I’m looking for story-heavy and/or artsy PC games with the same playing style as This War of Mine – but which won’t throw me into a pit of emotional despair.
Horror, sci-fi, and fantasy preferred, but I’m open to other themes too.
Thanks in advance!
I remember FAR: Lone Sails being enjoyable when I played it. Night in the Woods is a big rec too
Owlboy!
Inside
Little Nightmares (isometric)
“but won’t trow me into a pit of emotional despair”
Your suggestions are both amazing games, but I would like to confirm to OP that these games are quite distopian and feature some body horror.
Spirit Farer
Absolutely fantastic game
Inside is good, less story heavy and more fascinating world that makes you think. It’s pretty short and maybe not quite what you’re after but as it’s often on sale dirt cheap and like 2 hours long it’s probably worth a look.
You could also look at American Arcadia. I’ve not finished it yet but it’s pretty good so far and fits your bill for side scrolling with story focus.
The Artful Escape, though it’s more of a sidescrolling platformer
Journey of the Broken Circle! Played this on switch and it deserves more attention.
A short, side scrolling platformer about connection and love.
Child of Light? Side-scrolling RPG, with a young Austrian princess waking up in a fantasy world. Very artsy and oniric, emotional but more on the hopeful side.
I’ve been playing Dredge a lot. Good game, art style and music is nice. Can be a bit spooky for some but I enjoy it.