Five Games That Will Give You An Existential Crisis

Do you ever wonder why we’re here? Have you ever contemplated the meaning of life? Does dread ever overtake you for seemingly no reason? If so, you’re either experiencing an existential crisis… Or you’re playing a video game.

Equal parts identity crisis and dread, an existential crisis stems from the fear, confusion, and despair of losing a guiding principle or belief in life. Everyday causes such as moving homes or losing a job can trigger an existential crisis and make you call into question the very fabric of reality as we understand it. Easy to catch but difficult to shake, this unsettling, visceral experience has become a popular focus in video games.

We’ve assembled a list of five games tackling existence, consciousness, and the meaning of life that will leave you crushed by the weight of existential angst.

WARNING! This list contains spoilers for The Stanley Parable; Soma; Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors; The Talos Principle; and Night in the Woods (listed in order). If you want to experience a title’s existential crisis firsthand, skip that entry!

The Stanley Parable
What’s it about? Ostensibly, this PC adventure game tells the story of Stanley, a boring man working a boring job whose every action is observed by an omnipresent narrator. The narrator attempts to guide Stanley through a script he has written using verbal prompts, which players can then follow or ignore. Whether hints are obeyed or disobeyed opens new paths for Stanley to explore and prompts more dialogue from the narrator as he adapts the tale to players’ choices. 

What’s the crisis? Lurking below the seemingly straightforward surface of The Stanley Parable is a deviously profound take on choice and freedom, two important aspects of existentialism. As soon as the game begins, players are faced with choices that must be made. These decisions range from obvious questions like “Should I obey the narrator?” to the more subtle “Should I do anything at all?”

For example, if players close the door to Stanley’s office instead of leaving like the narrator asks, the narrator berates Stanley for his inability to make decisions for himself. Of course Stanley makes no decisions for himself – players decide for him. On the other hand, if players hide in a broom closet and refuse to participate...