Netflix launched its gaming service just over a year ago to little fanfare. However, many people are still unaware that Netflix offers a free suite of games for Android and iPhone users.
The service launched in November of last year and has seen several updates throughout the year. They have added everything from puzzle strategies to current Game of the Year contenders. Here we list the ten best games on Netflix games.
Scriptic Crime Stories: Detective Phone Simulation
Scriptic: Crime Stories puts you in the shoes of a detective attempting to solve a series of crimes. The first crime involves a young boy found dead at the base of a building, while the second consists of the death of a cam model. You must scrub through the evidence, send it to the correct department, and crack the case.
Scriptic is a mobile-based experience that feels right at home on Netflix games. The interactive story and mature themes make it feel like you’re playing a Netflix-style crime thriller. For true crime fans, it’s a must-play.
This Is a True Story: A Hand-Drawn Adventure
This is a true story is a puzzle adventure taking place in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s a beautiful game featuring hand-drawn animations and a story based on interviews with real people from the area.
The narrative is about a woman traveling to get clean water for her family, a daily struggle for the people. It’s a beautiful game with a short run time, perfect for a quick play-through. This true story is an exclusive title, only available on Netflix Games.
Heads Up: The Classic Party Game
Heads up places a word on the player’s phone screen that the other players must try to make the phone holder guess. The player places the phone up to their forehead so they cannot see the word, only the other players. It’s a blast to play with friends at home, at a bar, or waiting in line at a theme park.
If you were annoyed with the free version available on IOS and Android, you’re in luck! The entire game is free with Netflix Games. The version available in the play store and apple store constantly asks you to purchase more decks, but with Netflix Games, you get loaded up with a ton of free decks based on Netflix properties. Heads up might not be the most ambitious game on our list, but it’s a blast to play with friends, and the Netflix version is hard to beat.
Exploding Kittens: Get The Card Game On Your Phone Exclusively Through Netflix
In a bizarre move, Netflix licensed the popular card game Exploding Kittens for a game and a TV show. The mobile game features the same gameplay as the card game but with a few extra cards thrown into the mix. Netflix also plans to add cards to the game based on the show in the future.
Taking a big property like this shows that Netflix is serious about its gaming division. The brand also works really well on mobile. It’s a fantastic multiplayer game, and we hope to see more bold moves like this from Netflix Games in the future.
Stranger Things 1984: Explore The Upside Down In Beautiful Pixel Art
Stranger Things 1984 is a retro-style mobile game that follows the events of the show’s first season. The pixelated world of Hawkins looks beautiful and pairs perfectly with the aesthetic of Stranger Things.
Stranger Things 1984 controls great for a mobile game and feels like a SNES game from the 90s. Our only complaint is the length, as we would have liked to spend more time exploring the world. But fortunately for those who can’t get enough, a sequel is also available exclusively on Netflix Games.
Before Your Eyes: A Narrative Afterlife Experience Controlled By Your Eyes
Before your eyes is a narrative game that is controlled by your blinks.
The game begins right after you have died, and a mysterious ferryman appears who wants you to show him your life. The game then shows you scenes from your life, each scene changing when you blink.
Using your phone camera as a gameplay mechanic is a novel idea, and the story presented is powerful. Of course, the game would have worked well on its own, but the unique blinking mechanic makes Before your eyes a truly memorable experience.
Into The Breach: Tactical Turn-Based Mech Combat
Into the Breach is a tactical turn-based strategy game that plays great on mobile. Unfortunately, matches take around thirty minutes to complete, which can be a drag if you play on the go. But other than the long fight times, Into the Breach is the perfect addition to Netflix Games.
We love strategy games and Into the Breach is one of our favorites. Turn-based combat feels so good on mobile, and we would love to see more titles like this make it onto the Netflix service.
Oxenfree: Releasing Spirits
Oxenfree puts you in the shoes of Alex, a teenager on vacation to visit some friends. While hanging out with her friends, she accidentally unleashes an evil spirit, and it’s up to the team to figure out how to put the spirit back. There are no game-over screens, and the game’s ending depends entirely on choices made throughout the game.
Oxenfree is a delightful narrative experience, focusing on dialogue options and simple puzzles rather than quick combat. It’s the kind of game that is perfectly on brand for Netflix, and bringing it to their gaming service was brilliant. The narrative can be experienced in bite-size chunks or long play sessions. However you choose to enjoy it, Oxeenfree surely will not disappoint.
Immortality: Interactive Cinema On Netflix
Netflix has dabbled in interactive cinema before with their Black Mirror spin-off and Bear Gryll’s choose your own adventure show. Still, nothing they produced has reached the quality of Immortality. Immortality is the latest game from Sam Barlow and his studio Half-Mermaid. Known for FMV storytelling, the team this time has created three separate films, all starring the ill-fated Marissa Marcel. Unfortunately, none of these films were ever released, and it’s up to the player to learn what happened to the young actress by scrubbing through her catalog of work.
Immortality is one of our favorite games of the year and one of this year’s best Xbox console exclusives. The game’s cinematic nature makes it best played on a larger screen, but its inclusion on Netflix Games is a treat. Immortality will stick with you long after the credits roll, regardless of how you play the game.
Kentucky Route Zero: A Narrative Masterpiece
Kentucky Route Zero is a point-and-click adventure taking place in a dreamlike version of Kentucky. The main goal of Kentucky Route Zero is to take a truckload of antiques to 5 Dogwood Drive by way of the aforementioned road. This set up though is really just set dressing, as the game deals with themes of debt, alcoholism, and loss, all told through beautiful visuals and a haunting soundtrack.
Kentucky Route Zero takes place over five acts, with intermission levels parsed in between. These easy-to-mark stopping points make it an excellent game for mobile. The gameplay is sparse; the only mechanic is movement and dialogue options. There are also no game over screens and no way to mess up the story, as the main beats progress the same regardless of your dialogue choice. Kentucky Route Zero is truly a remarkable achievement in gaming, and the accessibility of it on Netflix Games hopefully means more people will get to experience this masterpiece.
Do you agree with our list? Are you upset we left out the Too Hot To Handle game? What other games do you think would be great additions to Netflix Games? Let us know in the comments.
