Summary
Xenofiction is a term that not many people are aware of. Flashes of H.R. Geiger andAlienmay come across the minds of most fans, but that’s far from what this is all about. Any medium that explores a story from an animal’s perspective where their beastly identity is critical to the story at hand.Many games feature animals, but these critters tend to exhibit human behavior and can be replaced by humans with little to no problems.
Meanwhile, games that capture the true essence of what xenofiction is all about alter everything from the story to the gameplay in a bid to ensure that players feel like they’re controlling an animal as opposed to a human. This can make for unique experiences that fans of off-beat gaming experience will have a great time with.
Octodad: Dadliest Catchis a game that captured a ton of interest from the very moment its beta was released. The gamelets players control an octopuspretending to masquerade as a human, only for a sushi chef to hunt him down while he’s trying to have a good time with family. As one would expect, trying to control a creature without any bones and make it move like a human is a huge task, and this intense locomotion gameplay is what serves as the major focus ofOctodad.
Players must avoid raising suspicion at all costs, which becomes tricky if players are tasked with performing simple functions that any regular human can accomplish in a jiffy. The goofy nature of Octodad: Dadliest Catch makes it a unique take on xenofiction, with the main character’s identity as an octopus playing a huge role in setting up the challenges he must face while trying to deceive everyone around him.
4Ecco The Dolphin
The Only Defense Against Extraterrestrial Threats Is An Intelligent Dolphin
A Genesis game that is hard as nails, it’s a shame that more people don’t talk aboutEcco the Dolphin. This unique action adventure titlelets players control a highly intelligent dolphinwho rams into enemies to take them out and must conserve its health at all times. Given how dolphins have to resurface to get some air from time to time, this is emulated in the title as a gameplay mechanic where players must periodically resurface to ensure that their health doesn’t fall from time to time. Topping off this challenge is the threat of aliens which can lead to players fighting some genuinely scary enemies.
At the heart of this game is Ecco’s identity as a dolphin, making this title the perfect example of what a xenofiction game is all about. Just like a dolphin, Ecco can sing and use echolocation to explore the environment. This protagonist is as endearing as they come and is a huge part of what makesEcco the Dolphinsuch a special and underappreciated title.
3Shelter
Shows The Truth Of Parenthood For Animals Well Below The Food Chain
The challenges of parenthood are something many humans are familiar with, but a civilized society ensures that infants are born as ripe and healthy as possible to be welcomed into the world. Animals don’t enjoy the same luxury, especially when it comes to animals like beavers who must struggle to forage food, make homes, and avoid the many dangers that come their way.Shelterchannels this energyin a harrowing survival game that is way more emotional than people would expect.
Escorting a group of young cubs to a new home is more challenging than players would assume, with numerous predators trying to hunt down what they perceive to be an easy source of food. Not only must players help their cubs survive and feed them from time to time, but they must also avoid several man-made wildfires that can threaten to engulf the badger and her children. It’s an excellent example of what an emotional Xenofiction game can achieve, with players finding it harrowing whenever one of their cubs succumbs to either natural or man-made threats.
From the very moment it was introduced, fans were intrigued by the idea of controlling a goose to irritate humans and complete puzzles. This simple gameplay helpedUntitled Goose Gamebecome a viral phenomenon, attracting a ton of attention as players controlled this animal and made progress by using their goosey antics to manipulate humans and acquire the items needed to proceed.
This game’s premise falls apart if the aforementioned goose is replaced by a human, making this the perfect example of a xenofiction game. An update lets playerscheck out this game in co-op, adding to the hilarity as two geese team up to double the trouble they can inflict on innocent humans who don’t know why these aggressive birds are giving them such a tough time.
One of the most popular xenofiction games of all time,Straylets players control a lovable feline that is separated from its friends.All alone in a desolate city devoid of any human life, players meet a drone named B-12 that helps them climb to the surface.Strayis one of the calmer and more immersive games players can check out, with exploration being largely simple and serving as more of a means for players to figure out what went wrong in this city.
As a cat, players can jump and squeeze through areas that regular humans simply can’t, not that there are any to speak of in this world. The robots that inhabit this city are quite endearing and paint a grim picture of a plague that decimated humanity, leaving their robot Companions behind who became self-aware and created a civilization of their own in this underground settlement that was meant to shield humans from this disastrous event.
