RELATED: What Remains of Edith Finch & Other Amazing Indie Adventure Games To Play

The game told its story through first-person exploration with very little gameplay, such as puzzle-solving or platforming. Instead, What Remains of Edith Finch relies on visual storytelling to capture the player. There are not many games out there that have taken this exact approach but by focusing on pure exploration and storytelling, walking simulators are worth giving a shot.

Updated December 7, 2022, by Chris Birsner:What Remains of Edith Finch is now available on next-generation consoles, which gives players an opportunity to enjoy this wonderful yet bizarre adventure through the Finch house. Its ability to tell the story of how each of the family members that used to live in the strange abode lost their lives is one that many fans of the walking simulator genre will not forget. Since its release, many new entries and variations to the genre have come out and left their own mark that have been inspired by the unique story and mechanics the game by Giant Sparrow brought to the forefront.

15 Abzû

A game being referred to as a walking simulator where the main means of traveling is swimming may feel strange, but the exploring element of Abzû is reminiscent of other games in the genre. The player controls a nameless female diver in a third-person perspective as she swims around an ocean exploring every nook and cranny.

Along the way, she is guided by a great white shark that leads her to wells that restore life to the ocean. Abzû has no dialogue and strictly uses its visuals to tell the story.

14 Sludge Life

It’s rare for walking simulators to involve a ton of character interaction, but Sludge Life throws players into such a unique world that it is hard not to talk to all the wild individuals who live in the area. A game about vandalism, players are GHOST, a tagger who is looking to make a name for themselves.

Players can roam around the many islands that make up Sludge Life, which includes acquiring unique abilities that make exploring the area a lot more interesting. There are even some controls and mechanics that are just meant to entertain the player rather than progress the story, so it serves as a delightful sandbox.

13 Proteus

If players are just looking to vibe with a chill experience and no goal in mind, Proteus can provide just that. The game revolves around a player moving through a procedurally-generated, three-dimensional pixelated environment and listening to fitting music as they experience each of the four seasons, from spring to winter.

Along the way, players will notice that different elements of nature that surround them affect the music as it is playing. Players can even take photos with the game using the “save a postcard” feature.

12 Ether One

Storytelling can be compelling, but sometimes it can also be tragic. Ether One focuses its story on Jean Thompson, who has been diagnosed with dementia. The player takes on the role of a restorer whose goal is to investigate Jean’s thoughts and reconstruct her memories through three-dimensional exploration.

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The game does have players solve puzzles, but these puzzles become harder to understand to point out Jean’s struggles with her disease. However, the puzzle-solving element is optional as the main objective is exploration and discovery.

11 Tacoma

Narratives are what drive most walking simulators, with most guiding the player through the story without turning back. This is why Tacoma is such an interesting aspect as it allows individuals to revisit certain moments in the story through the ability to rewind and fast-forward through scenes.

Players will step foot into a space station and explore it while learning about the story of the crew that was once on it. Through the surveillance system, players are able to see conversations and scenarios that have played out on the ship and relive them.

10 The Stanley Parable

Initially a mod for Half-Life 2, The Stanley Parable became a full-fledged game filled with humor and mystery. The game revolves around an office worker named Stanley who opens his office door one day to discover all of his co-workers are gone.

This leads to the players being able to explore the office with the help of a narrator telling his story.

Each path leads to a completely different conclusion, but regardless of how the path concludes, players are reset from the beginning of The Stanley Parable to try a different path out of the simulation.

9 The Beginner’s Guide

Some of the best walking simulators are the ones that take the player on a journey that they weren’t necessarily expecting. The Beginner’s Guide is a game by Davey Wreden, who is the original creator of The Stanley Parable, and also features him as the narrator.

What seems like a premise around showing off a friend’s work turns into an experience that toils with subjects such as how we try to interpret every game that we play and the need for validation in the creative process.

8 Firewatch

Exploring nature is a theme in many walking simulators and Firewatch puts players right in the middle of it. Players take on the role of Henry who takes a job as a fire lookout. While in his tower, he begins to communicate over a walkie-talkie with Delilah, a fellow lookout in another tower.

The game’s core mechanic revolves around exploring while dealing with mysterious events that are unfolding. Firewatch is also a social simulation as he builds a friendship with Delilah, with dialogue choices affecting the tone of their conversations as the game goes on.

7 A Short Hike

An explorative adventure game like A Short Hike may not be the most traditional walking simulator out there, but the relaxing experience is great for those who just want to go out exploring and talk to characters that may need assistance.

The premise is simple: Claire wants to reach the top of the mountain to get phone reception. To do this, she must walk around and help people by doing simple tasks and receiving golden feathers. These help her climb even further to the point where she can reach the peak.

6 Journey

Considered one of the greatest games of all time, Journey has elements to it that can be considered a walking simulator. The player takes control of a robed figure in the middle of the desert with the goal of making it to the top of a mountain.

While sections of Journey are linear, the goal is to explore and find a path to the end through discovery and some minor puzzle-solving. Along the way, players can encounter each other and help but can’t communicate in any method except with musical chimes.

5 Dear Esther

Another mod-turned-game, Dear Esther embraces the nature of minimalist gameplay in a walking simulator. Players are placed on an island located in the Hebrides, Scotland. Players are able to move around freely as they explore but are mainly following a linear path.

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Along the way, players listen to a man reading letters that are addressed to his deceased wife. As players go deeper into the game, they learn more about the mysterious circumstances of her death. The game doesn’t give all the answers, though, as some are left to the player’s interpretation.

4 Eastshade

What Remains of Edith Finch is all about exploring a house and learning the stories of each of the individuals that lived in it. Eastshade does this in a similar manner, only players are able to actually talk to the people who live on the island of Eastshade and even help them out.

As a traveling painter, those who play Eastshade will be able to drop their easel at any point and capture the beauty that is presented in front of them. That, combined with the rich characters, is a recipe that will fill any soul in need of a game that allows its players to take in the senary and enjoy the story that is presented.

3 Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture

For those looking for more of an adventure game, Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture fits the billing. The plot revolves around an English town where all of its inhabitants have disappeared and it’s the goal of the player to find clues to what actually happened to them.

Players must follow orbs of light that will guide them and show them hints as to what took place. The game is a spiritual successor to Dear Esther as it was made by the same developer: The Chinese Room.

2 The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter

The genre is perfectly structured to implement some horror elements, which is done well in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. Players play as Paul Prospero, a paranormal investigator who receives a letter from Ethan Carter, a child who is fascinated by Prospero’s work.

Prospero travels to Carter’s hometown only to find out that Ethan is missing. The goal of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is to investigate his disappearance while also dealing with paranormal events that are happening. Mechanics include being able to use items to recreate events at a crime scene.

1 Gone Home

A perfect encapsulation of minimal interactivity and plenty of exploration, Gone Home is as close to the walking simulator genre as it can get. The game starts out with a young woman named Katie returning to her family home to discover that everyone has gone missing.

Gone Home allows the player to explore the home to find items, journals, and more tools to help solve what happened. This is done in a nonlinear way to allow the player to discover pieces of the story in their own time. Certain objects do unlock areas of the house.

What Remains of Edith Finch is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and iOS.

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