A lot of the 3D games I consider touchstones of thoughtful player movement are a decade or more old: Mirror's Edge, of course, Titanfall 2, Dishonored 2, Doom Eternal or ARMA 3. That's by no means a comprehensive list, but these are the games that come to mind when I think about in-game movement that feels incredibly considered. And if ARMA 3 feels out of place in that list, its sim-style tactical physicality is memorable to anyone who plays it even briefly (me).

These each set the ceiling high for what you could achieve with their controls, if you were prepared to learn them. Each offered a power fantasy of some kind to be mastered, whether you're wall-running onto a mech or peeking out across a field to line up a perfect shot.

In recent years, though, I feel like it's increasingly common to find developers who want to capture granular, basic movements from real life that have no power fantasy element whatsoever. Things that would've sounded so boring if they were back-of-the-box features during the age of Quake 2 and Half-Life. I'm talking about walking slowly. Steadily moving up a cliff face. Mantling awkwardly over surfaces. Getting defeated by a slightly high rock and taking the long way around. Falling on your arse if you tumble down a small hill.

They're about finding the fun in something as simple as balancing the packages you're carrying in Death Stranding, or escaping the mud in Snowrunner. 'Boring' games with a simulation aspect are as old as PC gaming itself, but this newer crop are tapping into something more universal and compelling that strikes a chord with players.

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