Summary
- Video games and documentaries merge seamlessly in games that offer unique storytelling experiences.
- Both indie and AAA developers have successfully integrated the documentary style into their games.
- Games like Outlast, Deadool, and P.T. Immerse players in horror documentary-like experiences.
Video games and documentaries seem like oil and water. However, there are quite a few games that take on the chronicle format and do it exceptionally well. They blend storytelling and game design intuitively, while giving players agency to experience a unique form of enjoyment. Another remarkable feature about these types of titles is that they’re set in different genres, so they're not one-trick ponies here.
Most games of this style have their roots in the indie gaming space — these devs love making games that push boundaries. However, some mainstream blockbuster AAA devs have incorporated it into their games as well. It just goes to show that the video game medium still has a lot of avenues to tap into for creative inspiration.
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8 Outlast
Creepy, Visceral, Atmospheric, & Disturbing
Outlast
- Released
- November 4, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Red Barrels
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Outlast is for players who love a raw, gritty, and uncomfortable documentary-esque video game — few can top its menacing vibe . Being the first game in the series, Outlast had players constantly in panic mode from a host of hostile enemies with no way of fighting back. The game is set in a run-down psychiatric hospital with little illumination, so players must rely on a camcorder. Unfortunately, using the camcorder’s night vision mode drains batteries, so there’s constant pressure to manage and scavenge for them.
With tense, pulse-pounding audio design and well-timed jump scares, players will feel the thrills as they unfold. Outlast doesn’t shy away from gore and violence, and the first-person perspective magnifies the documentary-style aesthetic.
7 South Scrimshaw, Part One
Beautiful, Thought-Provoking, & Absolutely Tear-Jerking
- Developer: Nathan O. Marsh
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux
- Publisher: Nathan O. Marsh
- Released: June 9, 2023
South Scrimshaw, Part One offers players a soothing yet emotional video game experience that is more akin to traditional documentaries. The developer is clearly passionate about the game, and players can experience it through the game's captivating visuals that mix colorful and dull art. The linear visual novel follows a mutated baby whale that sprouts from an egg. Players follow the growth cycle and the strange evolution of the calf whale while also uncovering its tragedy.
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South Scimshaw, Part One, depicts meaningful, heartfelt connections with minimal speech. The majority of the text on the screen describes the actions through the lens of the observers watching the calf whale. The documentary style fits this type of game to the letter.
6 Return Of The Obra Dinn
Intuitive, Minimalist Game Design Makes The Players Work For The Solution
Return of the Obra Dinn
- Released
- October 18, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Return Of The Obra Dinn will satisfy players who want more interactivity and agency to explore the documentary aspect of a video game. It’s a mystery puzzle game with a clever exploration aspect. A mysterious missing ship, the Obra Dinn, resurfaces after five years, and players must investigate its crew’s final whereabouts — whether missing or dead.
The graphics and point-and-click gameplay evoke a throwback feeling to old-school PC games. Return Of The Obra Dinnn also features Memento Mortem, a plot device that allows players to see and hear the final moments of a corpse. As the story progresses, the game leans into its "documentary style" with a gripping plot twist that turns to the supernatural.
5 Alan Wake
Horror Documentary In A Setting Dripping With Ambiance
Alan Wake
- Released
- February 16, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Remedy Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Survival Horror
Horror and documentary-style games are a natural fit, and Alan Wake executes both flawlessly. The player character is a novelist experiencing his horror stories come to life, along with the abduction of his wife. Alan Wake’s story centers around surviving the sentient darkness and rescuing his wife while piecing together what is going on. The game’s episodic nature gives breathing room to process everything like in a documentary.
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It’s a non-stop rush to find light sources and flares, creating nail-biting transitions between scenes. Alan Wake also brings a sense of isolation and a feeling of being watched in the in-game meta-style TV show ‘Night Springs.’ The story is a masterclass in dropping bombshell revelations that tie everything together in a surreal documentary-like tale.
4 Deadpool
Instead Of A Documentary Video Game, Have A Mockumentary One
Deadpool
- Released
- June 25, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- High Moon Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action, Hack and Slash
Unlike most other documentary-style games, Deadpool bucks the trend with its meta, mockumentary flavor. Deadpool is a love letter to fans of Marvel’s Merc with a Mouth. Players will either roll their eyes or laugh uncontrollably at the game’s humor and self-awareness. The game uses Looney Tunes physics with exaggerated violence and crassness that fit the character’s traits.
The story is a hodgepodge mess not to be taken seriously — it’s just for enjoyment, without putting too much thought into it. Deadpool's combat is addictive, with button-mashing fun that doesn’t feel old. The best surprises are the finisher animations and Wade Wilson’s wisecracks. The whole vibe and energy gives off the mockumentary familiarity dialed up to 11.
3 Rake
Play Out The Events Of A Fictional Documentary
- Developer: Konsordo
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows
- Publisher: Konsordo
- Released: July 13, 2015
Rake is an underrated video game that feels like a documentary because there is a documentary in-game. Players take control of a scientist with the goal of finding proof of otherworldly creatures. The gameplay involves setting up traps and recording equipment to capture the different entities in the act. Of course, such a task involves risk, so players must always mind their surroundings.
Rake might not have the best graphics, considering the visuals are dated. However, it’s because of the grainy aesthetic that the game works. Players must learn the movement of different creatures, including the mysterious Rake, an illusive humanoid entity. There is a Five Nights At Freddy’s vibe to Rake, and the documentary format gels well with the whole concept.
2 P.T.
No Choice But To Brave The Supernatural Horror
P.T.
- Released
- August 12, 2014
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PS4
P.T. Is the biggest case of what could have been. Konami and gaming icon Hideo Kojima parted on poor terms before the full game’s development, and the P.T. Demo is no longer playable. The game kickstarted the trend of looping hallway horror titles that many indie devs latched onto.
P.T. Has players walk through a seamlessly repeating hallway while exploring the subtle clues and solving puzzles to progress. Every loop becomes more zany and wild, with horrific and grotesque imagery catching players off guard. The purposefully slow pace and repetition break the players down, then spring surprises. Players can’t fight back or take any action either, fittingly trapped in the documentary-style video game and living its events.
1 The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
A Witty, Clever Must-Play For Fans Of Satirical Documentary
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
- Released
- April 27, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Crows Crows Crows
- Genre(s)
- First-Person, Simulation, Mystery
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe should be a case study on making a video game that feels like a documentary . Players take control of Stanley, an office worker given specific tasks to complete by the narrator. It’s up to the players whether they choose to follow the instructions or not. Depending on player choice, the narrator’s tone will change from cordial and friendly to outright cruel and demented.
After straying too far, Stanley will be brought back to his desk in a time loop. But the twist is that there will still be remnants of the player’s past actions. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe has many different routes and just as many epilogues. The game’s fun factor is in the witty, sarcastic commentary. Like in any captivating documentary, the themes of discovery and unpredictability set this game apart.
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