Games That Will Make You Take A Break From Gaming

Occasionally, a video game truly innovates, changing how people view the entire medium. While many games focus on action and excitement – think the Grand Theft Auto series – it’s important to have titles that challenge players and redefine what games can be.

These games are all incredibly engaging and make you think deeply, but they can be mentally draining. Playing them one after another might be overwhelming, or feel strange if you then switched to a lighthearted game like Astro Bot. You might need to take a break from gaming altogether to fully appreciate them. Don’t worry, this description won’t reveal any plot details.

12 Minutes

Til Midnight

The film 12 Minutes begins with a seemingly ordinary dinner between a husband and wife. Their evening is quickly disrupted when a police officer arrives and demands the wife accompany him, after which the husband finds himself reliving the same night over and over again.

This game puts you in a time loop where you must prevent your own death and your wife’s, while also avoiding a relentless police officer. The game deliberately hides key clues, so you’ll need to experiment and try different approaches to succeed. Once you finally uncover the truth, it will force you to see everything that happened in a completely new—and unsettling—way.

BioShock Infinite

A Grim End For Booker

BioShock Infinite appears to be a thrilling, action-packed shooter, and it’s known for its impressive and memorable moments. The game keeps you engaged with a variety of abilities – like setting enemies on fire – and dynamic combat, such as shooting while riding on sky-lines.

Okay, so the game seems like a pretty standard rescue mission – you play as a detective going into this beautiful, but kinda weird, city in the sky to save a girl. But honestly? It’s way more than that. Get ready, because the ending is seriously mind-bending. I have a feeling everyone’s going to be hitting the forums trying to figure out what actually happened, and how it all connects to my character, Booker. It’s one of those stories that really sticks with you, and not always in a good way!

It Takes Two

Marriage Is Complicated

In the cooperative game It Takes Two, a couple on the brink of divorce is magically transformed into dolls by their child. To break the spell, they must collaborate and overcome a series of challenges, which leads them on a journey to reconnect. Along the way, they’ll experience a variety of fun and quirky gameplay, from classic arcade-style games to riding frogs and even engaging in some shooting action.

The game offers a surprisingly varied and enjoyable range of activities, but it doesn’t shy away from the challenges of real relationships. Even when breakups are amicable, listening to arguments can be tough, and some situations might even cause players to become frustrated with one another.

The Last Of Us Part 2

Play That Guitar

The Last of Us Part 2 is a particularly intense and emotionally challenging game for PlayStation players. The story follows Ellie as she travels to Seattle, driven by a desire for revenge after a devastating loss. The game is known for its incredibly realistic portrayal of violence, including enemies who desperately plead for mercy.

Honestly, the gameplay is intense. It’s really brutal, and you see Ellie get seriously hurt throughout the game. By the end, she’s really changed, and the story leaves you with a lot to think about – it’s a cliffhanger that genuinely messed me up and made me question if revenge is even worth it. It’s not an easy experience, but it’s powerful.

Life Is Strange

A Sacrificial State

Okay, so I just started playing Life is Strange, and it’s wild. You play as this girl, Max, who’s back in her hometown after being away for a while. Seriously, things get crazy fast – I was in the bathroom and saw her old friend, Chloe, get… well, it was bad. But then, get this, I noticed a photo and suddenly I could rewind time! It’s like, what?! I have to figure out how to use this power to save Chloe, it’s intense.

Each new episode presents a greater challenge, forcing players to quickly decide how to proceed and impacting the story’s direction. What initially seems like a simple mission – like traveling back in time to help a friend – quickly becomes complicated. Powerful, unseen forces are at work, and players will ultimately face a heartbreaking choice in the final episode.

Red Dead Redemption 2

The Life Of A Cowboy

Red Dead Redemption 2 is widely considered a masterpiece of the Western genre. It features a massive, open world filled with things to do, and lets you shape the main character, Arthur, into either a ruthless outlaw or a reformed individual.

Regardless of how players approach the game, Arthur’s story is ultimately a tragic one. He’s constantly torn between doing what’s expected of him and acting with compassion in a world that’s rapidly changing and doesn’t have a place for people like him. No matter what choices players make, they’ll be left to grapple with themes of sorrow, remorse, and the inevitability of death throughout the experience.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The Hand Tax

While Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice doesn’t have a particularly disturbing narrative, it’s known for its incredibly challenging and demanding gameplay. It’s also different from other games made by FromSoftware – it’s not a ‘Soulslike’ game where you repeatedly fight enemies to gain experience and become more powerful. You can improve your character and find better gear, but you can’t simply ‘level up’ by grinding for experience points.

This game focuses on fast-paced, aggressive combat where taking the initiative is key. Players need to master timing their counters and dodges, and succeeding will require both strategic thinking and quick reflexes, leaving them feeling mentally and physically drained.

Silent Hill f

Once Again With Gusto

Unlike other games in the Silent Hill series, Silent Hill f is set in 1960s Japan, specifically in the small village of Ebisugaoka. The story follows Hinako, who must team up with her friends to combat a strange, plant-based illness spreading through the town. They also experience a unique phenomenon where they fall asleep and enter an alternate dimension, and face challenges within sacred shrines guided by a mysterious fox spirit.

I love how this game doesn’t hold your hand! It really makes you feel like a detective, figuring out the story by collecting notes and paying attention to everything around you. It’s not always easy to understand everything right away, though. In fact, I’ve found that each time I replay it, I uncover more details. Some scenes were tough to get through the first time, and honestly, they still are, even after multiple playthroughs!

Tunic

A Meta Zelda

At first glance, Tunic seems like a typical *Zeldastyle adventure game, but with a fox as the main character. However, it’s much deeper than it appears. Simply playing it as a standard action game won’t give you the full experience.

To fully understand Tunic, you’ll need to collect and translate in-game manuals written in a secret language. It’s a complex game that’s designed to be figured out through careful exploration and puzzle-solving. Players will likely spend hours searching every corner of the world for clues, or collaborate online with others to uncover the game’s mysteries. It’s challenging, but not impossible to solve on your own.

Until Dawn

Won’t You Spare Me Over Til Another Year?

I absolutely loved Until Dawn! It’s this really intense game where you play as a group of friends reuniting in a remote, snowy mountain lodge. What starts as a fun getaway quickly turns terrifying when they realize someone – or something – is hunting them. It’s a total fight for survival, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!

In Until Dawn, you control several characters who can interact with their surroundings in limited ways to progress. Your choices in conversations and during quick-reaction sequences determine whether characters survive, get hurt, or even die. The game’s intense and sometimes gruesome deaths can make it a truly unforgettable experience.

2026-02-03 06:08