The walking simulator genre is perhaps the most divisive in gaming. Detractors take issue with the sometimes limited interactivity you get in these sort of titles. However, fans of the genre appreciate how the best walking simulators are able to keep their attention without the inclusion of an abundance of gameplay mechanics.
They don't generally provide combat sections, skill trees, or loot. Instead, they give you compelling narratives to experience or exciting worlds to explore. At least, the best ones do, as like every other genre, there are good and bad walking simulators. Thankfully, Xbox Game Pass provides some of the best.
Updated May 27, 2023 By Ben Jessey: Walking Simulators might not be for everybody, but they do have a certain appeal. They can be very peaceful, fascinating, or a combination of those two things. They also often tell compelling stories.
Yet, not every game in the genre is of the same quality. Several titles rise above the others, including some that happen to be on Xbox Game Pass, which are the ones highlighted in this list. In this update, we added a few more.
10 The Walking Dead Season One
TellTale's The Walking Dead blends the line between an adventure game and a walking simulator. It shares enough of the conventions of the latter to be considered one. After all, this is a game where gameplay consists of walking around, making dialog choices, and hitting the occasional button prompt.
The most interesting thing about the title is the story. It all begins when protagonist Lee finds himself caught amid a zombie outbreak. He quickly finds a little girl called Clementine and becomes responsible for protecting her. The duo then embarks on an adventure where their only goal is to survive as long as they can. All the seasons of The Walking Dead are on Game Pass, but this first one is the best.
9 Sea Of Solitude
Walking simulators have a reputation for providing peaceful gaming experiences. That is not quite the case in Sea Of Solitude. This title is an emotional and sometimes scary entry in the genre. But it is also a thought-provoking one, as you control a young woman who's suffering heavily from loneliness.
As her, you set sail across the sea. Along the journey, you meet dark metaphorical creatures that you must overcome. There is some puzzle-solving to be done, so it isn't a pure walking sim.
8 Soma
While underwater levels are generally disliked, there are some great underwater games, such as Soma. In this horror title, you don't swim around with fish. Instead, you explore an underwater research facility. The goal is to discover more about the creepy place and figure out why your character is there.
There are also some deeper questions that crop up about consciousness and what it means to be alive. So, it's certainly a thought-provoking title. Along with exploration, there are several puzzles and a few stealth sections. But the compelling story is certainly the main aspect of the game.
7 Opus: Echo Of Starsong
Opus: Echo Of Starsong blends visual novels and walking simulators together. It tells the tale of a girl who can hear special soundwaves known as starsongs. She teams up with a man who is in search of the source of those soundwaves. As them, you journey across the galaxy, seeking these special sounds out.
Much of the game revolves around scanning and analyzing different planets to see what's there. Also, some places allow you to go out on foot to explore them. These are the most special parts of the game as you typically walk around fascinating areas.
6 TheHunter: Call Of The Wild
As you'd expect by its name, TheHunter: Call Of The Wild is a hunting game and a great one at that. Yet, it also works very well as a walking sim. This is because the game allows you to roam around the game's large and incredibly detailed maps. There's nothing forcing you to track and hunt.
You can just walk around and enjoy the beautiful visuals and amazing sound design. Both of those things make you feel like you're actually in the wild. It's an incredibly peaceful experience for you and the animals, as it means nobody is shooting them.
5 Disneyland Adventures
Once upon a time, Disneyland Adventures was a Kinect game, but that is no longer the case. Now you can simply use a controller to walk around the open world. This isn't just any open world, though. This is a virtual re-creation of Disneyland.
Thus, it's filled with classic Disney characters to interact with, like Goofy and Donald Duck. You can even go on rides, which are represented through mini-games. So, you essentially get to experience a trip to Disneyland from the comfort of your own home. It's certainly a lot cheaper than a real-life trip.
4 Scorn
'Unsettling' is the best word to describe Scorn, as both the environment and the protagonist are visually disturbing. This is kind of the point of the game, as it's a horror title that replaces jump scares with general creepiness.
Plus, if you're scared of the unknown, this game will be terrifying, as it pretty much tells you nothing about who you are, where you are, or what you're doing. You have to figure things out for yourself by freely exploring the weird world. There is a bit of combat in the game, but you spend most of your time walking around and completing puzzles.
3 Amnesia Collection
The Amnesia games came out before walking simulators were really an established genre. So, in many ways, the early titles were trendsetters. And they remain some of the scariest walking simulators ever.
This collection contains Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs, and the expansion for TDD, Amnesia: Justine. There are differences between each one of them, but they are generally similar in premise. You play as an amnesiac character who must explore a very spooky place while trying to avoid monsters and solve puzzles.
2 Road 96
Road 96 is a unique game where you play as different hitchhikers trying to leave the troubled nation of Petria. When one of their journeys comes to an end, you take control of another one.
It isn't a pure walking simulator as there is a lot more interactivity than most other entries into the genre. For instance, you need to make plenty of choices, and you can play some mini-games on your adventure. But it's still a walking simulator at heart. It's also a deeply political game, as the fictional nation of Petria is very divided, which is why so many want to leave. And while it is set in a fictional place, the comparisons to real-world America are clear.
1 Tell Me Why
Tell Me Why is a narrative-focused game revolving around two twins who reunite for the first time in many years. The reunion takes place in their old hometown. While there, they decide to investigate the death of their mother. Naturally, this sort of crusade involves plenty of sneaking around and keeping secrets. So, the main characters' ability to telepathically communicate with one another helps a lot.
As the story progresses, you learn more about their difficult childhood and their mother's part in it. And the whole thing serves as a compelling mystery with multiple surprises. During it, you make a bunch of dialog choices and solve some interesting puzzles. The game is also noteworthy for featuring a trans protagonist, which is still a rare thing in the gaming industry.