3 Narrative Games That Deserve More Attention

Welcome to Elk (2020)

In Welcome to Elk, you play as Frigg, a young woman who arrives on the small island of Elk for a carpentry internship. But her plans quickly take a turn as she becomes entangled in the lives and stories of the island’s residents.

What makes this game so special is the way it blends fiction and reality. Most of the stories you encounter are inspired by real events, and at certain points the game even includes video interviews with the people behind them, making the whole thing very personal.

I also really loved the way the game integrates minigames. Each one is tailored to the moment, reinforcing the emotions of the scene. Some are light and playful, others are heavier, but they all convey the absurdity, beauty and fragility of life itself.

As its core, Welcome to Elk depicts a small, isolated working-class community with little contact with the mainland, facing its challenges with resilience —but more than anything, it’s about how we share, preserve, and reinterpret memories.

Wayward Strand (2022)

In Wayward Strand, you play as a young girl who accompanies her mother, the head nurse, to a floating hospital to help out for a few days. As Casey, you can explore nearly the entire airship—or at least listen at doors—to spend time with the residents.

Each character follows their own unique routine, making it impossible to see everything in a single day. I really appreciated that the game isn’t centered on the player and their actions, but rather that life continues on its path regardless of what we do, making everything feel very realistic.

The tone of the game is bittersweet. As Casey, you share special moments with the residents and staff, learning about their (previous) lives. Gradually, you discover the social bonds that unite them—their friendships and their conflicts. The writing and characters’ voices are exceptionally well-performed, allowing you to fully experience the personality of each resident.

I particularly enjoyed the game’s pacing. It captured both the frenetic energy of an understaffed hospital, where medical staff are rushing to be everywhere at once, and the slower pace of the residents’ lives. The game even lets you wait quietly next to characters without selecting dialogue options, giving them space to speak naturally—this adds a very natural and human touch, as the system isn’t trying to fill every silence in a conversation.

Some Goodbyes We Made (2024)

Some Goodbyes We Made is a collection of farewell memories presented as mini-games. I loved the autobiographical format, which highlights 11 moments in the developer’s life where they had to say goodbye.

At the end of each completed mini-game, you gain access to a “text file” where the developer explains in more detail the memory you’ve just played through. I found these reflections deeply touching and treasured each one like a precious gift.

I’d love to see more games take this anthology-style approach, built around a central theme—whether by a single developer or a collaborative effort.