Summary

  • Many games explore loneliness, offering unique perspectives on isolation and self-reflection.
  • Games like The Longing, Sea of Solitude, and Firewatch use loneliness as a narrative and mechanical tool.
  • These games portray loneliness in different forms, from a real-time waiting game to a metaphor for depression, highlighting the impact of isolation on characters.

Loneliness can be frightening, and for many, it’s a tough experience. It forces us to confront ourselves, our thoughts, and the world around us. While isolation can lead to feelings of despair, it can also offer a moment of clarity, self-reflection, and a quiet sense of comfort.

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It’s an intimate journey, one that, despite its challenges, can help us rediscover who we are. Many games have explored the complex nature of loneliness, each telling its own story and offering unique perspectives. Here are some games that capture the different shapes of loneliness and what lessons they leave behind.

9 The Longing

Alone For 400 Days

The Longing

Adventure Idle Games Indie Games RPG Released March 5, 2020 Developer(s) Studio Seufz Publisher(s) Application Systems Heidelberg Platform(s) PC, macOS, Linux, Android, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch Powered by Expand Collapse

What makes The Longing truly unique is its real-time mechanic: you must wait 400 actual days for the story to unfold. You play as Shade, a faithful servant of a king, who must wait for his master’s awakening, alone. Solitude here is a reflection of time itself: it's up to you how you wait, and how you can still find ways to create meaning, like decorating the main character's tiny home.

The game offers a critique of modern gaming culture, using loneliness and boredom as both a narrative and mechanical tool. It turns isolation into something shared between you and the protagonist.

8 Sea Of Solitude

A Powerful Metaphor

Sea Of Solitude

Adventure 5.0/5 Released July 5, 2019 Developer(s) Jo-Mei Games Publisher(s) Electronic Arts Platform(s) PC, PS4, Xbox One Powered by Expand Collapse

As the title suggests, Sea of Solitude is a game that delves into loneliness and its consequences. The game tells the story of Kay, a young woman battling inner demons, navigating a dark, polluted ocean on a small boat.

It’s a metaphor for depression, where the overwhelming sea represents the feeling of being cut off from loved ones, and pulled into isolation. Kay’s journey to find light and her attempt to reconnect with the world in the darkness is a powerful reminder of how loneliness can feel like drowning, but also the strength it takes to find your way back.

7 Firewatch

Conversations From A Distance

Firewatch

Adventure Released February 9, 2016 Developer(s) Campo Santo Publisher(s) Campo Santo, Panic Platform(s) PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One Powered by Expand Collapse

In Firewatch, you play as Henry, who takes a job as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness after his wife develops early-onset Alzheimers. Alone in the wild, Henry’s only company is the voice of his supervisor, Delilah, on the radio.

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The game is a meditation on isolation, both physical and mental, set against the backdrop of nature’s beauty and the simplicity of its graphics. Henry’s solitude forces him to confront his past, as well as the disconnection he feels from the world and the continued pain he’s been avoiding. It’s a slow, reflective journey, where isolation becomes both a burden and an opportunity for growth.

6 Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

A Solitary Descent Into Helhiem

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Action Adventure Released August 16, 2017 Developer(s) Ninja Theory Publisher(s) Ninja Theory Platform(s) PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch, PC Powered by Expand Collapse

Hellblade is not just a game, it is a powerful medium that tackles mental health themes in an innovative and unprecedented way. It tells the story of Senua, a warrior fighting to save her loved one while battling her inner demons. Isolated from her people, Senua faces a dark and lonely journey where her solitude reflects her struggle with mental illness.

The game uses audio to place you in her mind, making you feel her torment, isolation, and fear. It’s an intimate yet unsettling portrayal of how loneliness and mental illness can intertwine, creating a powerful narrative, where the battle is as much internal as it is external.

5 Death Stranding

Solitude in A Fragmented World

Death Stranding

Action 3.0/5 10.0/10 Released November 8, 2019 Developer(s) Kojima Productions Publisher(s) Sony, 505 Games Platform(s) iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Powered by Expand Collapse

Death Stranding immerses you in a world of profound solitude as Sam Porter Bridges, accompanied only by his BB, goes on a mission to reconnect a fractured society. You will walk, a lot, in vast, desolate landscapes while delivering packages, with each journey steeped in existential themes. The loneliness here isn’t just the empty environments; it resonates through the haunting atmosphere and the emotional weight of your mission.

As you navigate this unique world, you’ll discover the magic of creating connections, from building bridges to setting up support structures that will help other players. It’s a captivating blend of isolation and collaboration, making every journey unforgettable.

4 This War Of Mine

Survival In Loneliness

This War of Mine

Survival 7.0/10 Released November 14, 2014 Developer(s) 11 Bit Studios Publisher(s) 11 Bit Studios Platform(s) Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Powered by Expand Collapse

In This War of Mine, loneliness takes on a more brutal form. You don’t play as a hero or a soldier but as a group of civilians trying to survive in a war-torn city. Isolated from the world, cut off from hope, the game paints a bleak picture of what it means to be truly alone in the midst of chaos. Solitude here is not a respite, but a punishment, as each character faces impossible moral choices, isolated in their decisions.

The weight of survival makes every choice feel heavy, and the loneliness of being trapped, with no rescue, and no hope, reflects the devastating impact of war and conflict on the human spirit. It shows war for what it really is, without romanticizing it, much like the harsh reality many still face today.

3 Gris

Lonely Steps Toward Healing

GRIS

Platformer Adventure Indie Games Puzzle Released December 13, 2018 Developer(s) Nomada Studio Publisher(s) Devolver Digital Platform(s) iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One Powered by Expand Collapse

Gris explores loneliness through loss in a poetic and visually stunning way. The protagonist loses her voice, symbolizing the process of grief. The game mirrors her emotional journey through the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance), and the game itself uses colors to reflect these stages.

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Gris will face her inner demons alone, searching not just for her voice but for her self-discovery. The solitude is a quiet, deeply personal experience for the protagonist, one that reflects the slow, painful process of healing. As Gris regains her strength, the world becomes more colorful, representing how, even in our darkest moments of loneliness, there is a path toward renewal and self-acceptance.

2 Limbo

Alone In A Silhouetted World

Limbo

Platformer Released July 21, 2010 Developer(s) Playdead Publisher(s) Playdead Platform(s) PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS Vita, Switch, PC, Android, iOS Powered by Expand Collapse

Though it was released over a decade ago, Limbo continues to haunt players with its stark, isolated world. Loneliness here feels oppressive, as you play a nameless boy through an unwelcoming environment that reveals itself only through silhouettes.

Everything feels cold and empty: the lack of color, the absence of other beings, and the silence that fills every step. It’s not just about being alone, it’s about feeling vulnerable and lost. The minimal design amplifies this, making Limbo an experience that stays with you long after you’ve finished.

1 Journey

Alone In The Endless Desert

Journey

Adventure Released March 13, 2012 Developer(s) Thatgamecompany Publisher(s) Sony Platform(s) PS3, PS4, PC Powered by Expand Collapse

Journey touched the hearts of many with its stunning visuals and quiet, solitary atmosphere. You play as a mysterious figure, wandering alone through a vast, breathtaking landscape. You don’t know exactly who you are or what your goal is, but it’s not the destination that matters. It’s the beauty of being immersed in expansive, desolate surroundings as you encounter other anonymous players, without speaking or knowing who they are.

This connection, however brief, makes the experience even more poignant. Solitude here becomes almost a companion, encouraging self-reflection and the appreciation of the journey, in Journey.

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