Which games blow your mind, but only if you know nothing about them in advance?

Best examples I can think of are:

  • Outer Wilds
  • Doki Doki Literature Club
  • The Stanley Parable

What are yours?

(please no spoilers)

      • chunkystyles@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        That one’s tough. I went in blind when the steam version released and had a blast. The actual “game” part is not challenging once you figure out the basics. The fun of it is the stories that spring up that are mostly out of your control.

        So, I’d say going in blind, but being open to asking questions or googling specific things is a great way to play it.

        • agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          I think the Steam release definitely makes it easier, especially with the tutorial. I tried to get into the original version about 10 years back and let’s just say going in blind was a very different experience.

    • Silverchase@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      Path of Exile is one of those games where you never stop learning new things and the ceiling is always higher than you think it is.

    • caut_R@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      If you‘re an achievement/trophy hunter, there‘s a lot of those cause of missables

    • Coelacanth@feddit.nuEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      I actually think an argument could be made for Disco Elysium not being one of these games actually. I’ve seen people bounce off it because they went in with the wrong expectations. The game doesn’t really market itself correctly: it claims to be an isometric RPG and a detective game, but it could be argued the game is actually neither. Also lots of people miss out on a lot because they weren’t aware of the fail-forward design principle.

      • Hugin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        Yeah I decided to run away when asked to pay the bill. Failed the roll and while jumping and giving a double bird to the manager crashed into and old lady in a wheelchair. Manager was so upset he gave me a huge discount on the bill.

        10/10 would play again.

        • Coelacanth@feddit.nuEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          And that’s very deliberate! There are a couple of key rolls very very early that have positive outcomes if you fail them. They’re supposed to teach the player that failure is okay. But it turns out many many people are too afraid of the dangerously red button and the low percentage number so they never even try in the first place, thus also missing the lesson.

          Also that sequence you’re talking about is one of my favourites in the game, it’s so damn funny. Another classic failure is the ice-cop-hat-fuck-show.

          It really is the best book I’ve ever played.

  • fakeaustinfloyd@ttrpg.networkEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    If you’re referring to being blind to the plot specifically (but not what style of game it is), then my list is:

    • outer wilds
    • hades
    • disco elysium
  • starman2112@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    You should go into Nier: Automata thinking it’s a game about a hot chick fighting a bunch of robots. The only spoiler you should know is that the end isn’t the end, and you need to play it again.

    You should go into Spec Ops: the Line thinking it’s a game about a cool special forces team fighting a bunch of terrorists or something. The only spoiler you should know is that it’s supposed to feel like a generic third person shooter.

    • msage@programming.devEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      I bought it expecting like a Devil May Cry or maybe Souls… then the game started and I noped the hell out. It’s weird and I did not like it at all.

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        If I remember right, the first couple minutes is like a top-down shoot-em-up, but it transitions into that Devil May Cry style pretty quickly

        • msage@programming.devEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          Not really, the out-of-combat movement was almost strictly 2D? And the first real fight did not teach me the controls in any way, I had no idea what was going on.

    • 2ugly2live@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      I love Nier! I’m thought the second play through would be a slog, but they kept it really interesting imo. And starting it up for a third time was wild. Even starting that game is part of the game mechanic, it’s so neat!

      • PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.worldEnglish
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        2 months ago

        I would have to disagree about the second playthrough; I found it to be a very large slog. The third and subsequent playthroughs were amazing though.

    • SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.orgEnglish
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      2 months ago

      Haha I stopped playing Nier Automata after finishing it once. Yeah, yeah I heard it’s not the end, but the gameplay really isn’t good enough to go through it again. Right now I’d give it a 7/10, but if you force me to do it all again I am going down to 3/10. I think it feels incredibly cheap to do this gimmick.

      • iheartneopets@lemm.eeEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        For you, a little extra spoiler: the next ending also isn’t the end, there’s a lot more. I will admit that playing the second run is a big grindy at first, but it quickly differentiates itself from your first run by the time you get to the first boss. Also, in the second run, the side quests are crucial.

        An extra-extra spoiler: there’s a lot to dig your teeth into, philosophically, that makes the whole rigmarole worth it.

        • starman2112@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          An extra-extra spoiler: there’s a lot to dig your teeth into, philosophically, that makes the whole rigmarole worth it.

          That’s a strong point for me, and the main reason I liked it as much as I did. Same reason I loved The Talos Principle, despite having to look up guides for the majority of the puzzles.

          • iheartneopets@lemm.eeEnglish
            0·
            2 months ago

            Ooh, yeah, Talos Principle! Perfect rec for someone who loved Nier and Portal. I haven’t played the sequel yet, but really really enjoyed the first game. I agree about some of the puzzles, though.

  • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    Doki Doki should be 90% blind. Players need to understand they’re going into a horror game.

    But I’ll also add one, Detroit: Become Human. While it’s based on replaying it a massive number of times, going in blind makes the story a lot better.

    • TastyWheat@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      My gf watched me play through all of Detroit, and then started to wonder “what would happen if x didn’t y?” Aaaand rabbit hole time.

    • ZC3rr0r@lemmy.caEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      David Cage gets lots of shit for his games, but If you experience them blind without spoilers ahead of time I find they’re pretty good interactive movies.

      • lilpatchy2eyes@slrpnk.netEnglish
        0·
        2 months ago

        I think they’re all games that seriously benefit from not knowing the lore or mechanics beforehand… you didn’t even contribute aside from being snide to me so how about you explain what I did wrong?

    • cows_are_underrated@feddit.orgEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      The warframe lore is pretty complex, but its also great. Especially the way the game tells you the story. Can only recommend going into it blind.