Reality is a matter of perspective, and perspectives can shift. Under normal circumstances, shifting perspectives have a more subtle, esoteric effect on your reality, but these effects are far more tangible in the virtual world.
10 Best Games with Mind Control Powers
Why would I get my own hands dirty?
Whether walking on walls in Manifold Garden, treating walls as doors in Superliminal, or walls that move as though they’re alive in Hylics 2, every one of these titles messes with you in unexpected ways.
If you’re craving a break from the ordinary and want to explore the strange and surreal, this list is your instruction manual to breaking reality.
10Superliminal
Change Your Perspective
Liminal describes any transitional environment or state of being: A hallway, a doorway, even a dream—the state between wakefulness and deep sleep. I knew I was in for a wild ride from the moment I started Superliminal.
The game kicks off with you as a participant in a sleep therapy program, and it wastes no time throwing you into its reality-warping mechanics.
Adjusting the size of objects based on perspective completely flipped my expectations of how space and scale work in games. Liminal spaces—those eerie, in-between places—added another layer of unease.
Dark hallways and buzzing fluorescent lights felt all too real. Some of thecreepiest liminal space experiencesuse these mechanics, and Superliminal certainly gives you your money’s worth.
By the end, I stopped trying to predict what would happen next and just went with the flow. Beyond the trippy gameplay, the game’s underlying message hit me hard: sometimes, all you need is a shift in perspective to solve life’s toughest problems.
Immersive, Diverse, Addictive
Playing 30 Birds feels like walking through a Persian carnival inside a dream. The hand-drawn visuals, bursting with psychedelic colors, pull you in immediately.
The mix of 2D and 3D gameplay is unlike anything I’ve seen before; moving along a 2D plane wrapped around 3D objects was surprisingly disorienting in the best way. Entering standalone lanterns—the game’s worlds—adds to the surreal experience, each one more dazzling than the last.
Even the puzzles have a trippy vibe—frog synthesizers and magical locks that respond to resonances, casting spells by manipulating shapes, treasure hunts; it all feels like solving riddles in a magical fever dream. Some of thebest environmental puzzlesexist in indie titles, and 30 Birds has a lot of these puzzles.
This game is pure, vibrant creativity, and once you get used to the trippy mechanics, you find yourself returning to it in quiet moments throughout the day.
The Afterlife Is Bubblegum
Hylics 2,much like its predecessor, thrives on its own absurdity. Picture claymation meets the unhinged art style of M.C. Escher, and you’ll get a sense of the aesthetic.
Nothing is straightforward here—cryptic dialogue, bizarre characters, and surreal mechanics force you to stumble through until you start piecing it all together.
You’re in a bubblegum-colored afterlife where every turn presents something unexpected. It’s a game that revels in confusion but somehow makes that disorientation feel rewarding.
This one left me feeling like I’d stepped out of a dream I didn’t fully understand but couldn’t stop thinking about.
7Manifold Garden
The Shape Of Infinity
Manifold Garden
In Manifold Garden, up is a matter of perspective. From the start, I was mesmerized by its clean, infinite design. Walking on walls and ceilings felt intuitive after a while, but that didn’t make the experience any less trippy.
The puzzles push you to think in ways you’ve never considered, and the infinite looping world gave me a strange sense of awe and claustrophobia.
Falling endlessly only to land where you started is bizarrely unsettling—until it becomes your most vital asset. It’s beautiful and mind-bending, though the repetition in the later stages did wear on me a bit.
But the repetition doesn’t last, and soon, the game changes in ways you’re able to’t anticipate. The way it plays with your mind and perception is unforgettable.
6Post Void
A Lightning-Paced Roguelike
This game doesn’t wait for you to get settled—it throws you straight into its chaotic, neon-soaked world. Post Void is fast, frantic, unapologetically psychedelic, and kicks your ass from the get-go, much like otherindies with brutal starts. The oversaturated visuals felt like an assault on my senses, but somehow, I couldn’t get enough.
Running, sliding, and shooting while managing your life force through kills creates an exhilarating and nerve-wracking rhythm. The roguelike nature of starting over after each death keeps you hooked—I always wanted one more try.
It’s intense, overstimulating, and absolutely addictive. If you love fast-paced chaos, this one’s a must-play.
5Layers of Fear (2016)
Silent Hill On Acid
Layers of Fear
Layers of Fear is a nightmare from which you struggle to wake. The hyper-realistic visuals immediately set a haunting tone, and the sound design amplifies the unease—buzzing lights, creaking floors, and eerie whispers put weight and consequence behind each step.
The game constantly plays tricks on you; portraits morph into grotesque scenes, shadows dance ominously on the periphery, and rooms rearrange themselves while you look on in horror.
It’s not traditionally psychedelic, but the way it messes with your perception of reality is undeniably trippy.
The story of a tortured artist unraveling as he tries to complete his magnum opus adds an emotional weight that sticks with you long after you finish. Then, Inheritance pulls you right back in through the eyes of the artist’s daughter.
Hypnosis At Blistering Speed
Controlling a metallic scarab hurtling down a series of rails at breakneck speed is equal parts thrill and anxiety. The rhythm-based gameplay demands your full attention; every mistake feels like a punch in the gut.
The hypnotic visuals and pounding soundtrack combine into an overwhelming sensory experience that I can only handle in short bursts.
Yet, I keep coming back. It’s a game that pulls you into its world and refuses to let go until you master its relentless pace. Trippy, challenging, and unforgettable.
3Katana ZERO
Death In Every Pixel
Katana ZERO had me hooked from the start. The pixel art and synth-wave soundtrack immediately set an 80s-inspired vibe, but beneath the stylish surface lies a surprisingly deep narrative.
Every level is a test of reflexes and strategy—death comes swiftly and often, but it never feels frustrating; the game makes you feel powerful. The psychedelic elements, like time manipulation and dreamlike sequences, add a unique twist that keeps you guessing.
Despite its intensity, the game never felt overwhelming, striking a perfect balance between challenge and immersion. It’s a brutal, beautiful experience that I couldn’t put down.
2Hotline Miami
Neon, Violence, And Non-Stop Chaos
Hotline Miami
Hotline Miami is consequential chaos. The top-down perspective and neon visuals give it a retro vibe—similar to Katana Zero—but the game’s brutal mechanics make it anything but nostalgic.
Every kill feels raw and personal, thanks to how the screen shakes, and the sound effects drive home the violence. The game forces you to confront your brutality, often making you walk through the carnage you cause to reach the exit.
The 80s synth-wave soundtrack adds a hypnotic rhythm to the brutal bloodbath, perfectly embodying the trippy intensity of the game, much like otherstandout indie soundtracks. It’s mind-bending and brutal, and I couldn’t look away.
Southern Gothic Lucid Dream
NORCO is a fever dream of Southern Gothic storytelling and surreal visuals. The pixel art beautifully captures Louisiana’s decaying industrial landscapes, but the abstract sequences truly stand out.
Faces materialize in the sky, scenes shift between gritty realism and hallucinatory imagery, and you often feel like you’re drifting between worlds. The game’s narrative hit me hard, blending existential dread with poetic, fragmented prose.
It left so much to interpretation, challenging me to piece together its cryptic story. NORCO is a must-play if you’re into games that blur the lines between reality and fantasy.
10 Best New Weird Games
Games like Control and Pacific Drive exemplify the mysterious literary genre known as the New Weird.
