Summary
- Murdered: Soul Suspect and Beyond: Two Souls offer unique gameplay by letting players possess characters to solve puzzles and combat.
- Slitterhead introduces a possession mechanic where players control a spirit to take out enemies using special powers.
- Mortal Shell and Dishonored provide a twist on traditional combat by allowing players to possess different shells or creatures with unique abilities.
Possession is a unique gameplay mechanic that should ideally serve as a great way to spice up a video game. So, it's surprising to see that this mechanic is relatively rare and hasn't been represented enough times in video games.
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While a slow burn is never unwelcome, these horror games drop players into the action from the start, ensuring there is no time for steeled nerves.
This is why fans will love to learn about video games that do justice to the act of possessing other people and creatures, turning them into puppets that serve the player's will and help them solve puzzles or get past tricky combat encounters.
Games will be ranked based on their overall quality.
8 Murdered: Soul Suspect
A Detective Who Uses Supernatural Powers To Solve The Case
Murdered: Soul Suspect
- Released
- June 3, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
Players who want to control a recently deceased spirit who must solve his own murder will love what Murdered: Soul Suspect brings to the table. The title pulls no punches and lets players enjoy a scintillating gameplay loop as they use their spiritual powers to make progress.
Controlling a ghost that can teleport to areas and possess other people to find clues makes for a great time. While the short length and a lack of compelling gameplay elements may rub people the wrong way, players who want to enjoy a well-told story with unique gameplay mechanics will be able to stick with Murdered: Soul Suspect till the very end.
7 Slitterhead
Players Control A Spirit That Can Possess Others And Acquires Special Powers
Slitterhead
- Released
- November 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- Bokeh Game Studio
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Given how Slitterhead was created by the man behind Silent Hill and Siren, it's easy to see why players were so hyped for his newest project. While Slitterhead stumbled when it came to its repetitive mission structure and janky gameplay, this unique package might just endear it to some players.
Players control a Hyoki who must locate and kill Slitterheads using various powers, including possession. As long as players don't mind some puzzling gameplay mechanics, Slitterhead is perfect for them to experiment with unique spiritual powers and take out the many Slitterheads standing in their way.
6 Beyond: Two Souls
Aiden Can Possess Other People To Accomplish Certain Tasks
Beyond: Two Souls
- Released
- October 8, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Quantic Dream
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
While David Cage's games deserve their fair share of criticism for their shallow plot elements, there's no denying that Quantic Dream's games are beautiful to behold and let players immerse themselves in engaging narratives. Beyond: Two Souls is no exception here, even if the lack of a fail state irritated many fans.
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The Afterlife is uncharted territory, but these open world games dive straight into the spiritual realm.
At the heart of this story is Jodie and her spirit Aiden, making for a unique dynamic as they struggle to live in harmony. Some of the game's best set-pieces involve players possessing other humans with an orange aura and using them to make progress as players solve puzzles and watch the story unfold.
5 Mortal Shell
Players Possess Other Shells And Use Their Abilities In Combat
Mortal Shell
- Released
- August 18, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Cold Symmetry
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PS5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Imagine Dark Souls with the feature of possessing the shells of defeated warriors, and players will end up with Mortal Shell. The game's unique take on Soulslike mechanics leaves them with a weak husk that is totally ineffective in combat and must rely on these Shells to take out enemies instead.
Essentially, players possess warriors who embody different playstyles and encourage players to experiment. This novel mechanic makes Mortal Shell a great title for fans of Soulslike games to check out, with combat being tough yet approachable for players courtesy of the Harden ability and the opportunity to recapture a Shell after being chucked out of it by a particularly savage foe.
4 Driver: San Francisco
The Shift Ability Lets Tanner Control Other Drivers In High-Speed Set Pieces
Driver: San Francisco
- Released
- August 30, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Drug Reference, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Reflections
It's a shame that more racing games haven't been inspired by the innovative Shift mechanic of Driver: San Francisco, one of the most underrated racing games players can get their hands on.
After Tanner discovers that he can "Shift" into the bodies of other people, he uses this ability in death-defying situations to take over the wheel and use his skills as a driver to navigate tricky terrain. It's an innovative mechanic that enhances the cinematic flair of each set piece and ensures that more fans will fall in love with what Driver: San Francisco has to offer.
3 Dishonored
Corvo Can Unlock The Ability To Possess Other Creatures, Humans Included
Dishonored
- Released
- October 9, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
Arkane Studios was put on the map courtesy of their work on Dishonored. This immersive sim is a joy to play through as players control Corvo as he strives to clear his name and take out the usurper to the throne who killed his liege.
5 Stealth Games That Allow Non-Lethal Runs
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He can unlock several unique powers in the process, including that of Possession. While the initial stage of this power only lets players control small creatures, Corvo can invest in this power to unlock the ability to possess humans and sow seeds of discord among enemies as long as they have the mana (and potions) to spare.
2 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Sissel Possesses The Recently Deceased To Travel Back In Time Four Minutes Before Their Death
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
- Released
- June 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
One of the greatest murder-mystery titles ever made, Shu Takumi's ingenious mind is on full display in Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. From the very start of this game, players are taken on a wild ride where they control the spirit of a recently deceased character and prevent other people from meeting the same fate.
The way players do this is by possessing the bodies of the dead, travelling back in time four minutes before this death is supposed to happen as they do everything in their power to manipulate events and prevent innocent people from biting the dust. It's a compelling gameplay loop that becomes more interesting as players use the powers of other spirits, with Sissel marching onwards to get the answers he wants only to be blindsided by one of the greatest plot twists in video game history.
1 Super Mario Odyssey
Mario Possesses Numerous Creatures And Uses Their Abilities To Acquire Moons
Super Mario Odyssey
- Released
- October 27, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
While players don't possess people per se in Super Mario Odyssey, the various creatures in the world are just as sentient and deserve to be placed in the same category. The biggest reason why players love Super Mario Odyssey is its possession mechanic, with Mario using Cappy to take over the bodies of various creatures in the game world.
This gives players access to a wealth of unique abilities that are imperative to traverse certain stages. This incredible gameplay mechanic blew people's minds when Super Mario Odyssey came out and still feels fresh to this day.
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