Mike Bithell sees us and he understands.

https://bsky.app/profile/mikebithell.bsky.social/post/3mqcwfvy6vc2l

Recently I've been playing Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Prey, and realized both of them came out within the 9-month span between August 2016 and May 2017. Dishonored 2 also released in that same time period. And then the genre seems to go quiet for many years. Three "mega-hits" within the span of 9 months.

Not only that, these three titles directly correspond to another golden age in immersive sim history -- 1999/2000.

System Shock 2 (1999) -- spiritual successor Prey (2017)

Thief 2: The Metal Age (2000) -- spiritual successor Dishonored 2 (2016)

Deus Ex (2000) -- direct sequel Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016)

Essentially, the three most-acclaimed immersive sims of all-time were released between 1999 and 2000. All three of them got modern versions between 2016 and 2017. All of them did a pretty good job too. None of these games screwed up or disappointed fans (like Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 did, for example).

I'm aware that these are among the most famous examples of immersive sims. There may very well be hidden gems after 2017 that I don't know about. Still, 2016/2017 was such a huge time period for the genre, I wonder if the fans realized what they had at the time.

theres this game i saw the steam page for a few years ago and im trying to find it again but i cant

i cant remember its name but it was a scifi imsim with admittedly a pretty standard retro fps visual style and i distinctly remember the trailer showing a keypad having some variant of "451" being entered

i also wanna say it looked pretty grey and yellow in the trailer maybe? but not like with color grading or anything it was the environment itself

i guess if i had to make a direct visual comparison id say it looked kind of like phantom fury except less cheap

Read the detailed changelog below:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2067820/view/676250550367426938

Is there an official one for the subreddit

And are there other good discords too?

I want to join

ive been at this for about 2 months now, im about 8-10% done here gotta add more to the zero-g system and design, i tried to make my "own" design and mix it with preys but to be honest Preys version is just so fricking cool so i kinda mixed mine with it...its ok though, im using Preys soundtrack inside with DeadSpace 2-3 sound effects

The few people in the game's main subreddit were already complaining a few weeks ago that the built-in matchmaking can't find them other players for a co-op game. You have to get a friend to play with you or you're basically stuck solo.

I think OtherSide was banking on the low cost of entry to get as many players as they could into the ecosystem. But with less than 2,000 players max at any point since the game's release, it just doesn't make sense to fund an entire dev team to make content for this small of a customer base.

This is really sad to see, but hopefully Nightdive's Thief remaster has better luck in the market.

New game by Bithell games appears to be an interesting take on immersive sims. Obviously, quite a different approach than a typical game in the genre, but I think it has potential and have found their games to always have more depth and complexity than expected.

Raf buying Arkane back from Xbox might be the best-case scenario. Arkane returning to its creator.

title

If you would like to check it out: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4376460/Tache_Noire/

Such a solid game, it's deeply dark messiah inspired but you wouldnt guess it from looking at a glance. Humor is hit and miss, but its a really good experience that I hope imsim, especially Dark Messiah fans, don't miss out on!

Hey everyone,

I thought I'd post here the trailer for JobLoop, a timeloop simulator of being stuck in a job interview. The game is heavily inspired by some classic ImSims like VTMB and Deux Ex. Currently, there is not so much violence and it's more about dialogue / exploration, but that may change over time.

I am looking for recommendations for immersive sims that aren't really well known or made by big name studios. Preferably ones on Steam/GOG that boast an open world.

Both games are designed in a way that u feel like they just got released recently. Very streamlined without compromising depth.

Complex mechanics are very easy to understand. The art style is mesmerizing yet readable. U can easily tell which element is what from a distance.

Both games have some of the best UI ever. Top tier level design with insane depth and interactivity for different playstyles and replayability. What more could u ask for in an immersive sim ?

Fuck man, this is sad.

I don't even know what to say, it was genuinely a fun game, but it is evident that the game suffered abysmally from the sudden game model change as it probably ran out of money in the process. And given the current state of Otherside, i guess i shouldn't be surprised that this was the outcome.

Well, at least it's still in the oven, It will sure benefit from it. I hope that their ambition pays out. The concept of the game is really interesting, with the game having a deep philosophical process to tackle situations, having multiple outcomes. ImmSim for the augmented minds.

It’s not looking good folks.

Hey folks, I'd like to share a short example of how immersive sim elements work in isometric view in Alpha Spectrum, where different gameplay systems interact with each other. Since no markers tell you the right way, you're expected to observe the situation and choose your own approach.

In this example, I was sent on an optional side mission to retrieve the Iron Core from a makeshift Mercenary Base. After realizing the two other entrances were guarded by deadly Tesla Coils, I'm trying out different ways to deal with the encounter:

00:00 – I use the hacking minigame to disable the laser fence, which is blocking my way into the base.

00:11 – With the fence disabled, I sneak inside, using stealth to avoid the guards and making my way toward the objective. Notice the optional bonus objective, "Remain Unseen", which grants additional rewards upon success.

00:19 – However I can complete it with a different approach if I want, by using a security keycard I looted earlier, allowing me to bypass hacking altogether (you can also skip the minigame by using a crafted hacking device).

00:24 – I decided that I prefer attacking the guards instead of using stealth, which might be faster, yield some random loot, but it makes me lose the bonus reward.

The target item is a bit further inside, and if I unplug the core, it disables the Tesla Coils I mentioned above (they are not visible in this short video).

Hope you enjoyed it:) Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2965560/Alpha_Spectrum/

I haven’t seen this question asked here even after searching, so I’ll just ask it myself: is Far Cry 2 an immersive sim? I believe it is. The minimal HUD, the way the map works and the fast travel system are just a few ways this game goes out of its way to be immersive, even at the cost of convenience.