Most atmospheric games. What kind of atmospheric games with a delightful storyline are there? Video Games Nioh

Why the atmosphere?

For me, the most important thing in games is the atmosphere.

The atmosphere in games is a combination of surroundings, supported colors and a soundtrack with a unique sound pattern in the context of the game's plot.

I decided to make a selection of games that seemed to me the most atmospheric. The games are in order, there will be no ratings and comparisons, because each game is good in its own way.

There is one fat minus for the whole impressive set of advantages of the Metro series of shooters, and first of all the unique atmosphere - so thick that you can even eat with a spoon.

Whatever one may say, but it was the shooters from these games that turned out to be so-so. There is no normal ballistics, opponents are stupid and do not react to hits, weapons are unconvincing - a set of symptoms is generally typical for shooters made in the post-Soviet space, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. suffered from the same disease. Neither an interesting arsenal nor the ability to screw the butt and telescopic sight to an ordinary revolver saved it.

But a timid hope still flickered, especially considering that the developers, not being shy, said that after the graphics they would tighten up the gameplay in the updated version.

In addition to the visual part, the developers have tidied up the gameplay. Metro 2033 was a decent shooter, but there were frequent stealth episodes without the possibility of normal silent kills. Now everything is as it should, that is, as in Last Light. We can sneak up on the enemy from behind, kill him or stun him - the karmic system, without it nowhere. Your decisions do not affect the ending: we still make the final choice at the very end of the game. Convenient throwing knives are still great in tricky situations where you want to go quietly through the levels. There are no problems with warriors, but the monsters could be weaker: even at the basic ("normal") level of difficulty, you need to land 3-4 machine gun horns in order to fill up some reptiles.

The developers clearly wanted to emphasize the difficult life in the post-apocalyptic world and even divided the game into two styles: "Spartan" and "Survival". The latter speaks for itself: the emphasis on quiet passage, few cartridges, enemies are accurate and sensitive, it is strongly recommended to play only in stealth mode. "Spartan" is more suitable for fans of noisy shooting and explosions: there is enough ammunition, first-aid kits are also not a problem to find. Although the situations when you are left practically without ammunition are very real. In addition, do not forget that one type of bullets is considered currency here, and it is better not to waste money in the literal sense of the word. These cartridges in Metro 2033 Redux are now incendiary, as implemented in Last Light.

If Survival isn't enough, welcome to the Hardcore Ranger difficulty level: plus the devilish difficulty, minus the interface. Only the initial machine helps out, from which you can determine the number of cartridges in the clip by eye - the magazine enters the barrel as it fires.

In the remainder, we have a solidly reworked Metro 2033, which is still interesting, and a couple of changes in Last Light purely for fans. It makes sense to purchase both parts only if you have not played Last Light before.

The universe of the game "Stalker" is large and vast, full of secrets and mysteries that fill every corner of the forbidden zone. The primary source is, of course, the work of the Strugatsky brothers "Roadside Picnic". The idea existed - it was loneliness, a feeling of deep melancholy, dull colors and constant danger, because of which one must be on the alert everywhere.

The first part of the saga about the Marked - a lone stalker came out in the distant two thousand and seven. Then the still little-known company GSC Game World released a game, the scene of which was abandoned in the vicinity of Chernobyl and Pripyat. Attractions were present: the fourth power unit, the Prometheus cinema, a dump of abandoned equipment and much more. The player was told the story of a tramp who lost his memory, a hunter to the Zone's riches - artifacts. On behalf of the hero, the gaming community watched a new, unlike anything else world after the apocalypse of northwest Ukraine.

The seemingly lifeless landscape was diluted with millions of small details. The flora was noisy, the fauna was running about their business, both could do harm! People were busy with everyday life - mostly sitting safely in makeshift bases, occasionally making forays into dangerous parts of the contaminated territory. The picture that opened up to the eye was addictive, there was a feeling of the reality of what was happening. Melancholy could penetrate to the depths of the soul, if the player happened to get caught in acid rain in one of the buildings in the Zone. The atmosphere of loneliness was conveyed with rare skill. Despite this, I did not want to quit the game. For eight whole years "Shadows of Chernobyl" have not lost their relevance, forcing fans of the series to return to familiar places.

Two thousand and eight was marked by the release of the second part - the backstory of the first part, in which they explained to us how the Zone became the way the players saw it a year ago. The developers succeeded in the impossible - on the old map, they showed a completely different performance, the development of the plot and the atmosphere of which still perfectly fit into the world of the Zone. A relatively densely populated area, where a war for areas of influence is being waged, terrible thickets of forests, new secrets, the disclosure of which could lead to far from joyful consequences. The picture of the history of the contaminated area began to fold into a bizarre mosaic, the plot developed, and the players, having passed the second part, waited with even greater hope for the third. What to do if the writers, having answered all the questions of the first part, accidentally dropped a dozen more, forcing loyal fans to scour the Zone in search of answers that could not be found.

The final, third part, being a sequel to the first, was released in two thousand and nine, immediately recouping the development costs. The player was placed in the very center of the infected area - the vicinity of the ghost town of Pripyat, again left alone with a seemingly straightforward mission. The third adventure lasted much longer than the first two - three huge locations allowed fans to unfold in full force. The developers should also be given their due. Few of the third part can boast of such a soon development and such high quality content. New opportunities, interesting tasks, old acquaintances and the unique, but nostalgic spirit of "Stalker" has returned, allowing the gaming community to once again enjoy the game that has sunk into the souls of many.

The Elder Scrolls series is unique in its own way - among the western role-playing games of the old school, he is almost the only one who continues to live and develop. You can also call only the post-apocalyptic saga of Fallout, but at some point it almost sunk into oblivion, and it was Bethesda, the developer of The Elder Scrolls, that saved her from this fate. Most surprising of all, the series is also extremely in demand. The release of the new episode is a global event. Almost no other modern game can even come close to what The Elder Scrolls has to offer. The player is provided with a huge fantasy world where he is free to do whatever he pleases. Of course, there is an ultimate goal, it is imperative to prevent some ancient Evil from arranging another dirty trick for everyone, but the emphasis is not on this, but on all sorts of side activities. They are abundant in any Western RPG, and in The Elder Scrolls they are even put to the fore. Sometimes the language does not turn out to be called them and the side ones - these are, rather, alternative storylines. They're less epic, but just as addicting.

The fifth part is set in the northern province of the Tamriel empire - Skyrim. This meteorologically unfavorable region is inhabited mainly by Nords - harsh blond warriors who are clearly written off from the Vikings. The situation in the region is deplorable: a war is raging there between the nationalists and the imperial legion that has arrived to pacify them. Freedom fighters believe that the Empire infringes on the rights of the Nords on their own land, and the authorities of Tamriel have decreed that the law is the same for all. Whoever thinks otherwise is a criminal. The game begins when the hero, along with the leader of the rioters, is led to execution. At the most crucial moment, it turns out that his name is not on the list of those sentenced, but this hitch does not bother the imperial officers. To avoid bureaucratic red tape, they decide to behead the stranger anyway. The life of the unfortunate is saved by a dragon who suddenly attacked the settlement. In the confusion, the hero frees himself and escapes, after which the player is left to himself.

Having got out to the vastness of Skyrim, you can go anywhere, even to the opposite edge of the virtual world. There are a lot of places to visit: forts, castles, huts, ruins and caves. Initially, only cities are marked on the map, the rest of the locations are displayed as you visit. The game allows you to move freely between the known places, which significantly saves time. The compass is an indispensable aid in navigation. It shows the directions in which nearby houses and sights worthy of the hero's attention are. In addition, the compass marks the destinations for active quests. Thus, despite the impressive size of the game world, it is difficult to get lost in it.

Quests - both large and small - await literally at every turn. In the nearest large village, Whiterun, they will try to lure you into a detachment of werewolves-mercenaries. Their aged captain is preoccupied with finding a cure for lycanthropy: he is afraid that after the death of such a bloodthirsty beast as he will not be allowed into paradise for Sovngarde's warriors. You can go to the stronghold of the separatists, Windhelm, and join the ranks of the rebels, since the hero had a chance to meet their leader on the scaffold. The capital of Skyrim is the headquarters of the Imperial Legion. The Imperials are tough people, but pragmatic, and for the sake of promising cooperation they are ready to forget the "misunderstanding" that happened. Riften in the southeast is notorious for having a guild of thieves in its sewers. She once held the whole of Skyrim in her fist, but for several decades she has been pursued by a series of failures. For some unknown reason, its patroness, the goddess of shadows, turned away from the guild. If you are attracted by the witchcraft path, your path lies north - to the college, where warlocks teach the basics of magic to everyone. Do not forget about the main plot connected with the return of dragons after centuries of sleep. After completing several assignments, it turns out that the hero is the reincarnation of the legendary dragon fighter. Revelation unlocks a special type of magic powered by the souls of defeated dragons.

What The Elder Scrolls has always differed from other RPGs is its hands-on approach to character development. There is no distribution of points by parameters, all qualities improve on their own as they are used. The degree of possession of a certain type of weapon grows in parallel with how the hero shreds enemies with this weapon. To master any school of magic, it is required to regularly use spells related to this school. It becomes a little easier to unlock locks with every broken pick. Unlike Oblivion, where the hero's level increased only when pumping basic skills, in Skyrim all skills go to the piggy bank without exception. As the level rises, you can improve health, stamina (consumed when running and swinging strikes) or a reserve of magic, and also choose one perk. So, when you bring oratory to the value "30", a perk opens up that allows you to bribe the guards. The system is simple: in most role-playing games, everything is much more complicated, if not "confusing". For The Elder Scrolls, however, it is optimal, since the dominant place in the series has always been occupied not by numbers, but by the virtual world.

“I dreamed of money, cars, women, respect, freedom. I think I got it all ... more or less ”- these words of Vito Scaletta, the protagonist of Mafia 2, best express the essence of the game. Even if there is not so much freedom (or rather, there is no freedom at all), women, money, good music, enemies, and especially cars - even if you have loads of wagons.

The cars in the game are made almost the best of all. In addition to the fact that the era itself has this (be sure to check our material with a comparison of game models and their real prototypes), it is also a pleasure to operate them. Driving on a slippery road in slow and heavy cars is a bit like balancing on a tightrope: if you just make a mistake, and an uncontrollable suitcase is already in the oncoming lane. Of course, in order not to deprive yourself of this pleasure, it is necessary to enable "simulation" physics in the game settings. There are not so many car models this time - only 37, but each is worked out with manic attention to detail (only the view from the cockpit is missing) and is recognizable even by the sound. In a word, if we consider Mafia 2 as a simulator of cars of the 40-50s era, then it has no equal in this.

As, however, in the attention to detail. For some reason, some blame the game for the complete lack of activity and side tasks in the city, but who needs to deal with driving stolen cars and robbing shops, if every gateway, every facade in Empire Bay is sculpted by hand? During missions, every now and then you look around, amazed at the detail of the interiors, and going down the stairs, you can find a cleaning lady eavesdropping at the door, who is immediately embarrassed by our appearance. It is clear that all these mise-en-scenes are calculated in advance and occur almost exclusively on our way, but you never cease to be amazed at the meticulousness of 2K Czech, even for the second and third time.

The Czechs only give out a typical Eastern European approach to polishing the game - in this regard, Mafia 2 differs from GTA 4 approximately as Skoda from Volkswagen. The camera in the premises instead of the hero's back often shows only a piece of the ceiling, the checkpoints are arranged so that the same mission has to be completed several times due to a stupid design mistake, and they kill in the game quickly and unexpectedly (enemies are often not visible due to cover ). It's a shame that Take-Two Interactive's huge budgets were only spent on creating a beautiful world, amazing cars, and licensing all the best music from the 50s.

The plot is excellent, the characters are good, and their animation is satisfactory. But there is no desire to decompose Mafia 2 into its components, because its main advantage is the era and history. Which, however, talks about the errand boy. If we discard both the plot and the fashionable scenery, we will have to admit that Mafia 2 does not fully meet the expectations of the best game of the year, and even more so - of the decade. But whatever one may say, they waited for her for so long that the grades hardly matter.

For several years CD Projekt RED has managed to accomplish what other development companies can only dream of - to create a gamer analogue of Game of Thrones and achieve global recognition, expanding the target audience of The Witcher from a group of fans of Andrzej Sapkowski's brainchild to everything gaming community. In addition to the peculiar world in "The Witcher" there is something that radically distinguishes it in the RPG space - this is an amazing naturalism of everything that happens. The developers do not adapt to the toothless norms of artistic expression, which prescribe shamelessly hiding naked bodies and pools of blood, not offending women and children, and, of course, include in the frame as many representatives of all kinds of races and minorities as possible, even where they are inappropriate.

The authors remain faithful to the spirit of the original both in terms of the plot and the acuteness of the questions raised. There is no good and evil here, the ideals of justice give way to real social problems. Tyranny, infringement of the rights of groups of the population, widespread cruelty and, of course, the struggle for power - politicized fantasy is very popular in popular culture today, but in the world of role-playing games it is a rare bird. The Witcher is tightly embedded in the artistic basis and confidently uses its resource. Did the developers finally unleash the potential of the universe in the final chapter of the story of Geralt of Rivia?

As in the degree of elaboration of the plot, characters and voiced social problems, and territorially, the world of "Wild Hunt" has become larger and more holistic than in the previous parts. It would be quite correct in this case to compare not even with them, but with the standard of "large sizes" - The Elder Scrolls. However, unlike the latter, the scale in The Witcher is not a goal, but a condition for immersion in what the Scrolls just lack - in the spiritual atmosphere of the Slavic epic.

Galloping on a horse, overcoming dense forests and endless plains, walking along the streets of local villages, climbing the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Skellige Islands, you not only get aesthetic satisfaction from the grandiose landscapes and incredibly beautiful graphics, but also feel the scale and significance of what is happening. Each frame of The Witcher 3 is filled with life: trees sway from gusts of wind, village kids frolic by the lake, bandits and warriors pass along the roads. At the inn, you can go to the gwent (this is a local card game) and have a beer. In Novigrad you can listen to the sermon of the priest, and in the tavern you can indulge in memories while listening to Priscilla's delightful song. The game's living world, full of romance and adventure, is beautiful.

Dark Souls is an action RPG based on a simple but honest combat system based on focusing the camera on the enemy, circling around him waiting for the right moment to attack, rolls, blocks and parries. The fame and popularity of Souls has been brought by complexity, which never exceeds reasonable limits, but always keeps you on your toes. Each enemy dies in a matter of blows - as does the hero. Death threatens with the loss of souls, which are both money and experience for pumping: caution does not hurt, but at the same time no loss will be truly critical, since everything can be replenished.

Feelings of hopelessness and despair have been firmly associated in the mind with the series before, but in Dark Souls 3, every grain of history feels like this journey is the last. We have never seen this world in such a deplorable state. But do not forget that the history in the games of the series does not tolerate a superficial study. It reveals itself only to the most meticulous. You have to look very closely. For a long, long time to peer into the abyss. It's not what you think. Another chosen dead will follow the paths of heroic predecessors, but making out familiar outlines in new lands is not so easy. Time is merciless - impregnable fortresses have long turned to dust, new walls have grown on the site of majestic castles, once blossoming gardens are drowning in poisonous liquid, and where the sun once shone, merciless cold reigns. Today these lands and kingdoms are called completely differently, but we will remember their true names. Or is it just an illusion? An evil joke of the abyss, which for centuries strives to swallow the world? In Dark Souls, you need to look with all your eyes, but, as before, do not blindly believe everything you see.

The opportunity, by negligence, to "screw up" the passage for itself, has not gone anywhere. For example, I played as a magician, and the only NPC teaching new spells, after I killed another boss, for no reason at all, I took it and disappeared forever because I did not bring him any of the scrolls he was looking for. A wizard armed only with variations of the Soul Arrow is a truly pathetic sight. And I had to either start the game over, or put up with the inferiority of the character. However, be that as it may, among Dark Souls, the third part is perhaps still the best. She focuses on the right things, she learns from the experience of her predecessors, she offers what many games cannot do. It is a long, stressful and exciting journey through vibrant and memorable places. This is a wonderful, beautiful and truly three-dimensional world, which is extremely interesting to explore. These are all battles growing in complexity, forcing to act more attentively, more quickly, more cunningly.

On the other hand, DS3 has the main thing that distinguishes the entire Souls-series - mystery. Developers of modern blockbusters are accustomed not only to show off all the most interesting things, but to poke the player into this “most interesting” face. Right there, on the contrary, all the most delicious is hidden from inattentive eyes; the game is full of secrets, non-obvious moments and even whole storylines that are easy to miss when passing through carelessly. And for such a unique approach and technical roughness, you can once again be forgiven. The graphics in the game are not very good, but the atmosphere does everything for it, and in general the game is not about that at all. With DarkSouls, a funny paradox came out: the third part became exactly the same, which at one time they wanted to see the second, but I still wanted more from the triumphant completion of the trilogy. Repetition of the past, even if more or less justified, remains repetition. The series is marking time, and this is not the best solution with so many roughnesses and elements that frankly need major repairs.

Atmospheric PC games are the TOP 10 most interesting and memorable projects to which you want to return again and again.

A deep plot, high-quality picture and a perfectly suitable soundtrack - a combination of all factors creates the very atmosphere that sets them apart from ordinary projects.

This collection contains a dozen of the most atmospheric games. Most are in Russian.

1. Dead by Daylight - pure horror

"Dead by Daylight" - Imagine that all your favorite horror games were collected in one game, and even allowed the players to take part in any role.

Video Game Dead by Daylight

The replay value is almost endless - hunt down stupid people on the trail and kill them in various ways as an assassin, or team up, outsmart death itself, playing as survivors.

2. Nioh - the hard way of a samurai

Nioh is a big, challenging RPG with powerful bosses that require you to spend dozens of hours destroying them.

Video Games Nioh

Be careful, the game can drag on for 200 hours, making you forget about real life. Everything is done too high quality and beautifully here.

3. Killing Floor 2 - Zombie Meat Kill

Killing Floor 2 is one of the coolest atmospheric action games to destroy zombies and mutants. Graphics, sound, entertainment - everything is on top.

Killing Floor 2 video game

And also: customization of heroes, a whole bunch of perks, sometimes even good humor. Big updates come out regularly.

4. No Man's Sky - infinitely generated space

No Man's Sky is one of the largest modern space sandboxes with beautiful graphics and co-op play.

Video Game No Man's Sky

Unfortunately, the developers did not implement everything they promised in the game, so the ratings are average. But the atmosphere is there!

5. Endless Space 2 - control of a space civilization

"Endless Space 2" - the second part of the game lives up to its name, it is truly endless space with cool graphics and a huge amount of content.

Video Game Endless Space 2

A large tree of development, a detailed editor for creating ships, diplomacy and just a very beautiful big world. Recommended.

6. Aragami - stealth action game in an interesting world

Aragami is a game in which atmosphere comes first. Although the gameplay is very good.

Aragami video games

The picture looks especially beautiful in night missions, but it is not easy to pass them. This is a quality indie that, unfortunately, few people know about.

7. Warspear Online - cozy RPG with tough PvP

Warspear Online is a tube MMO from Russian developers. The game looks simple only at first glance, when you immerse yourself you realize that there is a lot of content in it.

Video Game Warspear Online

The game is completely in Russian. She has beautiful old-school graphics, not the easiest gameplay and consistently large online.

8. Steep - winter sports competition

"Steep" - the most realistic graphics and endless snow in a winter adventure from Ubisoft. This is a winter sports game.

Video Game Steep

The game is made very high quality - the tracks are copied from the real ones and their passage depends on the player's personal skills. It also has great sound.

9. We Were Here Too - dark co-op adventure

"We Were Here Too" - plunge into the secrets of a medieval castle, trying to get out of it together with your partner.

Video Games We Were Here Too

Interesting, atmospheric and sometimes even too difficult, but that's the fun of the game. You will not be able to complete it the first time.

10. Depth - slaughter of sharks and divers

"Depth" - dive into the very depths of the ocean to fight bloodthirsty sharks, or play as predators tearing stupid divers to pieces.

Video Game Depth

There is a game mode with real opponents and training with bots. Many different maps, Russian, always good online.

This may not be all the great atmosphere PC games that exist today, but we tried to recall the best ones. Need more? Look for them in other collections and reviews!

A selection of the best atmospheric games for the computer. If you have any suggestions to add a game to this top, write the name of the game and why you think it has a cool atmosphere.

Blade runner

Release date: 1997 year

A three-dimensional adventure game with elements of a third-person action game, which tells about the confrontation between people and replicants (cloned half-hadroids designed to work where no one will work) and is based on the 1982 film of the same name. In the course of the game, we will have to look for clues, communicate with various characters and fight against replicants.

An interesting feature of the project is that, firstly, before the start of the game, it is randomly generated which of the characters we meet will turn out to be a replicant, and secondly, our hero can choose topics for conversation and options for answers in dialogues. In general, the project turned out to be incredibly replayable (which only cost 16 endings) and atmospheric. In terms of gameplay, it was far ahead of its time, so if you are not deterred by the outdated graphics by modern standards, then it is highly recommended to familiarize yourself with the game.

Silent Hill

Release date: 1999-2012

A series of incredibly atmospheric survival horror games, different in storyline, but often united by the setting. The plot of most of the games in the series takes place in the non-existent town of Silent Hill, associated with a certain mystical cult.

The features of the series include gloomy multidimensional plots and an incredibly frightening atmosphere, an important role in the creation of which is played by the surrounding world, which is in constant fog, as well as a variety of monsters drawn by the subconscious of the characters of the games. Also traditionally for the series in games there are various puzzles tied not only to finding and using quest items, but also to solving various riddles and finding non-standard ways to solve them.

Gothic 1 and 2

Release date: The first - 2001, the second - 2002.

Two parts of an excellent atmospheric third-person fantasy RPG set in the kingdom of Myrtana, where there is a bloody war with the orcs. At one time, these two games were the most popular in the genre, and many developers were equal (and sometimes tried to frankly copy) some game mechanics. On our site, Gothic is included in.

The peculiarities of the dilogy include a large game world for those times, an excellent plot, a convenient system of combat and magic. Also, one of the "chips" of these two games is that the main character is pumped by teachers, who must be looked for in the game world. The first part of "Gothic" received mostly positive reviews, and the second was recognized by many game publications as the best RPG of 2003.

Max payne

Release date: 2001 year

Genre: Third person shooter,

A third-person shooter imbued with noir and an atmosphere of hopelessness. In the game, we control Max Payne - an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who lost his family, after which he was brutally framed. The game features of the project include a fair amount of cinematography of what is happening, as well as the presence of a bullet time mode, which allows time to slow down so much that you can see the bullets flying at the protagonist.

In general, when playing Max Payne, one feels that the developers were inspired by films in the "Hong Kong action" genre. To date, two more parts of the famous game have been released, which also keep the high bar set by the first part, and even introduce some of their own gameplay elements.

Mafia 1 and 2

Release date: 2002 year

Genre: Third person shooter, open world,

Two parts of an excellent third-person action adventure with an open world and elements of a car simulator. Traditionally, for both parts, we, in the person of the main character of the game, travel across a huge seamless location, communicate with people, complete a task, participate in shootouts and periodically drive cars. Despite the open world, a lot of emphasis in the games is on the plot, which tells the story of the formation of the mafia. At the same time, the first and second parts, although they are in the same universe, are not related to each other (with the exception of a few references).

Both parts of the game received overwhelmingly positive feedback from players, largely due to the incredibly atmospheric and exciting storyline. At the moment, a third has been added to the above two parts, which, however, received mixed assessments.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series

Release date: 2007-2009

An excellent survival horror with a first-person view, the plot of which is based on the novel of the same name by Dmitry Glukhovsky. Not surprisingly, the game turned out to be very atmospheric and very interesting in terms of the plot. As for the gameplay, everything is fine here as well - the project is a sprightly post-apocalyptic shooter, which clearly drew inspiration not only from the original book source, but also from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R .. series games.

The game takes place in the Moscow metro, where people moved after the total apocalypse. Locations in the game are mostly corridor, but very ominous and often have many branches. Often the player has to move in pitch darkness, where dangerous monsters often hide. Exit to the surface is also fraught with dangers, however, of a different nature (radiation, poisoned air, etc.).

Alan wake

Release date: 2010 r.

Genre: Action, mysticism, horror

An atmospheric, psychedelic third-person action thriller with horror elements in which we play as writer Alan Wake, who is trying to find his wife and is faced with a paranormal entity. Despite the fact that the game mechanics is based on a shooter component, the project is distinguished by very original solutions in terms of combat. So, for example, opponents are often vulnerable to light (and some can generally only be killed by first "highlighting" them).

The plot of the game is interesting, while it affects almost everyone who meets the campaign of the game. One of the features of the gameplay is the division into episodes (as if you are not playing a game, but watching a mystical television series), while at the beginning of a new episode you will definitely be reminded of the events of the previous "series". The project received rave reviews, and Igromania magazine called the console version of the game "the main game-work of 2010."

LIMBO

Release date: 2010 r.

A monochrome platformer that tells the story of a boy trying to find his sister in an extremely unfriendly world. On the way to his goal, the hero will often encounter gloomy creatures and all kinds of traps, and the slightest mistake will certainly lead to the death of the character.

A dark and atmospheric game, the gameplay style of which the developers themselves call a trial and death method. Indeed, one will have to die here often, very often, even somehow incredibly often. And the whole point here is that our hero does not have any super-abilities, and the world around him is too aggressive. Be that as it may, rather quickly difficult places in the game will become passable for you, after which they will no longer give you so many problems.

L.A. Noire

Release date: 2011 r.

Genre: Third person shooter, adventure, police,

A third-person action game with elements of adventure, which is a real detective simulator. In the game, as a detective of the LAPD, we will have to unravel a number of crimes, for which we will have to examine crime scenes, find and compare evidence and all kinds of leads, and ultimately find criminals. In addition to the storyline tasks, there are many additional missions in the game that can be obtained via a police radio.

The game has an excellent and incredibly atmospheric storyline, as well as addictive gameplay that really makes you feel like a real detective. It is not surprising that gamers highly appreciated this project, and gaming publications gave it rather positive ratings.

Dear Esther

Release date: 2012 r.

Genre: Quest

An experimental game from an independent developer in which we roam a desert island, listen to the narrator's voiceover, read letters here and there, and move forward. The main goal of the game is to get to the radio tower, studying the island in parallel and trying to understand what is happening here, who Esther is, and what the narrator is talking about. On our site, the game is included in.

A strange, unlike anything else, and incredibly atmospheric game that is akin to meditation. Of course, not everyone may like it, because here there are no opponents, not even mysteries, but if it "comes to you", then you will probably return to it from time to time. What for? Yes, at least for the umpteenth time to read "Dear Esther ...".

Journey

Release date: 2012 r.

Genre: Quest

A game unlike anything, devoid of any words, but filled with music, indescribable atmosphere and emotions. In the role of a strange creature, we have to make a journey to a distant, distant mountain, while we can meet other players, but you cannot communicate with them, and you can only find out who this is in front of you at the end of the game (the names of the players we meet will be indicated in the end credits).

During the journey, players will come across pieces of cloth, which will subsequently give the opportunity to fly a small segment of the path. Also, during the passage, the player will encounter various magical objects and ruins, which are traces of an ancient civilization. Such findings will help to understand the history of the game world.

Dark Souls Series

Release date: 2011-2016

A series of action RPG games, each of which will literally make you cry. And this is not an exaggeration! The gameplay of all parts is built around battles with all kinds of monsters (including extremely gigantic ones) using cold weapons. Also, the game has an element of exploring the world, consisting of several levels connected to each other. Why is this episode so famous and why will you cry? The fact is that the games of the souls series are distinguished by an extremely high difficulty of passing and an equally high threshold for entering the game for beginners.

Despite the extreme complexity, the games in the series have become incredibly popular in the gaming environment. And really, what better way to please your own ego than killing some incredibly difficult boss in an equally incredibly difficult game? Throw in the incredible vibe and get something that players love this series so much!

Kentucky route zero

Release date: 2013 g.

Genre: Indie adventure

An atmospheric indie project is one of those who, despite their external simplicity, hide in themselves the most powerful atmosphere and depth. At first glance, the game looks like an unremarkable quest with vector graphics, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the project was clearly inspired by the films of David Lynch. There are no puzzles and inventory with items, and the main emphasis is on clicks on the desired points on the screen and the choice of lines in dialogues.

An excellent game that focuses on history and surroundings. A project that may be a small revelation for some. The plot is intriguing from the very beginning and often presents players with many surprises.

Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons

Release date: 2013 g.

A worthy first-person survival horror in the Alien universe, in which we, as Amanda Ripley (yes, this is Ellen Ripley's daughter from the MCU), will have to escape from xenomorphs on a space station. Most of the time we have to wander around the locations, exploring them and finding the items necessary for further plot advancement. At the same time, strangers will constantly complicate our life. The "trick" is that xenomorphs here live by their own laws and have artificial intelligence, so you will hardly be able to hide from them for a long time.

The game turned out to be very atmospheric, largely due to the defenselessness of the main character. Those. We, of course, can scare away the creature with the help of a torch, but you will not be able to kill the stranger, so there is only one way out - to hide!

This war of mine

Release date: 2014

Genre: Simulator, stealth

A side-scrolling survival simulator that tells the story of a group of civilians trying to survive in a city during a civil war. The project has an indescribable oppressive atmosphere and fully shows the real picture of the war.

In This War of Mine, the player controls several survivors who are trying to survive the war. The gameplay can be conventionally divided into two phases - day and night. In the daytime the player needs to equip the shelter and interact with the characters, and at night - to make forays into the city in search of food, medicine, etc. The main problems of the player here include the lack of food and medicine, cold and armed marauders. Events in the game are generated randomly, which makes each playthrough unique.

Orient and the blind forest

Release date: 2015

Genre: Platformer, fantasy

A fun and very atmospheric 2D platformer. We control a character named Ori, as well as the protecting spirit of Sein. Sein can attack enemies and make a burst of energy. In turn, Ori is able to jump, climb walls, levitate in the air, swim underwater, etc. The location is large and all open at once, however, without some of Ori's abilities (and most of them are opened during the passage), we will not be able to advance into certain parts.

Players from all over the world highly appreciated the visual style of the project, as well as its history and musical accompaniment. It also finished second in the Best Platformer category, just 1% behind the winner.

SOMA

Release date: 2015

Genre: Survival horror

The action of this horror takes place at an underwater station, where machines take on human features. The gameplay here is traditional for the developer's past games (Penumbra and Amnesia), which means that the main emphasis here is on moving around locations, finding quest items and solving puzzles. However, an equally important part of the game is the plot and the constant oppressive atmosphere, which instills anxiety from the very first minutes of the game.

SOMA received positive reviews from players and critics, who primarily praised the plot, as well as the constant feeling of unreasonable fear that arises during the course of the game. Recommended for all fans of horror films with quest elements!

P athologic Classic HD

Release date: 2015

Genre: Simulator, RPG, arthouse

HD-reissue of the "simulator of human behavior in an epidemic" called "Walrus Utopia". Many critics called the game the most non-standard project, and this is not surprising, because it is very, very difficult to "drive" it into the framework of any genre. There are RPG elements here, but very non-standard ones. There are also elements of adventure, but also with their own "oddities". There is a combat element in the game, but it is far from traditional "combat".

The game shows the fate of three people who were in the city during a terrible epidemic. Each of the characters has its own goals, motives and attitude to what is happening. Each has its own principle of effective survival. The game turned out to be very atmospheric and grotesque, and the HD re-release allowed at least a little to brighten up the wretchedness of the old engine. It's time to get acquainted with this project, if you missed it in due time.

Ghost of a tale

Release date: 2016 Nov.

Genre: Action, RPG

An atmospheric action-rpg game with elements of adventure and stealth, which tells the story of the brave little mouse Tilo, who was captured by the rats-imperials. In the course of his adventure, the mouse will have to overcome various obstacles, hide from the guards, look for keys to numerous doors, and even disguise himself as an imperial.

Each component of the game is well developed, but stealth deserves special attention. Our mouse can make noise, the strength of which is influenced by the character himself, his speed, the surface on which he moves, etc. The levels are scattered barrels and chests in which you can hide. Opponents can be distracted or stunned. The RPG element is also quite strong here. The mouse can find various outfits that affect its parameters, complete quests, level up and even learn new skills.

Darkest dungeon

Release date: 2016 Nov.

Genre: RPG, indie, fantasy, roguelike

An original RPG with a touch of the roguelike genre, in which we, in the company of several adventurers, set off to explore the catacombs under the old manor. Before each hike, we can equip our "adventurers", and after the hike - send them to restore their physical and mental health. I would like to emphasize the latter - the fact is that the game is quite atmospheric and gloomy, it is not surprising that such an emphasis is placed on the morale of the characters. Our heroes, as opponents or unforeseen situations arise, can get scared, as a result of which they will get out of the player's control, or acquire some unpleasant perks.

The project was clearly inspired by the works of writers such as Howard Lovecraft. It is not surprising that the game is filled to overflowing with themes such as fear of the unknown, loss of reason, the insignificance of a person before unknown forces.

Layers of Fear

Release date: 2016 Nov.

Genre: Survival horror, mystic

An atmospheric thriller in which you, as a mad artist, must complete your life's work and create a Masterpiece. Can you find the roots of your own madness and can you get rid of them? Or maybe you will get bogged down in a quagmire of fear and horror? You decide!

The gameplay here is very "railroad". A step to the left, a step to the right within the framework of this game is not something that is punished, it is, in principle, impossible here. At the same time, the project takes on the plot and atmosphere, which are quite good here. At the same time, the story is presented not only through videos and gameplay, but even through the scenery, in particular through paintings. Ultimately, an understanding of the whole story comes, and what we, in the person of the protagonist, strive for throughout the game, and then it becomes really scary.

INSIDE

Release date: 2016 Nov.

Genre: Puzzle, quest, survival horror

An atmospheric puzzle platformer created by the developer of another similar game called Limbo. In principle, these two games are similar, like brothers, therefore, the gameplay here is made with an eye to the company's previous project - we, in the person of a boy, run mostly in one direction and try in every possible way to avoid traps, as well as opponents. Our hero has an extremely low vitality, as a result of which he will die often and tastefully. However, when the understanding of actions in a particularly difficult moment comes, it begins to be traversed quite simply.

The project takes not so much gameplay as its graphic component and atmosphere. There is no presentation of the plot here either, so the players have to navigate "along the way", however, this does not interfere with enjoying the project during the game.

ABZU

Release date: 2016 Nov.

Genre: Scuba Diver Simulator

A colorful simulator of a scuba diver, with a minimum of actions required from the player, but at the same time with a maximum of positive impressions. The whole gameplay here comes down to freeing fish from traps, searching for shells and activating various mechanisms, but at the same time the indescribable atmosphere of the underwater world makes you play this project again and again.

One of the main advantages of the game is the ability to constantly delight the player. Indeed, as you move on and open new locations, it literally starts to take your breath away. The underwater world is very diverse and you really admire it, especially since both flora and fauna contribute equally well to it. Great meditation game with amazing atmosphere and nice music.

Beholder

Release date: 2016 Nov.

Genre: Adventure

A fascinating game with a side view, which tells the story of life in an extremely totalitarian state. We work for the government and our task is to monitor tenants, collecting information about them, compiling a dossier and reporting to the authorities about all violations. We also have a family, so the game competently pushes us to realize our own interests. In the end, we have to frankly make a choice, follow the instructions of our superiors, or violate them for our own benefit. In this case, the violation may well go unnoticed.

The game is interesting for its atmosphere. The idea of ​​total surveillance of everyone and everyone is very well conveyed here, and any of your actions will lead to certain consequences (and not always to good ones). In any case, it is always interesting to observe where this or that decision will lead.

Detention

Release date: 2017 Nov.

Genre: Puzzle, horror

Nice horror about two students stuck in high school during bad weather somewhere in the mountains. Something ominous began to hunt us and now our heroes have to solve riddles and try to survive among the ghosts. Add to that the fact that the game is set in Taiwan in the 60s, when the country was in dire straits, and you have a truly interesting, complex and incredibly atmospheric story.

The game has a rather specific visuals and soundtrack, which at first may put off players, but give the project a chance. If you get involved, then a great pastime is guaranteed to you! Spectacular and very touching game, which is at least worth familiarizing with.

Little nightmares

Release date: 2017 Nov.

Genre: Quest, puzzle

Adventure game with quest and arcade elements in which we play as a girl named Sixth. Our heroine, constantly experiencing a feeling of hunger, found herself in a strange place called the Womb, and now we have to get out of there, using all our dexterity and ingenuity.

Despite the fact that the game is three-dimensional, we still run in a two-dimensional plane. Our heroine can perform various actions - run, jump, climb, grab, use objects, eat, hug gnomes. With such a meager arsenal of skills, we have to overcome various obstacles on the way of the Sixth, as well as various monsters that live in large numbers in the Womb. An excellent project that carries very deep thoughts in a rather peculiar style.

The first tree

Release date: 2017 Nov.

Genre: Third person quest

An atmospheric "walking simulator" with a third-person view, with a lot of emphasis on a story that tells two fates - a fox trying to find his family and a boy looking for his father. Throughout the game, we will be in two realities - spacious forest locations in the shape of a fox and in a dark bedroom in the face of a child.

The gameplay boils down mainly to constant movement through beautiful locations and platforming, and the main driving force here is the story told by the voiceover. You can activate the plot dialogue only in special places, to which we will get. The finale of the game deserves special mention, which justifies the boring gameplay in places and successfully "hits" the feelings of the player.

FAR: Lone Sails

Release date: 2018 Nov.

Genre: Indie

An indie adventure game with an indescribable atmosphere and meditative gameplay in which we must travel on a unique land ship across the dried seabed in search of the remains of a dying civilization. As it progresses, our ship will encounter various obstacles, among which dangerous weather conditions will become the lesser evil.

The game features of the project include an interesting setting, the possibility of upgrading the ship (the improvements really help in passing) and an incredibly atmospheric world around - a deserted dry seabed filled with all kinds of relics that tell about what happened here.

CONCLUSE

Release date: 2018 Nov.

Genre: First person horror, indie

Free indie first-person horror in the spirit of the "old school" with a touch of art house and psychedelics, as well as a perfectly conveyed atmosphere of fear and emptiness. According to the plot, the main character has been looking for his missing wife for 3 years unsuccessfully, but suddenly he is advised to look for her in the city with the telling name "Hell". From getting to this city, the misadventures of our protagonist begin.

In this project, players will have to explore an eerie empty city, look for clues for further advancement and solve puzzles of varying degrees of difficulty. The graphics in the game are quite dark, monochrome with a constant white noise effect. Often, as the player progresses, he will come across all sorts of letters and newspaper clippings that shed light on what is happening.

It is customary to evaluate video games according to certain, tangible, criteria - graphics, sound, gameplay, plot elaboration, and so on. But there are projects that can be a failure in all respects, and at the same time adored by millions of gamers. Such games attract with a thick, enveloping atmosphere, which contributes to the full immersion in the virtual world. We will tell about them in this collection.

24. Heavy Rain

A month ago, this game could not make it into our top atmospheric PC games, but now that the PC version has been announced, we simply cannot help but include it in the list. from the studio will tell you the story of completely different heroes, who have one thing in common - a serial killer, nicknamed the "Origami Master". The dark plot, which, through the choices made, can lead to one of several endings, is complemented by a thick atmosphere of hopelessness from the feeling that a dangerous maniac is always one step ahead.

23. Half-Life 2

22. Mafia 1-2

21. Bioshock Trilogy

Each game from the line of Bioshock in its own way brilliantly demonstrates the setting in which its events unfold. Whether it is underwater Rapture or heavenly Columbia, in any case, you will plunge headlong into the thick atmosphere of the era, feel the mood of decline and despair hidden behind the screen of idleness and luxury. This is facilitated by both the visual style and the plot, and minor details - a random phrase dropped by an NPC, an audio diary found in a box, a corpse lying in a gateway.

20. Dead Space

19. Tom Clancy's The Division Dilogy

18. Sunless Sea

Exploring dark waters in a universe reminiscent of Lovecraft's horrors - what could be more exciting and intimidating? Sunless Sea invites you to take control of a steamer and go on an unforgettable journey across the ocean, which hides many nightmarish monsters. If you love games focused on survival and exploration, then this project may be exactly what you were missing.

17. This War of Mine

Surviving in a city engulfed in civil war is not an easy task. Especially if you are never a fighter, take refuge in a dilapidated house and constantly wonder how to feed a dozen hungry mouths under your care. This War of Mine is a game in which you have to look at war from a different perspective. Not the one where it is so fun and exciting to shoot at enemies, but the one that forces you to ransack buildings in search of canned food, risking getting shot or running into looters. Arguably the most powerful anti-war utterance in the gaming industry.

16. Alien: Isolation

The space station is the perfect place for a good horror movie. Just add in some crazy androids and one deadly Alien who behaves so intelligently that you have almost no chance of survival. This is exactly what the creators of Alien: Isolation did with one of the most terrifying games of recent years. Everything here works for the atmosphere: the universe, recognizable surroundings, terrible enemies and even the name of the main character - yes, you have to play for the daughter of that same Ripley from classical quadrology.

15. Assassin's Creed Odyssey

14. Metro 2033 / Last Light / Exodus

Each Metro game is an excursion into the world. Let this world be shown somewhat pretentious, hypertrophied, but nevertheless it is felt as a family to every gamer living in the countries of the former. Particularly successful in this field is the third part of the line - Metro Exodus, the events of which go beyond and show how the fate of the survivors to the east of the capital developed.

13. Resident Evil 2

12. Limbo / Inside

The stories that are hidden behind the plots of the games from the studio Playdead must be conjectured on their own. You will spend more than one day trying to understand what exactly the developers wanted to say, what goals the characters pursue and what is generally happening in these universes. But even if you can't solve all the secrets of Limbo and Inside, you can't argue with the fact that these games leave a lasting impression.

11. RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard

The last numbered part of the RESIDENT EVIL 7 line for 2019 stands in a slightly different field than its predecessor. Here, the developers took as a basis a horror about a house somewhere in the rural outback, the owners of which are not at all happy with uninvited guests. Each member of this crazy family will be remembered for a long time, and the first-person view will make boss fights as frightening and atmospheric as possible.

10. Hellblade: Senua`s Sacrifice

Project from British studio Ninja Theory. The developers set themselves an unusual goal for the gaming industry - to visualize human mental disorders to gamers. And they succeeded one hundred percent: thanks to the excellent graphics with an abundance of special effects and very high-quality sound, the immersion in the palaces of the mind of the main character - a warrior named Senua, happens very organically and frighteningly believable. Together with the girl, the player makes a journey through Celtic myths, and it is simply impossible not to feel the atmosphere of the enchanting world created by the authors.

9. Firewatch

8. Beholder

7. Dark Souls

Anyone who has ever suffered in the dark worlds of Dark Souls will definitely include them in the list of the most atmospheric games on PC. The mysterious universe, full of unknown secrets, both attracts and scares away, and the numerous, hiding in the shadows, are always ready to punish the careless traveler who so imprudently wandered into their domain. All episodes are known for their high difficulty, but whoever can overcome all difficulties will discover the fascinating story of a fallen world.

6. Alan Wake

One of the most atmospheric thrillers in the gaming industry, as if descended from the pages of the novels of Stephen King. The American hinterland, the writer trying to find his missing wife, and the creatures of Darkness creeping out at nightfall - such adventures are remembered for a long time. Let Alan Wake not scare as much as other horror games, but in terms of immersion in the world invented by the developers, this project is able to give odds to many of its competitors.

5. L.A. Noire

Rockstar knows how to create atmospheric projects, and Detective L.A. Noire, which offers players to investigate crimes in the 40s, is the leader among them.

The main character, a police detective, will have to expose murderers, rapists, swindlers, arsonists, and a revolutionary facial animation system for its time allows you to follow the facial expressions of the characters and determine whether they are honest with the investigator or are cunning, hiding important information. Every aspect of the game - virtual Los Angeles, story missions - is made with strict quality requirements and attention to the smallest details, which contributes to the deepest immersion in the game world.

4. Silent Hill

3. The Witcher

When compiling the top of the most atmospheric PC games, you cannot but include this RPG series in the selection. The Poles from CD Projekt RED managed to transfer the fictional universe by Andrzej Sapkowski to the screens, while retaining the unique Slavic flavor and medieval atmosphere with an admixture of fantasy.

The third part of the saga The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt deserves a separate mention - here game developers have jumped over their heads, having realized a huge world filled with exciting quests, dangerous monsters and charismatic characters. In this game, you can easily forget about the main goal and go about your business - play "Gwent" in taverns, explore the swamps on horseback on the Roach, twist intrigues in brothels, look for hidden robbers, fulfill witcher contracts. With all that said, it's no surprise that The Witcher 3 is considered the best RPG of the decade on PC and consoles.

2. Grand Theft Auto

If even those who do not play horror know about Silent Hill, then everyone is familiar with it. The franchise created by the studio has become a real cultural phenomenon that has escaped far beyond the gaming industry. The secret of success is high-quality gameplay with complete freedom of action, a detailed world with a parody of modern society, a carefully written script and a huge number of little things that make the universe alive and believable.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R series Yes, the game is full of bugs, the life simulation system is far from what the developers promised, and the plot sags in places - but how good the atmosphere is here!

Traveling around the Zone, he tends to leave all business and just enjoy being in this harsh, but very beautiful world: listen to jokes of stalkers by the fire, walk the streets of an abandoned city, help one traveler fight off a flock of pseudo-dogs. The franchise has already celebrated its tenth anniversary and is now suitable even for weak PCs, despite the fact that at the start it was far from democratic system requirements, but players do not forget about it, releasing custom modifications with new locations, stories and characters - is this not an indicator of people's love?

Conclusion

It was very difficult to compile this rating, because there are much more favorite projects than were included in it. Nevertheless, we managed to select the best atmospheric PC games, but you can add to our selection or argue with us in the comments. After all, each list is subjective, and where one sees only a set of pixels, the other sees the “soul”.

I could not ignore such a question. Despite the fact that many games have already been mentioned, I will do my part too.

There are a lot of games with an exciting storyline, because this is what all developers are striving for at the stage of creation, but there is also a narrower category - games without complex gameplay, the so-called "interactive cinema", where you do not need to shoot from anyone, develop strategies, and so on. This genre is now gaining popularity and the developers now and then delight us with new products.

From the famous games I can single out HeavyRain, Beyond: Two Soyls, Until Dawn, where beautiful graphics and a plot are successfully combined, the most real movie! It's a pity that it's only exclusive for Sonya, but you can watch the passage on YouTube, it looks like a TV series.

Life is Strange As a matter of fact, I'm impressed by the game. Even my sister, who is far from playing games, stuck to the screen, and until the end, she could not tear it off. The game keeps you in suspense to the end, and the finale knocks the ground out from under your feet. The action takes place in a college, in a small town in America, there are a large number of characters in the game, all of them have secrets that we will get acquainted with during the game. And as we know, it is in such small cities that all the most interesting happens ...

Moving on to the lesser known.

Blues and Bullets It's strange that nobody mentioned her. The game is new, interesting graphics, if you watched Sin City, you will understand the style of Noir, you will have to play as detective Elliot Ness, the one who put Al Capone behind bars. Thus, we will investigate the disappearance of children under the control of a historically existing personality, surrounded by luxurious decorations against the backdrop of the stunning Blues.

To the Moon A simple indie game with a strong storyline, unusual storytelling and emotional music. (I'm sure after completing your playlist it will definitely replenish) And don't be afraid of the graphics, the game is worth its time! By the way, if anyone is interested, on the Freebird developers' site you can find several mini-games free for download in the same style, in particular, the addition to To the moon - The bird story. The guys try hard and regularly delight fans with art, games and music. For which they have great respect.

Fahrenheit. The oldest of all, the progenitor of action-choice games. The first game from Quantic Dream, the guys who will create the aforementioned HeavyRain and Beyond: Two Soyls in the future. Yes, you will have to tinker a little with the controls, the atmosphere clings, you can change the character during the game, and in general, for its time it is a very good toy.

I will include Mafia and Mafia 2 on this list, although this is not an interactive movie, but the aftertaste leaves no worse than others. The first part is generally brilliant, all the houses of the city are not drawings, but real photographs, as well as a chip with a weapon left on the other side of the city, whoever played will understand, now they no longer do such things, which is a pity (

Well, as I said before, there is a demand for such games, so I think our list will be replenished soon)