Show don’t tell is a storytelling rule many different creators of books, television, and film try to stick to. So much can be expressed in visual, sensory details, and physical activity that sometimes words are rendered absolutely useless. So it may come as no surprise that the world of video games is not so different.
Though many modern, more-complex video games, rely on dialogue trees and brilliant writing to tell a story, some games offer players a full narrative without a single word. But instead of telling you, how about we show you ten of the best games that don’t rely on dialogue to make their story known.
10 Pac-Man Games
When you think of storytelling games, Pac-Man probably isn’t the most verbose figure, right? Well, if you’re a Pac-Man pro, you know that in between the dot-munching mazes are little 8-bit cutscenes that tell a cartoon story with our favorite yellow ghost-gobbler in the lead role.
In the original arcade titles, being Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and Pac-Man Jr., these short animated intermissions are presented in between levels to present a full, albeit short, story involving each protagonist. From Pac-Man and Blinky engaged in a game of tag, or Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Man engaged in a retro romance, it’s pretty impressive given the technology at hand.
9 Super Metroid
We know there’s a pre-game crawl of exposition at the beginning of this classic title, but we’re including it on our list due to the fact there’s no actual dialogue in gameplay. Super Metroid is arguably the most popular game in the Metroid series, and it relies on the monsters and environment to get the point across.
Taking several notes from Ridley Scott’s Alien, the spooky sci-fi feeling of isolation and eerie atmosphere absolutely saturate this 16-bit masterpiece. With a huge alien planet to explore and monsters around every corner, there just wasn’t room enough for words.
8 Another World
One of the most famous gaming cult-classics, 1991’s Another World created a tense and intriguing sci-fi narrative by using action-platforming, puzzles, and absolutely no dialogue. Though considered a historic milestone in the medium, this game is clunky by today’s standards. But we’re here for the story, not the handling.
The game uses no handholding or guides to instruct the player, essentially relying on visuals alone. When a scientist is transported to a parallel universe, he must change the environments around him to progress to the next level and escape this strange and dangerous world. It allows for exploration galore but is definitely meant for pro gamers who can take visual hints.
7 Unravel
Not since Little Big Planet’s Sackboy have we seen such an adorable gaming protagonist made from arts and crafts materials. Easy in gameplay but brilliantly detailed in design, Unravel is a pleasant little platformer that is as big and bold as it is plain and simple.
Players pull the strings of Yarny, a child’s toy made up of red wool who can use his strands of yarn to traverse different environments in an absolutely gorgeous world. Seeing these beautiful environments from Yarny’s wide-eyed perspective strikes an emotional chord that words just can’t describe, which is what makes Unraveled more visual than verbal.
6 Limbo
There are a lot of horror games that don’t rely on blood, guts, murder, or mayhem to get their point across, but Limbo is one of the most shining examples on our list. The woods are lovely, dark, and deep in this creepy puzzle platformer which relies on environmental storytelling and one main objective, run for your life!
Limbo is eerie and unsettling in more ways than one, but it’s definitely a uniquely distinctive platformer. Though it requires a lot of trial and error to traverse through this spooky title, the only speech you’ll hear will probably be your own gasps of shock and surprise in this twisted tale.
5 Inside
Speaking of twisted tales, the makers of the previously mentioned Limbo gave us this even more morbid followup. Inside, though not the longest game on our list, is definitely one of the most shocking, that’s mainly due to the vagueness and aesthetically unsettling imagery the game uses to tell its story.
No words, no dialogue, but definitely enough horror-inducing visuals and deaths to make your controller tremble. Beautifully disturbing would definitely be the best way to describe this puzzle-platformer as it weaves its tale of terror. Inside is visually impressive, yet responsible for some serious nightmare fuel.
4 Little Nightmares
Last horror game, we promise, but how can we talk about petrifying platformers without talking about Little Nightmares? Where the last two games relied more on vague shadows and unknown entities, Little Nightmares uses grotesque enemies and murderous consequences to get the point across. And no, there’s no dialogue required.
Players take the role of Six, a raincoat-wearing protagonist trapped in the nightmarish Maw and on the run from hideous enemies straight out of a Clive Barker novel. Pair that with the warped designs of this giant, gruesome world and you’ve got a very unique survival-horror experience.
3 Abzu
Alright, our last three entries were more than a bit unnerving, so let’s take a dip into the refreshing and beautiful game that is Abzu. Swimming through this game’s magnificent underwater realm is like sinking into a beautiful abstract painting. With one of the most enchanting soundtracks to back you up, who needs words to enjoy this game?
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In Abzu, you control a diver and explore various underwater landscapes in a simple but effective style. You’ll see massive whales, beautiful sunken ruins, and even a handful of puzzles just to keep things interesting. It’s not a game with a definite goal, but more of an experience.
2 Hyper Light Drifter
Where Abzu was mostly visuals with few goals or mechanics, Hyper Light Drifter uses both visuals and gameplay to tell its incredibly heavy story, but not a single word is spoken or textbox used to give the slightest hint of direction. Though an interesting way to set up your action-adventure game, this can also be a double-edged sword.
Hyper Light Drifter is an awesome Zelda–like title, but the story is anyone’s guess. The game presents a gorgeous sci-fi fallout with magic and monsters, but little in ways of narrating. Don’t let that stop you from playing, this game is as incredible as it is vague.
1 Journey
And now we come to the title many of you were probably expecting, as well as the game that inspired this list, Journey. Where do we begin with this incredible title? It’s a game that should be a requirement for every true gamer to enjoy, as Journey relies on visuals alone to communicate its incredibly beautiful and strangely surreal story.
Take up the robes of The Traveler and cross scorching deserts, haunting ruins, and icy mountain peaks to reach the game’s destination. There are hazards and pitfalls on this curious adventure, but by the time you reach the summit, you’ll instantly want to play over and over again.
