Online games are video games designed specifically to be played on desktops, televisions and laptops. They have become a popular form of entertainment, with millions of people playing them every day. There are many different types of online games available, from casual puzzle games to complex strategy games.
Here is our list of 6 online games from three genres that are timeless and worth trying.
Mystery and Puzzle Online Games
The Witness:Â This beautiful and serene puzzle game has you exploring a mysterious island, solving environmental puzzles to uncover its secrets. The puzzles can be challenging and suspenseful, keeping you engaged without triggering any phobias. It is a puzzle adventure game developed and published by Thekla, Inc. for PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, iOS, and macOS.
The game is set on an open world island and the player character has to solve a series of environmental puzzles to progress. There is no dialogue or text in the game, and the story is told through the environment and the puzzles themselves. The Witness received positive reviews from critics, who praised its art style, puzzles, and atmosphere. The game was also a commercial success, selling over one million copies worldwide.
Return of the Obra Dinn:Â In this unique historical mystery game, you’re tasked with piecing together the events that transpired on a doomed ghost ship using only black and white photographs and clues. The game’s focus on deduction and historical mystery creates a captivating atmosphere without relying on graphic imagery.
Return of the Obra Dinn is a critically acclaimed mystery and puzzle video game developed and published by Lucas Pope. It was first released for macOS and Windows in October 2018, and later ported to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
The game is set in 1807 and casts the player as an insurance investigator for the East India Company. You are tasked with boarding the Obra Dinn, a merchant ship that has mysteriously returned to port after being presumed lost at sea. All 60 crew members are dead, and your job is to use a special memento mori device to witness their final moments and determine how they died, who is responsible, and the fate of the ship.
Return of the Obra Dinn is presented in a unique monochromatic art style that evokes the look of early computer games. The gameplay is focused on exploration and deduction, as the player must piece together the clues found in the vignettes and the ship’s logbook to solve the mystery. The game has been praised for its innovative gameplay, its unique visual style, and its engrossing narrative. It has won numerous awards, including the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the Independent Games Festival.
Exploration and Adventure Online Games
Journey:Â This critically acclaimed game takes you on a wordless emotional journey through stunning landscapes. The focus is on exploration, discovery, and emotional connection, making it a relaxing and immersive experience.
It was first released for the PlayStation 3 in 2012 and has since been ported to other platforms, including PlayStation 4, Windows, and iOS.
Journey is an artistic and emotional experience that has garnered widespread critical acclaim. Players control a cloaked figure who traverses a vast desert landscape, soaring through the ruins of ancient civilizations and gliding across endless sands.
The goal of the game is to reach a distant mountain peak, and along the way, players may encounter other players online and collaborate with them to solve environmental puzzles and progress through the game. However, there is no voice chat or text communication, and the connection with other players is purely based on nonverbal cues and actions.
Journey’s beauty lies in its simplicity and its ability to evoke emotions through its visuals, music, and gameplay. The game is a short experience, typically lasting around two hours, but it leaves a lasting impression on players.
Abzu:Â Explore the depths of a vibrant underwater world in this visually stunning adventure game. Interact with marine life, solve puzzles, and uncover the secrets of the ocean in a calming and awe-inspiring journey.
Abzû is an underwater adventure video game developed by Giant Squid and published by 505 Games as online games. It was first released in August 2016 for PlayStation 4 and Windows, and later ported to Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Amazon Luna.
The game follows a diver who explores the ocean depths, encountering diverse marine life and uncovering ancient secrets. Players have the freedom to navigate through various underwater environments, ranging from open water and natural caverns to shipwrecks and ancient ruins.
Horror Games with Alternative Scares
Little Nightmares:Â This dark and atmospheric horror game relies on psychological horror and unsettling imagery to create a chilling experience. While there’s some violence, it’s not graphic or focused on blood or bodily fluids. The game’s focus is on creating a sense of suspense and unease through its unique visual style and unsettling atmosphere.
Little Nightmares is a puzzle-platform horror adventure game developed by Tarsier Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was first released in April 2017 for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, with later ports to Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, and mobile devices.
The game follows the journey of Six, a hungry little girl trapped in a mysterious vessel called The Maw, an iron ship inhabited by monstrous and grotesque beings. Six must navigate through the ship’s dark and perilous layers, solving puzzles, avoiding enemies, and using her wits to survive.
A sequel to the online game, Little Nightmares II, was released in February 2021 and received similar critical acclaim.
Inside:Â This wordless puzzle platformer takes you on a dark and surreal journey through a dystopian world. While there are some disturbing scenes, they are not focused on gore or bodily fluids. The game’s focus is on creating a sense of mystery and unease through its unique visual style and unsettling atmosphere.
Inside is a critically acclaimed puzzle-platformer game developed and published by Playdead, an online games developer in 2016. The game follows a nameless boy on a journey through a dark and surreal world, where he must solve environmental puzzles, avoid dangerous obstacles, and escape from shadowy figures.
Inside received widespread critical acclaim, with praise for its art style, atmosphere, gameplay, and unique narrative approach. The game won numerous awards, including The Game Award for Best Independent Game and the BAFTA Games Award for Artistic Achievement.
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