A large percentage of gamers are always striving to find an atmospheric game that will delight not only with gameplay and graphics, but also with the plot, music, design and general mood. Such projects can improve mood, inspire or make you think. Most of them, by the way, are far from funny - it is the gloomy and depressive atmosphere that is popular. In the article, we consider the top atmospheric games on the PC, regardless of the time period.
We will not take into account indie projects, most of which try to lure only with the atmosphere. We will consider games where the atmosphere is adjacent to an interesting plot and gameplay. The only thing we will not pay attention to is the graphics. It is known that to create a truly atmospheric game on a PC, the most advanced technologies are not required - this is proved by many examples and time.
STALKER
Let's start with the game series STALKER, developed by a Ukrainian studio. The fate of the project is complicated, but interesting. The first part was released in 2007 and immediately fell in love with almost all the players in the CIS. All parts are similar in their mood and spirit. The action takes place in the zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after the tragic events. In the gaming universe, there are abnormal zones and mutants that fill it. The player in the role of one of the stalkers will go to the very depths of the Zone and solve its riddle.
At the beginning of the passage you are “thrown” into the open world with a lot of opportunities and characters. The atmospheric game captivates with its mood - abandoned buildings, guitar songs by the fire, a gray autumn palette and unfriendly opponents. Stories of other stalkers, bars, groups and much more - all this awaits you in the game STALKER
Bioshock
The top atmospheric PC games are continued by the BioShock series. The game has one of the best level designs, soundtracks and a fascinating history of the underwater city. Interest in what is happening appears from the first minutes of gameplay - the main character swims up to an abandoned lighthouse and goes inside, where a bathyscaphe is waiting for him. He will sink in it to the very bottom of the ocean with the huge and beautiful city of Rapchur. At the first excursion, you can stare for a few minutes at the landscapes behind glass windows, the water world, the strict and beautiful decoration of the city. We will not reveal all the subtleties of history - we can do without spoilers.
The third part of the series will send you to another, but no less fascinating place. The airy city also has a friendly face, beautiful scenery. But inside you will find a story with a tyrant-ruler, several parallel worlds and a charming partner. It can be seen that the designers and designers of Bioshock worked hard on the atmosphere.
Max payne
Let's get back from fictional universes and cities to a more real story. The Max Payne game series tells the story of a policeman whose family was killed by bandits. Max Payne loses his wife and daughter, after which he goes to avenge his offenders. The first two parts can not boast of excellent graphics due to the fact that they were released in the early 2000s. However, they can be safely called one of the most atmospheric PC games in history. The action takes place at night, which adds an atmosphere of noir and detective cinema. Dynamic time-lapse skirmishes are replaced by surrealistic inserts using the protagonist’s inner voices, dreams and off-screen narration.
Max Payne 3 was released in 2013 and slightly changed its course from a noir piece with an atmosphere of hopelessness to a spectacular action movie. The game tells us about the fate of Max a few years after the events of the second part. The action takes place in South America with all its inherent flavor.
Fallout
The top most atmospheric games could not remain without a series of Fallout. The first two parts, released at the end of the 90s, are made in isometric graphics, so they do not allow you to completely immerse yourself in the oppressive atmosphere of the post-apocalyptic world. However, for those who like to read dialogs and quest descriptions, these games can be even better than modern ones.
Fallout 3, 4 and New Vegas are developed in a full-fledged 3D world, which helps to feel the spirit of America after a nuclear explosion. In the third part, the hero travels around Washington, New Vegas copies locations near Las Vegas, and in the "four" action takes place in California.
The main character’s journey takes place under the selection of jazz music and the conversations of his partners. The world is completely open to exploration. On the way you will meet many interesting characters, factions and tasks. A series of Fallout draws the player for tens of hours.
The elder scrolls
The popular series of RPG games also takes its place in the top of the most atmospheric PC games. In the first two parts - Arena and Daggerfall, a modern gamer, by itself, physically will not be able to force himself to play. However, starting with Morrowind, which was created on a 3D engine, nothing prevents you from immersing yourself in the fantasy world of Tamriel.
The next two parts - Oblivion and Skyrim - differ in the general mood and design of the locations, but they are united by one thing - the atmosphere. Each player will find something to do in the game world - he will explore locations, roam castles or dungeons, craft or simply sit in a tavern until he is affected by a random event. The Elder Scrolls is an excellent fantasy, made according to all the canons of the genre.
Dark souls
Many gamers can not overcome the threshold of complexity of Dark Souls games, so the enchanting atmosphere of Lordran does not have time to like them. However, we recommend that each player overcome himself and spend several hours mastering the mechanics and controls in order to further enjoy the game. It captivates that the game does not tell you the history of the world in plain text.
Even more - the game does not say anything. You should learn about all the events and riddles yourself through item descriptions, clues, rare dialogs with lonely characters and boss replicas. It makes you plunge into the atmosphere of Dark Souls with your head. Over time, you will cease to notice the complexity of bosses and locations, enjoying the design and general mood of this RPG.
The witcher
The game based on a series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski is rightfully considered one of the best RPGs of the last decade. The Polish studio managed to convey the atmosphere of the Middle Ages with an admixture of Slavic mythology and color. The third part of Wild Hunt with a large open world deserves special praise. If you are a fan of The Witcher, we recommend that you go through all the parts. However, it was the extreme game that became the most popular and received the best ratings.
Geralt of Rivia is left to his own devices and can explore the vast world in any order. The player can do the usual witchwork, help the village, meet with his old friends and, of course, do not forget about the main mission - to find and protect Ciri. A large and complex game will not let you go from the computer monitor for a long time.
Grand Theft Auto
Each of the parts of the action boasts its own unique atmosphere. Separately, it is worth highlighting the games starting with Vice City. Here you will immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Miami, the sunny coast and the theme of the film “Scarface”. A joyful and carefree resort hides the bloody showdown of the mafia and drugs.
The next part - San Andreas - introduces the player to the flavor of the whole state. At the beginning, you are in the thick of the ghetto in Los Angeles, after moving to San Francisco, and then to the entertainment city - Las Vegas. All this is accompanied by large rural landscapes and a good plot.
The last part of GTA returns the player to Los Santos again, this time redesigned and more interesting. Random events await you at every corner, the night view of the city is simply mesmerizing.
Mafia
The most gangster series of games in history. One cannot fail to mention the "Mafia" after the story about the Grand Theft Auto series. The atmosphere of the 30s is remarkably conveyed in the first part of the game. Here you are completely immersed in what is happening thanks to the excellent musical accompaniment. All three Mafia games have a well-chosen soundtrack, elaborate cities and an intriguing story based on the events of that time.
We examined the best atmospheric games on personal computers that can deliver you a lot of pleasure from passing and will not let go of the gameplay for a long time. All presented projects have become successful and popular due to the atmospheric and detailed study of the game world.