It feels like new games are just more of the same, with no real meaning. However I recently started playing “Return of the Obra Dihn” and love open ended deduction in it. It feels like I’m actually figuring things out by myself without being handheld through it. Are there any other games that don’t coddle the player that you guys recommend?
Specifically similar to RotOD is Heaven’s Vault in that its pretty nonlinear, not hand holdy and that you figure out (a foreign language in this case). But it is more adventure style than RotOD.
Another one already mentioned Outer Wilds (not Outer Worlds!) and I completely agree and recommend it as well!
In general I have to say I disagree that new games are more of the same. We are in a golden age regarding new games and game genres. It’s just, that there are so many games, that there are also many similar ones. And the big studios are the worst in that regard, just bury AAA and start to love Indie games!
As example, games which are different from others and not already mentioned in this thread:
Sorry, the greatest Rpg remains planescape Torment.
Both are among the greatest RPGs.
Planescape suffers from it’s zeitgeist and that it “needed” the fighting to be considered a RPG. I imagine it would surpass DE if they could have focused only on the story, the world and it’s inhabitants.
DE could only reach it’s high because PT existed first and showed what was possible and that the fighting only distracted.
If you haven’t played Disco Elysium yet, I highly recommend it. Since you like reading long texts, that part of the game will not bother you as it does some other players.