Walking simulators have, unfortunately, been given a bad reputation by gamers. The complaints tend to be that there’s no combat or perceived risks. In most walking sims, you can’t even die. The argument is that, because these game elements are missing, walking sims are somehow not video games. Or not the type of video games worth anyone’s time.
But the reality is that walking sims offer fantastic stories, lots of exploration, and let gamers traverse through the world at their own pace, making them incredibly relaxing and chill. While they might not be the ideal game for someone who just downed their third Red Bull on a Saturday night while playing COD, they absolutely have their place in the gaming spectrum. Whether you wanna play to relax before bed, or with a cup of tea on a Sunday morning, walking sims are actually great…here’s why.
But first, what is a walking sim?
Before we get into why they’re great, we should probably examine what exactly a walking sim is. In general, they’re games where players are placed in some environment while a story builds around them. The main game mechanic is exploration. As you explore, you learn more of the story, whether it's through voiced NPCs, notes and journals, narration, or what you discover during your explorations.
They often have light puzzle elements or choice-based gameplay that lead to different endings, but the central element to all walking sims is its growing narrative. In essence, you are a character in a story, progressing through to the finish.
Walking sims have great storytelling
One of my biggest issues with some (cough cough, many) games is the terrible storytelling, or the half-baked storytelling that leaves you asking way too many questions. The best part of walking sims is that the story is their focus.
In Firewatch, you play as a conflicted fire watch employee in Wyoming who stumbles upon a mystery in the wilderness while a raging forest fire engulfs everything around him. In The Stanley Parable (which is hilarious btw), you find yourself trying to escape a test facility as an omniscient narrator not only guides the game, but sometimes even tries to intervene or ruin it. Think of it like a narrative-driven version of Portal.
Hell, even the most offensive, shocking game I’ve ever played is a walking sim. In The Suicide of Rachel Foster, you play as a woman exploring an abandoned mountain resort that’s inspired by The Shining. The game is stunningly beautiful and creepy…but then in the end, you discover that the game is trying to make you feel sympathetic to a pedophile. In fact, in one of the game’s endings, you can get in a car, start the engine, and kill yourself with carbon monoxide poisoning because of how guilty you’re supposed to feel for blaming this pedophile for impregnating his teenage student. Yep. My jaw dropped. So don’t believe the rumor that walking sims are boring games…they can be absolutely scary, funny, heartwarming, or even controversial and shocking thanks to their focus on story.
The exploration in walking sims is beautiful and relaxing
To progress through a walking sim, you have to…well, walk. As you move through the world, the story progresses, and along the way there’s always stuff going on. Clues to find, light puzzles to solve (don't worry, walking sims are not puzzle games), people to meet, and beautiful vistas to enjoy.
Some walking sims, like Abzu, are almost entirely dedicated to the simple beauty of the world around you. In the game, you play as a robotic diver who explores underwater worlds and frees marine animals along the way. By the end, you find yourself swimming alongside orcas, whale sharks, manta rays, and more. With no dialogue, narration, or even writing, it’s hard to believe that the game contains a story. But trust me, it does, and it gets wild towards the end.
Sure, walking sims don’t move as fast as other games. But that’s the point. A walking sim allows players to enjoy the beautiful scenery (or spooky scenery, depending on the game) and get lost in the incredible world that’s being built around them.
Because they’re chill, walking sims are great for relaxing
Fun fact about me, I love to play my Switch before bed. I know “blah blah blah blue light” or whatever, but nothing calms me better than a cozy, chill game. Almost all of the walking sims I’ve played have been while snuggled up in my bed, with the lights out, ready for a great story to distract my stress-addled brain.
Walking sims let you explore at your own pace. You never have time limits, you’re never being chased, and you (almost) never have to worry about dying. They’re super chill and super relaxing, making them perfect for anyone who loves the cozy game genre, but is getting tired of how many of them are farming sims (No, Stardew Valley, I refuse to pick up more rocks and sticks! If I wanted to do chores, I’d just clean up my own yard.)
Some walking sims you need to check out
As a walking sim connoisseur, here’s a list of some of the most popular and a few personal favorites to help get you into the genre.
Firewatch: A beautiful game set in the Wyoming wilderness. Great voice acting and a bubbling mystery help make this one of the pinnacles of the genre.
What Remains of Edith Finch: You enter a bizarre homestead and find yourself discovering what happened to the ill-fated Finch family. There’s a bunch of minigames, but they're all really chill, and the graphics are great. You’ll love it.
Abzu: Do you love the ocean? Do you want to swim next to gigantic blue whales? Play this and thank me later. It’s colorful and gorgeous, and normally on sale for like $4.
The Stanley Parable: Are you a Portal fan? Then don’t ask any further questions and buy this game right now. I won’t reveal the plot because you need to find out for yourself. This game is hilarious and deserves more recognition.
Arctic Awakening: Leaning super hard into the narrative experience, Arctic Awakening has you exploring the Alaskan wilderness after your plane crashes. But little droids seem to be taking care of this “remote” forest, and the sky doesn't seem quite right either…where exactly are you? You’ll have to play and find out.
Gone Home: You arrive home to a dusty manor in Oregon to find your family missing. Where did they go and why? You discover everything by searching the house. This game might seem creepy, but it ends up packing an emotional punch.
Tacoma: You explore the remnants of a doomed space station and see holograms of the former crew. What happened to them, and is there a larger cover-up? For a great sci-fi take on the walking sim genre, this is a must-play.
Observation: For a more tense take on the walking sim genre, Observation takes a good dose of 2001: A Space Odyssey energy and sees you fighting for your life against a rogue AI and other cosmic horror elements.