Summary
Multiple dimensions aren’t a new concept, but recent mainstream fiction has really taken hold of it. Commercial-minded studios love it since it offers countless money-making opportunities. It looks likeLife is Strange: Double Exposureis more interested in the narrative possibilities of jumping between dimensions, however.
Gamers would expect the series to focus on the story, especially judging by the prior entries. Other games to play beforehand, listed below, also involve jumping and weaving between dimensions, similarly doing it to tell a good supernatural tale. They probably are not doing the same thingDouble Exposureis doing, but nothing is like the uniqueLife is Strangeseries.
For longtime fans, there is a lot of familiarity with the 2021 entry in the series. However, it is impossible not to be impressed by the gorgeous visuals. On top of that, jumping between the game’s various dimensions is seamless, taking full advantage of the PlayStation 5’s lightning-fast loading times.
Rift Apartis the perfect game for young teens and kids into the medium. The humor is juvenile but its story deals with relatable emotional themes while never talking down to its audience.
It is not immediately clear what dimension-hopping has to do withthe story inBioShock Infinite.Even once Elizabeth’s powers are on full display it does not feel like more than a gaming mechanic.
Near the end, however, it starts going off the rails in the best way and multiple dimensions have everything to do with it. TheBurial at SeaDLC episodes jump further down the dimension-hopping wormhole and creatively bring theBioShockseries full circle.
While the gameplay might lack the immersive sim elements of its predecessor in favor of more straightforward action, the narrative is more cerebral than ever.
SinceMortal Kombatin 2011, the series has been dealing with wild time travel shenanigans.Mortal Kombat 1is once again a reset of the timeline, but it does not stay simple for long.
Soon into the story, multiple dimensions meet up, resulting in an ending that mixesDeadly Alliance, Deception,andArmageddon- the three PS2Mortal Kombattitles- all into one.
As cool as this is, it would have been nicer to see these three games retold in longer stories, but it is impossible to deny the fun absurdity for whichMortal Kombatis known.
The more cynical perspective is that it is easy to use the multiverse story as an excuse for infinitely many microtransactions for alternate costumes.
The Mediumis a horror game by Bloober Team that takes heavy influence from titles likeResident Eviland especiallySilent Hill. Combat, however, is completely out of the equation for this title.
The main mechanic is interacting with the spirit realm to get passed obstacles and solve puzzles. The game takes place in Poland and uses the setting’s history as a part of its narrative. Some might take issue with the direction it goes since it deals with some intense trauma, so players should be aware of that before heading it.
Not only is theSilent Hillcomparison obvious, but it is appropriate since the developer also developed theSilent Hill 2remake.
A Link Between Worldsisnot the onlyZeldagamedeserving to be on this list. Its spiritual predecessor,A Link to the Past, also has a mechanic where Link switches between two parallel worlds on the fly.
A Link Between Worldstakes place in both Hyrule and Lorule - a creative name for a parallel dimension - and switches between the two regularly during the journey. Another new mechanic is the ability to phase into walls for brief sidescrolling segments, so one can say Link jumps between dimensions in more ways than one.
Putting games on the list that switch between 2D and 3D would be against the spirit of the list, but it is worth noting games with this mechanic likeSuper Mario Odyssey,Super Paper Mario, andThe Plucky Squire.
Fans would have been more than happy with a faithful remake of the classic 1997 RPG, but the developers at Square Enix had so much more planned. The first game of the remake trilogy feels like a detailed recreation until it takes a sudden turn in the last act.
Characters who originally died were supposed to live and people who were killed were brought back by mysterious powers called whispers to ensure things stay on course. Then, notable characters seemed to show up in an entirely different timeline.
The second title of the trilogy further dives into the multiple dimensions, but its true purpose still feels like a mystery. Hopefully, the final game sticks the landing and makes it all come together.
Alan Waketakes place mostly in Bright Falls with some detours into the mysterious Dark Place. The long-awaited sequel,Alan Wake 2, splits its time evenly between the real world and the Dark Place where reality seems to have no rules.
It is a full-on survival horror trek throughTwin Peaks-influenced madness. The game ends on an intense cliffhanger, so fans can rest assured that the story will continue either in a thirdAlan Wakeor the nextControl, which takes place in the same continuity.
