Design: Unique Game Mechanics

Mechanics that are solely based on the game's lore, limitations & position.
Mechanics that should've been taken inspiration from, but are only in a few games for some reason (development hell)

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Unique implementation of the combat loop with deflecting the opponent's pressure and pressuring the opponent with your own attacks, a leveling system where you gain qualitative skills instead of stats (stats are gained by defeating main story bosses and finding specific items around the map), controlling the bosses options (unflinching bosses are almost non existent), good mobility with wall jumps and infinite sprinting, the whole posture mechanic is something i havent seen before, you can stomp on some bosses attacks, death blows actually kill enemies and you can even use special techniques after a back stab to do some cool things.
SuperHot
SuperHot
Time Relative to You.
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds
Every Sci-Fi media with episodic elements needs a Groundhog Day episode, so Outer Wilds went Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Subnautica
Subnautica
Vehicle interactions.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Nemesis System.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
The D&D-esque dialogue system while setting it's own DNA.
Inscryption
Inscryption
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Psychosis affecting the Gameplay (Feels too Close)
Superliminal
Superliminal
Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn
Ghostrunner
Ghostrunner
Baba is You
Baba is You
Rewriting the Win Conditions.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Nemesis System.
Ōkami
Ōkami
Painting (espeically with the WiiMote!)
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Pawn System.
Neon White
Neon White
Using Cards for Movement & Combat. (Magic the Gathering)
Sunset Overdrive
Sunset Overdrive
Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy
Scribblenauts
Scribblenauts
Typing what you Want to Existence.
Death Stranding: Director's Cut
Death Stranding: Director's Cut
First Strand Type Game
Packaging Management & Infrastructure Architecture.
Killer7
Killer7
Gravity Rush
Gravity Rush
Platforming & Parkouring using Gravitation Pulls.
Gravity Rush 2
Gravity Rush 2
Platforming & Parkouring using Gravitation Pulls.
Rain World
Rain World
Noita
Noita
Pyre
Pyre
Nioh 2
Nioh 2
Citizen Sleeper
Citizen Sleeper
Animal Well
Animal Well
Metroidvania where youn gain items that interact with the environment rather than obliterate the environment.
Fatal Frame
Fatal Frame
Photography to Capture Ghosts.
The Case of the Golden Idol
The Case of the Golden Idol
Rollerdrome
Rollerdrome
Tony Hawk + Gun-Fu.
Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story
Yoku's Island Express
Yoku's Island Express
Pinball Metroidvania.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Sanity Meter.
V Rising
V Rising
Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Using Wiimote for incisions
Viewfinder
Viewfinder
Barotrauma
Barotrauma
Vehicle interactions & Group Activity.
Siren
Siren
2nd Person POV through the eyes of the enemies.
Mischief Makers
Mischief Makers
Cultist Simulator
Cultist Simulator
Hacknet
Hacknet
Actual Hacking (Social Engineering).
Human Resource Machine
Human Resource Machine
Islanders
Islanders
Wildermyth
Wildermyth
Magic system being tied to Objects & their elements.
Opus Magnum
Opus Magnum
Arx Fatalis
Arx Fatalis
Trace runes in front of you in certain combinations to cast.
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
Using Wiimote for incisions
Creature in the Well
Creature in the Well
Shenzhen I/O
Shenzhen I/O
Dysmantle
Dysmantle
Damage threshold to break items for scavenging , crafting and upgrading.
Phantom Dust
Phantom Dust
Exanima
Exanima
Combat & Traversal.
Duskers
Duskers
Writing the scripts for the Drones & their programming.
Bitburner
Bitburner
Actual Hacking (Social Engineering).
Receiver 2
Receiver 2
Knights in the Nightmare
Knights in the Nightmare
The Wonderful End of the World
The Wonderful End of the World
Odama
Odama
Blends tactical wargaming with pinball gameplay. The game takes place in a feudal Japan setting. The main character is a young general named Yamanouchi Kagetora, who is intent on avenging his father's death by reviving the most ingenious weapon ever to hit the medieval battlefield: the Odama. The Odama is a gigantic ball powerful enough to destroy whatever it strikes, friend or foe. Using giant flippers, players aim the Odama to bowl over enemies, shatter their defenses and wreak havoc on the battlefield. With the GameCube Microphone, players direct their soldiers out of the Odama's way and into the fray by charging the enemy, defending positions and seizing the enemy gates.

... The player controls flippers, which operate exactly like those in a pinball game: they strike the Odama back into the battlefield, directing it into targets and away from soldiers. Between the two flippers, the commander stands guard, hacking down any soldiers who attempt to pass. Players can tilt the battlefield, allowing them to alter the course of the Odama. The goal is to shatter the enemy gates with the Odama and direct a crew of men carrying a giant bell to pass through the opened gates. Players' soldiers will defend their crew and seize enemy positions to protect their men on the mission.

The GameCube Microphone was included with the game. Using the Microphone, players direct soldiers by giving voice commands.
Book of Hours
Book of Hours
Void Crew
Void Crew
Vehicle interactions & Group Activity.
Last Oasis
Last Oasis
Vehicle interactions.
Derail Valley
Derail Valley
Vehicle interactions.
Hellion
Hellion
Vehicle interactions.
Sailwind
Sailwind
Vehicle interactions.

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