Game atmosphere. From S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and BioShock before Mass Effect. Top most atmospheric games. Video Game Steep

There are games that can hook you with something incomprehensible. They do not have the most advanced graphics, the plot has holes and bloopers, and itself game process is not up to par. But they want to forgive all this, if the developers did their best and created an enticing atmosphere. It is about these games that will be discussed in our today's top. Of course, the atmosphere is not graphics and cannot be measured, so all the games presented below are arranged in a very rough and subjective order.

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

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. can be scolded for a lot. And for unjustified expectations, and for a clumsy plot by modern standards, and for stupid dialogues. However, what cannot be taken away from the brainchild of Ukrainian developers is the meticulously recreated atmosphere of the Exclusion Zone. For this we fell in love S.T.A.L.K.E.R... Even if he was not what we expected him to be, he plunged us headlong into the life that was rapidly flowing on this preserved piece of the Soviet Union. In every location, every building, every rusting car, the developers have put their soul into it.

Fallout series

Without a doubt, the Fallout series can be considered one of the best examples atmospheric games. This epic about the world after the end of the world has left a deep mark in the heart of every gamer. We love these games wholeheartedly, devotedly, and are ready to forgive them over and over again for an ever greater bias towards the mass consumer, just to once again touch this enchanting atmosphere. It is the carefully crafted world and the atmosphere of the post-apocalypse, and not the gameplay or the plot at all, that keep us at the computer when we play Fallout.

Vampires: The Masqarade - Bloodlines

The latest RPG for the legendary studio Troika Games, can rightfully be considered one of the most atmospheric games of all time. An excellent design, a gorgeous soundtrack that will definitely settle in your playlist after passing through, and juicy, bright characters create an indescribable atmosphere of nighttime Los Angeles. It was not at all the Los Angeles that we are used to seeing in the movies. This is a dark place full of drug addicts, freaks and maniacs, among whom vampires do not look so scary monsters. Unfortunately, towards the end, the game loses a lot due to the limited development time. But it's still one of the most atmospheric games ever to see the light of day.

Slender: The Eight Pages

Do not go kids to walk in the woods ... Especially if this is a forest from the game Slender: The Eight Pages, in which a creepy creature named Slanderman awaits you. If your mental health is still dear to you - do not touch this game. This horror will scare anyone, regardless of age or gender. The creepy game of hide and seek with the Slenderman will stay in your memory for a long time, and this huge, mysterious forest will look great in your nightmares. Slender: The Eight Pages is getting a place in our top for its intimidating atmosphere.

Manhunt

It's scary to imagine the world of fevered fantasies of developers from Rockstar who were responsible for the creation of this game. At one time, she challenged all the guardians of morality, becoming one of the most cruel games of all time. But besides the senseless violence, she was remembered for the oppressive atmosphere. A creepy TV show for perverts, the audience of which we unwittingly had to be, was perfectly choreographed and written. The gloomy streets of the city forgotten by God left an indelible impression on the soul of everyone who had to visit here. It's unlikely Rockstar will ever release a sequel, but maybe it's for the best.

GTA series

You can talk about this series for a very long time and a lot, but since our top is dedicated to the most atmospheric games, we will dwell only on this moment. Whatever era Rockstar wanted to cover in the next game in the series, they did it consistently well. Be it the eighties from Vice city, nineties of San andreas or zero from GTA IV, each time the developers managed to grasp the very essence of the era and meticulously transfer it to our screens. Sometimes you just want to wander the streets of these cities and watch, because Rockstar makes truly living worlds in which the player feels at home. The GTA series has held the highest quality bar for years now and it doesn't seem like Rockstar is going to stop there.

World of warcraft

Why World of warcraft has been alive for 11 years, and his killers, who come out almost once every six months, invariably die a sudden death? What do developers from Blizzard that others do not have? To answer this question, take a walk in the Elvin forest in the rain. Ride a swift-winged griffin as you admire the vast expanses of the Eastern Kingdoms. Spend an hour sipping rum with friends in Pirate Cove. Hear young children gossip about the giant crocolisk found somewhere in the canals of Stormwind. Stand shoulder to shoulder with your comrades-in-arms to once again reflect another Evil that is about to wipe Azeroth off the face of the earth. I think then you yourself will be able to answer your own question, but this answer cannot be expressed in words.

Journey

This strange, silent game, which from the first seconds grabs your hand and pulls you somewhere into unknown distances. This is an adventure in which you write your own story based on your own feelings. The most important thing that this game has is the atmosphere of something fabulous, unforgettable, not conveyed in words. Journey will generate more questions for you than it will leave answers, and that is why she is good.

Mafia Series

The great and mighty Grand thieft auto there is at least one competitor that can compete with her. And we are, of course, about the series Mafia, which over and over again pleases us with an excellent plot, interesting gameplay and, what is important in light of our top, a great atmosphere of the 30s-50s. Fans of gangster films will be delighted with this epic, which undoubtedly can be attributed to the classics of the genre. Mafia is a truly human and very human story that takes place in a lively and interesting world.

The Elder Scrolls Series

This fantasy universe is close to the heart of every gamer. This is a huge world with its own history and mythology, which we get to know better and better with each new game in the series. And every time we surrender ourselves to Tamriel without a trace. Each game in the series pulls us out of our daily routine for a long time. And not the least role is played by the excellent atmosphere of real fenetesis. Games series The Elder Scrolls is an excellent fantasy that follows the classical canons and yet is free from outside influences.

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 encountered characters 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 games in the genre survival horror, different in plot, but often united by the scene. 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 plays the world, which is in constant fog, as well as a variety of monsters, drawn by the subconscious of the characters in 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 set up. TO game features the project should 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 skirmishes 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 connected with 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 a whole - the project is a sprightly post-apocalyptic shooter, which obviously drew inspiration not only from the original book source, but also from the games of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R .. series.

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 basis game mechanics there is 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 named console version games "the main game-work in 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 "trial and death". 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 clues, and ultimately find criminals. In addition to plot tasks, the game has a lot additional missions, which can be obtained by police radio.

The game has an excellent and incredibly atmospheric storyline, as well as addicting gameplay, which 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 with this 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 trip to a distant, distant mountain, while we can meet other players, but you cannot communicate with them, and you can only find out who it 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. Findings like these will help you understand history. game world.

Dark Souls series

Release date: 2011-2016

A series of action RPG games that 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. The game also 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. Indeed, what better way to please your own ego than killing some incredibly difficult boss in the same incredible 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 appears to be a rather unremarkable vector-based quest, 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 play as Amanda Ripley (yes, this is Ellen Ripley's daughter from the MCU) on space station will have to escape from the xenomorphs. 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 the torch, but you won't 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.

V This war of Mine the player controls several survivors who are trying to survive the war. Conventionally, the gameplay can be 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 randomly generated, which makes each playthrough unique.

Orient and the blind forest

Release date: 2015 g.

Genre: Platformer, fantasy

Fascinating 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 under water, 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 g.

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 g.

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 their own goals, their own 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 little 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. There are barrels and chests scattered across the levels, 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 arise or unforeseen situations, may 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 "rail". A step to the left, a step to the right within the framework of this game is not something that is punishable, it is, in principle, impossible here. At the same time, the project takes on a 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 the hunt for 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 hooked, then a great time 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 passes our ship, it will encounter various obstacles, including dangerous weather 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 sorts of relics that tell about what happened here.

CONCLUSE

Release date: 2018 Nov.

Genre: First person horror, indie

Free indie first-person horror game 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.

For the game to be remembered for a long time, you need not only an exciting plot, stunning graphics and interesting gameplay. IT.TUT.BY has compiled the top 10 games that attract gamers with the extraordinary atmosphere of the fictional world.

10. Red Alert

Red Alert fell in love with gamers not only as an excellent strategy, but also as a game that has collected the largest number of stereotypes about Russians. An alternate world in which the Soviet Union launched a full-scale offensive against Europe through armored hordes and battle bears. Add to this the pretentious music, the destroyed Statue of Liberty and, of course, the Soviet general raising a glass of vodka to Comrade General. Here is the perfect recipe to make the Russian-speaking part of the gaming community smile.

9. Dark Souls

Dark Souls is remembered not only for its "old school gameplay", but also for its dark fantasy world, saturated with loneliness and death. The hero has to go through a difficult path, where one wrong move can interrupt life, and a meeting with any monster may be the last. A few encounters with NPCs and respites by the fires are perceived as a small ray of light in the kingdom of darkness. Dark Souls is constant play with death, but this is what gamers fell in love with.

8. The Elder Scrolls

The Elder Scrolls series has managed to create one of the most memorable worlds in the classic fantasy genre. Huge maps strewn with small details, a story comparable in scale to Tolkien's Middle-earth universe, full libraries of books and taverns full of rumors, cunning political games of mortals and endless intrigues of immortals. And one hero, free to go wherever he wants.

7. Machinarium

The quest from Amanita Design tells its story in the scenery of a rather strange city inhabited by intelligent machines. The Mashinarium will be remembered by the players not only for its mysteries and history, but also for the world of robots, soaked through with machine oil, rust and touching stories of living pieces of iron. The game won the Excellence in Visual Art nomination at the 12th Annual Independent Games Festival and is considered one of the benchmarks of independent games, and is considered a work of art by many players.

The post-apocalyptic world of Fallout was remembered not only by the endless desert, but also by the atmosphere of the 60s of the last century, and more precisely the world who survived a nuclear war in the minds of the inhabitants of the times of the "Caribbean crisis". As if from the pages of magazines of a bygone era came "Nuka-Cola", the design of cars and weapons. Radioactive sand, gangs of marauders, the Chosen One, in whose hands the salvation of the world. Black Isle Studios gave us a game imbued with the spirit of "Mad Max" and "Valley of Curses" by Roger Zelazny. And of course, the player will remember for a long time the image of the game symbol, the smiling boy from the training pictures and videos, cheerfully holding his thumb up.

5. Aracanum of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

A world of steam and magic. Troika Games was able to successfully combine the industrial revolution Victorian era and a classic fantasy setting with orcs and elves in one game. The era of steampunk is coming, guns and guns are replacing swords and spells, the first Zephyr airship is already proudly soaring into the sky, but the world is still full of ancient and powerful artifacts, and any enterprising necromancer can found his own manufactory using the labor of raised zombies. A huge world, music filled with crying violins, and complete freedom for the explorer-adventurer.

4. Bioshock

First-person shooter, executed in the genre of dystopia and based on the philosophical views of the American writer Ayn Rand, set forth in the book Atlas Shrugged. The player watches the fall of the ideal world created by millionaire Andrew Ryan. Irrational Games was able to accurately convey the atmosphere of a dying city, thoroughly saturated with human vices. Bioshock is a clever, intimidating shooter that tells us a tragic story set in a 1950s setting. In 2013 came out Bioshock Infinite that transported the scene from the underwater world to the skies and told a story in the spirit of a classic science fiction novel.

3. Silent Hill

One of the most famous game series created by Keiichiro Toyama. A desert city capable of bringing to life the dark essence of people affected by it. The gray fog that enveloped Silent Hill is fraught with monsters created by the subconscious of the heroes. Musical accompaniment written by Akira Yamaoka adds even more gloom and despair to the atmosphere of the game. " Some things we forget, and some are never forgotten.", - says one of the characters in the game. This phrase was able to fully characterize Silent Hill. The city of nightmares, from which you do not want to return.

2. Max Payne

We say Max Payne - we mean noir, we say noir - we mean Max Payne. Remedy Entertainment was able to create an almost perfect game. Tragic story of a police officer, told through stylish comic screensavers, shootouts in the best traditions of John Woo action movies, title theme song and end credits the second part of the game, which made the group Poets of the fall world stars. The combination of these factors easily forced gamers to travel to the snow-covered streets of New York and watch Max fall.

1st place - Elite

The game, which conquered thousands of hearts back in 1984, with a minimal plot and a fairly simple graphic component is able to immerse gamers in the cockpit spaceship and give maximum freedom of action. Players could safely engage in trade, pirate, be explorers and pioneers of deep space. The game engine could generate 281 474 976 710 656 unique galaxies, each of which could have 256 stars, while the game weighed 22 kb. However, the publishers felt that users were unlikely to believe in such features of the game, so a limit was made to 8 available galaxies.

Elite was able to acquire numerous myths and legends. What was the only story about the mythical planet Raxxla, the search for which was stubbornly pursued by the fans, despite the claims of the creators that this planet is fiction. The helm of a spaceship, endless space and a sense of complete freedom - all this Elite gave its fans back in 1984.

Why 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 shooters from these games turned out so-so. There is no normal ballistics, the opponents are stupid and do not react to hits, the weapons are unconvincing - the set of symptoms is, in general, 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 a conventional revolver saved it.

But a timid hope still flickered, especially considering that the developers, without being modest, declared that after the graphics they would pull up in updated version and gameplay.

In addition to the visual part, the developers have tidied up the gameplay. Metro 2033 was a decent shooter, but frequent stealth episodes with no normal silent kill options. 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 it is desirable to pass levels quietly. There are no problems with warriors, but the monsters could be weaker: even at the basic ("normal") difficulty level, 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 is 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 Ranger Hardcore difficulty: plus devilish difficulty, minus 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 of the Marked - a lone stalker came out in the distant two thousand and seventh year. 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 to the eye was dragging, there was a feeling of the reality of what was happening. Melancholy could penetrate to the core 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 form a bizarre mosaic, the plot developed, and the players, after going through the second part, with more more hope waited for the third to appear. 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. Virtually no other modern game even comes 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 in abundance in any Western RPG, and in The Elder Scrolls they are even put in the forefront. 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 Tamriel's empire - Skyrim. This meteorologically unfavorable region is inhabited mainly by the 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 on his own.

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 irreplaceable 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, you need 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 the 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 main 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), but women, money, good music, enemies and especially cars - even if you have loads of wagons.

The cars in the game are made almost better than anything else, in addition to the fact that the era itself has this (be sure to see our material with a comparison game models and their real prototypes), so it's also a pleasure to manage them. Driving on a slippery road in slow and heavy cars is somewhat reminiscent of 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 a complete lack of activity and side quests in the city, but who needs to deal with driving stolen cars and robbing shops when 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 2K Czech's meticulousness never ceases to be amazed even for the second and third time.

It gives the Czechs only 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 machines 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 from best game years and even more so - decades. 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 adjust 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 issues raised. There is no good and evil here, the ideals of justice give way to real social problems. Tyranny, infringement of the rights of population groups, 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?

Both in terms of 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 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, strolling through 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. In 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, in every bit of history, you feel that 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 it seems to you. 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 to inadvertently "screw up" the passage has not gone anywhere. For example, I played as a magician, and the only NPC teaching new spells, after I killed the next boss, for no reason at all took and disappeared forever because I did not bring him a single scroll of those that he was looking for. A wizard armed with only 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 experiences 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 nimbly, more cunningly.

On the other hand, DS3 has the main thing that distinguishes the entire Souls-series - mystery. The 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 filled with 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 forgive. The graphics in the game are not very good, but the atmosphere does everything for it, and in general game With DarkSouls, a funny paradox came out: the third part became exactly what the second wanted to see at one time, but I still wanted more from the triumphant conclusion of the trilogy. Repetition of the past, even if it is 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.

Games should be entertaining - this is the general opinion about them, but, in fact, this is not always the case. Mobile gamers are often looking for light and unobtrusive time killers for their devices, allowing them to pass the time in between active activities.

Nevertheless, serious games, sometimes even depressing ones, also exist, and find their fans - this is evidenced by Banner Saga 2, which recently appeared on iOS. It offers picturesque locations, characters and the most incredible life situations that make your heroes feel anger, sadness and disappointment - and these feelings will definitely be transmitted to you during the game.

But Banner Saga 2 is not the only one that has such an influence on the mood of gamers - we offer you a selection of the most depressing games on mobile platforms.

Limbo

Here you will play the role of a little boy making his way through dark and gloomy locations inhabited by nightmarish creatures. The only people your hero will meet will be other victims, or hunters, no less dangerous than those terrible creatures that lurk in the darkness. Your destiny in this game is imminent death, which lies in wait for the character at every step, and gets to him in all sorts of ways. Limbo's black and white color palette complements her storyline into an overall, frightening and hopeless picture. This gorgeous, atmospheric puzzle platformer is worthy of both praise and attention.

This war of mine

Many video games portray war as something like Hollywood blockbusters, where everything happens in an easy and beautiful way. This War of Mine will destroy this illusion, inviting you to survive in a city that has become the arena of military operations. You have to look for food and water, get medicines and clothes, fortify your shelter, avoid clashes with the inhabitants of the city, bitter and aggressive. The gameplay is incredibly addictive, creating a rather painful and sad feeling for the players that there is no way out.

Papers, Please

The role of the customs inspector of some totalitarian Eastern European country, the little wheel of a huge bureaucratic machine, is by no means fun. You have to prevent citizens from crossing the border, citing their nationality, surname or lack of necessary documents. Sometimes, for a certain amount, you can be smart and make an exception for someone, but this is a risk for you and your family, which is not funny at all. As you can see, the authors of Papers, Please do not promise you a good mood.

The Walking Dead: The Game

Understand what's depressive in game The Walking Dead not difficult - the TV series and comics of the same name leave you no hope for a joyful plot. Traveling through a world full of zombies will prove to be both difficult and not very optimistic. Now it is you who will have to make difficult decisions, sometimes leading to someone's death, and it is you who should not become attached to any of the heroes - it is not known which of them will survive until the end of the episode.

Heroes Reborn: Enigma

A mix of puzzle and action will not necessarily be purely entertaining, especially if the heroine of the game has superpowers, and she is kept on the territory of a gloomy scientific complex, conducting experiments on her. Escaping will require serious effort from you, remarkable ingenuity, caution and the development of your own skills. Depressive mood, stress and a sense of hopelessness are guaranteed to you.

Past memories

The authors of the game are convinced that even a runner can be gloomy and atmospheric, especially if you keep it in black and white, add appropriate voice acting and carefully thought-out gameplay with an interesting but sad storyline. Your heroine here will be a woman who enters the world of her own memories, and bad memories haunt her, like monsters from nightmares.

Knock-knock

Your hero in this dark and atmospheric game is a strange, nameless guy who lives in a house in the middle of the forest. He suffers from insomnia and has to wander the hallways and rooms of his house, instead of painfully trying to sleep. But the most interesting thing is that every time he wakes up in the middle of the night and sees that his house looks completely different, and strange sounds are heard around - growls and gnashes, rustles and knocks.