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DayZ mod and Yume Nikki aren't "Weird Games". They're irrelevant to your point. Both are of popular genres. Yume Nikki is of a super popular genre in Japan, RPG maker horror games.
I wonder if it has the same potential problem _Trine_ had, where there's sometimes a much less clever way to cheese a puzzle and leaves you wondering "Was I _supposed_ to do that?"
@@lued123 Fucking around with the rules and beating the level in an unanticipated way is all in good fun in Baba Is You. The only real problem is if the level was trying to teach you something you didn't learn because you were thinking _too_ for outside the box, and then you get stuck on a later puzzle because of it.
Player/users do not know what they want. We can say we want X but in reality we want Y. This is why we need weird games because as the mainstream moves towards fulfilling X there is a lack of any Y in the industry. The weird game makers are the ones that make games that draw in Y concepts. What happens eventually is that the concepts of Y gain traction and are eventually added into our list of X. At the end of the day weird games are what help us define what we truly want in a video game We need someone to tell us "have you ever tried this?" because at the end of the day we didn't even know we wanted it.
something I didn't know I wanted but love is slime morimori (aka rocket slime), it's a game where you control a slime that can move and hit stuff by stretching and using itself as a rubber band, and most items including enemies can be caught in the air and transported to wagons that go back to the town. And those items are used as ammunition for tank battles where you collect them from the reserve and throw them at the other tank.
@@satibel if you were able to find the core concepts that reside in the game I'm sure there is another game that is similar that you would also love. The hard part is also identifying WHY you liked it. There was a specific core concept that kept you interested that most likely wasn't identified by developers that tried to copy the concept.
@@Nanoqtran well, I haven't found a similar game, with the same exploration into using the stuff in a different context. I guess stuff like factorio, minecraft and space engineers have the same idea, but not close enough. I want something like a mario where you collect power ups and coins to upgrade a mecha to fight bowser. There are a few other games like dark cloud and dragon quest builders, but still not really close enough.
Kind of off topic, but I wanted to say that I've noticed I've been writing much better essays for my courses since I started watching your videos Adam. Your writing is so good that when I write I automatically make sure it's something that I could hear you saying in one of your videos in terms of sentence structure and overall coherence. So thank you for indirectly teaching me how to be a better writer. Another great video as usual! Definitely wasn't expecting this topic, looked like a difficult one to put together.
It was! I expected this to be a really quick video but it ended up taking a little while. Also, really interesting to see you've started to write the way I do! still not sure if that's a good thing or not.
a writing suggestion: make a quick draft, and break it into chapters, break chapters in paragraphs, and paragraphs in phrases, for each block try to change it, and reorganize them (i.e. change the words, write another phrase with the same meaning, and see if switching 2 paragraphs reads better) and because I'm a lazy fuck, I ain't doing none of that and this comment reads like ass.
OFF remains to this day one of my fave Weird Games out there, and was deffo one of the spearheads of the RPGMaker surge of games if I remember right. The actual gameplay of it wasn't anything super special, but the world and audiovisual design? That sticks in the brain for a long while.
Dude! Katamari Damacy is exactly what you said: Weirdly intuitive - and so addictive. It itches a weird spot that other games can't seem to scratch for me.
Your video makes a very good point we need to keep in mind, but it also risks making a stronger claim than we really want to. Gaming depends on "weird games" (I would call them "anti-conventional games"), but anti-conventional games are not automatically positive-creative games. That is, defying convention is not a silver bullet for producing good, creative work. I have often said, when helping others write, that the rules of writing only exist to create better writing, and thus implicitly they include the rule "break any rule if breaking it would make better writing." But that's a conditional, if X then Y. We need to embrace people doing creative things, but we also need to understand that, unfortunately, a lot of creative things are also not very good--creativity does not guarantee quality or potential, and being unconventional doesn't even (strictly) guarantee creativity. A "creative" wheel is probably going to be a worse wheel, because wheels have the properties they have in part to make them very good at what they do, but (as you noted with Grow Up) sometimes it's good to be reminded why wheels are designed the way they are. TL;DR: You're quite right, but let's not overstate the case--embrace challenging convention sometimes, because it *will eventually* produce good things, but never *expect* challenging convention to *guarantee* good things.
yes, statistically, creative out-of-the-box things in general won't make it in the world. But it still is important that we keep creating those weird games, because weird art has changed art too (think of the Dada-movement). We can't really say weird games on themselves are destined to be succesful, but they really are needed for our games to progress and make the mainstream games better.
I think we need weird games, but also weirdness in games - if that makes any sense. I get the most joy out of products that surprise me one way or another, especially when it comes to enemy, level design and even non-playable characters. When you play games like Silent Hill 2, Dark Souls, Samorost or SotN for the first time you don't know at all what to expect and they feel really other-worldly. The sense of mystery and strangeness sparks irresistible curiosity that draws you into the world.
@@magicmurloc It was first a movie and the first time the name appeared in a gaming context, it was a mod for arma 3. From this mod the name of the genre originated.
@@FactoryofRedstone The genre originated from the movie, was what I was pointing to. The movie is responsible for the genre in all the different categories that use it, be it movies, animes, or games.
1:43 The N64 controller only had one analogue stick. In Mario 64 Mario's movement was controlled by the stick, the camera was controlled by the 4 yellow C-buttons.
One of my favorite games of recent years, that I think could fit this definition: Rain World The core idea of Rain World's design is attempting to simulate an ecosystem that thinks and acts like creatures in the real world do. The game is a 2D platformer, but has physics-based movement. Controls are (initially) clunky, and not particularly precise, leading to your character (Slugcat) flopping around and folding over on-top of himself like a sandwich. But the result of this is what the developers have called 'procedural animation' - character movements dynamic and based on their position and intended action, with no preset animations. In theory, it is to help make the creatures within the world feel more realistic and life-like. It's also a very punishing experience, because very little can be memorized or anticipated. People can argue that a game like Dark Souls has a harsh and unforgiving world that does not care about the player, but I would say that Rain World accomplishes this task even better. While there are some consistencies to where predators will spawn in the 12 regions of the world, the specific placement of each creature is not set in stone. One time you may enter an area and see purple and green lizards; the next time there may be only one, but in another location. In another case you might travel through a pipe to reach the next area, and something lying in wait at the other end instantly bites down onto your squishy, little body and boom - you're dead. What might seem like poor design in the context of a video game, actually helps to further reinforce that theme of survival in nature. You have to assess each situation individually, make the right decisions on the fly, and perhaps accept that there's a little bit of luck to it. Because there's no guaranteed success in the unpredictable wildnerness. It's a really fantastic game; you should check it out if you haven't. The environments are very bizarre and intriguing, and it's so much fun to explore them and see what there is to see.
I'm also glad that there was some footage from Sunless Skies in there - one of the best games I've played in years. The worldbuilding is so incredibly well done, I had literal goosebumps whil playing through some sections!
Yet he completely ignored the fact that battle royale isn't a new genre, but rather something that dates back in early 2000s (in the form of text based web games).
Should have mentionend dwarf fortress, pretty much created a genre of itself. With rimword probely being the most comercial succesfull. Or paradox perfecting the grand strategy, starting with a weird swedish game svea rike. Wich a think Only kids from sweden remember. And the modding scene for paradox is making some crazy simulation mods. Like meiou and taxes
I've actually started to make standalone game based on MEIOU&Taxes, other Paradox titles and Total War series, but based more heavily on immersing into the times and fulfilling the "wow, I would love to be this guy and do what he did" desire, that I have when learning history.
Dwarf Fortress is itself only a game mode, an amalgam of the underlying RPG genre that came from somewhere else, like Rogue, from which the roguelike adjective comes (rather unfairly in my personal opinion and heavily lobbied), and a more sedentary, base construction gameplay experience. The original Dwarf Fortress (called Slaves of Armok) did not include this game mode at all, and the actual Dwarf Fortress (basically Slaves of Armok 2) to which you refer to still has the original adventuring mode, but the brothers experimented with it to the point of actually introducing the new approach, and decided it was so good that the game itself should be renamed. It was just a weird amalgam, but there's nothing especially new about it. Though it quickly became very influential, simply by showing to other developers the untapped potential of the market. As other, more successful games poured in (i.e. Minecraft), citing Dwarf Fortress as their inspiration, this gave the brothers a hyper exposure on something that would largely pass under the radar, and gave them even more influence in return.
minecraft still made the sandbox genre more than dwarf fortress... the person who brings it to the casual rest of the world is the one who REALLY makes the genre happen. Otherwise, it just stays overcomplicated and hard to look at forever. minecraft takes moving, looking, and a single dig button to start. Dwarf Fortress takes reading a manual.
But thats two diffrent things, i talk about fortress mode. Having to care for ai agents with their own fellings and the Micro economy of your base. The only like i can think of that is like it from before it is dungeon keeper.
@@RaSunTheThird dwarf fortress is more or less an underground Tropico with less focus on political opinion of your guys but more focus on mental health.
@@cheesecakelasagna or if you could be a great coder who is inherently lazy, weird bui effective shortcuts in code can lead to some pretty entertaining results
Love the video Adam. Completely agree with this and I love weird games! Not just for the reasons you mentioned - but also because they're often wholesome and funny. And I think we're sorely missing that stuff in the hyper-charged violent blockbuster AAA space. Love the videos
Seeing the first minutes of "Baba is You" recently (besides making me buy the game because it's delightful) immediately reminded me of another weird game ("Today I die", very short but memorable flash game from 2009, even the music is great). Out of curiosity, I looked what its dev was up to these days and they recently made a fan game inspired by Baba is You, it's gone full circle :)
BABA IS YOU's core idea of changing rules reminds me of Else Heart.Break(). I have such crazy nostalgia for that game, but I'm always afraid to replay it.
I won't buy a laptop without a pointing stick/nipple mouse because of one game: Hammerfight. You control a gyrocopter with physics-based melee weapons. It may be a buggy mess, but it has the most viscerally satisfying combat I've ever played.
Nice collection. Here's my recommendations: Snake pass, a platformer where instead of jumping around you'll have to climb things as a snake. It's so different from anything else that you will need some time to learn how to play, but the game is a pretty good teacher. Off, an RPG made with RPG maker. It doesn't shine by its mechanics but rather by its weird and surrealist atmosphere. Also it's free, try it. Ambition of the slimes, a weird strategy game where you use weak slimes which can't beat the ennemy because they're too weak but can instead possess ennemies. The goal is to who to take over and how to approch them without getting killed. The steamworld series, Dig and Heist are very different games (a metroidvania-like where you dig your own path and a turn-based strategy game where you aim instead of relying on probability) and Quest it's on its way. They all are very good with adding mechanics that completely change the games from theirs genre roots. Noitu Love Devolution, a beat em up with mouse based control scheme on the pc and touch control on the switch. It's crazy and shine by the pure aggressivity of the gameplay which works wonder with its unusual control scheme.
1:49 Ape Escape's mini-games used the 2 analog sticks quite creatively. The skiing mini-game has the two sticks represent the two skis, and the boxing mini-game has the two sticks represent the boxer's fists.
Totally agree! I loved grow home and grow up, and many other weird games! Btw, dayz started out as a arma 2 mod, before after many years being remade for arma 3 and eventually a standalone game ;) I loved dayz to bits when I first tried it out, so I definitely agree with you on your points about unique gameplay mechanics and ideas!
Love that you mentioned Dota Auto Chess. That's what I've been focusing on studying recently for my graduate thesis work. Creating a digital hybrid board game version around Auto Chess using RFID/NFC + Bluetooth/BLE technology. Would love to send you some pictures around it as I get farther in. =)
"Weird games" reminds me of B movies. Really super weird, and most were hot garbage, but the good ones were incredible. Shoot 'em Up is a great example.
Katamari Damacy ReRoll is my fave game on the switch. The console layout works so well with the play style! The only thing is that its SO hard to recommend to other people! "Oh whats it about?" "You roll a sticky ball around and pick up stuff all around the world!" "Umm... okay." "Its oddly relaxing and not too difficult! I mean once you get used to the weird controls..." "Oh... weird controls?" "Dont worry, once you get the hang of it, its totally fun!!" "Huh yeah.... well I'm gonna go play Animal Crossing, you have fun with your sticky ball thing!" If Katamari could get a weirdly big cult following like Undertale, maybe one day I can finally convince my friends & play multiplayer ( °̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ ◡͐°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥)
You mean, as a game based on the (first) movie? It could be interesting... as a single player or coop game. As a FFA game it would end up being turned into a disaster like DayZ was - a game played exclusively by psychopaths who shoot first and don't bother with consequences, and we already have a boatload of those.
The King of All Cosmos always had such a whimsical yet booming and ominous voice in my head; his dialogue did such a good job conveying the idea that there was something less fun boiling just below the surface without being overly-serious
Yeah, Katamari Damacy had all the right elements for a great game: - Fun and Simple Gameplay - Super easy to pick up and enjoy - Whimsical story and colorful setting that is just enough to keep you interested and involved, while not feeling forced - Awesome soundtrack - Great replayability (with so many hidden easter eggs everywhere)
Narbacular Drop was a relatively weird puzzle game where you control a princess without knees through dungeons using an interesting mechanic of connected doors. Valve then used their concept to develop Portal
This video is justice for me. I LOVE discovering weird, innovative games. The fact that Herzog Zwei and Airmech got mentions is just the massive icing on the cake.
"Auto chess is the start of something big, mark my words" *ahem* May I present, Teamfight Tactics-- taking MOBA characters and doing... Well, exactly this.
One of my favorite weird games was Hellsinker. Quite an obscure title but it had quite the impact on the Doujin Shmup scene, and especially in the Fraxy community. Also, not sure if it counts as a weird game, though I am sure that at the time it was quite out there, but the original Drakengard is also a game I hold close to my heart. When it isn't sending giant cannibalistic space babies after me.
Thank goodness you finally mentioned OneShot; it's an amazing game that just doesn't get nearly enough publicity. Niko is like my favorite game protagonist bc of how close you personally become to him.
I think Nintendo's two newest big IPs are the closest we have to weird games with a bigger budget. Splatoon is a TPS where you shoot the terrain in addition to enemies, and ARMS is a fighting game without special moves and instead has stretchy customizable arms. I think this shows that even big-name companies need to do their part in breaking down genre conventions.
Nintendo runs this funny duality between only making rehashes of their most popular properties like the 689th Mario game but also coming up with some really innovative stuff like the games you mentioned, their console gimmicks like the wii and even things like Nintendo Labo
@@gamedesignwithmichael It's a good duality. Keeps "what people want" alive while committing to bringing new experiences to the table, whether they will become lasting franchises (like Splatoon will, clearly) or not (like probably ARMS).
If you ever want a real mindbending experience, watch the first Matrix movie and every time you feel yourself cringing, remind yourself that nothing in it was cliche when it came out.
So glad you talked about Multiwinia. I was under the impression that all the Introversion games that aren't Prison Architect had been lost to time with how little they're talked about. I still jump on and have a game or two every now and again; the focus on macro-level tactics and resource (multiwinian) management made the game feel much easier to jump into than more complicated RTS games where you're constantly making low, mid, and high-level decisions.
@@ArchitectofGames I think my favourite of their early stuff has to be Uplink. Does a really great job of emulating the movie-hacker feel, and manages to have a palpable sense of tension when the only information you have is letters and numbers on a desktop browser paired with an ambiguous timer.
Try Sora, the bullet hell game from Suguri series by Orange Juice, not weird but is a scifi touhou with dashing mechanic that lets you pass through one of the two bullet types, which is an energy bullet, the other being physical bullet. Dashing and dash-shooting increases heat parameter which increases damage taken up to 300% You can shoot in every 2D direction, there are many kinds of weapons with 3 slots given for 3 types of weapons. Music is lit, it's a combination of electrical instruments that depicts the advanced tech setting and classical instruments to bring out a majestic feeling.
Mario Maker is also weird. Like it should be a bonus part of a game but it isn't. If it wasn't a Nintendo game it probably would look like a weird game. Ultimate Chicken Horse is also weird. It's a competitive maker game but it feels more like a deathmatch than a race to the flag, getting points for traps and the whole "Too easy no points" scheme. The "Real Basketball" and Godzilla date games, which I will call "Mecha games" are partly based around moving inside the mecha to move it
I've sunk a ton of hours into that weird little game. He's in the process of making a fourth one now; there are a bunch of dev log videos up on his channel.
You are a brilliant writer, this reminds me of how game journalism used to be. Deliciously technical, smart, hugely informative and above all: passionate.
I couldn't stop making the comparison to Divergent Minds. The most prolific way of learning about our own brains is to study ones that *appear* to be weird/broken. Similarly, these weird/divergent games show us what we take for granted whilst unlocking possibilities that would not exist otherwise. Weird games are the birthplaces of future gaming trends, which is why we should support the good small indie games whenever possible, you never know what it might grow into
First world championship just ended, 1 million dollar prize pool, app story flood with autochess rip-off, valve made underlords, riot made teamfight tactics hehe. Well done indeed! =)
I know this is late, but it's funny how few people realize that Auto Chess has its origins in the same location as the MOBA, Warcraft/Starcraft maps. I remember playing Auto Chess maps many times back when I played Warcraft 3. Another couple genres from that time I'd like to see make a resurgence would be, Maze building Tower Defenses, versus tower defenses(yes I'm aware there's a handful of games in that genre), Hero tower defenses, what was called mazes but were really just obstacle courses you played with a group of people(I'd say the run kitty run/runling run technically fit in this category), and many more. Up until Auto Chess got this sort of attention it was in that list so I'm incredibly glad more people get to experience this style of gameplay.
Ya'll should check out Google Play Store more! It may currently have the reputation of being laden with micro-transactions but just dig deeper and you'll find loads of bizarre games (usually even made by only one person!), some are even so indie they're free! On the top of my head, I suggest the works of Daigo Studios. Will add more if I remember.
There are two weird games that I absolutely adore: Please, Don't Touch Anything and Viscera Cleanup Detail you should try those too. BTW IMO Grow Home is better.
Fun Fact: DotA and Auto chess were both warcraft3 maps long before they were separate. And the wc3 map for DotA was based on a starcraft map. Not sure myself if auto chess existed at the time of starcraft maps. Actually, I'm surprised more of the wc3 maps haven't spawned their own genres yet, there were tons of players for many types of the maps that don't really have an equivalent in standalone games. I think Tower defenses loosely have a genre, but maze tower defenses don't really, and I've only seen 1v1 vs tower defenses, but the team and 8 player free for all ones were really fun to play as well. Then there were the "maze" games that I'd just call cooperative/racing obstacle courses without jumping. And while bullet hells exist, there's very few that don't let you fight back akin to 99 rounds.
Extra Credits have a series called "games you might not have tried" which I'd recommend to basically everyone who enjoyed this video. It's all about giving a spotlight to games that aren't necessarily good or polished, but do something different and noteworthy.
The best "wierd game" I ever played was noita. If you haven't played noita,or you tried it and thought the perma death was unwieldy or you didn't understand how the wand building mechanic worked I implore you to retry it now that it has an optional class system and I also implore all to install the "craft wands anywhere mod" and you will LOVE the game!
The Adventures of Cookie and Cream is one of those games to me. It's a co-op platformer that uses a twin stick setup for each player, meaning that you can play it with one controller with a friend, but that also makes it so you're able to play it alone, controlling both player characters at the same time. It's something that I've wanted to see from other multiplayer games, it wouldn't be that hard to imagine simultaneously playing as Mario and Luigi in New Super Mario Bros with a twin stick setup with the L R ZL and ZR set to run and jump.
I like weird games, its something I'm starting to realise while I'm in this slump of not playing video games because for the most part games are pretty much the same.
I wouldn't call Katamari's controls clunky or imprecise. They're effectively a more realized version of tank controls, where each of the two analog sticks match almost precisely with the treads of a tank. Even as a kid I found them quite intuitive easy to get accustomed to.
Something I have gone by for a while is the notion that niche titles will speak much more than mass appealing products. When someone is not attempting to appeal to everyone they can do truly groundbreaking things, some of my favorite games have the smallest playerbases, but dedicated playerbases due to the love they can feel was out into the game.
Actually forgetting Minecraft was a oversight. When that game started as a clone of Inframiner it was without question a majorly weird game and it's transition to mainstream was almost as much due to updates as it was a shift of opinions. Anyway checking out gamejam games and other time limit game destine is something I recommend to a lot of people. It's not for everyone, but I think trying these bazaar experimental prototypes help us understand something about what we like even on the times that we don't enjoy them.
I wonder if folks remember just how many mods the original half-life spawned that weren’t counterstrike. There was a dope one named “Ricochet” that was basically like the Tron disc game. Super bizarre, but really fun physics.
No spoilers needed, but I'd like to make a little poll. Who has beaten the level entitled "Bottle Neck" in Baba is You? I might continue the game if I know someone completed that level.
Hi Adam! Thanks for your work. I also run a small, german spoken Gaming-Channel and I´m also constantly on the look for those kind of "special" games. I find quite a lot of them in China. Just a few ons to check out: City of God - Prison Empire Endless Road (beautiful Roguelike with an IMHO pretty unique battle system) Or take a look at a "Glass City: The Dust" which is in limbo for years unfortunatley.
Destiny, which you used to demonstrate the safe life service games, actually has a LOT of weird stuff in it. Be it in level design, story and lore elements, or weapon design. Both it and Warframe explore very interesting and weird worlds.
This is why I play whatever the hell I feel like playing super super late. I don't really like being on top of the gaming scene and the only one I'm excited for right now is Silk Song. That one will not disappoint :)
A bit late, but you should check out the old Extra Creditz series "Games you might not have tried." The tag line is "We don't promise that these games are good, just that they're interesting"
And with this I have finished binging all your old videos. Well. What now. Aside from playing weird games. Thanks a lot for all of these great videos tho :) Really interesting and well made, looking forward to all the ones to come!
I remember seeing one complaint for a game because the mechanics didn’t make logical sense. Like what? It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense in a real life context so long as it makes sense in the games context or is explained properly. Not every game has to be “realism the game”
Tell that to Square Enix. They own the rights to Ogre Battle, essentially an awesome strategy series that was weird as hell. Basically it's like someone looked at Game of Thrones and thought "yeah, but what if faeries and pumpkin heads could be support artillery against the dragons, and mermaids fighting angels could happen? What if golems were pets, and a squad of 3 knights, a witch, and a priest was a thing?"... ....and all of the games were awesome. Hell, I never even got to try two of then until last year, and I was really surprised by the depth. Every one is even more reactive than most RPGs, let alone srpgs. Sure, the JRPG way is to forgive the witch that was just experimenting on everyone, but you notice pretty quick that the locals are pissed. It's a shame that they all did well, and then it just got left behind.
Hey Adam, great video as usual. However, it felt like the essence of the word "weird" was a bit confusing throughout the video. Do indie titles classify as weird? Do unwieldy games classify as weird? Sorry, but that part of the topic was lost on me overall. EDIT: I'm mostly confused about the distinction between "weird" games and games that try to push the envelope, possibly with something unorthodox.
+Dan Boio Yeah, I felt also some confusion with the therm "weird". Could for example Portal, with its unique mechanic be considered "weird"? Or Homeworld with its 3D strategy and obsession with atmosphere? Or subgenre creators like the original Civilization?
A few thoughts: 1) I always personally thought that Battle Royale was just polished version of Minecraft's Survival games. I'd never tied it to DayZ before... 2) A line from the book "Make Art Make Money: Lessons from Jim Henson on Fueling Your Creative Career" (not really a short and snappy title I'll admit) that really stuck with me was that "The businessman wants to get the greatest returns for the least effort. The artist wants to use every resource at their disposal to create the greatest piece of work they ever have before. It's because of these contrasting values that the two tend to clash, however; you need both to succeed. The artist who spends everything will go broke. The businessman who never innovates will grow stagnate. It is the two in balance that drives you forward... to earn the funds to create the art that will keep you going." Great vid as per usual
In the original draft of this video I actually talked about the survival games instead of Day Z! I think you're right that there's totally some influence there, particularly in fortnite. I ultimately picked Day Z because it came first and more obviously influenced PUBG which is/was the real popularizer for battle royales.
@@ArchitectofGames makes sense. It was a genre I never really got on the bandwagon for so there are a lot of details from it I'm missing. I can definitely see the connection though after you pointed it out
Indie games and mods are definitely the main vehicles for pushing game development innovation. Large companies just aren't willing to take those kinds of risks and engender a culture of polishing rather than inventing. This goes far beyond games too. This is why I really hope that at least some games keep allowing modding. It has become less and less common over time and I can see why there aren't many incentives for companies to allow it.
Probably works like that in other industries as well: It's those creative small individuals that eventually create the next big thing that's going to re-invent the industry.
ever heard of juice world? It’s a game where you play as a little weird pink thing with orange dots that has arms as arms and arms as legs. You fart to -fly- jump and you attack things to collect juice. Juice is love, Juice is life.
Have you played Wandersong? I think that it fits the category of "weird game", and it's absolutely incredible. I think you would really enjoy it, and I honestly hope that more games take after it.
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Have you ever played one life? That game is really a trip
Has anyone heard of creeper world 3? Just for the name alone its odd. i think its a great little RTS like game.
I think you should do a video on afps and why they aren't popular. It could be interesting.
DayZ mod and Yume Nikki aren't "Weird Games". They're irrelevant to your point.
Both are of popular genres. Yume Nikki is of a super popular genre in Japan, RPG maker horror games.
+1 for Baba is You because I didn't solve a single puzzle you showed by the method you said you used.
Oh wow that's really awesome. That made me want to buy it even more lol
Same
I wonder if it has the same potential problem _Trine_ had, where there's sometimes a much less clever way to cheese a puzzle and leaves you wondering "Was I _supposed_ to do that?"
@@lued123
Fucking around with the rules and beating the level in an unanticipated way is all in good fun in Baba Is You. The only real problem is if the level was trying to teach you something you didn't learn because you were thinking _too_ for outside the box, and then you get stuck on a later puzzle because of it.
@fireballdick No, less hard means easier, not easy. It's bad to condescend, it's worse to condescend while being just playing wrong.
Player/users do not know what they want. We can say we want X but in reality we want Y. This is why we need weird games because as the mainstream moves towards fulfilling X there is a lack of any Y in the industry. The weird game makers are the ones that make games that draw in Y concepts. What happens eventually is that the concepts of Y gain traction and are eventually added into our list of X. At the end of the day weird games are what help us define what we truly want in a video game
We need someone to tell us "have you ever tried this?" because at the end of the day we didn't even know we wanted it.
something I didn't know I wanted but love is slime morimori (aka rocket slime), it's a game where you control a slime that can move and hit stuff by stretching and using itself as a rubber band, and most items including enemies can be caught in the air and transported to wagons that go back to the town. And those items are used as ammunition for tank battles where you collect them from the reserve and throw them at the other tank.
@@satibel if you were able to find the core concepts that reside in the game I'm sure there is another game that is similar that you would also love. The hard part is also identifying WHY you liked it. There was a specific core concept that kept you interested that most likely wasn't identified by developers that tried to copy the concept.
@@Nanoqtran well, I haven't found a similar game, with the same exploration into using the stuff in a different context. I guess stuff like factorio, minecraft and space engineers have the same idea, but not close enough. I want something like a mario where you collect power ups and coins to upgrade a mecha to fight bowser.
There are a few other games like dark cloud and dragon quest builders, but still not really close enough.
Thinking about it, the closest thing is the witcher with gwent. Though it doesn't have the same retro charm.
"you think you, do but you don't"
Kind of off topic, but I wanted to say that I've noticed I've been writing much better essays for my courses since I started watching your videos Adam. Your writing is so good that when I write I automatically make sure it's something that I could hear you saying in one of your videos in terms of sentence structure and overall coherence. So thank you for indirectly teaching me how to be a better writer. Another great video as usual! Definitely wasn't expecting this topic, looked like a difficult one to put together.
It was! I expected this to be a really quick video but it ended up taking a little while.
Also, really interesting to see you've started to write the way I do! still not sure if that's a good thing or not.
a writing suggestion: make a quick draft, and break it into chapters, break chapters in paragraphs, and paragraphs in phrases, for each block try to change it, and reorganize them (i.e. change the words, write another phrase with the same meaning, and see if switching 2 paragraphs reads better)
and because I'm a lazy fuck, I ain't doing none of that and this comment reads like ass.
Legendary, awesome man
OFF remains to this day one of my fave Weird Games out there, and was deffo one of the spearheads of the RPGMaker surge of games if I remember right. The actual gameplay of it wasn't anything super special, but the world and audiovisual design? That sticks in the brain for a long while.
OFF is so good, it's a wonder more people haven't played it!
Specially cos it's free!
@@subprogram32 yes!!! Is a solid game with a lot of weird possibilities, I really love how everything turns around the weird design it already has
Thanks for reminding me, time to listen to Pepper Steak.
OFF is also, in a certain way, a known influence on OneShot.
Dude! Katamari Damacy is exactly what you said: Weirdly intuitive - and so addictive.
It itches a weird spot that other games can't seem to scratch for me.
YES its so strangely addicting! I seriously wish there was another game to fill this 25m-katamari-sized hole in my heart :(
I got you homie, now hear me out.
*simulator simulator*
boom! its gonna sell itself.
I'd buy it
That inspired me to make
Simulator x3
I like it.
I must know, how exactly would this work?
youtube simulator comes clsoe to that
Your video makes a very good point we need to keep in mind, but it also risks making a stronger claim than we really want to. Gaming depends on "weird games" (I would call them "anti-conventional games"), but anti-conventional games are not automatically positive-creative games. That is, defying convention is not a silver bullet for producing good, creative work. I have often said, when helping others write, that the rules of writing only exist to create better writing, and thus implicitly they include the rule "break any rule if breaking it would make better writing." But that's a conditional, if X then Y. We need to embrace people doing creative things, but we also need to understand that, unfortunately, a lot of creative things are also not very good--creativity does not guarantee quality or potential, and being unconventional doesn't even (strictly) guarantee creativity. A "creative" wheel is probably going to be a worse wheel, because wheels have the properties they have in part to make them very good at what they do, but (as you noted with Grow Up) sometimes it's good to be reminded why wheels are designed the way they are.
TL;DR: You're quite right, but let's not overstate the case--embrace challenging convention sometimes, because it *will eventually* produce good things, but never *expect* challenging convention to *guarantee* good things.
yes, statistically, creative out-of-the-box things in general won't make it in the world. But it still is important that we keep creating those weird games, because weird art has changed art too (think of the Dada-movement). We can't really say weird games on themselves are destined to be succesful, but they really are needed for our games to progress and make the mainstream games better.
I think we need weird games, but also weirdness in games - if that makes any sense. I get the most joy out of products that surprise me one way or another, especially when it comes to enemy, level design and even non-playable characters. When you play games like Silent Hill 2, Dark Souls, Samorost or SotN for the first time you don't know at all what to expect and they feel really other-worldly. The sense of mystery and strangeness sparks irresistible curiosity that draws you into the world.
"Dingle the bell" is a criminally underused phrase
5:10 - Dayz was originally a mod for ARMA 2 not 3
Sank u
Oh and Battle Royale was an ARMA mod too.
@@FactoryofRedstone Battle royale wasn't originally a game. The genre came before any game about it.
@@magicmurloc It was first a movie and the first time the name appeared in a gaming context, it was a mod for arma 3. From this mod the name of the genre originated.
@@FactoryofRedstone The genre originated from the movie, was what I was pointing to.
The movie is responsible for the genre in all the different categories that use it, be it movies, animes, or games.
TWO of these genres? :P
;)
@@ArchitectofGames You're just trying to fuel the fires of hatred in the comments aren't you?
?
We didn't start the..
I think it's dark souls or battle royal. This man likes his cards too much for that to be it.
at one point skateboard and other strange sports games were like this too. Still some of my favorite games
1:43 The N64 controller only had one analogue stick. In Mario 64 Mario's movement was controlled by the stick, the camera was controlled by the 4 yellow C-buttons.
Going against the protocol is really good if done correctly
what is a protocol?
One of my favorite games of recent years, that I think could fit this definition: Rain World
The core idea of Rain World's design is attempting to simulate an ecosystem that thinks and acts like creatures in the real world do. The game is a 2D platformer, but has physics-based movement. Controls are (initially) clunky, and not particularly precise, leading to your character (Slugcat) flopping around and folding over on-top of himself like a sandwich. But the result of this is what the developers have called 'procedural animation' - character movements dynamic and based on their position and intended action, with no preset animations. In theory, it is to help make the creatures within the world feel more realistic and life-like.
It's also a very punishing experience, because very little can be memorized or anticipated. People can argue that a game like Dark Souls has a harsh and unforgiving world that does not care about the player, but I would say that Rain World accomplishes this task even better. While there are some consistencies to where predators will spawn in the 12 regions of the world, the specific placement of each creature is not set in stone. One time you may enter an area and see purple and green lizards; the next time there may be only one, but in another location. In another case you might travel through a pipe to reach the next area, and something lying in wait at the other end instantly bites down onto your squishy, little body and boom - you're dead. What might seem like poor design in the context of a video game, actually helps to further reinforce that theme of survival in nature. You have to assess each situation individually, make the right decisions on the fly, and perhaps accept that there's a little bit of luck to it. Because there's no guaranteed success in the unpredictable wildnerness.
It's a really fantastic game; you should check it out if you haven't. The environments are very bizarre and intriguing, and it's so much fun to explore them and see what there is to see.
The Architect mentioned Oneshot! Even if it was only in passing, it's nice to see such a great game be recognised
I'm also glad that there was some footage from Sunless Skies in there - one of the best games I've played in years.
The worldbuilding is so incredibly well done, I had literal goosebumps whil playing through some sections!
Yet he completely ignored the fact that battle royale isn't a new genre, but rather something that dates back in early 2000s (in the form of text based web games).
And it mentioned Yume Nikki; my favourite game.
Mhm!
Should we expect to see BABA IS YOU in your best 2019 games video?
Almost certainly
just type BABA IS GOTY and it'll be there. thats how it works
Should have mentionend dwarf fortress, pretty much created a genre of itself. With rimword probely being the most comercial succesfull.
Or paradox perfecting the grand strategy, starting with a weird swedish game svea rike. Wich a think Only kids from sweden remember.
And the modding scene for paradox is making some crazy simulation mods. Like meiou and taxes
I've actually started to make standalone game based on MEIOU&Taxes, other Paradox titles and Total War series, but based more heavily on immersing into the times and fulfilling the "wow, I would love to be this guy and do what he did" desire, that I have when learning history.
Dwarf Fortress is itself only a game mode, an amalgam of the underlying RPG genre that came from somewhere else, like Rogue, from which the roguelike adjective comes (rather unfairly in my personal opinion and heavily lobbied), and a more sedentary, base construction gameplay experience. The original Dwarf Fortress (called Slaves of Armok) did not include this game mode at all, and the actual Dwarf Fortress (basically Slaves of Armok 2) to which you refer to still has the original adventuring mode, but the brothers experimented with it to the point of actually introducing the new approach, and decided it was so good that the game itself should be renamed.
It was just a weird amalgam, but there's nothing especially new about it. Though it quickly became very influential, simply by showing to other developers the untapped potential of the market. As other, more successful games poured in (i.e. Minecraft), citing Dwarf Fortress as their inspiration, this gave the brothers a hyper exposure on something that would largely pass under the radar, and gave them even more influence in return.
minecraft still made the sandbox genre more than dwarf fortress... the person who brings it to the casual rest of the world is the one who REALLY makes the genre happen. Otherwise, it just stays overcomplicated and hard to look at forever. minecraft takes moving, looking, and a single dig button to start. Dwarf Fortress takes reading a manual.
But thats two diffrent things, i talk about fortress mode. Having to care for ai agents with their own fellings and the Micro economy of your base. The only like i can think of that is like it from before it is dungeon keeper.
@@RaSunTheThird dwarf fortress is more or less an underground Tropico with less focus on political opinion of your guys but more focus on mental health.
Huh, so all those weird ideas you get in the shower aren't bad ideas after all.
I guess it has all to do with the execution
@@Lrozzie If only I can code good... or am not inherently lazy.
@@cheesecakelasagna or if you could be a great coder who is inherently lazy, weird bui effective shortcuts in code can lead to some pretty entertaining results
Extremely interesting video. Showing just how many games started from indie projects or mods really starts to show a trend.
Indeed!
Love the video Adam. Completely agree with this and I love weird games! Not just for the reasons you mentioned - but also because they're often wholesome and funny. And I think we're sorely missing that stuff in the hyper-charged violent blockbuster AAA space. Love the videos
That little analysis of the interesting relation between battle royales and survival games deserves it's own video imo.
Seeing the first minutes of "Baba is You" recently (besides making me buy the game because it's delightful) immediately reminded me of another weird game ("Today I die", very short but memorable flash game from 2009, even the music is great). Out of curiosity, I looked what its dev was up to these days and they recently made a fan game inspired by Baba is You, it's gone full circle :)
BABA IS YOU's core idea of changing rules reminds me of Else Heart.Break(). I have such crazy nostalgia for that game, but I'm always afraid to replay it.
Me: sees title*
Me: give japan some drugs and wait, the product of that will be unpredictable
Muscle March!
Or Russians
Glasses foo nah they already have enough drugs
Petition for all future content on the channel to use the King of All Cosmos impression.
When there's only one like but that one like is the Architect
hearing lisa, undertale and oneshot uttered in the same sentence triggered a primal awakening in me
I won't buy a laptop without a pointing stick/nipple mouse because of one game: Hammerfight. You control a gyrocopter with physics-based melee weapons. It may be a buggy mess, but it has the most viscerally satisfying combat I've ever played.
Nice collection.
Here's my recommendations:
Snake pass, a platformer where instead of jumping around you'll have to climb things as a snake. It's so different from anything else that you will need some time to learn how to play, but the game is a pretty good teacher.
Off, an RPG made with RPG maker. It doesn't shine by its mechanics but rather by its weird and surrealist atmosphere. Also it's free, try it.
Ambition of the slimes, a weird strategy game where you use weak slimes which can't beat the ennemy because they're too weak but can instead possess ennemies. The goal is to who to take over and how to approch them without getting killed.
The steamworld series, Dig and Heist are very different games (a metroidvania-like where you dig your own path and a turn-based strategy game where you aim instead of relying on probability) and Quest it's on its way. They all are very good with adding mechanics that completely change the games from theirs genre roots.
Noitu Love Devolution, a beat em up with mouse based control scheme on the pc and touch control on the switch. It's crazy and shine by the pure aggressivity of the gameplay which works wonder with its unusual control scheme.
1:49 Ape Escape's mini-games used the 2 analog sticks quite creatively. The skiing mini-game has the two sticks represent the two skis, and the boxing mini-game has the two sticks represent the boxer's fists.
Totally agree! I loved grow home and grow up, and many other weird games! Btw, dayz started out as a arma 2 mod, before after many years being remade for arma 3 and eventually a standalone game ;) I loved dayz to bits when I first tried it out, so I definitely agree with you on your points about unique gameplay mechanics and ideas!
Love that you mentioned Dota Auto Chess. That's what I've been focusing on studying recently for my graduate thesis work. Creating a digital hybrid board game version around Auto Chess using RFID/NFC + Bluetooth/BLE technology. Would love to send you some pictures around it as I get farther in. =)
Go for it!
"Weird games" reminds me of B movies. Really super weird, and most were hot garbage, but the good ones were incredible. Shoot 'em Up is a great example.
Bee movie
And wasn't Star Wars a B movie as well?
Katamari Damacy ReRoll is my fave game on the switch. The console layout works so well with the play style! The only thing is that its SO hard to recommend to other people!
"Oh whats it about?"
"You roll a sticky ball around and pick up stuff all around the world!"
"Umm... okay."
"Its oddly relaxing and not too difficult! I mean once you get used to the weird controls..."
"Oh... weird controls?"
"Dont worry, once you get the hang of it, its totally fun!!"
"Huh yeah.... well I'm gonna go play Animal Crossing, you have fun with your sticky ball thing!"
If Katamari could get a weirdly big cult following like Undertale, maybe one day I can finally convince my friends & play multiplayer ( °̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ ◡͐°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥)
You know what I'd love to see in the future?
A game where battle royale is not the game mode, but the premise.
You mean, as a game based on the (first) movie?
It could be interesting... as a single player or coop game. As a FFA game it would end up being turned into a disaster like DayZ was - a game played exclusively by psychopaths who shoot first and don't bother with consequences, and we already have a boatload of those.
@@GigAnonymous yeah exactly what I meant, the *original* battle royale experience.
The King of All Cosmos always had such a whimsical yet booming and ominous voice in my head; his dialogue did such a good job conveying the idea that there was something less fun boiling just below the surface without being overly-serious
Katamari damacy is one of my favourite games, and I want to see more games made simply for passion and not as a product to be sold.
Yeah, Katamari Damacy had all the right elements for a great game:
- Fun and Simple Gameplay
- Super easy to pick up and enjoy
- Whimsical story and colorful setting that is just enough to keep you interested and involved, while not feeling forced
- Awesome soundtrack
- Great replayability (with so many hidden easter eggs everywhere)
Narbacular Drop was a relatively weird puzzle game where you control a princess without knees through dungeons using an interesting mechanic of connected doors. Valve then used their concept to develop Portal
This video is justice for me. I LOVE discovering weird, innovative games. The fact that Herzog Zwei and Airmech got mentions is just the massive icing on the cake.
"Auto chess is the start of something big, mark my words"
*ahem* May I present, Teamfight Tactics-- taking MOBA characters and doing... Well, exactly this.
but auto chess also takes moba characters, i don't get the point of this comment
no, it doesn't even need to be MOBA
One of my favorite weird games was Hellsinker. Quite an obscure title but it had quite the impact on the Doujin Shmup scene, and especially in the Fraxy community.
Also, not sure if it counts as a weird game, though I am sure that at the time it was quite out there, but the original Drakengard is also a game I hold close to my heart. When it isn't sending giant cannibalistic space babies after me.
Thank goodness you finally mentioned OneShot; it's an amazing game that just doesn't get nearly enough publicity. Niko is like my favorite game protagonist bc of how close you personally become to him.
I think Nintendo's two newest big IPs are the closest we have to weird games with a bigger budget. Splatoon is a TPS where you shoot the terrain in addition to enemies, and ARMS is a fighting game without special moves and instead has stretchy customizable arms. I think this shows that even big-name companies need to do their part in breaking down genre conventions.
Nintendo runs this funny duality between only making rehashes of their most popular properties like the 689th Mario game but also coming up with some really innovative stuff like the games you mentioned, their console gimmicks like the wii and even things like Nintendo Labo
@@gamedesignwithmichael It's a good duality. Keeps "what people want" alive while committing to bringing new experiences to the table, whether they will become lasting franchises (like Splatoon will, clearly) or not (like probably ARMS).
Don't mind me, just waiting for someone to mention "the Stanley parable"
+ The Beginner's Guide
@@hehen-t Or Superliminal
Antichamber, too!
The broom closet ending was my favorite
8:19 "2 of these genre are very good"
That is evil.
I couldn't agree more. Weird, unique games are and always be the most charming games to me.
If you ever want a real mindbending experience, watch the first Matrix movie and every time you feel yourself cringing, remind yourself that nothing in it was cliche when it came out.
So glad you talked about Multiwinia. I was under the impression that all the Introversion games that aren't Prison Architect had been lost to time with how little they're talked about. I still jump on and have a game or two every now and again; the focus on macro-level tactics and resource (multiwinian) management made the game feel much easier to jump into than more complicated RTS games where you're constantly making low, mid, and high-level decisions.
I'm surprised how little they're talked about, yeah! DEFCON in particular is a real underground gem.
@@ArchitectofGames I think my favourite of their early stuff has to be Uplink. Does a really great job of emulating the movie-hacker feel, and manages to have a palpable sense of tension when the only information you have is letters and numbers on a desktop browser paired with an ambiguous timer.
Try Sora, the bullet hell game from Suguri series by Orange Juice, not weird but is a scifi touhou with dashing mechanic that lets you pass through one of the two bullet types, which is an energy bullet, the other being physical bullet. Dashing and dash-shooting increases heat parameter which increases damage taken up to 300%
You can shoot in every 2D direction, there are many kinds of weapons with 3 slots given for 3 types of weapons. Music is lit, it's a combination of electrical instruments that depicts the advanced tech setting and classical instruments to bring out a majestic feeling.
Mario Maker is also weird. Like it should be a bonus part of a game but it isn't. If it wasn't a Nintendo game it probably would look like a weird game.
Ultimate Chicken Horse is also weird. It's a competitive maker game but it feels more like a deathmatch than a race to the flag, getting points for traps and the whole "Too easy no points" scheme.
The "Real Basketball" and Godzilla date games, which I will call "Mecha games" are partly based around moving inside the mecha to move it
Fun fact: Mario Maker was originaly supposed to be a tool for developers to make level design easier for them
Has anyone heard of creeper world 3? Just for the name alone its odd. i think its a great little RTS like game.
I've sunk a ton of hours into that weird little game. He's in the process of making a fourth one now; there are a bunch of dev log videos up on his channel.
You are a brilliant writer, this reminds me of how game journalism used to be. Deliciously technical, smart, hugely informative and above all: passionate.
I couldn't stop making the comparison to Divergent Minds. The most prolific way of learning about our own brains is to study ones that *appear* to be weird/broken. Similarly, these weird/divergent games show us what we take for granted whilst unlocking possibilities that would not exist otherwise. Weird games are the birthplaces of future gaming trends, which is why we should support the good small indie games whenever possible, you never know what it might grow into
"Auto chess is the start of something big"
Well done sir
First world championship just ended, 1 million dollar prize pool, app story flood with autochess rip-off, valve made underlords, riot made teamfight tactics hehe. Well done indeed! =)
I know this is late, but it's funny how few people realize that Auto Chess has its origins in the same location as the MOBA, Warcraft/Starcraft maps. I remember playing Auto Chess maps many times back when I played Warcraft 3. Another couple genres from that time I'd like to see make a resurgence would be, Maze building Tower Defenses, versus tower defenses(yes I'm aware there's a handful of games in that genre), Hero tower defenses, what was called mazes but were really just obstacle courses you played with a group of people(I'd say the run kitty run/runling run technically fit in this category), and many more. Up until Auto Chess got this sort of attention it was in that list so I'm incredibly glad more people get to experience this style of gameplay.
It was big. For a really short while.
"Two of the three are good"
Me: Oooh let's check the comment section.
#LetThemFight
Ya'll should check out Google Play Store more! It may currently have the reputation of being laden with micro-transactions but just dig deeper and you'll find loads of bizarre games (usually even made by only one person!), some are even so indie they're free!
On the top of my head, I suggest the works of Daigo Studios. Will add more if I remember.
I personally don't think removing the zombies made it better. Never been a fan of BR, but I love DayZ.
There are two weird games that I absolutely adore: Please, Don't Touch Anything and Viscera Cleanup Detail you should try those too. BTW IMO Grow Home is better.
Viscera is a lot of fun. It's sort of relaxing in this weird, tedious way haha
Fun Fact: DotA and Auto chess were both warcraft3 maps long before they were separate. And the wc3 map for DotA was based on a starcraft map. Not sure myself if auto chess existed at the time of starcraft maps. Actually, I'm surprised more of the wc3 maps haven't spawned their own genres yet, there were tons of players for many types of the maps that don't really have an equivalent in standalone games. I think Tower defenses loosely have a genre, but maze tower defenses don't really, and I've only seen 1v1 vs tower defenses, but the team and 8 player free for all ones were really fun to play as well. Then there were the "maze" games that I'd just call cooperative/racing obstacle courses without jumping. And while bullet hells exist, there's very few that don't let you fight back akin to 99 rounds.
Extra Credits have a series called "games you might not have tried" which I'd recommend to basically everyone who enjoyed this video. It's all about giving a spotlight to games that aren't necessarily good or polished, but do something different and noteworthy.
Adam Millard also has his "games you should have played"
The best "wierd game" I ever played was noita.
If you haven't played noita,or you tried it and thought the perma death was unwieldy or you didn't understand how the wand building mechanic worked I implore you to retry it now that it has an optional class system and I also implore all to install the "craft wands anywhere mod" and you will LOVE the game!
I don't know about a lot of these games and i appreciate you bringing them to my attention. Definitely going to spend my day off playing some of them.
The Adventures of Cookie and Cream is one of those games to me. It's a co-op platformer that uses a twin stick setup for each player, meaning that you can play it with one controller with a friend, but that also makes it so you're able to play it alone, controlling both player characters at the same time. It's something that I've wanted to see from other multiplayer games, it wouldn't be that hard to imagine simultaneously playing as Mario and Luigi in New Super Mario Bros with a twin stick setup with the L R ZL and ZR set to run and jump.
That mention of ninjabread man brought back memories I had forgotten even existed
you were right about auto chess lmao
Team fight Tactics lol
I stayed with Newgrounds throughout and did my part. I can even trace a proto-idle game in the form of Mastermind: World Conqueor.
That was funny
Haha! *presents 3 genres*
"Two of these genres are really good"
I like weird games, its something I'm starting to realise while I'm in this slump of not playing video games because for the most part games are pretty much the same.
BIG CHUNGUS HD Remaster edition!
Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry Series
10/10
and knuckles
I wouldn't call Katamari's controls clunky or imprecise. They're effectively a more realized version of tank controls, where each of the two analog sticks match almost precisely with the treads of a tank. Even as a kid I found them quite intuitive easy to get accustomed to.
Something I have gone by for a while is the notion that niche titles will speak much more than mass appealing products. When someone is not attempting to appeal to everyone they can do truly groundbreaking things, some of my favorite games have the smallest playerbases, but dedicated playerbases due to the love they can feel was out into the game.
Actually forgetting Minecraft was a oversight. When that game started as a clone of Inframiner it was without question a majorly weird game and it's transition to mainstream was almost as much due to updates as it was a shift of opinions.
Anyway checking out gamejam games and other time limit game destine is something I recommend to a lot of people. It's not for everyone, but I think trying these bazaar experimental prototypes help us understand something about what we like even on the times that we don't enjoy them.
Definitely! Game jams are a great opportunity to see some new ideas!
I wonder if folks remember just how many mods the original half-life spawned that weren’t counterstrike.
There was a dope one named “Ricochet” that was basically like the Tron disc game. Super bizarre, but really fun physics.
No spoilers needed, but I'd like to make a little poll.
Who has beaten the level entitled "Bottle Neck" in Baba is You? I might continue the game if I know someone completed that level.
Hi Adam! Thanks for your work. I also run a small, german spoken Gaming-Channel and I´m also constantly on the look for those kind of "special" games. I find quite a lot of them in China. Just a few ons to check out:
City of God - Prison Empire
Endless Road (beautiful Roguelike with an IMHO pretty unique battle system)
Or take a look at a "Glass City: The Dust" which is in limbo for years unfortunatley.
Destiny, which you used to demonstrate the safe life service games, actually has a LOT of weird stuff in it. Be it in level design, story and lore elements, or weapon design.
Both it and Warframe explore very interesting and weird worlds.
This is why I play whatever the hell I feel like playing super super late. I don't really like being on top of the gaming scene and the only one I'm excited for right now is Silk Song. That one will not disappoint :)
A bit late, but you should check out the old Extra Creditz series "Games you might not have tried."
The tag line is "We don't promise that these games are good, just that they're interesting"
6:46 Look at all of those delicious jelly filled doughnuts!
And with this I have finished binging all your old videos. Well. What now. Aside from playing weird games.
Thanks a lot for all of these great videos tho :) Really interesting and well made, looking forward to all the ones to come!
Anyone else remember a little known gem on the N64 called Mischief Makers?
*Shake Shake*
I remember seeing one complaint for a game because the mechanics didn’t make logical sense. Like what? It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense in a real life context so long as it makes sense in the games context or is explained properly. Not every game has to be “realism the game”
The King of All Cosmos voice ending is the best part of the video :D
THANK YOU HUMAN SUBJECT
Tell that to Square Enix. They own the rights to Ogre Battle, essentially an awesome strategy series that was weird as hell. Basically it's like someone looked at Game of Thrones and thought "yeah, but what if faeries and pumpkin heads could be support artillery against the dragons, and mermaids fighting angels could happen? What if golems were pets, and a squad of 3 knights, a witch, and a priest was a thing?"... ....and all of the games were awesome. Hell, I never even got to try two of then until last year, and I was really surprised by the depth. Every one is even more reactive than most RPGs, let alone srpgs. Sure, the JRPG way is to forgive the witch that was just experimenting on everyone, but you notice pretty quick that the locals are pissed. It's a shame that they all did well, and then it just got left behind.
Hey Adam, great video as usual. However, it felt like the essence of the word "weird" was a bit confusing throughout the video. Do indie titles classify as weird? Do unwieldy games classify as weird? Sorry, but that part of the topic was lost on me overall.
EDIT: I'm mostly confused about the distinction between "weird" games and games that try to push the envelope, possibly with something unorthodox.
+Dan Boio Yeah, I felt also some confusion with the therm "weird". Could for example Portal, with its unique mechanic be considered "weird"? Or Homeworld with its 3D strategy and obsession with atmosphere? Or subgenre creators like the original Civilization?
A few thoughts:
1) I always personally thought that Battle Royale was just polished version of Minecraft's Survival games. I'd never tied it to DayZ before...
2) A line from the book "Make Art Make Money: Lessons from Jim Henson on Fueling Your Creative Career" (not really a short and snappy title I'll admit) that really stuck with me was that "The businessman wants to get the greatest returns for the least effort. The artist wants to use every resource at their disposal to create the greatest piece of work they ever have before. It's because of these contrasting values that the two tend to clash, however; you need both to succeed. The artist who spends everything will go broke. The businessman who never innovates will grow stagnate. It is the two in balance that drives you forward... to earn the funds to create the art that will keep you going."
Great vid as per usual
In the original draft of this video I actually talked about the survival games instead of Day Z! I think you're right that there's totally some influence there, particularly in fortnite.
I ultimately picked Day Z because it came first and more obviously influenced PUBG which is/was the real popularizer for battle royales.
@@ArchitectofGames makes sense. It was a genre I never really got on the bandwagon for so there are a lot of details from it I'm missing. I can definitely see the connection though after you pointed it out
Of course Minecraft itself was, at one point, a weird game as well.
@@unfetteredparacosmian true that
my favorite weird game ever is EVERYTHING. Weird and still manages to be kinda deep, and also fun.
Indie games and mods are definitely the main vehicles for pushing game development innovation. Large companies just aren't willing to take those kinds of risks and engender a culture of polishing rather than inventing. This goes far beyond games too.
This is why I really hope that at least some games keep allowing modding. It has become less and less common over time and I can see why there aren't many incentives for companies to allow it.
Probably works like that in other industries as well:
It's those creative small individuals that eventually create the next big thing that's going to re-invent the industry.
ever heard of juice world? It’s a game where you play as a little weird pink thing with orange dots that has arms as arms and arms as legs. You fart to -fly- jump and you attack things to collect juice. Juice is love, Juice is life.
Your way of speaking is very similar to the guy who does the VA for Kurzgesagt.
In a good way!
Okay, now go watch the Ross' game dungeon's review of "Armed and delirious" and rethink your title.
Van Tuz oh boy that game. Watching Ross’s video on it hurts my brain. My main question is why. Why everything
You absolutely NAILED the King of All Cosmos' mannerisms in that outro 👌
Side note: gravity in most plataformers is higher than IRL, character have really strong legs, the floaty gravity is less gravity
How to make a success:
1. learn how to code
2. don't suck at making art
3. eat glue and write what you see
4. make a game out of that
Sure nailed it on autochess... lol
Autochess sounds like the logical evolution of battle chess. I'm surprised it took this long.
Have you played Wandersong? I think that it fits the category of "weird game", and it's absolutely incredible. I think you would really enjoy it, and I honestly hope that more games take after it.
I've played and beaten it! Wandersong is fantastic!
Thank you for putting the games in the description!