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Five Games that Pushed the Limits of the Medium

In the history of games, the developers that stand out are often the ones that are willing to take creative risks. All the concepts we know as standard in gaming today were once the idea of a visionary creative. But in the modern market, its harder to stand out that ever before. With cliched, mass appeal titles still topping the games charts, uniqueness and creativity doesn't always sell - but it does get you remembered. So what are some games that stand out for breaking new ground? 

One might be off-the-wall nolimit city slots games. This boundary-pushing developer takes on themes and concepts others wouldn't dare to, using the adult nature of gambling to delve into on-the-knuckle topics and dark humour - all paired with innovative slot mechanics that prioritise high volatility and potential pay-outs. 

Another might be adventure games that make you question the concept of a game (or even your own self) entirely to genre-mashing,  or games that somehow made the mind-numbing tedium of bureaucracy enjoyable. These are five games that tried - and succeeded - in doing something completely new with the format. 

SUPERHOT Is One of the Most Unique Shooters Ever 

SUPERHOT starts with an old-school DOS menu, where someone has sent you an email with SuperHot.exe. You actually have to launch it up from a DOS menu, and then you/the character, gets sucked into the game. Which is already a unique starting point. But then you get to the mechanics.

The game takes place in an all white world, with simple, faceless red tinged enemies that are trying to kill you. You can use guns, your fists and objects in the environment to take them out and survive to the end of the level. However - the twist is, time only moves when you do. 

This creates something completely new, which is a hybrid between an FPS and a turn based shooter. Once you complete a level, you get to see the normal speed run version of your badassery. It is short, but that's not unexpected for an indie game, and the replayability is huge. 

No Limit City's Slots Deserve a Mention 

In the world of online gambling, a popular form of gaming for adults only, there are few developers who have pushed he boundaries more than the appropriately named No Limit City. Some of their slot games with crass humour, unique mechanics and interesting or novel themes include: 

• San Quentin xWays - set behind bars in the notorious California mega jail San Quentin
• Punk Toilet - no questions needed here
• Mental - a psychological horror slot with a tense rising bonus round and a 66,666x maximum win
• Tombstone RIP - a zombie themed western with an unusual multi reel setup and a massive 300,000x possible max win 

POSTAL is an Extreme but Cult Classic 

This game was made by a studio called Running With Scissors, so that tells you exactly what you might expect - but POSTAL still probably somehow goes beyond that. In an era when shooting games were still in their infancy in the mainstream consciousness, POSTAL satirised America's fears of ultraviolence in video games with dark humour and gameplay that leant into the absurdly provocative. 

The 1997 release pushed the boundaries of violence in videogames in a way that is still relevant today. It also spawned a horrendously replayable sequel POSTAL 2, which doubled down on the original but with better graphics. 

The Stanley Parable Flips the Script on the Player 

The Stanley Parable is more than just a game - its a postmodern work of metaphysics, exploring the very concepts of games, choice and narrative. Built on the classic Source engine that powered Valve's seminal Half Life 2, The Stanley Parable sees the player take on the role of Stanley, with an omniscient narrator who comments and guides your actions as you try to escape a Backrooms-style liminal office labyrinth. 

The unique philosophical perspectives have drawn academic comparisons with literary heavyweights like Cervantes' Don Quixote and Laurence Sterne’s The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy - which is not something that could be said of your run of the mill first person shooter.

Papers, Please Gamified Dystopian Work 

Papers, Please is a game about doing a job. A boring and menial but laborious job - all while under the threat of starvation for you and your family if you do it wrong. But, somehow, its very fun. 

The game sees you take on the role of a border officer in a fictional Eastern European country, stamping people's passports or denying entry as they file in and out. Small errors can lead to docked wages, or even your disappearance which ends the game.

As well as being a meditation on the nature of work, socialism and immigration, the game also tests the player with moral choices. Accept the payment from the pimp to feed your family, or deport him. Accept the young mother with an out of date passport and risk getting fired. The dilemmas come thick and fast in Papers, Please, and despite its simplistic visuals it is a haunting experience that will stick with you long after the credits roll.