Back in the 70s to late 90s, video games were ripe for experimentation. Many of the first commercially sold titles were electronic versions of games that could be enjoyed in the real world, such as Ping-Pong and Chess. However, as the hardware improved, developers took the opportunity to provide new experiences. The platformer genre introduced by Donkey Kong was inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto's love for Popeye cartoons.

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During the mid-2000s, publishers became less willing to experiment, electing to instead chase the hottest new trends. However, independent developers still continue to toy with different genres to provide new experiences. The willingness that indie developers have to tinker and subvert is something that is severely lacking in the AAA gaming space.

10 Gamers Refused The Call From Haven Call Of The King

Haven Call of the King 81V0IGrnF3L Cropped

Developed by Traveller Tales and published by Midway, Haven Call of the King was an ambitious mixture of platforming, racing, open-world, and much more. Director Jon Burton was heavily inspired by the Amiga title Mercenary, which also blended several different gameplay elements into a seamless unified experience.

Midway even went as far as to trademark the term "FreeFormer gameplay," believing that this title would lead to an entire franchise with a similar formula. Unfortunately, the game bombed commercially. Much of this could probably be attributed to the main character, whose cornrows and soul patch made for a dorky-looking protagonist.

9 Gamers Got A Little Help From Their Friends In Indivisible

Anja and the cast from Indivisible

Part platforming Metroidvania, part turn-based RPG, Indivisible put players in the role of Ajna and several other characters as she harnessed their abilities to thwart the ambitions of an evil empire. Players maneuvered mainly by running and jumping in 2D platforming sections, but when it came time to fight, the gameplay would switch to a JRPG battle formula reminiscent of Paper Mario and Valkyrie Profile.

Much like titles such as Metroid and Castlevania, Anja would run into obstacles that required a certain ability to progress. Unfortunately, the dissolution of Lab Zero Games meant the end of continued support for the title.

8 Moonlighter Is Part Dungeon Crawler, Part Sales Management

Player fighting the Colem King in Moonlighter

The indie scene is overpopulated by roguelikes and dungeon crawlers with pixilated visuals. If Moonlighter had been content to just be another addition to the pile, it would have been fine, but developer Digital Sun managed to provide a nice twist on the formula by adding in elements of business management sim elements.

Players can take the loot they've acquired through their expeditions and sell them at shops that they themselves also manage. The funds are then used to maintain and upgrade the shop and town. Needless to say, the CVs of these adventurers are sure to raise an eyebrow or two.

7 EA Deliberately Kept Brutal Legend's Main Gameplay A Secret

Brutal Legend Promo

When players first get their hands on Tim Schafer's heavy metal adventure, they could be forgiven for mistaking the game as another hack-and-slash title with some elements of driving and open-world exploration. However, a couple of missions in, players are gradually introduced to new mechanics, such as giving commands to allies, protecting their base of operations, and utilizing the unique abilities of their comrades.

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It's only a matter of time before gamers realize that they're playing an RTS in disguise. Schafer claims that publisher EA deliberately kept this nature of the game a secret to avoid scaring consumers.

6 Spiritfarer Shows That Gestures Of Kindless Aren't Unimportant

Stella's ship from Spiritfarer

Spiritfarer puts players in control of a young girl named Stella, who has just been given the eponymous role and a ship. The job mainly entails traveling the sea, escorting souls on her vessel, tending to their needs, and then sending them to their final resting place. The gameplay is a mixture of open world, platforming, management sim, and base building.

Players will be able to fully customize their ship in order to cater to their passengers' every need. When the time comes to say goodbye, it's all the more heart-wrenching remembering all the lessons players learned and the small gestures of kindness.

5 The Quest For Glory Tiles Mixed Graphic Adventure And RPGs

Quest for Glory IV, Shadows of Darkness (1994) screenshot fighting a wyvern.

Conceived by husband and wife duo Lori and Corey Cole, the Quest for Glory titles allowed players to choose from three different character classes in order to solve the game's quests in any manner they saw fit. The games mixed customization and leveling elements of RPGs with an interface and puzzles reminiscent of graphic adventure games.

The second title, Trial by Fire, introduced a new unlockable class known as Paladin, which allowed players access to exclusive quests in subsequent entries. Best of all, players could import their hero's save throughout the series, years before Mass Effect came onto the scene.

4 ActRaiser Gave Players The Burden Of Being A Deity

Demonic forces attack the hero in ActRaiser

Enix's ActRaiser blended elements of side-scrolling action titles, RPGs, and god simulations to create one of the most emotionally-charged and unique experiences on the Super Nintendo. Players felt the power, the weight, and the burden of being an almighty deity in charge of protecting humanity as they purged the land of hostiles, guided the humans towards progress, and catered to their needs.

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The juxtaposition between the fighting and the management gameplay styles works perfectly for Enix's bittersweet tale of humanity and faith. The game saw a sequel that focused mainly on the action and a remaster in 2021.

3 Killer 7 Took On Different Tones And Gameplay Mechanics

The members of the Harman Syndicate in Killer7

The game that put Suda 51 on the map, Killer 7 was an eclectic mixture of graphic adventure games, rail shooters, survival horror, and third-person action titles. It's absolutely impressive that the game boasts such wildly varying gameplay styles and tonal shifts while still feeling thematically consistent.

The plot was a mixture of government conspiracy, psychological horror, pulp noir fiction, and so much more. Upon release, Killer 7 was met with a polarizing reception from gamers and critics. One of the title's most ardent supporters was Yahtzee Croshaw of The Escapist, who praised it for flaunting convention and exploring what the medium could do.

2 Shadow Of The Colossus

Wander facing down a Colossus in Shadow of the Colossus game

Fumito Ueda and his team at Sony Japan Studio proved that Ico was no fluke with their sophomore title, Shadow of the Colossus. The game was an emotionally-charged journey that tasked players with scaling and slaying several giant creatures to bring Wander's betrothed back to life.

The gameplay consisted of traversing the barren yet beautiful landscape to find the colossi scattered throughout. Once players found them, defeating them was a mixture of puzzle-solving, third-person shooting, and platforming. Witnessing the deaths of these majestic creatures is enough to make players question whether their cause is as just and noble as it first seemed.

1 Undertale Never Ceases To Surprise

Undertale Toriel holding Frisk's hand Cropped

Once in a while, a game comes out that experiments with different genres to break boundaries in the medium that players just didn't notice for the longest time. Toby Fox's crowdfunded classic Undertale is definitely one of those titles. The game starts out as a sort of riff on JRPG titles with elements of bullet hell shooters and visual novels.

Gradually, even this mixture is revealed to just be the surface of an experience that blends several gameplay elements to deliver an experience that somehow feels both familiar and new. Just when players think they've seen all the game's tricks, it still manages to surprise.

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