An immersive sim is a video game designed to allow you to fully immersive yourself in a world and feel like you're experiencing it firsthand. The game does not gatekeep you but instead provides you with multiple systems and game mechanics you can use however you want and whenever you want. No playthrough is ever the same because the game reacts differently to each playstyle.
At their best, immersive sim games let you feel lost in their world, so much so that you won't want to leave. There are a lot of immersive games, and the games on this list have taken the genre to the highest level.
Updated December 31, 2022 by Hilton Webster: Immersive sims are a rare genre in that so few developers have the expertise to do them right, to create a world that you can so easily get lost in and manipulate in meaningful ways. It's rare to get brand-new ones, especially by new faces, but there are still some stellar ones out there today.
13 Hitman
Just saying "Hitman" instantly brings to mind our beloved bald silent assassin, a man with a killer sense of humor. In all seriousness though, Hitman is second-to-none when it comes to social stealth, and is almost unparalleled when it comes to immersive sims.
IO Interactive has created every entry of the long-running series, so it's fair to say they've plenty of experience under their belt. The levels are the lifeblood of the games, having you pour over every inch of them to find the most efficient and creative means of taking out your targets. It's one of the best out there.
12 Arx Fatalis
Magic systems are one of the most fun things to play around with in games. It's a complete fantasy, so you can make it what you want. A lot of the time though, it's usually a simple "pick a spell and cast it" kind of system, rather than something more unique. Arkane though, the developers of Dishonored, Prey, and plenty more, has a deep love for systems.
Arx Fatalis was its first game, a game heavily inspired by earlier immersive sims. In it, you travel the world in a non-linear fashion, making choices through action. The most unique aspect of the game, however, is its magic system. You have to actually draw magic runes with the mouse to cast magic. A tedious system, but by all means atypical.
11 Weird West
Like how character action games seem to only come from PlatinumGames and Capcom, modern immersive sims seem to always stem from either IO or Arkane. Even Weird West, developed by WolfEye Studios, was founded by Raphaël Colantonio, co-founder of Arkane.
Using an isometric perspective rather than the first or third-person viewpoint more common of the genre, Weird West thrives on freedom. Every aspect of the world is built around the domino effect, with one little decision rippling outwards. Light a fire, watch it spread and burn things down, only for it to find explosives and blow everything to bits. It's a real joy.
10 E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy
E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy is a first-person shooter and RPG hybrid taking place in a cyberpunk world. You take on the role of a protagonist who is a member of the secret society called E.Y.E. As the game begins, you wake up in the aftermath of a battle where all your teammates were killed during a coup of rival factions.
You can play the game solo or with up to three friends via online or LAN co-op. E.Y.E includes open-level play with lots of replayability because of the dynamic environments, primary and secondary missions, random spawning of NPCs, and non-linear level progression.
9 Prey
Another of Arkane's titles, Prey takes place in 2032 on a space station named Talos I. You are a subject of an experiment that goes horribly wrong. Aliens have now overrun the space station and are hunting you. Now you must save yourself and everyone else on board Talos I.
The game’s entire goal is to let you play the way you see fit. You can combine alien abilities, craft valuable items, and upgrade your skills based on your current scenario. Prey takes place entirely on Talos I, and the development team at Arkane, masters of the immersive sim, did a phenomenal job making it feel like a real and atmospheric place.
8 Dishonored
In Dishonored, you take on the role of Corvo Attano, a royal bodyguard who is framed for murder. To find the truth behind your betrayal, you become an infamous assassin.
The world of Dishonored reacts to your style of play, so each mission’s outcome will change to reflect how you beat it. You can achieve the in-game goals any way you like by using game mechanics like teleportation, possession of any living creature, and stopping time itself. The best part of Dishonored is the city of Dunwall. Viktor Antonov, Art Director of Half-Life 2, has created a world that combines steampunk with the supernatural.
7 Stalker 2: Shadow Of Chernobyl
Stalker 2: Shadow of Chernobyl is an alternate history game set in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. In 2006, another explosion hits the reactor, causing the Exclusion Zone around it to be filled with deadly radiation, anomalous energy, and mutated animals.
Those brave enough to venture into the Exclusion Zone are known as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.S. The game features an immersive storyline, accurately modelled buildings from the real Chernobyl site, an ingenious AI system, day-night and weather systems, and physics powered by the X-Ray Engine.
6 Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a survival horror game that takes place 15 years after the events of Alien. You can play the game in and out of VR, depending on how terrified you want to get. You take on the role of Ellen Ripley’s Daughter, Amanda.
You discover that Sevastopol’s remote trading station members found Nostromo’s flight recorder. When you arrive at Sevastopol, you realize things have taken a turn for the worst from an unknown threat. Alien: Isolation features an Alien that reacts to your every move. To survive, you must improvise by using everything at your disposal. You can scavenge for resources, build items, and hack systems.
5 BioShock
In BioShock, you take on the role of Jack, the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean. As the game begins, you discover the entrance to an underwater city called Rapture, which is left in disrepair after a civil war.
BioShock features a unique system where you can biologically modify your DNA to survive. The results of this system mean that no two playthroughs will ever be the same. The game also lets you use anything as a weapon, including water and fire, the environment, and other enemies.
4 Thief Gold
In Thief Gold, you are a master thief who battles to stop an evil villain who wants to take over the world. It was one of the first games to use complex AI, light, and sound as game mechanics, which still provides an immersive experience today.
Enemies can speak, hear, see, and sound alarms, so it is up to you how you will accomplish the game’s scenarios. The Gold version of the game adds minor engine improvements, improved graphics, three additional campaign missions, five new enemies, and various bug fixes.
3 Deus Ex (2000)
Often considered one of the best games of all time, Deus Ex is a 3D, first-person, narrative-focused RPG set in 2052. The world is a dangerous place because terrorists are killing thousands of people. Disease, drugs, and pollution are at humanity’s all-time worst. On top of that, the world’s economies are close to collapsing.
Deus Ex was widely influential as, like System Shock 2, it was one of the earliest games to combine first-person shooter mechanics with RPG-style progression. Additionally, the game offers one of the best character systems, and your choices will determine how the game reacts to you.
2 System Shock 2
System Shock 2 is a cult classic sci-fi horror first-person shooter and role-playing game hybrid. It won 14 awards when it launched in 1999 and inspired other games on this list like Deus Ex and BioShock. You take on the role of a crew member of a derelict starship called Von Braun.
As the game begins, you wake up in a cryo-tube chamber with mysterious cybernetic implants grafted to your body. You soon discover the infected have taken over the starship. A rogue AI named SHODAN ridicules and taunts you as you attempt to unravel the mystery.
1 Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss was among the first titles labelled with the immersive tag when it launched in 1992. It is a 3D dungeon crawler game ahead of its time because of its non-linear playthrough and character development mechanics.
In Ultima Underworld, you take on the role of the Ultima series protagonist, Avatar. A mysterious apparition summons you back to Britannia, where you witness a kidnapping of Baron Almric’s daughter by the evil wizard Tyball. You are banished to the Great Stygian Abyss after being wrongly convicted of the crime.