hmm, I don't remember making this list public, but I guess I'll leave it that way

Without saying "All of them"
Who's Lila
La Mulana
Arguably Any Souls since there peak enjoyment for most is living in the zeitgeist of learning
Bioshock
Inscryption

@bitterbatterdog thanks for the suggestions! I had Inscryption on here earlier but thought maybe there is a tiny bit of shock horror in it? Still thinking about it. I'll add Bioshock for now because I'm familiar with that one, and look into the others somehow

Maybe it's cheating a little, but narrative-heavy games like Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective or 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim come to mind. I'd at least suggest the latter due to the somewhat non-linear nature of the story; few players will experience the story unraveling in quite the same order of events.

@Hooblashooga thank you, I will consider these