Aesthetically Unique: Games That Look Like Nothing Else

Extremely subjective and non-comprehensive list. Feel free to comment with suggestions!

These aren't in any particular order, though I've tried grouping games by particular "auteurs," as well as some with kindred styles (i.e. "crafts"-style games, which have become their own little subgenre). I guess being able to group them this way makes them not so one-of-a-kind, but I've tried to stick with aesthetics that are at least very uncommon, or at least put their own unique spin on something that a few other games have done.

Many of these have very obvious influences in other mediums, but ones which haven't otherwise been used much in gaming. Some have since had lots of imitators, but at the time looked like little that came before them.

NOT ON BACKLOGGD:
- Cursedom (Glamow Research)
- 7dfps (Loren Schmidt)
- STRANGLE/HOLD (Feverdream Johnny)

Cuphead
Cuphead
Inspired by Fleischer Studios cartoons and a WWII Japanese propaganda film titled "Evil Mickey Attacks Japan": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icVu-acHlpU&feature=youtu.be&t=5m13s
Limbo
Limbo
SuperHot
SuperHot
Journey
Journey
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet
Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn
Ōkami
Ōkami
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Yume Nikki
Yume Nikki
Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
Killer7
Killer7
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
ditto what I said about Sable here, but swap "Moebius" for "Studio Ghibli"
Cocoon
Cocoon
Nidhogg
Nidhogg
Thomas Was Alone
Thomas Was Alone
Hypnospace Outlaw
Hypnospace Outlaw
Pentiment
Pentiment
Viewtiful Joe
Viewtiful Joe
Gorogoa
Gorogoa
Unravel
Unravel
Cruelty Squad
Cruelty Squad
Ape Out
Ape Out
Monument Valley
Monument Valley
Yoshi's Woolly World
Yoshi's Woolly World
Off
Off
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Let this stand in for the whole series.
Sable
Sable
Obviously this is just "Moebius: The Game," but the fact that no one has thought to make "Moebius: The Game" before now is kind of surprising.
Antichamber
Antichamber
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango
Hylics
Hylics
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!
Yoshi's Crafted World
Yoshi's Crafted World
Comix Zone
Comix Zone
Killer Is Dead
Killer Is Dead
World of Horror
World of Horror
ditto my comments on Sable and Ni No Kuni, but for Junji Ito
Jet Grind Radio
Jet Grind Radio
Chants of Sennaar
Chants of Sennaar
The Unfinished Swan
The Unfinished Swan
Post Void
Post Void
The Swapper
The Swapper
MadWorld
MadWorld
Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia
Minimalism at its best.
XIII
XIII
Another World
Another World
flOw
flOw
Vib-Ribbon
Vib-Ribbon
Sludge Life
Sludge Life
Faith: The Unholy Trinity
Faith: The Unholy Trinity
Rez
Rez
Tearaway
Tearaway
Space Funeral
Space Funeral
ToeJam & Earl
ToeJam & Earl
Apotheon
Apotheon
Hylics 2
Hylics 2
If Found...
If Found...
The Neverhood
The Neverhood
Mushihimesama
Mushihimesama
Pushes the inherent baroqueness of the bullet hell genre to its logical conclusion - the traditional space battle theme is swapped for a bizarre insect-centric one, but ultimately this is more about shape, color, and patterns of movement.
Grime
Grime
Samorost
Samorost
Hyper Demon
Hyper Demon
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Fantasy Zone
Fantasy Zone
Creature in the Well
Creature in the Well
Epistory: Typing Chronicles
Epistory: Typing Chronicles
Mundaun
Mundaun
Gonner
Gonner
Sonic Dreams Collection
Sonic Dreams Collection
Fe
Fe
Indika
Indika
Shelter
Shelter
You Will (Not) Remain
You Will (Not) Remain
And Yet It Moves
And Yet It Moves
Critters for Sale
Critters for Sale
Scanner Sombre
Scanner Sombre
Echochrome
Echochrome
High Hell
High Hell
Dujanah
Dujanah
Type: Rider
Type: Rider
Desert Golfing
Desert Golfing
Windosill
Windosill
Lucah: Born of a Dream
Lucah: Born of a Dream
Boku no Natsuyasumi
Boku no Natsuyasumi
Stunningly beautiful hand-painted backgrounds + ultra-cartoony PS1-era 3D characters
Shelter 2
Shelter 2
Beeswing
Beeswing
Discover My Body
Discover My Body
The Magic Circle
The Magic Circle
Water Womb World
Water Womb World
the rest of Yames' games aren't on Backloggd, but pretty much all of them qualify: https://pantagruel.itch.io/
Four Last Things
Four Last Things
Dark Seed
Dark Seed
Ynglet
Ynglet
SaGa Frontier 2
SaGa Frontier 2
Watercolor RPG!!
Pu Li Ru La
Pu Li Ru La
Promesa
Promesa
The Desolate Hope
The Desolate Hope
Device 6
Device 6
Everything is Going to be OK
Everything is Going to be OK

42 Comments


1 year ago

Hadn't heard of this one, but it looks interesting – added

Also added Critters for Sale + Promesa from the earlier suggestions, + a whole bunch of others

1 year ago

The Sea Will Claim Everything
Nepenthe - it’s a completely handrawn rpg!

1 year ago

sengoku turb
golem no maigo
428 shibuya scramble may be cheating, However,

also the voice of cards games are p cool because they only use cards as a way to present the "graphics"

1 year ago

Pentiment, Ghost Trick, Kentucky Route Zero, Aviary Attorney, MOON: Remix RPG Adventure, and The Dream Machine.

1 year ago

Ruins of Mitrion - pixel boy
Exterminary - RETRODEAD
STRANGLE/HOLD - Feverdream Johnny
House of God - Glass Revolver
Maiden & Spell -minodev
Fight Knight - boensaw
POLYBOT - Kyzrati
Remnants - June Flower
LONG LIVE THE AXE - owch

1 year ago

Vote for The Case of the Golden Idol to be added

1 year ago

Rym 9000

1 year ago

Going Under

1 year ago

long overdue update – added some of the suggestions + some others

thanks for the suggestions, y'all!

(STRANGLE/HOLD definitely belongs on the list but doesn't have a Backloggd entry)

5 months ago

Harold Halibut
Manifold Garden
Schim
Flat Kingdom
Replaced
The Last Night



Last updated: