Summary
While finely-tuned mechanics and intricate gameplay systems can certainly drive a game forward, almost any title is made better through a consistent and immersive atmosphere. This is often facilitated through a combination of artistic presentation, ambient music and sound design, and evocative writing.
However, some games are less subtle with their atmospheric effects, or front-loaded by immersion-breaking tutorials or lengthy cutscenes. These titles, however, feature immersive introductions and fluid tutorials that instantly expose the player to their distinctive atmospheres.
Pacific Driveis a first-person driving/survival game with afocus on supernatural elementsthat borrow from fiction such asRoadside Picnic. With its extraction-shooter structure,Pacific Driveconsists mostly of dangerous excursions into the unknown, but with a focus on methodical exploration over combat.
The immersive gameplay mechanics and quiet, haunting atmosphere are supported by a unique soundtrack of licensed songs that round out the ambiance perfectly. In addition,Pacific Drivemakes use of atmospheric sound design to great effect, grounding the surreal world in reality. Best of all,Pacific Driveshows its immersive hand immediately with a winning introduction to its world.
Disco Elysiumis a strange and surreal experience built around its evocative writing and intuitive dialogue system, supported bytabletop RPG mechanicsand talented voice actors. From the very beginning, the sheer zaniness ofDisco Elysiumis apparent, all thanks to a superb and cinematic introduction.
A black screen, a quiet, meandering song, a truly despicable, wriggling voice. This is the player’s first exposure toDisco Elysium’sweirdness, right before fading into its sorry protagonist at the beginning of a truly memorable hangover.
Animal Wellis a puzzle-focused Metroidvania that excels with its unique art-style. More noticeably, the game’s strange music, lack of context, and exotic, pixelated environments result in a truly alien atmosphere that’s immediately immersive.
This is thanks in large part to the game’s complete accessibility, with gameplay that focuses almost entirely around meaningful exploration with simple controls. This allows the atmosphere to shine and, combined with a swift and subtle tutorial and total lack of hand-holding, players are able to immerse themselves inAnimal Well’sunderground world from the very start.
Dredgeis an atmospheric fishing game with a Lovecraftian horror twist, excelling with its intuitive controls and simplistic gameplay loop that allows for a great deal of accessibility. Since the game is so easy to learn,Dredgeis able to drop players in at the deep end, giving them near-instant control over their boat and sending them off into its haunted waters at an incredible pace.
Its gameplay may be minimal and lacking any form of challenge, butDredgeis able to stay afloat with its immediately immersive atmosphere. This is facilitated by the game’s stylish presentation, atmospheric sound design, and haunting soundtrack.
Hollow Knight’sartful presentation and tight combat system are obvious strengths, but they’re in support of the game’s truly immersive atmosphere. The game’s enigmatic underground world is replete with quirky characters, environmental storytelling, and unique landmarks, punctuated by a truly memorable soundtrack.
Exploring the dark and ruined corners of Hallownest is immediately immersive thanks to atmospheric sound design and ambient music that grounds the overall experience, hinting at a larger world. Thanks to intuitive controls and an immersive starting area populated by instantly memorable NPCs,Hollow Knightis able to draw players into its world with ease.
Kentucky Route Zerois a quiet, contemplative experience that’s held up by its evocative, philosophical writing and punctuated by heartfelt emotional beats that range from cathartic to tragic. Gameplay is not a concern here, offering players relatively linear but utterlymemorable narrative fictionthat cares only about immersing players in its world and making them feel something, even if they’re not quite sure what it is.
The at-times haunting, at-times soothing atmosphere ofKentucky Route Zerois facilitated by a strange combination of bluegrass tunes and electronic ambiance. Supporting this is the game’s stunning,heavily stylized presentationand expertly crafted mise en scene, directing players through each vignette with a constant artistic presence.
Fallen Acestakes a great deal of inspiration fromthe immersive-sim genreand combines it with an action-oriented, brawler-based gameplay loop. The game’s emphasis on breakable weapons and open-ended level design makes for engaging combat encounters and emergent gameplay, supported by a pulpy film-noir atmosphere and comic-book presentation.
More specifically, the game’s jazz noir soundtrack plays a key role in creating the game’s atmosphere, complemented by talented voice actors and detailed set dressing. Most importantly,Fallen Acestakes no time at all setting the scene, dropping players into an immersive combat encounter almost immediately alongside a pulp comic-book cut-scene and brisk tutorial.
Gloomwoodis a stealth-focused immersive-sim with many strengths;its survival-horror influences, the interconnected city that makes up its dark, Victorian setting, its cinematic lighting and old-school art-style. These elements alone are well-crafted, butGloomwoodweaves them together in synergistic and unexpected ways to provide players with a unique and memorable experience that excels withits immersive atmosphere.
The sparse but evocative soundtrack and exaggerated voice performances help greatly in developing this atmosphere further, supported by the game’s tremendous visual style. Integral, however, isGloomwood’scinematic opening sequence, which drops players in at the deep-end and quickly sets up its enigmatic world.
