Games That Reward Your Weirdness
Some games are perfectly happy when you follow the obvious path, complete the expected objectives, and play exactly as the developers anticipated. Others seem to have a special appreciation for players who poke at strange objects, make questionable decisions, test ridiculous combinations, or simply refuse to behave normally. These games often hide amusing rewards, unusual dialogue, secret areas, alternate outcomes, or useful discoveries behind behavior that most players would never think to try.
1. Undertale
Undertale practically begs you to question the normal rules of role-playing games. You can spare enemies instead of defeating them, repeatedly interact with seemingly pointless objects, and make choices that dramatically affect later events. Some of the funniest moments happen precisely because you decided to do something strange rather than simply fight your way forward.
2. The Stanley Parable
You probably aren't going to follow what you're told in The Stanley Parable. When you break from the narrator's commands and explore the different office buildings, he will have many comments on your actions. Exploring offices, refusing obvious objectives, and wandering into places you probably weren't supposed to visit can produce entirely different endings.
TECNIC Bioprocess Solutions on Unsplash
3. Goat Simulator
There's more to Goat Simulator than just thinking outside of the box. It allows you to fly around the map, lick things, and destroy property. The more willing you are to abandon conventional gameplay and mess around, the more entertaining secrets and unlockable goats you'll encounter.
4. The Sims 4
The Sims 4 gives you an enormous amount of freedom to make decisions that would be completely unreasonable in real life. Decide to play around with your Sim's life, and they may open up more options to you. Make your family odd or take jobs that are strange, and just don't act like an adult with your Sims, and you will probably run into new things.
5. Hitman: World of Assassination
Hitman rewards experimentation in ways that become more obvious the stranger your ideas get. Whether it be disguises or items that are in your environment, you can think of ways to help you complete your objective. Maybe you planned on one thing and notice you have some weird object on you and can take advantage of it.
6. Untitled Goose Game
Being annoying is what you should do in this game. There are many tasks you can do that involve annoying other people. Take their things and move them around to better annoy them. The game frequently rewards you for noticing what bothers people and figuring out increasingly ridiculous ways to cause trouble.
Viktoriia Kondratiuk on Unsplash
7. Goat Simulator 3
Similar to the last Goat Simulator, it wants you to think outside of the box. There are tons of new objects that you can find to interact with. If your first thought is, "I wonder what happens if I do this completely stupid thing," you're probably playing it correctly.
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim contains an enormous number of moments where curiosity can lead somewhere worthwhile. Whether it be looking at certain objects, trying spells and objects that you find, climbing certain mountains, or even talking to NPCs, there's always something you can think outside of the box with in Skyrim.
9. Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3 is particularly generous toward players who approach problems in unconventional ways. With so many spells and abilities that your character can learn, you will find ways to solve things that you didn't know were possible. If your solution sounds ridiculous but the game's rules technically allow it, there's a decent chance the developers anticipated someone exactly like you trying it.
10. Disco Elysium
Creating a crazy main character is allowed in Disco Elysium. There are many different skills you can learn that may allow you to do weird things throughout the game. The game embraces failure and eccentricity so thoroughly that being terrible at something can produce memorable scenes rather than simply ending your fun.
11. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
There are many ways to think outside of the box in Breath of the Wild. Experimenting with objects around you is key. If you see something and think, "Could I possibly do that?" the best answer is often to try it.
12. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
With Tears of the Kingdom, you can do anything you want. Build crazy machines and see if you can solve puzzles. The game doesn't require your solution to be elegant, so long as your strange machine somehow gets the job done.
13. Minecraft
Minecraft gives you a world where experimentation is practically impossible to avoid. From machines that take hours to build to just building things for fun, thinking outside of the box in Minecraft can reward you with knowledge of the game. The more you experiment, the more you'll learn about what the game allows you to do.
14. Deathloop
Experiment with everything in Deathloop and see what comes. There are many different ways to navigate through the map and do what you are asked. The more willing you are to investigate something that seems unnecessary, the more likely you are to uncover another piece of the puzzle.
15. Psychonauts 2
Psychonauts 2 has plenty of moments where wandering around and interacting with things simply because they look interesting pays off. Its worlds are packed with unusual characters, visual details, collectibles, and humorous interactions. If you have a habit of checking every corner and talking to everyone twice, this is exactly the kind of game that rewards that behavior.
16. Inscryption
As soon as you start to question what you see in Inscryption, you will be thinking outside of the box. There are many ways to help you beat this game, and you should pay attention to what is around you. Curiosity isn't just useful here; it's practically part of the puzzle.
17. EarthBound
EarthBound has always had a fondness for odd interactions and unusual humor. Talking to seemingly irrelevant characters, checking objects, and following strange dialogue can lead to memorable moments that you'd easily miss if you rushed through the adventure. The game frequently rewards players who are willing to stop and wonder why something so weird was included.
Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
18. Deltarune
Like Undertale, Deltarune has some similar ideas to it. Think outside of the box and see what happens. Characters respond to your behavior in unexpected ways, and exploring beyond the obvious path can reveal secrets, optional encounters, and different pieces of information. Sometimes the most rewarding decision is simply refusing to assume the obvious choice.
19. Saints Row IV
Once again, you will have to think outside of the box to get the most out of Saints Row IV. The game's superpowers already encourage you to ignore ordinary movement and combat conventions, while its world contains plenty of ridiculous activities and interactions. The more willing you are to stop taking the premise seriously, the more you'll appreciate the hidden rewards.
20. Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy has one of gaming's strangest basic concepts: roll a sticky ball around and collect increasingly large amounts of stuff. Yet the game rewards you for experimenting with what can be picked up, where you can travel, and how creatively you approach each stage. Once you stop worrying about whether an object looks useful and start wondering whether you can stick it to your Katamari, the whole experience becomes considerably more entertaining.
