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With the new graphics and new styles of gaming, many believed the future of text-based video games was falling behind. Luckily, there are a plethora of fantastic modern experiences to fill that nostalgic or book-loving hole in fans’ hearts.
Updated on September 14, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: Simplicity has become pretty underrated in modern video games. So many people are so focused on realism and accurate voice-acting in AAA games that the idea of immersion takes a back seat at times. This is a shame, as the reality is that all games need to immerse most players is a solid gameplay loop and great writing. As a result, some of the best story-driven experiences available right now are text-based, and don’t rely too much on the technical side of things. To highlight some more of the best text-based games, we’ve updated this list to include a few more enteries.
10 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
The announcement of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles was met with widespread jubilation from fans of the series who wanted these spin-off games to receive the localization they deserved. After all, the Ace Attorney series has graced western audiences with amazing murder mysteries and memorable characters that fans will remember long after they’re finished with these experiences.
So, it’s easy to see why everyone absolutely loved the localization of the two Great Ace Attorney games when they were released. The titles had strong writing and engaging narratives, with the second game being considered by many to be a downright masterpiece for building upon the strengths of the first game while making up for many of its shortcomings. Any fan of the Ace Attorney series owes it to themselves to check out this brilliant visual novel title that is absolutely brimming with charm and steeped in mystery.
9 Doki Doki Literature Club
Speaking of visual novels that are extremely popular despite the limited reach of most games in this genre, there’s no better time to talk about Doki Doki Literature Club. This game seemed like nothing more than a run-of-the-mill visual novel where the protagonist attended a high school and could choose from one of many romantic interactions in a literature club they’re pretty much forced to join. However, it’s not until quite some time that Doki Doki Literature Club finally shows its true colors.
After a particularly traumatic event in the game, the title turns into a truly horrifying experience that is genuinely hard to get through for many fans who might get queasy at the thought of sudden jumpscares and grotesque imagery. The chaos of the narratives spirals to such a massive extent that players need to delete certain files to complete the game, which should be enough to prove just how crazy yet riveting the narrative of Doki Doki Literature Club really is.
8 Unmemory
Released in 2020, this text-based puzzle game is one players can experience on their mobile or their PCs. It’s an adventure puzzle game that’s set in a rather noir-looking world in which the main character suffers from severe memory loss.
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Using the puzzles and items presented, the player must decipher their hardest mystery yet. Who killed their girlfriend? One of the best elements of this game is the fact that players can experience it in a multitude of ways, like a book or a game, making it a perfect experience to try if players are unsure about the genre. Ultimately, this is a gripping mystery experience that will have anyone feeling just like Sherlock Holmes.
7 Magium
Magium is a great Dungeons and Dragons-inspired text-based adventure game that is constantly being updated, with new chapters and elements being released. This means that fans never have to worry about completing the game, at least for a long time.
Essentially, this tale explores a man named Barry whose dream is to become a mage. He partakes in a challenging mage tournament to achieve this dream and the player controls his actions throughout. It’s gripping, often funny, and has some classic video game graphics to keep those gamers involved.
6 Lifeline
This 2015 video game is the sort of experience where choices matter. Every decision the player makes will have an impact on the end of the story and could be the difference between disaster or success. Nevertheless, through some interesting text conversations, the player will be able to explore space and its less-than-friendly inhabitants.
What separates this game from others is the real-time replies. It’s got added realism in the sense that, any messages the player sends to the astronaut will take time to be received and vice versa. Sometimes Taylor will go to sleep and not respond for a good while, allowing the player to explore the world around them, or just go and make a drink and wait.
5 Device 6
While it may not entirely be solely a text-based game, Device 6 is a fantastic experience fitted with great designs, gripping stories, and the perfect amount of puzzle-solving to keep any detective happy.
Essentially, the player embodies a woman called Anna who finds herself on an island with no idea of how she got there. Using the items around her and the mysterious people that inhabit this mysterious location she must discover why she’s there and how to get out. It’s gripping and thoroughly enjoyable for those who like the more unconventional puzzle-solving methods.
4 A Dark Room
Taking the joys of sound and the beauty of words, A Dark Room is a post-apocalyptic experience where the protagonist must use their wit, their brains, and an element of luck to survive on the now desolate planet.
What sets this game above the rest is the notion of the map and the world expanding as the player goes through the game. They start in a small room and end up exploring a vast landscape, all through the images in the player’s mind. It’s a fantastic story all accompanied by simple gameplay and great sound design.
3 Disco Elysium
Despite having some great voice acting, Disco Elysium seems to represent the future of text-based video games. It brings to light the need for good graphics and a great soundtrack while still enabling the root of the genre, those text-based decisions and narratives that these games thrive in.
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Using bright colors, a gripping story, and some touch choices, Disco Elysium follows a gritty detective as he interrogates some less than innocent characters and becomes whoever the players want him to be. It’s extremely manipulative and perfect for those who like to make their own stories.
2 80 Days
Based on the classic novel, Around The World In 80 Days, this interactive choice-making game brings the text-based genre into a story many know and love. However, due to these choices, the ending isn’t always how many remember it in the book, the player has to make tough choices which can often be the difference between roaring success or fantastic failure.
Aside from the gameplay, the graphics are beautiful, all accompanied by some fantastic storytelling that will keep anyone’s eyes directly on the screen as they wait to see what could happen. The artwork is beautiful and really helps bring the game to life.
1 Baba Is You
Taking a slightly different spin on the text-based puzzle games, this experience actually uses the text to solve the puzzles. Rather than having the text as a clue, the player is actively encouraged to move the words around and manipulate them into telling the story they want. Moving these words can do anything from letting the main character into a room they couldn’t get in or finding a key that originally wasn’t there.
It’s an extremely clever way to design a text-based game but is one many players will adore. Even if it is a bit of a challenge to solve at times. Luckily, if solving the puzzle is a challenge the player can always admire the adorable graphics and lovable characters.
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