Surrealism was first implemented in cinema during the 1920s and has since gained great popularity throughout multiple mediums. It intended to revitalize what cinema was by inserting bizarre and uncomfortable imagery to tell a more unique story. For a video game to be considered surreal, certain elements need to be included. The concept of logic needs to be somewhat abandoned, while more nonsensical ideas are embraced. Some surrealist texts even incorporate dream-like scenarios as a means of conveying their baffling themes and story arcs.
Though otherworldly imagery is often a key means of achieving surrealism, there are times when an unusual story is more than enough to effectively convey it. Whether the surreal elements are confined to one level or spread throughout an entire game doesn't matter so long as the concept is employed with respect.
5 Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth By Sleep: A Fragmentary Passage
Kingdom Hearts 0.2 can be completed in approximately 4 hours depending on how quickly the story is advanced. Though its runtime would suggest that not much happens, this unlikely prelude featured some of the most absurd imagery and themes present in the entire series. The brief story follows Aqua on her journey through the Realm of Darkness and the inner battle she must win if she hopes to escape.
The further Aqua ventures into this labyrinthian world, the more vulnerable she becomes to the darkness. Her mind is clouded with illusions of her friends, but her memories of them have been distorted. The most surreal moment she experiences sees her facing off against a clone of herself who emerges from a magical mirror. Though her story is short, its surrealist approach makes it stand out from other entries in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.
4 Life Is Strange
Life is Strange follows the story of Max Caulfield, a photography student who, while in attendance at Blackwell Academy, discovers that she can rewind time. This ability comes about after she witnesses her classmate, Nathan Prescott, shooting her friend, Chloe Price. In a sudden burst of emotion, she learns she can freeze time and uses this newfound ability to prevent the death of her friend. The two escape the fate they were destined for and Max explains how she was able to save Chloe with these powers, a revelation that leads the two to form a strong bond.
Most of the game follows a relatively simple premise, but the finale gives way to a much more ethereal setting. While investigating the death of Rachel Amber, Max uncovers that Mark Jefferson has been kidnapping, drugging, and photographing students from the academy. Upon being captured, she is forced to undergo the same level of torture and enters into an otherworldly realm crawling with horrific imagery made even more unsettling by her state in the real world.
3 Outlast 2
Outlast 2 documents the story of Blake Langermann as he wanders the Supai region of Coconino County in search of clues about the death of Jane Doe. Though he and his wife had intended to document the town from the safety of a hired helicopter, a sudden burst of light results in the aircraft crash landing, forcing the company to search for a way out.
The journey Blake makes to uncover the answers he seeks is wrought with terrifying enemies and sinister plots, but the most jarring aspect of the game is experienced during Blake's flashbacks. While progressing through the story, Blake will experience several memories of his time in school. Each of these scenarios depicts a contorted version of his past full of terrifying imagery that encourages the player to question Blake's past. The surrealist elements in Outlast 2 are used to convey a much deeper story about its characters, all while evoking fear in the process.
2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
The original Final Fantasy 7 told a relatively simple story about good triumphing over evil, but the remake aimed to completely alter the story fans have come to know and love. The story sees Cloud attempting to prevent Sephiroth from summoning Meteor and destroying the world. Though Cloud will likely have a similar role to fill in the remake, Sephiroth's knowledge of the events destined to unfold has made his job much more challenging.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake becomes surreal when it embraces its updated story. It appears that Sephiroth has developed a new plan to achieve his goals, but doing so requires him to alter the course of time. Tampering with destiny results in fate adopting a physical form and attempting to stop Sephiroth by submerging him in a distorted version of Midgar. Cloud and his friends become caught in the crossfire of these two entities and are forced to beat them both to progress forward. The world they are transported to by these beings is nothing like the one they know; it is full of horrific beasts and crumbling landscapes reminiscent of a nightmare.
1 NieR: Automata
The NieR franchise has always had a fascination with the absurd, with NieR: Automata being its most unusual entry yet. Set in a post-apocalyptic world wherein human life has been eradicated, the story follows a group of androids as they attempt to prepare the planet for humanity's eventual return. 2B and 9S are YoRHa units tasked with ensuring the sanctity of the world, but their journey across Earth's vast and desolate wastelands leads them to uncover some truly horrifying secrets.
The game is chock-full of disturbing images and scenarios that evoke senses of dread while also encouraging speculation. Religious themes are scattered throughout, with the most obvious reference being the names of Adam and Eve, two of the game's main antagonists. These two spend their time in NieR transfixed by biblical verses and historical texts and eventually try to replicate a sense of humanity, but their attempts are poorly executed due to their unhinged minds.