The Best Emotional Games

Update : Closer The Distance added at rank #11.
1

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees (2022)

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77
Review score
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IOS iPhone Playstation 5 Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch PC Windows Mac OS

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is a hand-drawn adventure following a lost gibbon as they embark on a dangerous journey into unknown lands. Master the gibbon’s art of brachiation (swinging from branch to branch) at high speed, building momentum, pulling off spectacular somersaults. Race to freedom in liberation mode, or play through an hour-long narrative that captures the real struggle of living creatures.

Buy

  • nature
  • emotional
  • hand-drawn
  • platform
  • 2d
  • family-friendly
  • story
  • narration
  • colourful
  • atmospheric
  • action-adventure
  • relaxing
  • exploration
  • cute
  • procedural

2

Opus: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition (2022)

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93
Review score
Logo of Opus: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition Screenshot of Opus: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition Screenshot of Opus: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition Screenshot of Opus: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition

Mac OS Xbox Series X Xbox One PC Windows Nintendo Switch

Echo of Starsong is a visual novel style adventure game. Eda, a girl who can hear mysterious sound waves known as starsong, crosses paths with a young man in search of their source. Together, they venture out to the heart of space to unravel an ancient myth.


  • visual-novel
  • emotional
  • soundtrack
  • japanese
  • fiction
  • 2.5d
  • anime
  • space
  • walking-simulator
  • interactive
  • story
  • jrpg
  • exploration
  • 2d
  • atmospheric

3

Riven (2024)

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85
Review score
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PC Windows IOS iPhone Android Mac OS osvr

Uncover a story of intrigue, betrayal, and a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse as you solve intricate puzzles to unlock the secrets of Riven. Built from the ground-up and expanded from the award-winning original game released in 1997.


  • 3d
  • emotional
  • exploration
  • walking-simulator
  • surreal
  • story
  • philosophical
  • investigation
  • logic
  • mystery
  • atmospheric
  • puzzle
  • grade-school
  • first-person
  • adventure

4

Torn Away (2023)

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89
Review score
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PC Windows Xbox One Playstation 4 j Nintendo Switch

Torn Away is an interactive story with a unique blend of adventure games, side-scrollers, and cinematic first-person levels. Experience the tragedy of World War II through the eyes of a child and survive without losing your humanity.

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  • world-war-2
  • emotional
  • war
  • narration
  • first-person
  • platform
  • story
  • cartoony
  • scroller
  • minimalist
  • adventure
  • point-and-click
  • puzzle
  • hand-drawn
  • hidden-object

5

Farewell North (2024)

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84
Review score
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Xbox One IOS iPhone Xbox Series X PC Windows Nintendo Switch Mac OS

Restore color to the desolate islands of Farewell North, an atmospheric journey where you play as a border collie on an adventure with your human. Explore land and sea, uncover hidden paths and free wildlife to bring color back to her world, while revealing an emotional story about saying farewell.


  • dog
  • emotional
  • atmospheric
  • nature
  • stylized
  • story
  • relaxing
  • family-friendly
  • third-person
  • colourful
  • exploration
  • dark
  • open-world
  • cinematic
  • action-adventure

6

The Spirit and the Mouse (2022)

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89
Review score
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PC Windows Nintendo Switch Playstation 5 Playstation 4

Bring kindness and light to the people of Sainte-et-Claire as Lila—a tiny mouse with a big heart! Explore a quaint French village, make electrifying new friends, and do good deeds for those in need in this lush narrative adventure game.


  • platform
  • 3d
  • collectathon
  • emotional
  • puzzle
  • cute
  • exploration
  • colourful
  • narrative
  • story
  • atmospheric
  • fantasy
  • adventure
  • single-player
  • head-scratch

7

CURSES (2022)

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73
Review score
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PC Windows Android vita Playstation 4

A short visual novel, CURSES is a game about a girl with troubles and dark feelings. Help her cope with them with the aid of a cynical cat and sprinkle of magic.


  • emotional
  • brawler
  • choices
  • magic
  • lgbtq
  • cats
  • conversation
  • wave
  • 1990s
  • point-and-click
  • dark
  • comedy
  • boss
  • beat-em-up
  • story

8

Outcore (2022)

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98
Review score
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PC Windows

Join Lumi, a lost girl living on your desktop, and solve desktop puzzles to recover her memories in Outcore: Desktop Adventure. Fight against the worst characters ever written and experience a captivating story. Don't miss out on the unique experience of clicking the wishlist button, which scientists say can increase your lifespan. Had fun with Outcore? Check out Do Not Buy This Game, recommended by the developer's friend.

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What we like:
  • Creative and fun gameplay
  • Engaging story
  • Masterpiece with no cost
What could be improved:
  • Little time is needed to get used to the controls

  • emotional
  • choices
  • comedy
  • 2d
  • cute
  • pixel
  • visual-novel
  • funny
  • psychological
  • villain
  • colourful
  • story
  • anime
  • horror

9

Spiral (2024)

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73
Review score
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Android Xbox Series X Xbox One PC Windows

Spiral is a third-person narrative exploration game that shares a poetic vision of cognitive degeneration. Step into the shoes of Bernard as you help him and support him while braving his unravelling mind and reliving his most treasured moments.


  • emotional
  • soundtrack
  • walking-simulator
  • narration
  • third-person
  • story
  • exploration
  • stylized
  • atmospheric
  • cinematic
  • narrative
  • music
  • single-player
  • controller-support
  • 3d

10

Know By Heart (2022)

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87
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Xbox One Playstation 4 PC Windows

Childhood friends reunite after spending a long time apart, revisiting old memories and rekindling their friendship. However, something beyond their control will ruin this reunion.

Buy

  • emotional
  • atmospheric
  • narration
  • story
  • romance
  • retro
  • multiple-endings
  • visual-novel
  • minimalist
  • adventure
  • 3d

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