Perspective can change everything about a game. How it feels to move, fight enemies, talk to NPCs and just experience the atmosphere of a game is changed by shifts in perspective. Whether a game is top-down, over-the-shoulder, isometric, 2D or 3D, its dimensions can enhance or distract from gameplay.
2.5D games run along an interesting line both visually and mechanically, often resulting in great games. The 2.5D genre has spawned unique platform games, RPGs and survival games. With so many great games out there, it’s easy for many to slip through the cracks. Here are some of Steam’s biggest unsung 2.5D games.
7 Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series
First released in 1997, the clonoa franchise is anything but new. Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series combines two games from the series: Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil! It’s about saving the world the cute, bouncy way only mascot platformers can.
With updated graphics, adjustable difficulty and Moo Costume DLC added for good measure, Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is the best way to experience this 2.5D platformer. All the costumes in the world wouldn’t be enough to save the game if the core gameplay was weak, but Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series executes his adorable brand of mascot nonsense with perfect precision.
6 Story hiker
Relaxing puzzle and item collecting game Story hiker is about a wizard who enters the book world to collect elves. That unusual premise sets the stage for a peaceful, contemplative journey. It’s important to note that the game is only available in Chinese, so those who don’t speak that language will struggle to understand much of it.
Story hiker is easily recommended based on his artwork alone. Using an illustrative, pop-up book aesthetic and hypnotic music for the environments the protagonist navigates, the game is a sensory delight. While the lack of an English localization has dampened the game’s appeal, Story hiker is a unique and wonderful experience, even in its current form.
5 big earth
A 2.5D puzzle platformer, big earth depicts a future in which the Earth’s resources are depleted, and only by recovering seeds and valuable energy can the player restore a dying world. The little protagonist of the game is dwarfed by the plants and animals in the environment, and immediately radiates strong grounded vibes, though Big Earth platform gameplay stands alone.
The most incredible feature of the game is its art. The environments have been recreated from more than 15,000 photos of plants, animals and insects in nature reserves, creating a realistic look that stands out from a legion of competitors. Considering how strong the art of the game is, it’s a welcome surprise that big earth allows players to hide the HUD and take photos, saving the best parts of their experience forever.
4 relapse
Driven underground by an ecological disaster, the last remnants of humanity must now travel back to the surface, battling an army of robots to return to the world they once left behind. relapse is a procedurally generated roguelike, so every journey through these underground chambers is different.
With a jetpack, upgradeable gear and more than 50 skills to unlock, the player has plenty on his side. They will need it, because the bosses and enemies don’t go down easily. relapse also includes six different character classes – from the stealthy Technophobe to the teleporting Holomaster – making each run through these procedural levels even more unique. It can take some getting used to navigating the levels, but the payout is a roguelike experience like no other.
3 Deadlight: Director’s Cut
There are zombie games for every player’s taste. Tense survival horror? Team-based action? Post-apocalyptic merchant sim? There is all that and more in the zombie genre. A mix of stealth, combat, puzzles and even platforming, Deadlight: Director’s Cut covers many areas of the game without dropping the ball into any of them.
Surviving 1980s Seattle during a zombie apocalypse is tough, especially because the character is undeniably human: if a person couldn’t make something plausible in real life, the main character in dead light can’t either. Without superpowers or even a double jump to help players through difficult levels, dead light presents a realistic (though not very difficult) challenge. Tense and atmospheric, Deadlight: Director’s Cut does everything needed and more.
2 Prince of Qin
Prince of Qin is an unabashedly retro RPG, with all the unique strengths, quirks and flaws that come with it. Leading a team of five heroes and choosing the right balance of skills, abilities and elemental attacks to defeat your enemies is a big challenge.
Perhaps the most compelling element of the game is its accurate portrayal of the Qin Dynasty, which makes the game a major draw for fans of the history and architecture of that period. Even those unfamiliar with the period will still find a lot to like about this dense RPG alongside the Great Wall and Terracotta Warriors. The dialogues, animations, combat system and setting will make fans of retro RPGs feel right at home, which in itself is enough to recommend the game.
1 ANNO: Mutationem
Action RPG ANNO: Mutationem is arguably one of the most compelling 2.5D games on steam. That’s a bold claim given the sheer number of wonderful titles in the genre, but it’s hard not to be instantly blown away by the game’s unique blend of 2D and 3D art, especially when it is in motion.
The game is the cyberpunk story of Ann, a lone wolf in a metropolis who plays on virtually all major cyberpunk tropes. While the game may not break new ground with its themes, the aesthetic and mechanical execution are not only incredible on their own, but they go together seamlessly for a unique cyberpunk experience.
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