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
Journey
Journey
Limbo
Limbo
SuperHot
SuperHot
Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn
Killer7
Killer7
Cocoon
Cocoon
Pentiment
Pentiment
Yume Nikki
Yume Nikki
Cruelty Squad
Cruelty Squad
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Ōkami
Ōkami
Chants of Sennaar
Chants of Sennaar
Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy
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.
Hypnospace Outlaw
Hypnospace Outlaw
World of Horror
World of Horror
ditto my comments on Sable and Ni No Kuni, but for Junji Ito
LittleBigPlanet
LittleBigPlanet
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Off
Off
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Hylics
Hylics
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Paper Mario: The Origami King
Indika
Indika
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"
Faith: The Unholy Trinity
Faith: The Unholy Trinity
Viewtiful Joe
Viewtiful Joe
Grim Fandango
Grim Fandango
Gorogoa
Gorogoa
Post Void
Post Void
Ape Out
Ape Out
Hylics 2
Hylics 2
Killer Is Dead
Killer Is Dead
Sludge Life
Sludge Life
Grime
Grime
Jet Grind Radio
Jet Grind Radio
Yoshi's Woolly World
Yoshi's Woolly World
Boku no Natsuyasumi
Boku no Natsuyasumi
Stunningly beautiful hand-painted backgrounds + ultra-cartoony PS1-era 3D characters
Unravel
Unravel
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Let this stand in for the whole series.
Hyper Demon
Hyper Demon
MadWorld
MadWorld
Rez
Rez
Thomas Was Alone
Thomas Was Alone
Yoshi's Crafted World
Yoshi's Crafted World
Monument Valley
Monument Valley
Vib-Ribbon
Vib-Ribbon
Schim
Schim
XIII
XIII
Antichamber
Antichamber
Nidhogg
Nidhogg
Space Funeral
Space Funeral
Beeswing
Beeswing
Comix Zone
Comix Zone
The Neverhood
The Neverhood
Garage: Bad Dream Adventure
Garage: Bad Dream Adventure
If Found...
If Found...
Judero
Judero
The Unfinished Swan
The Unfinished Swan
Another World
Another World
The Swapper
The Swapper
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!
flOw
flOw
Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia
Minimalism at its best.
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.
Apotheon
Apotheon
ToeJam & Earl
ToeJam & Earl
Fe
Fe
Tearaway
Tearaway
Lucah: Born of a Dream
Lucah: Born of a Dream
Shelter
Shelter
Creature in the Well
Creature in the Well
Middens
Middens
Sonic Dreams Collection
Sonic Dreams Collection
Fantasian
Fantasian
Rakugaki Showtime
Rakugaki Showtime
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Windosill
Windosill
Tormentum: Dark Sorrow
Tormentum: Dark Sorrow
You Will (Not) Remain
You Will (Not) Remain
Echochrome
Echochrome
Gonner
Gonner
Wurroom
Wurroom
Samorost
Samorost
Critters for Sale
Critters for Sale
Albion
Albion
Slumber Shine
Slumber Shine
The Magic Circle
The Magic Circle
Elemental Gimmick Gear
Elemental Gimmick Gear
Angel at Dusk
Angel at Dusk
Paws: A Shelter 2 Game
Paws: A Shelter 2 Game
Iblard: Laputa no Kaeru Machi
Iblard: Laputa no Kaeru Machi
N.P.P.D. Rush: The Milk of Ultraviolet
N.P.P.D. Rush: The Milk of Ultraviolet
SaGa Frontier 2
SaGa Frontier 2
Watercolor RPG!!
The Music Machine
The Music Machine
Meadow
Meadow
The Blue Flamingo
The Blue Flamingo
Jef
Jef
Parametric Creature: Lab
Parametric Creature: Lab

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



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