Games Like Arctic Awakening

Rethink human’s dominion in The Invincible: a story-driven adventure set in a hard sci-fi world by Stanisław Lem. Discover planet Regis III as scientist Yasna, use atompunk tools looking for a missing crew and face unforeseen threats. Make choices in a philosophical story that’s driven by science.

Why similar: Robots 17.7%, Conversation 14.9%, Thriller 14.6%, Walking Simulator 14%, Choices Matter 10.6%

Why You'll Like It: This sci-fi narrative adventure mirrors the first-person exploration and philosophical mystery found in the Arctic setting.

Firewatch is a single-player first-person mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness, where your only emotional lifeline is the person on the other end of a handheld radio.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.1%, Mystery 11.9%, Story Rich 9.4%, First-Person 9.2%, Atmospheric 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: Like Arctic Awakening, this game features a central, evolving relationship with a companion via radio in a remote, atmospheric wilderness.

Uncover the mystery of Thalassa, a first-person psychological drama set under the sea. Ill-fate has fallen on your former crew and friends and it’s up to you to find answers onboard the wreckage. Experience the melancholic underwater journey of human stories facing life and loss.

Why similar: Narrative 19.2% ★, First-Person 15.9%, Atmospheric 10.2%, Walking Simulator 9.1%, Adventure 9%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-focused mystery that emphasizes emotional storytelling and first-person exploration in a remote location.

The Moon has gone dark, cutting off Earth’s last source of energy. As a lone astronaut, you’ll explore abandoned lunar bases, solve intricate puzzles, and navigate stunning zero-gravity environments. Operate advanced vehicles, uncover hidden truths, and survive in this gripping sci-fi thriller.

Why similar: Sci-fi 16.3%, Drama 12.2%, Adventure 11.7%, Indie 10.2%, Mystery 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: This title captures the feeling of being a lone protagonist in a desolate, sci-fi environment trying to solve a global mystery.

Northern Canada, 1970. A strange blizzard ravages Atamipek Lake. Step into the shoes of a detective to explore the eerie village, investigate surreal events, and battle the elements to survive. Kona is a chilly interactive tale you won't soon forget.

Why similar: Survival 19.1%, Walking Simulator 17%, Open World 15.4%, First-Person 12.6%, Atmospheric 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: Set in a snowy, isolated landscape, this game shares the investigative mystery and atmospheric tension of the Arctic setting.

Tacoma is a sci-fi narrative adventure from the creators of Gone Home. Set aboard a high-tech space station in the year 2088, explore every detail of how the station’s crew lived and worked, finding the clues that add up to a gripping story of trust, fear, and resolve in the face of disaster.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.5%, Sci-fi 13.4%, Narrative 12% ★, Story Rich 9.6%, First-Person 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: It features a strong focus on uncovering a mystery through environmental storytelling and interacting with an AI companion in a isolated sci-fi setting.

Deliver Us Mars is an atmospheric sci-fi adventure taking you on a suspense-fuelled, high-stakes mission to recover the ARK colony ships stolen by the mysterious Outward.

Why similar: Thriller 28.6%, Robots 25.4%, Sci-fi 14.3%, First-Person 11.1%, Story Rich 10.2%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a similar blend of high-stakes sci-fi exploration, narrative-driven puzzles, and harsh, unforgiving environments.

Stan, a professional diver in the North Sea, is struggling to overcome a life-changing loss during an extended mission underwater. Stuck in his self-imposed solitude, he starts to experience strange events and will have to make the most significant choice of his life...

Why similar: Narrative 25% ★, Exploration 13.9%, Sci-fi 13.1%, Story Rich 13%, Atmospheric 11%

Why You'll Like It: This game captures the feeling of isolation and emotional narrative depth while exploring a vast, dangerous environment.

From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent comes SOMA, a sci-fi horror game set below the waves of the Atlantic ocean. Struggle to survive a hostile world that will make you question your very existence.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 18.8%, Drama 13.6%, Sci-fi 12.5%, First-Person 10.9%, Story Rich 9%

Why You'll Like It: This game masterfully combines deep sci-fi themes, isolation, and a narrative-heavy first-person experience.

Event[0] is a sci-fi narrative exploration game where you build a relationship with a lonely spaceship computer to get home to Earth.

Why similar: Choices Matter 17.1%, Sci-fi 14.5%, Mystery 13.3%, Walking Simulator 10.9%, First-Person 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: It centers on a unique, text-based relationship with an AI companion, mirroring the core dynamic of the therapy bot in the seed game.

What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she's the last one in her family left alive.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.7%, Story Rich 16.2%, Mystery 12.9%, First-Person 10.4%, Atmospheric 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: The gold standard for narrative-driven walking simulators that focus on uncovering a deep, personal mystery through exploration.

A story-driven, first-person adventure game offering a cinematic experience. Embark on a journey to HaustVille, an abandoned settlement in a post-apocalyptic world. Explore your surroundings and uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of the last survivors.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.3%, Mystery 15.4%, Drama 15.4%, First-Person 9%, Story Rich 9%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused walking simulator that prioritizes atmosphere and story-rich exploration.

The Fidelio Incident is a single-player, first-person thriller set off the coast of Iceland. Inspired by Beethoven's only opera Fidelio. After a violent plane crash, Stanley must search a desolate frozen island in search of his wife Leonore while covering up any traces of their bloody Irish past.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 33.8%, Thriller 19.4%, Mystery 10.2%, First-Person 9.3%, Story Rich 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person narrative adventure that focuses on survival, mystery, and the psychological state of the protagonist.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery. Purchase this game to get both the original and the Unreal Engine 4 remaster called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.5%, Mystery 19.6%, First-Person 11.2%, Atmospheric 10.7%, Exploration 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: A beautiful, narrative-heavy mystery game that relies on environmental storytelling and first-person investigation.

Observation is a sci-fi thriller uncovering what happened to Dr. Emma Fisher, and the crew of her mission, through the lens of the station’s artificial intelligence S.A.M.

Why similar: Thriller 18.3%, Sci-fi 18.1%, Indie 16.1%, Adventure 15%, Story Rich 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: You play as an AI station system, offering a unique perspective on a sci-fi mystery that aligns with the AI-companion themes.

Quarantined inside an airlock. No memories. No way out. The remaining crew thinks there’s something wrong with you, but the Voice says it’ll help you escape. Navigate volatile conversations & unravel mysteries in this narrative adventure about trust, self-destruction, & shifting identities.

Why similar: Narrative 34.4% ★, Conversation 13.5%, Drama 11.2%, Choices Matter 8.6%, Mystery 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy exploration game that focuses on uncovering secrets in a mysterious, isolated setting.

The Fall of Lazarus is first person exploration and puzzle game. A deeply narrative scifi mystery game based on the exploration of an abandoned cargo spaceship about redemption and second chances.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 17.7%, Sci-fi 14.9%, Mystery 14.3%, First-Person 10.6%, Exploration 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: A sci-fi narrative adventure that focuses on exploration and uncovering the truth behind a mysterious event.

THE LONG DARK is a thoughtful, exploration-survival experience that challenges solo players to think for themselves as they explore an expansive frozen wilderness in the aftermath of a geomagnetic disaster. There are no zombies -- only you, the cold, and all the threats Mother Nature can muster.

Why similar: Survival 33.1%, Open World 21.4%, First-Person 11%, Exploration 9.6%, Atmospheric 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: It provides the definitive Arctic survival experience, focusing on the harsh reality of the cold and the necessity of careful exploration.

An atmospheric first-person narrative adventure set in a surreal seascape locked between ice and rock. Following an incident, you and a friend must find power, defeat strange and deadly creatures, and decipher what mysterious forces are attempting to prevent your escape. Escape together or die alone.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 31.3%, Choices Matter 18.4%, First-Person 13.4%, Story Rich 12.9%, Atmospheric 10.7%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, narrative-driven adventure that focuses on the isolation of an underwater environment.

The Shattering is a first-person, story-driven, psychological thriller. Its defining features are the dynamic environments, beautiful aesthetic and intriguing story. The gameplay is meant to submerge you in the mind of John, as you take each step forward into the twisted mystery of what happened.

Why similar: Thriller 37.2%, Indie 15.6%, Adventure 15.4%, First-Person 9.7%, Walking Simulator 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological thriller that uses first-person exploration to delve into the protagonist's memories and narrative arc.

Named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer, and The Guardian, Outer Wilds is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop.

Why similar: Mystery 19.4%, Open World 14.8%, Exploration 14.4%, Story Rich 11.7%, Sci-fi 10.6%

Why You'll Like It: While more open-ended, it shares the core loop of exploring a mysterious, dangerous environment to piece together a larger narrative puzzle.

Join Norah, a woman plagued by a mysterious illness, in her search for her missing husband in this adventure puzzle game set on a lush island paradise. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and unlock forbidden secrets in a moving tale of mystery and love.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 18.9%, First-Person 17.2%, Mystery 16.7%, Story Rich 13.4%, Atmospheric 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven adventure that balances puzzle-solving with a personal, character-focused mystery.

Moons of Madness is a first-person, story-driven cosmic horror game where the scientific exploration of Mars meets the supernatural dread of Lovecraft.

Why similar: Thriller 18.2%, Sci-fi 14.9%, Walking Simulator 12.8%, Survival 10.4%, First-Person 10%

Why You'll Like It: It blends sci-fi horror with narrative-driven exploration, perfect for those who enjoy the mystery elements of the seed game.

Unveil the truth in a genre-blending sci-fi mystery. Awaken from cryogenic slumber you find your shelter damaged by unknown circumstances. Scavenge your surroundings, repair the shelter and explore the ruins in hopes of uncovering – or perhaps avoiding – the uncomfortable truth of what has transpired.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 30.1%, Sci-fi 18.1%, Mystery 17.6%, Indie 12.3%, Adventure 11.9%

Why You'll Like It: A short, sci-fi mystery game that uses environmental storytelling to convey a sense of isolation and discovery.

The Silent Swan is a contemplative first-person narrative experience across a megalithic, derelict world. Mixing elements from both walking simulator and open levels.

Why similar: Thriller 18.4%, Drama 14.4%, Walking Simulator 14.4%, Open World 10.1%, Mystery 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: A story-rich, atmospheric adventure that emphasizes the journey through a desolate, ruined world.

A survival journey through a harsh world without rules or judgement. Only your choices matters in the face of moral dilemmas. Manage your party, food & equipment in this non-linear narrative survival sim with 34 possible endings.

Why similar: Narrative 39.8% ★, Choices Matter 12.9%, Survival 12.3%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.5%, Conversation 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: A survival-focused narrative game where choices matter, mirroring the decision-making aspects of the seed game.

Deep Beyond Is a first-person interactive thriller about a sea explorer and the mystery behind her father’s disappearance.

Why similar: Thriller 23.4%, Walking Simulator 20.9%, First-Person 10.1%, Drama 9.6%, Mystery 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: A puzzle-adventure game that emphasizes exploration and narrative progression in a mysterious setting.

Silence, cold, solitude… What lies ahead? A small atmospheric adventure about a robot lost in a frozen wasteland.

Why similar: Robots 29.7%, Walking Simulator 18.4%, Atmospheric 11.6%, Exploration 11.6%, Mystery 9.4%

Deep in international waters, Tesla’s Helios stands still. An unbound utopia for scientific research, Rose Archer steps aboard in search of her sister, quickly to discover not all is as it seems. A single word covers the entrance… QUARANTINE!

Why similar: Walking Simulator 45.1%, First-Person 19.4%, Adventure 14.6%, Indie 14%, Atmospheric 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person narrative thriller set in a confined, dangerous location that emphasizes story over combat.

Featuring a beautiful, detailed open-world and a haunting soundtrack, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is non-linear storytelling at its best.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 43.7%, Atmospheric 9.9%, First-Person 7.6%, Open World 7.4%, Story Rich 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: A quintessential walking simulator that excels at building a sense of mystery and narrative depth through environmental discovery.

Northern Québec, 1970. A bizarre mist —the Brume— is disconnecting a rural mining village from its quiet reality. Step into the shoes of Detective Carl Faubert as he unfolds the mysteries haunting the region while battling for his own survival.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 17.5%, Mystery 15.5%, First-Person 10.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.2%, Exploration 9.5%

They have no names, only serial numbers. They have no freedom, no memories from the past. You are one of them. Explore the last center of civilization on a shattered Earth to understand what is really going on.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 31%, Mystery 19.5%, Exploration 14.1%, Adventure 12.2%, Indie 11.6%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven walking simulator that focuses on atmosphere and the mystery of a strange, isolated environment.

Atmospheric first person adventure game focusing on immersion and exploration. Meet strange characters, discover secrets and try to unfold the mystery of the Fragmentation.

Why similar: Conversation 21.1%, Choices Matter 15.7%, Mystery 15%, First-Person 13.5%, Exploration 10.2%

Survival simulator in extreme conditions. The game takes place in the Arctic ocean. The pilot of a cargo plane makes a hard landing on the water. To survive, the player will have to search for a cargo washed up on the shore.

Why similar: Survival 28.1%, Open World 23.8%, Choose Your Own Adventure 23.4%, First-Person 15.7%, Adventure 6.2%

REVEIL is a narrative first-person psycho-thriller game that focuses on story, puzzles and exploration. Find out what’s going on inside Walter Thompson and what his dark past at the Nelson Bros Circus has to do with it.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 24%, Mystery 14.2%, Drama 13.2%, First-Person 12.8%, Exploration 8.3%

Imagined Leviathans is a narrative survival game set in a frozen British village. Explore the countryside and unite the survivors to face down your Leviathans together.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 14.6%, Choices Matter 11.2%, Mystery 10.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.5%, Point & Click 10.5%

An adventure about searching for a missing hunter and meeting with alien beings! Explore wild nature, climb on a rock, lure out a boar, meet a wolf, survive in a rockfall. Heal a deer and trick a creature! Meet the Unknown and find mystery!

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.7%, Point & Click 20.6%, Sci-fi 13.4%, Story Rich 11.9%, Exploration 9.9%

A realistic open-world survival experience. After a harrowing plane crash, you find yourself stranded in the wilderness. Battling freezing temperatures and hunger, you face an unknown virus that slowly paralyzes muscles, leaving its victims motionless and at the mercy of the unforgiving cold.

Why similar: Survival 20.9%, Open World 19.3%, Walking Simulator 18.3%, First-Person 12.1%, Exploration 10%

1975. Disaster strikes the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Navigate the collapsing rig to save your crew from an otherworldly horror on the edge of all logic and reality in this 3x BAFTA Games Award-winning narrative horror experience.

Why similar: Narrative 25.7% ★, Drama 17.4%, Walking Simulator 16.7%, First-Person 9.4%, Sci-fi 7.8%

Live the perfect day, break the cycle, and discover the truth about yourself in this short, quirky sci-fi mystery about freedom, choice, and loneliness.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.7%, Choices Matter 22.3%, Sci-fi 13.3%, First-Person 13.2%, Mystery 12.3%

You didn’t ask to lead this expedition, but here you are. Stuck in the ice, Captain missing, miles from civilisation. Someone has to take charge. Manage your meagre resources, balance safety and morale, make the hard calls, and head in the only direction you can - through The Pale Beyond.

Why similar: Narrative 38.9% ★, Choices Matter 15.5%, Survival 12.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.8%, Story Rich 6.9%

Satellite Odyssey: Prologue is a short first-person story-driven adventure with horror elements. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of classic science fiction and retro-futurism inspired by Soviet sci-fi films. Your partner is Zarya, the artificial intelligence.

Why similar: Thriller 26.5%, Robots 17.9%, Walking Simulator 17.3%, Sci-fi 10.5%, First-Person 8.7%

Northern Lights is an open world survival simulation set in the extreme conditions of the arctic tundra. Clinging to life, you must use real-life survival techniques to gather resources, craft, and hunt while tending to your health and sanity. Can you survive your way out of the mysterious island?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 20.1%, Survival 19.1%, Open World 18.3%, First-Person 10.6%, Exploration 10.1%

While searching for the anomaly, you find yourself trapped inside a facility on a remote sub-Arctic island. What is this place? Who built it? Why was it left abandoned? Explore the uninhabited complex you now find yourself trapped in, but be warned: you might not be as alone as you think...

Why similar: Thriller 31.8%, Point & Click 27.6%, Exploration 10.9%, Adventure 9.8%, First-Person 9.5%

Cradle is a sci-fi first-person-view quest designed for the player to explore the surrounding world. The story is built around the relations of the protagonist and a mechanical girl who by quirk of fate found themselves amidst the desert.

Why similar: Sci-fi 18.2%, Walking Simulator 14.4%, First-Person 13.9%, Open World 10.9%, Atmospheric 9.7%

In 2097, life is discovered on Mars. When your mission of first contact becomes trapped by a cave-in, you must master the alien ecosystem to survive. Soon you stumble upon more than anyone expected, and with time running out, you will make a decision that determines the fate of a lost planet.

Why similar: Sci-fi 36.4%, Exploration 19.2%, Adventure 12%, Indie 10.4%, Story Rich 9.7%

Another Tomorrow is a first-person point and click game. Trapped without your memories you’ll explore abandoned apartments, airfields, temples, and underground facilities to search for clues, solve puzzles, and unlock secrets to answer the question; who are you?

Why similar: Point & Click 24.8%, First-Person 19.9%, Mystery 13.4%, Atmospheric 11.3%, Adventure 10.2%

Step into the shoes of a researcher in the depths of the antarctic and uncover the mysteries behind Project Hailstorm.

Why similar: Narrative 24.9% ★, Walking Simulator 22.8%, First-Person 11.9%, Mystery 10.9%, Sci-fi 10.8%

As a young soldier returning to an eerily deserted home, you'll explore enigmatic rooms and uncover a haunting, tragic story. Experience an atmospheric journey filled with suspense, mysterious encounters, and a deep narrative.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 18.1%, Thriller 15.6%, Drama 15.3%, Mystery 11.2%, First-Person 9.7%

In a lonely station atop a mountain, a train rumbles its precious cargo to places unknown. Now is your shift. Keep the pace. Uncover a mystery. Fight for your last breath. The air is thin up here.

Why similar: Thriller 20%, Walking Simulator 17.7%, Choices Matter 14.5%, Mystery 9.1%, Story Rich 7.2%

Discover the truth about Quern’s past, unfold the mysteries of its present, and be the explorer who shapes its future. Quern introduces reusable puzzle mechanics to the classic genre, making the player think about the game as a whole, and not just as a series of individual challenges.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 17%, Drama 14.5%, Mystery 13.1%, Point & Click 10.2%, First-Person 9.2%

In the wake of catastrophe find the means to make your family whole again.

Why similar: Narrative 47.2% ★, Sci-fi 10.6%, Atmospheric 10.4%, Story Rich 10.2%, Walking Simulator 5.9%

Stranded at an abandoned Antarctic research base with no hope of rescue, you must battle a deadly blizzard in a desperate fight to find your way home.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.2%, Survival 18.2%, First-Person 14.8%, Open World 12.6%, Exploration 9.9%

Go on a voyage of discovery following the traces of a mysterious culture. Discover diverse landscapes, investigate abandoned artifacts, and wake strange machines from their slumber.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.6%, Mystery 11.9%, Open World 11.5%, First-Person 10.8%, Sci-fi 9.6%

Waking up alone in a derelict terraforming facility on an unknown (and distinctly not terraformed) planet, it's up to you to find a way to survive, learn what happened to the people who lived here and why you were abandoned in this narrative-driven incremental game.

Why similar: Exploration 20.8%, Sci-fi 20.1%, Story Rich 19.1%, Mystery 16.7%, Survival 10.9%

De-Void is a first-person adventure game, where the player unravels the mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a remote space colony crew.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.5%, Sci-fi 16.3%, Story Rich 10.9%, First-Person 10.3%, Point & Click 8.5%

A first-person survival game set on a post-apocalyptic, ecologically ruined Earth. Play solo or with up to 3 friends as you build, upgrade, and fly a high-tech airship. Scavenge resources, craft tools, and face dangers on the surface as you hunt for a cure to save humanity.

Why similar: Survival 21.3%, Open World 20.4%, Sci-fi 13.5%, First-Person 12.7%, Exploration 12.2%

BLACKSHARD is a first-person exploration game. Wander through a strange megastructure, the Labyrinth, to unravel its mysteries... Your behavior within the Labyrinth will define the outcome of your journey. What path will you choose to take?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 30%, Choose Your Own Adventure 15.8%, Mystery 12.7%, Sci-fi 11.2%, First-Person 9.8%

Lost Brothers is a single-player first-person adventure, taking place in an abandoned mine. All you have is a walkie-talkie and a map. Explore a mysterious forest and a labyrinth of underground passages to rescue a mysterious lady.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.6%, Drama 23%, First-Person 12.7%, Atmospheric 8.2%, Mystery 8%

A classical science fiction point and click adventure which takes you into a deep story and murky atmosphere, while solving logical puzzles. Accompany Tessa Carter and her talking robot as she finds out about herself and searches for a way to survive.

Why similar: Point & Click 24.8%, Robots 18.1%, Sci-fi 15.9%, Mystery 14.1%, Story Rich 10.8%