a horror-mystery visual novel with detailed hand-drawn art. Try these conversation-heavy games like Disco Elysium to scratch your itch. The game is politically-charged, harrowing, emotional, hilarious, absurd, and philosophical, all at the same time.ĭisco Elysium is truly a masterpiece, and finishing it just makes you want to look for more. Where Disco Elysium truly shines is with its stellar writing that isn’t afraid to drastically switch tones. A unique feature of the game is that traditional skills are replaced with personality traits, each with their perspective and input.

These reflect on mechanics such as dice rolling, skill checks, and lengthy conversations. Kurvitz then went on to form a game company called ZA/UM, which proceeded to release the game in 2019.ĭisco Elysium shares much of its core gameplay with classic role-playing games and tabletop games. It was originally conceptualized as a tabletop role-playing game written and designed by Estonian novelist Robert Kurvitz. Disco Elysium is a surprise indie darling that is a commercial, artistic, and literary success story.
