Walking simulator is often used as a demeaning term for adventure-style games that put a heavy focus on narrative and atmosphere, and less on gameplay or heavy interactivity. However, when done right, walking simulators can outclass their limitations and offer some of the most powerful stories and experiences in gaming.
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The Nintendo Switch is no stranger to walking simulators, and the platform has been fortunate to host a number of meaningful, moving, and memorable narrative games over the years. These games prove that sometimes going for a walk is a great way to experience the world and story of a video game.
10Drowning
Drowning is a walking simulator in its most literal definition. In the sense that all you’re able to do is walk — strolling through the recollections and musings of a boy suffering from depression. The gameplay is as simple and stark as its subject matter is complex, but you feel compelled to see this short journey through to its very end, even if the plot does submerge itself into more and more uncomfortable territory.
Drowning’s short playtime shouldn’t be a turn off, as it uses its hour to dissect some of the most harrowing corners of the human mind without ever feeling overbearing or preachy.
9Valley
Valley is a walking simulator that aims to make the ‘walking’ part as entertaining as possible. You inhabit an exoskeleton suit that makes walking, running, and jumping throughout the titular valley an absolute blast — which is good, because this is a world you will want to explore.
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The narrative elements of Valley are as mesmerising as its high-velocity gameplay, with a strong dosing of science-fiction storytelling giving the game a unique edge in its genre. Fast-paced and frenetic, Valley is certainly a thrill ride that Switch owners shouldn’t ignore.
8Abzu
Abzumay not technically involve any walking, but you shouldn’t sleep on this etherealswimming simulatorfrom some of the same minds who brought youJourney. Abzu is dazzling, mysterious, and wonderfully immersive from start to finish.
The underwater world of Abzu — brimming with ancient ruins and colourful discoveries — is vibrant and irresistible. Every new destination feels as inviting as the last and there’s a fascinating story to uncover through the game’s environments. Abzu is filled with positive environmental messages, silky underwater controls, and a setting that begs to be explored.
7Before I Forget
Before I Forget tackles the difficult and layered topic of living with dementia with maturity, nuance, and sensitivity. It’s heartbreaking to experience the mind of Sunita gradually succumb to this disease, but it’s equally heartwarming to see her battle through her compromises to still find joy and beauty in her life.
Before I Forget has the courage to shed light on real-world issues in a way that doesn’t feel derivative or exploitative. If you want to play a game that hits deep in the feelings and asks some difficult questions without necessarily providing the answers, then Before I Forget should be the next addition to your Switch library.
6The Vanishing Of Ethan Carter
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a gripping detective story that nails most of what makes a walking simulator so captivating. A small and confined world that’s bubbling away with hidden secrets and mysteries? Check. A compelling narrative that unfolds across your own discoveries? You bet.
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The endearing quality of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is how it effortlessly blends together supernatural, mystery, and horror elements to craft a story that is hard to put down once you start. The game is incredibly immersive and provides you with enough agency to enjoy its plot at your own pace.
5Firewatch
Firewatch has you explore the sprawling forests of Wyoming as Henry as he slowly uncovers the secrets that lie between the mountains and the trees. Throughout this adventure, you communicate with your fellow firewatcher Delilah, with the tone of your conversations being decided by the directions you choose to take your replies.
Firewatch’s beauty never fails to amaze. The rich colours and bold landscapes fluctuate from being awe-inspiring to peaceful to eerie, all in the space of the game’s four-hour playtime.
4The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is probably unlike any game you’ve played before. It putsyou in the shoes of Stanley, employee 427 in an office, as he meanders through the building and listens to the musings of a narrator.
Whether or not you follow the narrator’s intended story is entirely up to you, as The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe packs in a wealth of different endings to be discovered by your own curiosity. The game is funny, absurdist, and completely idiosyncratic compared to the rest of the Switch library.
3Return Of The Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinnis a time-bending historical detective story that, once you dive into its inter-weaving mysteries, is impossible to put down. You take on the role of an inspector exploring the recently discovered ghost ship known as the Obra Dinn.
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Each time you find a new corpse, you can rewind to the final moments of their life as you slowly piece together what caused this vessel to become so haunted. It’s a fascinating and cerebral experience that demonstrates the power of non-linear storytelling in video games.
2Gone Home
Gone Homeis the game many people think of when they imagine walking simulators, and for good reason. When it first launched in 2013, Gone Home almost single-handedly redefined what a video game story could be.
It’s focus on grounded, diverse human emotions andfamily strugglesresonated with a large audience, and it continues to shape the way modern storytellers approach the medium. Exploring the residence of the Greenbriar’s remains captivating years later, regardless of its wider influence on its genre or video games as a whole.
1What Remains Of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch remains the high point of walking simulators on Switch. Its vignette-style narrative chronicles the various tragic ways in which the members of the Finch family met their end — some of which are absurd, some of which are funny, and some of which are profoundly heartbreaking.
What Remains of Edith Finch never fails to impress with its creative storytelling or emotional beats, and proves how high this genre can reach when you have an imaginative team of developers working their magic.
