Games that feel completely different depending on the style of play

There are games that are very strict when it comes to play styles. You can only complete them by playing one particular way, and the path to the end, if there is one, feels fairly linear. This is usually the case with a lot of action-adventure titles that don't introduce any choice mechanics. On the other side of the spectrum, you have sandboxes and more flexible games of all kinds, where two people will have a completely different experience going through the game.

Personally, I find the latter category a bit more interesting. It's kind of handy to share the gaming experience in these games with friends, only to realize they did something in a completely different way. You could argue that you also get more bang for your buck with titles like these, as you can access them in multiple ways.

The Sims 4

Play for a healthy family or remove the ladder

Since this is the ultimate life simulator, it's no surprise that you'll find it The Sims 4 here. It's one of those games that doesn't give you a precise, clear goal, and there's no pressure to do everything “right” because there's no right way. A perfectionist might spend all their time making sure everyone's needs are always green and the family's legacy stretches back years, while someone more chaotic might build cellars full of painting slaves led by a cult leader named Jim Pickens (if you know, you know).

But it goes deeper and deeper. There are players who almost never see Live Mode, who play most of their game in CAS. They can have plenty of their own content to play with and are perfectly happy creating nice looking Sims to put in their gallery. You also have your builders, the Simmers, who rarely see CAS or Live Mode, but instead enjoy the game for its incredibly robust building sandbox.

RimWorld

Chill Colony Sim, Or Descent into Madness

There are several reasons RimWorld has become so great: freedom, a variety of game options and styles, and graphics that are not demanding. No matter what your gaming background is, you'll find a certain amount of fun in this charming colonial sim. It is technically possible to reach the end RimWorldand while there are players who do, there are also many who never achieve them, either by choice or by accident.

The tone of the game is the biggest difference between the playstyles. RimWorld he can be incredibly cool and wholesome and almost Sims like. It can also be absolutely insane with slaves and cannibals involved. If this sounds like something you've seen in the wildest Sims games, then you can understand why RimWorld has earned its place on this list. No two games will ever look the same, especially between different players.

Project Zomboid

A thrilling story of zombie survival or lonely Sims

I recently jumped into it Project Zomboid after years of ogling the game for its retro appeal The Sims art style and I was surprised by the variety of playstyles the game supports. You can customize the game settings to your liking, even going so far as to determine the kind of zombies you want in your world, if you want them at all. That's right: you can completely eliminate zombies and just wander around the quiet, silent world and explore.

Or you can be like me and decide to jump into a super chill and easy version of the zombie apocalypse that you practice first, complete with cute farm animals. Zombies are slow, they can barely hear or see you, and you have a fighting chance. It was a surprisingly relaxing experience that for me borders more on looting. On the other hand, you have some incredible players getting involved Zomboids hardcore side: one bite and you're done, game over for your character. Zombies are incredibly smart; they can see you from all around and there are a ton of them everywhere. Overall, the customization is what makes this such a fantastic game that will appeal to players from all walks of life.

Spoil

Using alien powers will have a big impact on gameplay

Of course, I had to mention immersive sims when I discussed the different play styles, and while they are a bit more limited than, say, sandbox survivals or simulators, they are a genre that is growing due to the freedom and creativity it gives players. Spoil is one of the coolest examples of gameplay that directly affects your experience, as when you choose to use a bunch of Neuromods to unlock alien powers in the game, the security of the space station turns on you.

And as you might expect, the other survivors will turn hostile towards you if they catch you using your new alien powers. In addition to alien abilities, a lot of the choices you make throughout the game affect the tone of your ending, so the tasks you complete, the people you help, and so on are quietly watched in the background.

Fallout: New Vegas

Your choices, stats, and skills affect everything

RPGs are a classic example of game styles that change the feel of a game, and I can't think of a better example than Fallout: New Vegas. It really kicked off the RPG aspect of the game Fallout franchise at 200%, with little details like really low stats on certain attributes affecting dialogue choices and how NPCs react to you. Some skills also open dialog and quest options that would otherwise be locked.

For example, being able to fix something or convince someone will give you a little extra content. And, of course, your standing with the factions you side with—these are all layers in the onion of choices, actions, and consequences that New Vegasin my humble opinion, one of the most RPG RPGs (if that makes sense). Lucy MacLean can finish the game in a pacifist style, while another player can solve everything by pulling out a gun, and that's easy.

Undertale

Your actions have surprisingly profound effects

Speaking of pacifist and genocidal tendencies, we have Undertale. Next to New Vegasit's a very different game, a highly quirky and inventive indie RPG that pushes the limits of storytelling and delivery. How you resolve and handle the various encounters in Undertale, without the game ever explaining to you that you even have the option to choose a particular path, will greatly affect the final ending you receive.

You can save everyone (yes, everyone!) and complete the game, or you can choose to kill absolutely every character in your way. The tone of each playthrough is incredibly different the further you get into it, and the genocidal path even carries over into subsequent playthroughs if that's your first approach of choice. In all honesty, it was a game way ahead of its time, and it was definitely a conversation starter between friends comparing gameplay, even years after release.

Baldur's Gate 3

Kill a tramp or don't kill anyone and everything in between

Still in the realm of RPGs, there is one game that does a great job in a variety of playstyles Baldur's Gate 3. Like New Vegasit's a bit like an onion, with multiple layers of what affects a single run. It all starts with character creation. You can be the Dark Urge and either succumb or embrace your nature, or you can choose to go through the game as one of the pre-made characters as well, which I personally highly recommend trying at least once. Even the way you tackle fights, from running the most broken and beatable Honor Mode-ready builds to the classic and timeless Barrelmancy, adds a lot of flavor to each unique run.

Even if you go the original Tav route, your class, background, race, and in-game options will greatly narrow down what and how much you can do. It feels a bit sandboxy at times. For example, a simple act like not killing Minthara in Act 1 will give you a chance to have her as a companion in Act 2. Your companions will also have a choice, and as the main character you can help them choose based on how much they approve of you. You could turn Shadowheart to the dark path and use Shar's powers in the final fight. Or you can say “screw Wyll” and love Mizoru despite the unfair deal she gave him. If you can think it, you can probably do it, and like a true TTRPG, each will have their own signature style and unique story to tell afterward.

Elden Ring

Become a Bonk master or a Glintstone connoisseur

Elden Ringunlike New Vegas and Baldur's Gate 3he doesn't have much choice. Sure, there are a few quests you can do, and depending on how they're solved, you can unlock alternate endings, but the game doesn't telegraph that to you. The reason I listed the Elden Ring here is not because of the story, but rather because of the buildcrafting. It's a game where depending on the weapon types and stat choices you make, you'll have a drastically different experience going through its dungeons and fighting bosses.

The classic divide is between melee and magic characters. One can deal devastating damage beforehand and even apply some powerful conditions like Bleed to enemies. The latter will prefer to fight from a distance and often need to be on top of their dodge game as they are a bit more of a glass cannon than their melee counterparts. There's also Ashes of War and summons to spice up the gameplay even more, so it's basically a buildcrafting paradise for anyone who's more into it than story selection.

No Man's Sky

Explorer, Survivor, Builder

I mentioned customization earlier Project Zomboid provides and I want to return to it No Man's Skybecause it is another game that provides a lot of freedom in this regard. This is the perfect space sandbox game. It doesn't set any goals and you can go wherever you want and do whatever you want, from gathering resources to exploring or flying to another star system.

You can go as hard as you want with the permadeath option, or you can jump into creativity and simply build these massive, complex space bases without worrying about survivability and cost. I might as well have mentioned Minecraft here because it's basically the same thinking. All No Man's Sky will be significantly different. Some might be happy just taming cute alien pets, while others might head for the stars and raid cargo ships.