What Makes a Game Feel Mysterious?

? Get my premium monthly newsletter - https://gamemakerstoolkit.com/digest/ ? What makes a game feel mysterious? And how do we make a player feel like an active participant in solving the mystery? Let's dig in to some amazing games. ? Bonus Companion Video - https://www.patreon.com/posts/112875754 === Before you watch === This video contains no major spoilers for the games discussed. When more detailed information is provided, a timestamp is shown on screen so you can skip ahead. === Sources === [1] The mystery box | TED https://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box [2] Tunic: This Was Here the Whole Time | GDC Vault https://gdcvault.com/play/1029384/-TUNIC-This-Was-Here [3] Creature feature: The surreal pixel art and animation of Animal Well | Game Developer https://www.gamedeveloper.com/art/creature-feature-the-surreal-pixel-art-and-animation-of-animal-well [4] Rain World Is Like STALKER but a Platformer and You’re a Rodent | Vice https://www.vice.com/en/article/rain-world-is-like-stalker-but-a-platformer-and-youre-a-rodent/ [5] Road to the IGF: Starseed Pilgrim | Game Developer https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/road-to-the-igf-em-starseed-pilgrim-em- [6] Designing for a Sense of Mystery and Wonder | Runevision https://blog.runevision.com/2021/02/designing-for-sense-of-mystery-and.html [7] Two Years After Elden Ring, Miyazaki Trusts the Players to Figure It All Out | IGN https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-shadow-of-erdtree-director-hidetaka-miyazaki-look-back-interview-profile [8] Master of Play | The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/12/20/master-of-play [9] Sparking Curiosity-Driven Exploration Through Narrative in Outer Wilds | GDC Vault https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaGu9tGCNbI [10] Designing for Curiosity in Outer Wilds | Full Indie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGnce1Dp9BU [11] Rediscovering the Mystery of Video Games | Noclip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2g_0QQRjYY [12] The secrets of Animal Well, coming to PS5 | PlayStation Blog https://blog.playstation.com/2022/02/10/the-secrets-of-animal-well-coming-to-ps5/ [13] Designing the Secrets of Animal Well (ft. Billy Basso) | Design Delve https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiSesCWWy_M [14] The Design Evolution of Tunic | Noclip Crew https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5A7uoJAOvY [15] The Witness Documentary | Noclip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdSdvIRkkDY [16] Practically impossible: The quest to decipher Fez‘s cryptic final puzzle https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/04/why-it-took-almost-a-week-for-the-world-to-completely-finish-fez/ === Chapters === 00:00 - Intro 01:58 - What Makes Something Mysterious? 02:24 - The Locked Door 05:05 - The Rules 08:33 - The Landscape 10:46 - The Enigma 13:25 - Questions and Answers 15:20 - Metroidbrainias 19:30 - Super Secret Secrets 21:39 - The Answer 23:55 - Invisible Questions 27:06 - Conclusion 28:07 - Credits === Games Shown === The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | 2017 Rain World | 2017 Elden Ring | 2022 Outer Wilds | 2019 Tunic | 2022 Animal Well | 2024 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | 2016 Boxes: Lost fragments | 2024 Hyper Light Drifter | 2016 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | 2017 Crow Country | 2024 Dark Souls | 2011 Super Metroid | 1994 Hollow Knight | 2017 Spelunky | 2012 Isles of Sea and Sky | 2024 Lorelei And The Laser Eyes | 2024 Horizon Forbidden West | 2022 Demon's Souls | 2020 Starseed Pilgrim | 2013 Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 2018 Assassin’s Creed Mirage | 2023 The Legend of Zelda | 1986 Riven | 2024 Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | 2024 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | 2011 The Talos Principle | 2014 The Talos Principle II | 2023 The Forgotten City | 2021 Her Story | 2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 2015 Return of the Obra Dinn | 2018 Chants of Sennaar | 2023 Metroid Dread | 2021 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night | 1997 Epigraph | 2024 Fez | 2012 System Shock | 2023 La-Mulana | 2012 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD | 2013 The Witness | 2016 Super Mario Bros. | 1985 === Credits === Music provided by Epidemic Sound - https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/vtdu5y (Referral Link) LOST © ABC Studios === Subtitles === Contribute translated subtitles - https://gamemakerstoolkit.com/translation/