Let’s face it, the gaming industry needs more weird games. Over the past few years, we’ve already had our fill of extraction shooters, looter shooters, and the occasional battle royale. And to be honest, it’s getting pretty stale seeing the same thing recycled over and over again, just with a different paint job.
Games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 made waves when they launched. It wasn’t trying to be the next big “hero shooter” on the market. Instead, it was its own thing. An RPG experience crafted by a passionate team, expressing their love for gaming through a heartfelt story about grief and love. Beneath its emotional weight and dramatic storytelling, Clair Obscur was a weird game. I won’t spoil anything, but after a few hours wandering the fractured Continent, things become increasingly absurd. And that’s very much by design.
Unfortunately, the AAA gaming industry often can’t take these risks, as it’s a tough sell for shareholders and investors. Sony might take a few years before it puts out another offbeat title like Housemarque’s Returnal, a roguelike shooter with Lovecraftian vibes. But Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding did show the world what weird can look like when it’s given room to breathe.
On the other hand, Nintendo feels right at home in the weird. They’re not afraid to embrace it. We just got Pikmin 4, a niche strategy game that Nintendo can't seem to let go of due to its loyal fanbase. And beyond that, the Mario games have always had a unique, offbeat charm, and they’re still selling like hotcakes.
But perhaps the biggest drivers of weird games have always been indie developers. These trailblazers break away from the mainstream tide of live-service looter shooters and battle royales, choosing to pursue their passion projects instead. Sandfall Interactive did it best with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and more indie studios have always been doing their own thing. We just need to know where to look.
Take 1000xRESIST, a visual novel that tells a haunting story of an alien invasion. It’s weird. It’s strange. And it’s unforgettable. Or Neon White, by Donut County creator Ben Esposito, a speedrunning game made for freaks, by freaks. Then there’s The Case of the Golden Idol, a mesmerizing point-and-click puzzle game by Latvian developers Ernests and Andrejs Kļaviņš, which is inspired by the wonderfully bizarre Return of the Obra Dinn by Lucas Pope. Even Dogubomb’s Blue Prince deserves its place in this conversation.
Together, these titles have carved out a niche in the gaming industry. They may not pull massive numbers, but they don’t need to. Their ‘out of this world’ premises attract a dedicated audience, and the risk for indie studios isn’t nearly as towering as it is for giants like Bungie’s Marathon, which sparked plenty of debate around its pricing and content even before launch.
Weird games aren’t just palette cleansers; they’re an essential genre that brings much-needed variety to the medium. If you have the time, you should absolutely give them a shot. These games often contain the most original stories, all wrapped up in their signature oddity. They break the mold and remind us that the gaming industry has always had space for experimentation.
And all it takes is just a little bit of weirdness.
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