Any adventure games openly dealing with esoteric ideas?

[The Fool]

Hi guys,

For quite some time I had great interest in various "wierd" topics (esoteric ideas, UFOs, secret societies etc.).
Does anyone of you recall any adventure or other game that would openly (at least to some degree) and skilfully
dealt with these things?

The only ones I can remember are Broken Sword (one world government conspircies, bathomet...),
Atlantis (artistic reimagining of mystical Atlantis), Longest Journey (various skilfully implanted "deeper" ideas)
and Psychonauts (inner work, facing and transforming personal demons...).

[Cassiebsg]

Uhm... the only ones I can thing of are... almost all of them?

[Ali]

Can I recommend the flawed gem that is Culpa Innata: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culpa_Innata

It's an bad game in many ways - unfinished, ugly, confusing. But it's very original, mature and intelligent in others. I have no regrets

[Babar]

Gabriel Knight?

[The Fool]

Cassiebsg: Yup, all stories do it to a certain degree some do it more than others.
Probably all good movies have some element of "mystery" or "something deeper" within them, but not all
of them are The Matrix.

Ali: Awesome, that looks like exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. Thank you! )

[The Fool]

Babar: Aaaah, I forgot about it!

[Danvzare]

Let's not forget Zak McKracken.
A game all about urban legends and conspiracies.

Oh, and Deus Ex. It's not really an adventure game, but it's definitely got what you're asking for.
And let's face it, everyone should play that game at some point in their lives.
I'm talking about the original Deus Ex that was released in 2000.

[ThreeOhFour]

Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator is about investigating the paranormal as a guy called Ben Jordan.

[Blondbraid]

I'd recommend the Secret Files series by Deep Silver, which has both weird cults and aliens.
The first two games and the spinoff may not have very deep or thought-provoking stories, but they are entertaining and fun.

But you can skip the third game, the story is a rushed mess and the puzzles nonsensical even by adventure game standards.

[KyriakosCH]

From games made with AGS, i liked Sisyphus reborn (?) Pretty nice, and about what it means (or not) to live.

Gabriel Knight wasn't (imo) particularly "esoteric" in regards to an actual inner/retrospective mood. It is about cults (voodoo).
Broken Sword was very stylish and one of my favourite adventures, but again not really a thinking game imo.

Downfall (and Cat Lady) were good, and it paid that they are indie. Dark tone and some very atmospheric passages. Maybe too supernatural-tied to be esoteric.

Sanitarium, although very well made, is more on the surface.

[VampireWombat]

Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines at the least has such stuff talked about on tv and radio in the background. The overall plotline of the game may even count depending on which clan you choose (Malkavian probably the most) and which options you choose.
I haven't actually played it, but the MMO The Secrer World is all about that kind of stuff. Directly from the Steam page: "Imagine if every myth, conspiracy theory and urban legend was true--a world where you align with secret societies and face the looming darkness."
I'm sure you can probably find a campaign for one of the Shadowrun games which fits.

The Edna and Harvey games may even fit. I haven't finished The Breakout yet, so I don't know how deeply it delves into things, but it at least falls under the "weird" part.
Idunno if I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream truly fits or not. I've only managed to finish with one character and it's a very dark game. Harvester might count. I've only played a few minutes, so I don't know how well anything is actually handled. But it most definitely has the weird part covered.

Even Fallout 3/New Vegas could fit depending on your perks, choices, etc.