With his untimely passing, filmmaker and visionary David Lynch has left a legacy that spans multiple mediums, including music, novels, and especially video games.
His influence shaped old and new gaming stories, each imbued with that distinct ‘Lynchian’ feel of being trapped in a surreal and otherworldly space, all wrapped in an air of supposed mundanity.
In this list, we explore the games inspired by David Lynch. While there may be others we've overlooked, these impressive titles wouldn’t exist without his influence. The games mentioned here are not necessarily horror but carry his unmistakable touch.
Alan Wake
If there’s a video game that strongly exudes David Lynch’s influence, it’s none other than Remedy Entertainment’s supernatural-horror game Alan Wake.
While it draws heavily from Stephen King’s works, it also borrows elements from notable influences, including Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves.
Alan Wake is the result of multiple inspirations, yet it likely wouldn’t have reached players’ hands without Lynch’s influence — especially Twin Peaks.
The game’s mix of small-town investigative crime with a flurry of supernatural shenanigans speaks volumes about Lynch’s impact.
Its story is wholly unpredictable, chronicling Alan’s slow descent into madness as he grapples with his life as a has-been author, dealing with pressing marital issues and crippling writer’s block. Trapped in the ‘Dark Place,’ Alan’s story remains ongoing even 14 years after the game’s release. Sam Lake’s artistic vision and intricate meta-narrative still linger in players' minds.
Alan Wake is a wild blend of genres. It’s supernatural yet doesn’t shy away from being campy at times. With his knack for metafiction and weaving himself into other stories (even Fortnite), Alan’s tale is far from over.
Life Is Strange
Although nuance isn’t its strongest suit, DON'T NOD’s first Life Is Strange title is heavily rooted in Lynchian themes: a missing woman presumed dead, dreamlike powers that manipulate reality, and a wild goose chase involving murder.
Chloe Price’s local band in the interquel Before the Storm is called Firewalk — a direct nod Twin Peaks fans will recognize immediately. For something really on the nose, Chloe's truck has a TWN PKS plate, as seen in the Tweet above.
Life Is Strange tells a story of friendship, love, and teenage angst. While it involves time travel, this is arguably the least important aspect of the game. It’s a young adult story steeped in an indie soundtrack, evocative of a John Green novel.
Silent Hill 2
With its stilted dialogue, unexplained plot points, disjointed narrative beats, and unsettling liminal spaces, Silent Hill 2 (whether the original or the remake) undeniably draws from Lynchian themes.
While it’s not as dark or gruesome as Lynch’s works, the story of James Sunderland’s grief and depression takes cues from ‘Lost Highway.’
The game’s exploration of dual personalities or Doppelgangers, is a recurring theme in Lynch’s works. It is evident through the characters Maria and Mary — two sides of the same coin and manifestations of James’s twisted coping mechanisms.
It’s a game that likely wouldn’t exist without Lynch’s influence.
Immortality
Sam Barlow’s interactive drama about a failed movie star takes inspiration from Lynch’s works, most notably Mulholland Drive. Barlow also cites influences from Alfred Hitchcock and House of Leaves.
In my opinion, Immortality is one of the best experimental games I’ve ever played. Its FMV-style gameplay is executed brilliantly, evoking an unsettling sense of something bizarre lurking beneath the surface. I won’t spoil it for you, as it’s best played blind, especially if you’re a huge fan of Barlow’s other works such as Her Story and Telling Lies.
The haunting tale of Marissa Marcel explores passion, ambition, and sacrifice. By the time I rolled the credits, I was left in a bizarre uncomfortable state. The ending wasn't something I expected, but it left a lasting impression.
Immortality's premise is similar to Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, only without the body horror and experimental drugs.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima is a master of his craft, and his love for interactive mediums has cemented him as an auteur in the gaming industry. Standout titles like the Metal Gear series have birthed a whole genre of games, blending stealth, metafiction, and political memes.
While Death Stranding isn’t an ‘in-your-face’ Lynchian story, Kojima draws a few influences from Lynch’s works, most notably Twin Peaks, arguably Lynch’s most influential creation. The game’s ending is where I feel it closely mirrors Lynch’s style.
Without spoiling too much, Sam and Amelie are whisked into a purgatory-like space where time becomes relative — something reminiscent of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. In this surreal setting, past, present, and future collide as Sam faces a tough decision: preserve humanity or save Amelie.
Their relationship is a complex one; even I struggled to fully grasp the true nature of their bond. Ultimately, the game concluded with a lengthy cutscene that felt like a movie. All I know is that Death Stranding took me to an emotional place that lingered long after the credits rolled.
But I digress, Immortality, Alan Wake, Life is Strange, Death Stranding and Silent Hill 2 are works that adds value to Lynch’s influence to the gaming world. Not only are they highly rated games, they’ve also influenced a whole new generation of titles.
There are other games that have that Lynchian feel, most notably Disco Elysium, Oxenfree, Kentucky Route Zero, and even Suda 51’s Flower, Sun and Moon.
But talking about the other titles might take us forever, so these 5 hand-picked titles made me appreciate Lynch’s legacy, as these games have also made an impact on me as a gamer.