From fairy tale myth and folklore to dystopian black comedy — these games don’t just play, they feel like movies.
Cinematic platformers are the moody art-house films of the video game world. They’re slow burns, full of atmosphere, emotional punches, and minimal UI. These aren’t twitchy button-mashers — they’re all about storytelling through movement, puzzles, and vibes. Here are five that not only nail the genre, but offer something special — from mythic melancholy to surreal satire.
1. ICO (PS2, PS3, PS4/PS5 via PS+ Premium)
Whisper-soft fantasy with haunting vibes
ICO is less a game and more an emotional experience in minimalism. You play a horned boy trying to escape a massive, crumbling castle with a mysterious girl named Yorda. There’s barely any dialogue, no quest log, and no map. But every moment feels meaningful, thanks to its moody lighting, painterly visuals, and simple, almost poetic mechanics. It’s part fairy tale, part silent film, and all heart. The vibes? Pure lonely, windswept melancholy.
2. Another World (aka Out of This World) (PC, consoles, mobile)
Surreal sci-fi with a side of existential dread
This 1991 cult classic is the godfather of cinematic platformers. Designed almost entirely by one man, Éric Chahi, it drops you — a redheaded physicist — into an alien world after a lab experiment goes sideways. There’s no HUD, no tutorial, and no mercy. Everything is trial, error, and beautifully animated death. But the rotoscoped graphics and minimalist storytelling made it a pioneer — the original “what just happened?” game before it was cool.
3. Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee (PS1, PC, remasters)
Industrial horror meets dark comedy
Imagine if Chaplin’s Modern Times had more fart jokes and alien slavery. That’s Abe’s Oddysee. You’re Abe, a factory worker-turned-accidental-hero trying to rescue his fellow Mudokons from being processed into meat snacks. It’s grim, hilarious, and surprisingly hard. With slapstick animations and dystopian overtones, it’s both a stealth-puzzle platformer and a biting satire of late-stage capitalism — with oddly endearing grotesquery.
4. Planet of Lana (PC, Xbox)
A hand-painted odyssey through a broken Eden
New kid on the cinematic block, Planet of Lana is like playing inside a Studio Ghibli frame. You guide a young girl and her cat-like companion through a lush world invaded by cold, insectoid machines. The storytelling is all visual — think moody platforming, gentle puzzle-solving, and constant awe. It blends sci-fi and folklore, giving off Inside meets The Iron Giant energy with a dash of “what if climate collapse was beautiful?”
5. Bramble: The Mountain King (PC, consoles)
Scandinavian fairy tale horror with a side of trauma
If you ever wanted Little Nightmares meets Norse mythology, Bramble is it. You play a boy on a rescue mission through a dark, twisted version of Nordic folklore. Every creature you meet is ripped from the pages of old fairy tales — except way more nightmarish. Giant trolls, child-snatching spirits, and an atmosphere thicker than IKEA meatballs. It’s a visual treat with a chilling heart, and its boss fights are cinematic in a deeply unsettling way.
