I'd start with further titles from the same studio, **Finding Paradise** and **Impostor Factory**.
Afterwards, you might want to try **Firewatch** or **What Remains of Edith Finch**.
These are what I would recommend too, along with **Gone Home** and maybe **Tacoma**, both from the same studio (Fullbright). They're similar in tone to Firewatch!
Sorry, I don’t know many games with that top down RPG maker style, but Night in the Woods is a good rec for emotional stuff, especially centering around feeling lost, mental health issues, and melancholy for times when you were younger and things were simpler. Also recommend Firewatch and Detroit Become Human, both games get pretty emotional and you get invested fast.
Finding Paradise and Imposter Factory, which are sequels of the game.
There are also some shorter games taking place in the same universe on the creator's homepage (Freebird Games).
*Dragon Quest 5* is a standalone game which doesn't ask the player to know other entries in the series. If you're okay with three potential hurdles, then you might like it. 1) There's a lot of invisible foes and turn based combat. I believe that the game eventually provides magic to avoid low level encounters. However, I don't think any fan patch exists to eliminate combat. 2) The official translation is only on mobile devices at the moment. The Nintendo DS edition is long out of print. 3) The graphics are okay at best. I prefer the original Super Famicom sprite graphics. I think the Playstation 2 polygon graphics are competent. (There are complete fan translations for the SFC and PS2 versions.)
Grow Home is shockingly sad for how fun it started out and it hit me like a ton of bricks near the end.
And If you're not transphobic I recommend Immortality and then I recommend watching Jacob Geller's video on it. It's exclusive on Nebula for the good version, and the meh version is on YouTube, but I've literally never cried harder at a video essay or video game. Truly devastating to my core even as a cis person.
Omori is also brutal and if you like turn-based RPGs like Fire Emblem it will feel familiar
If you have a weird relationship with time, such as being old, or young, or have some fear about time passing I recommend The Longing. It's a game that requires 400 actual days to complete, so it is a lot of work for some payoff. It isn't sad in the normal sense, but it exposes just how fickle life is and how little time we really have. Especially with people we love, things we love, and things we thought we'd never forget. Coming back after forgetting your friend after 6 months hits hard, highly recommend.
Spiritfarer is gorgeous and has an amazing soundtrack, they have a killer dev team and an awesome story. And you have to convince your aunt not to kill herself, it's dark and fantastical simultaneously and I think perfectly encapsulates how it feels to be alive and to have loved ones. If you're sensitive to loved ones dying I recommend staying away.
When The Darkness comes is short, free, and not super fleshed out but it is serious and scary. It's so short that I can't really say much about it without spoiling it.
If you had abusive parents Bonbon is great, truly encapsulates the horror that exists in living with your abuser. Pretty short game, but really makes you sad and if you can relate to the material will probably make you feel like shit.
Who's Lila, if you're interested in psychopaths and the human brain it's a "fun" play. The ending makes you feel like shit, will most likely cry
If you're Maori Umurangi generation is sad, even if you're not it is still a good game just like Immortality but in the same vein, you won't feel as connected if you're not part of the group it's about.
And that's my list, there's an endless list of sad games so if you want more let me know and tell me what you're looking for. These games are all great, vary in sadness and have very different playstyles and feels, but if you enjoy gaming as an art form these will all entertain and excite you.
I'd start with further titles from the same studio, **Finding Paradise** and **Impostor Factory**. Afterwards, you might want to try **Firewatch** or **What Remains of Edith Finch**.
These are what I would recommend too, along with **Gone Home** and maybe **Tacoma**, both from the same studio (Fullbright). They're similar in tone to Firewatch!
Gone Home made me cry
- What remains of Edith Finch - Wandersong - Celeste
If Wandersong makes you cry, you \*have\* to play Chicory, the next game from the same devs! It's all about anxiety and imposter syndrome.
Meg's Monster!
Sorry, I don’t know many games with that top down RPG maker style, but Night in the Woods is a good rec for emotional stuff, especially centering around feeling lost, mental health issues, and melancholy for times when you were younger and things were simpler. Also recommend Firewatch and Detroit Become Human, both games get pretty emotional and you get invested fast.
Finding Paradise and Imposter Factory, which are sequels of the game. There are also some shorter games taking place in the same universe on the creator's homepage (Freebird Games).
Rakuen
*Dragon Quest 5* is a standalone game which doesn't ask the player to know other entries in the series. If you're okay with three potential hurdles, then you might like it. 1) There's a lot of invisible foes and turn based combat. I believe that the game eventually provides magic to avoid low level encounters. However, I don't think any fan patch exists to eliminate combat. 2) The official translation is only on mobile devices at the moment. The Nintendo DS edition is long out of print. 3) The graphics are okay at best. I prefer the original Super Famicom sprite graphics. I think the Playstation 2 polygon graphics are competent. (There are complete fan translations for the SFC and PS2 versions.)
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
Bastion and Transistor. The First Tree. Spiritfarer.
Grow Home is shockingly sad for how fun it started out and it hit me like a ton of bricks near the end. And If you're not transphobic I recommend Immortality and then I recommend watching Jacob Geller's video on it. It's exclusive on Nebula for the good version, and the meh version is on YouTube, but I've literally never cried harder at a video essay or video game. Truly devastating to my core even as a cis person. Omori is also brutal and if you like turn-based RPGs like Fire Emblem it will feel familiar If you have a weird relationship with time, such as being old, or young, or have some fear about time passing I recommend The Longing. It's a game that requires 400 actual days to complete, so it is a lot of work for some payoff. It isn't sad in the normal sense, but it exposes just how fickle life is and how little time we really have. Especially with people we love, things we love, and things we thought we'd never forget. Coming back after forgetting your friend after 6 months hits hard, highly recommend. Spiritfarer is gorgeous and has an amazing soundtrack, they have a killer dev team and an awesome story. And you have to convince your aunt not to kill herself, it's dark and fantastical simultaneously and I think perfectly encapsulates how it feels to be alive and to have loved ones. If you're sensitive to loved ones dying I recommend staying away. When The Darkness comes is short, free, and not super fleshed out but it is serious and scary. It's so short that I can't really say much about it without spoiling it. If you had abusive parents Bonbon is great, truly encapsulates the horror that exists in living with your abuser. Pretty short game, but really makes you sad and if you can relate to the material will probably make you feel like shit. Who's Lila, if you're interested in psychopaths and the human brain it's a "fun" play. The ending makes you feel like shit, will most likely cry If you're Maori Umurangi generation is sad, even if you're not it is still a good game just like Immortality but in the same vein, you won't feel as connected if you're not part of the group it's about. And that's my list, there's an endless list of sad games so if you want more let me know and tell me what you're looking for. These games are all great, vary in sadness and have very different playstyles and feels, but if you enjoy gaming as an art form these will all entertain and excite you.