I tend to be the type of girl that plays cozy RPGs with a compelling story and a vast open world that I can frolic around in picking flowers, but I know many gamers like to delve into many different genres. Whether Souls-like, roguelites, or puzzles, everybody has their own preference. One of the cool parts about fostering an online community is getting exposure to so many other types of games I wouldn’t normally find on my own. That includes some of the stranger titles I’ve seen over the years. While these are games that I wouldn’t normally pick up on my own, they’re a certain level of weird and strange that might be right up your alley, if you’re looking for something outside the typical offerings.
1. Ape Out (Devolver Digital)
If you like monkeys and frenetic jazz, Ape Out might be the game for you. This top down stylized maze-style game has you in the role of a giant ape trying to escape captivity. A chorus of drums and cymbals beat and clash as you progress further to freedom, using your captors as weapons and shields in the process. Each level of escape grows progressively harder as you navigate a maze full of enemies and the percussive chorus grows louder and more urgent. It feels harder and harder to concentrate with all the ruckus, but that seems to be the point. It’s honestly all a little weird and I have no idea how anyone came up with the idea, but it’s a wild ride if you’re in the mood for some monkey business.
2. Growing My Grandpa! (Yames)
If the mystery and horror route is more your speed, Growing My Grandpa! Is one worth checking out. You take on the role of Adrienne, a little girl who discovers the remnants of an old scientific experiment in an abandoned basement. Following the discovery of a strange biological entity, Adrienne begins the process of reviving what she believes to be her dead grandfather. The setting and theme are dark, and heavy on elements of body horror. But the story is incredibly compelling, and as you foster your “grandpa” and teach it the basics of eating and speaking, everything you thought you knew gets turned on its head. With a roughly 1.5-2 hour runtime, it’s a quick play that will linger in your mind long after you finish.
3. Trombone Champ (Holy Wow Studios)
Did you love DDR growing up? Were you a champion of all things Guitar Hero? Were you a band geek in high school and looking for redemption? Look no further! Trombone Champ makes up for its weirdness (and absurd “trombone facts” in-game) with the funniest songs imaginable to be played on your trombone. Choose from a selection of rights-free classics like Old Gray Mare, Sugar Plum Fairy, and She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain, and let loose with your trombone to wow (or terrify) your audience. If you’re looking for something more slapstick and worthy of a few laughs, Trombone Champ is a great one to look into.
4. Thank Goodness You’re Here! (Coal Supper)
Probably the most bizarre one on the list, Thank Goodness You’re Here! Is equal parts laughing fits with a series of resounding “What the actual f—- is happening?” You play as a diminutive salesman in the small English town of Barnsworth, happily making your way around town to meet the locals. Except every time you do, they give you increasingly odd jobs that start to make you wonder if you are in the right line of work. The voice acting and music are fantastic, and the slapstick humor is top tier if that’s your jam. Just don’t ask what’s going on with the frozen fish at the grocery store.
5. There is No Game: Wrong Dimension (Draw Me a Pixel)
This one hurt my brain while also making me laugh uncomfortably. It’s hard to describe what this one is, since there isn’t really a “plot,” nor are you a particular “character.” You’re just you, and the “Game” is a sentient character trying to convince you that there isn’t a game. You spend the entire experience pointing and clicking through various dimensions and assisting the “Game” in trying to prove to you that there is no game to be played. It’s all pretty meta as hell, and by the time you finish, you’ll probably be just as confused as I was. But that seems to be the point, and we are talking about a list of weird games after all. Just don’t ask me to try and tackle that philosophical mess.
