I just got finished with beating Riven for the first time. I adored the way the game seeped into my real life with pages of notes about the world I was discovering. Are there any other games that can match this feeling? That really work best when you have a journal in hand?
Elite: Dangerous, because every time I tab out of the game to check INARA for the closest outfitting or something there’s about a 30% chance of it crashing and becoming unlaunchable until I restart my computer. Hence writing system names down on paper before launching the game.
Riven is one of my favorite games and IMO the best of the Myst series of games. My recommendation is Outer Wilds, which doesn’t necessarily require real life note taking although you could. However it is a fantastic puzzle/exploration game that is easily on par with Riven, and will hit that same vibe of learning more and more about the world and using that knowledge to progress. Trust me, its very worth it. Also get the DLC too!
Seconded, though I would advise getting the DLC after completing the main game.
Honorable mention fir Outer Wilds, cause taking notes and keeping track of things you learn is critical to the gameplay, but the game actually provides an excellent UI already it already.
Also, Elden Ring and other FromSoft games are a contender, cause when you meet a random NPC that says like 3 lines of dialog and doesn’t repeat them, you’re gonna have trouble remembering any of that 20 hours later when yoy meet them again.
For me with this ADD, a lot, honestly. But, if you’ve ever tried your hand at breeding in Ark, you kinda understand what is like to be a CPA in tax season.
Love that your example was riven. Was my first thought on the title.
The myst games, their newer game Obduction, the Talos Principle. Those puzzle games all are awesome and take some pen and paper.
Escape from mystwood mansion, the house of da Vinci are a couple others that feel the same way.
Less adventure, more “must optimize!” games like Satisfactory, Factorio are other games that require me to bust out pen and paper or at least a website, spreadsheet or calculator.
Subnautica, if you want a map, you have to start triangulation and drawing
Funny you mention Riven, that was my first offender too way back in the day.
Recently, it’s mainly with KSP and Cities:Skylines for planning stuff while I don’t have access to the game.
I’ve wanted to do this for awhile with a RPG - you might have convinced me to do this on the next one I pick up.
First and only game I was able to think of. Good stuff
I sketch out factory designs for Satisfactory
Same my friend, same. I’m starting my new factory on Friday and I’m getting ready for the math.
Btw if you’re not already, we’re here at [email protected]
I wasn’t already, but I am now.
The following games all typically do not hold the player’s hand. They are to varying degrees, some give you a map and/or journal, some do not.
- TES III Morrowind
- King’s Field 1-4
- Snatcher on SEGA CD
- Dark Souls 1-3, Demons Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring
- Ultima Underworld
- Silent Hill 1-4
- Shadow of the Colossus
- Tunic
- Super Metroid
- Hollow Knight
- Rain World
- System Shock 1,2
I love the Morrowind recommendation. Also, unlikely suggestion, but I had to get a pen and paper for The Great Crystal dungeon on Final Fantasy XII.
The Witness
Lots of diagrams
This. So many sketches and diagrams the month I played through this one.
I left my computer to go out with friends to have wings. I was thinking about the puzzle I left behind on the trip there. I was trying to draw the patterns on my phone while we waited. This game gets into your head.
I remember opening Paint to solve that incremental puzzle in the mountain only to realise there’s multiple symbols in the same space
Agree, I filled like half notebook with this game
Tunic!
The “final” puzzle took a whole page of paper. It was brilliant
I still smile whenever I stumble upon these pages of my college block
The loading page was some straight up bullshit though.
So many instances of…
“…no…nooo… NOOO”
Then it works
The last game I recall breaking out pen and paper for was Tunic. You can definitely beat the story without, but the later puzzles call for it.
