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Ask HN: Non-violent video games with great stories?

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Re: Ask HN: Non-violent video games with great stories?

#371

Outer Wilds. (Not to be confused with Outer Worlds which came out around the same time.) While the game is non-violent in that you never actively harm anything, your character will die, a lot, in maybe concerning ways (crushed, out of air, crashed, etc). It also has a story with themes that may be over your kids’ heads. Look up reviews to see more.

It's hard for me to express just how incredibly brilliant this game is and how beautiful it is to play.

What's incredible to me is that the successfully make a game where all of the progress is through information gained while exploring, there are absolutely zero artificial barrier to progress. Once you know the world, you can finish in one play through.

Most games cheat regarding exploration by tying exploration to unlocks in the game. As a huge metroidvania fan, this is can still be amazing.

It's just nearly unbelievable that the team behind Outer Wilds achieved this all through clever construction of the world they build.

On top of this you get a very emotionally compelling narrative and music that instantly gives me chills when I hear it.

Honestly the perfect game.

Re: Ask HN: Non-violent video games with great stories?

#372

First person: - Portal & Portal 2 - Outer Wilds - The Talos Principle - Antichamber (I haven't finished this) - Quern - Undying Thoughts - Myst Remastered - Infinifactory Platformers: - Braid - FEZ I don't even know: - TIS-100 - EXAPUNKS - World of Goo Violent but in a different way: - Inscryption (do not look anything up about this game) - Stone Story RPG - Hollow Knight Pretentious story but extremely fun puzzles (…

The lore of The Talos Principle is incredible (though you only get to know most of it in the end, and finishing this game is hard). Unlike The Witness, it has earned the right to be pretentious (but actually isn't)

The lore of The Talos Principle is incredible

Yes. That message about the pets, oof.

Re: Ask HN: Non-violent video games with great stories?

#373
post #74

I play a lot of games with my 6yo, our top suggestions: 1. Chuchel (point&click about a funny creature in pursuit of a cherry) 2. Donut County (drop things into a hole that gets bigger) 3. The Henry Stickmin Collection (classic multiple choice 2D animated Flash game extended, funny) 4. Superliminal (very imaginative space distortion puzzle, adult help needed)

+1 to donut county!!!

Re: Ask HN: Non-violent video games with great stories?

#374
post #329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was young but not too young I watched Monty Pythons Meaning Of Life movie. There's an extremely violent scene in that movie that I find very funny, now, but which disturbed the hell out of me as a kid. That's what he's saying, some kids might not get the humor aspect of Portal and just perceive the paranoia and violence.

Which scene was it? The dinner scene? (Out of curiosity)

I would guess the organ donation scene.

Re: Ask HN: Non-violent video games with great stories?

#375
post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That list above is what I was mainly thinking of. Here's a few more with great storytelling, done in various ways (sometimes non obvious but they all have a story to tell that kept me hooked) I don't recall any physical violence in the following games, although psychological violence can be very personal and some may run you in a mood or facing events that can be unsettling at times. Some of these have neither. Gone…

Although they are less violent than COD, I think your memory might be a bit off on some of these. 2 examples: In Portal 1 & 2 there are quite a lot of robots that trying to kill you with guns.[0] In Mirror's Edge there is a lot of parkour but there's also killing people with various guns.[1] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NBDulvHYr8 [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbcaMnQD7G8

> In Portal 1 & 2 there are quite a lot of robots that trying to kill you with guns

Correct. I should have put it aside, although the player only throws portals around to solve puzzles using his brain. And we can definitely describe GLaDOS as being a violent being.

> In Mirror's Edge there is a lot of parkour but there's also killing people with various guns

Wow I completely forgot about that in Mirror's Edge. I think I completed the game without ever using a gun and then forgot they ever existed in the game.

Re: Ask HN: Non-violent video games with great stories?

#378

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I let it be known to all my close friends that I'll buy them a copy of Disco if they ask at a drop of a hat. Easily my favourite game. W.r.t violence, it is indeed present as a murder is the center of the story, but it's always in service of a story about self-discovery, exploration and a talking tie. Also, if you like Disco, check out The City & The City [0], it inspired DE and is a great time. [0] https://en.wikipe…

I have not played Disco yet, but have been tempted. Thanks for the comparison to The City & The City, easily one of my favorite books and such a mind bend. If you’ve not watched Counterpart with J.K. Simons is very similar in feel, to me at least. Shame it was never finished.

I'll take a look at Counterpart! I heard the TV adaptation of The City & The City was pretty boring.

I'm reading The City and The City now and there are moments and plot lines where it feels like DE is the game adaptation of the book.

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