Games Like Before Your Eyes

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: Story Rich 31.2%, Walking Simulator 25.1%, First-Person 11.2%, Emotional 9.8%, Mystery 9%

Why You'll Like It: Like Before Your Eyes, this game masterfully uses unique, shifting gameplay mechanics to explore the intimate, bittersweet memories of a family's history.

A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories to artificially fulfill his last wish.

Why similar: Emotional 41.2%, Story Rich 30.3%, Interactive Fiction 11.7%, Indie 6.3%, Psychological 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: This narrative-heavy experience focuses on traveling through a dying man's memories to fulfill his final wish, mirroring the emotional weight of your life flashing before your eyes.

An immersive, narrative videogame that retells Joel Green’s 4-year fight against cancer through about two hours of poetic, imaginative gameplay that explores themes of faith, hope and love.

Why similar: Emotional 39.7%, Story Rich 17.9%, Walking Simulator 16.7%, Surreal 8.3%, Indie 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply personal and heartbreaking autobiographical game that uses interactive storytelling to process grief and loss.

Florence Yeoh feels a little... stuck. Her life is an endless routine of work, sleep, and spending too much time on social media. Then one day, she meets a cello player named Krish who changes everything about how she sees the world and herself.

Why similar: Narrative 41.5% ★, Story Rich 13.1%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Drama 8.1%, Indie 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, interactive story that captures the highs and lows of a relationship through simple, evocative gameplay mechanics.

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 29.5%, Story Rich 24.6%, First-Person 13.4%, Mystery 11.4%, Adventure 6%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person narrative adventure that excels at building an intimate, dialogue-driven connection between the player and the world.

A fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction, upending Mark's life. People disappear and memories prove unreliable. Uncover a hidden truth with Mark and his friends in this narrative adventure and race to unravel the mystery before it's too late.

Why similar: Emotional 39%, Interactive Fiction 15.6%, Story Rich 14.4%, Psychological 11.6%, Drama 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: This narrative-driven game captures the bittersweet nature of life and memory through a compelling, character-focused story.

Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality.

Why similar: Story Rich 22.7%, Hand-drawn 21.1%, Surreal 14%, Indie 12.6%, Walking Simulator 11%

Why You'll Like It: A stunningly beautiful game that uses visual storytelling and platforming to represent the stages of grief and healing.

Spiritfarer® is a cozy management game about dying. As ferrymaster to the deceased, build a boat to explore the world, care for your spirit friends, and release them into the afterlife. The Spiritfarer Farewell Edition includes the heartwarming base game and three major content updates.

Why similar: Emotional 53.5%, Story Rich 20.3%, Hand-drawn 11%, Cartoony 6.3%, Indie 5.2%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy management game centered on the emotional process of saying goodbye to loved ones as they pass on.

Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale journey from visionary Swedish film director, Josef Fares and top-tier developer Starbreeze Studios. Control both brothers at once as you experience co-op play in single player mode, like never before.

Why similar: Emotional 53%, Story Rich 25.5%, Adventure 9.8%, Indie 6.3%, Walking Simulator 3.1%

Why You'll Like It: This game uses a unique control scheme to evoke a powerful emotional connection to its characters and their journey.

The Beginner's Guide is a narrative video game from Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable. It lasts about an hour and a half and has no traditional mechanics, no goals or objectives. Instead, it tells the story of a person struggling to deal with something they do not understand.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.1%, Story Rich 18.3%, Emotional 17.9%, First-Person 8.9%, Philosophical 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: An intimate, meta-narrative experience that explores the relationship between a creator and their work, much like the introspective nature of Before Your Eyes.

Hitchhike your way to freedom in this crazy procedurally generated road trip. No one's road is the same!

Why similar: Emotional 34.9%, Story Rich 18.8%, First-Person 15.7%, Interactive Fiction 15.3%, Colorful 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven road trip game where your choices significantly impact the lives of the characters you meet.

A deep, interactive adventure about love and loss, beautifully depicted and offering an intense cinematic experience. What would you do to save the one you love?

Why similar: Story Rich 29.9%, Emotional 20.4%, Drama 15.9%, Walking Simulator 14.5%, Indie 9%

Why You'll Like It: A poignant narrative game about love and loss that uses time-manipulation mechanics to explore the 'what-ifs' of a tragic event.

Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets.

Why similar: Narrative 39.8% ★, Walking Simulator 21.1%, Story Rich 10.1%, Indie 7.4%, Adventure 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: A wordless, atmospheric adventure that focuses on the emotional resonance of a shared, fleeting connection.

Embark on an emotional journey of losing the love of one's life. Manipulate time, solve puzzles, reshape surroundings as you push forward into the bittersweet recollections of a past life. This is a story about happiness and hardship, joy and sorrow. A story that all of us will one day experience.

Why similar: Emotional 39.7%, Story Rich 14.2%, Surreal 12.4%, Drama 10.8%, Cute 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: A visually striking game that uses time-manipulation to walk through the highs and lows of a life well-lived.

June 7th, 1995. 1:15 AM. You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is empty. Something's not right. Where is everyone? And what's happened here? Unravel the mystery for yourself in Gone Home, a story exploration game from The Fullbright Company.

Why similar: Narrative 39.7% ★, Walking Simulator 33%, Story Rich 8%, First-Person 6%, Emotional 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: A quintessential walking simulator that relies on environmental storytelling to reveal the emotional history of a family.

Guide brush strokes and solve a variety of puzzles to help an aspiring artist complete her masterpiece amid her brusque neighbor’s gaze and his pesky cat. As her painting starts to take shape, uncover an emotional tale of chance and artistry revealed behind unrelated yet familiar moments.

Why similar: Narrative 50.7% ★, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Story Rich 10.6%, First-Person 7.2%, Drama 7%

Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, artistic narrative game that uses painting to uncover a touching story about passion and memory.

Leave home for the first time to collect memories before a mysterious cataclysm washes everything away. Ride, record, meet people, and unravel the strange world around you in this third-person meditative exploration game.

Why similar: Narrative 38.4% ★, Emotional 18.8%, Philosophical 10.4%, Interactive Fiction 9%, Story Rich 6.3%

Why You'll Like It: A reflective, atmospheric game about documenting a world on the brink of change before it is forgotten.

A short, fully voiced, story-first adventure across two worlds. Rearrange words into platforms in Izzy’s diary, then wield word magic to shape your path in the fantasy she writes. Gentle puzzles, watercolour wonder, and a bittersweet story of family, loss, and healing.

Why similar: Narrative 47.5% ★, Emotional 30.5%, Story Rich 12.5%, Colorful 4.8%, Adventure 2.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game integrates narrative and platforming by using words as tools, creating a deeply personal story about coping with change.

Immerse yourself in a unique narrative experience and explore the thousand summer colors of Dordogne as you revisit your childhood to uncover lost family secrets in this touching formative journey.

Why similar: Narrative 48.6% ★, Emotional 21.3%, Story Rich 7.6%, Hand-drawn 4.9%, Family Friendly 3.7%

Why You'll Like It: A wholesome, nostalgic adventure that explores childhood memories through a beautiful, watercolor-inspired lens.

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. You are Alex, and you’ve just brought your new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight island party gone horribly wrong.

Why similar: Story Rich 48.9%, Mystery 17.8%, Walking Simulator 14.6%, Indie 8.5%, Adventure 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: A dialogue-heavy supernatural thriller that emphasizes the weight of choices and the emotional complexity of its teenage protagonists.

OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist.

Why similar: Story Rich 49.2%, Surreal 15.4%, Cute 13.6%, Indie 10.6%, Adventure 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: A meta-narrative adventure that builds a direct, emotional bond between the player and the protagonist.

A woman alone in a house. A mystery and a love story. Explore the present to uncover the past, in a short story of love and loss and a life well-lived. A narrative exploration game that examines a world where memories are constantly fading and jumbled.

Why similar: Emotional 41.3%, Walking Simulator 22.7%, First-Person 9.8%, Mystery 8.5%, Indie 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: A short, poignant walking simulator that explores the experience of living with dementia and the fragility of memory.

Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.2%, Cute 23.2%, Indie 17.1%, Adventure 15%, Family Friendly 12.8%

Why You'll Like It: A brief, cozy, and emotionally resonant journey that captures the simple joy of exploration and self-discovery.

A bonkers time-loop tragicomedy murder mystery thriller featuring multiple casualties and a suspicious cat, from the creator of To the Moon & Finding Paradise.

Why similar: Narrative 40.9% ★, Emotional 26.6%, Story Rich 10.9%, Interactive Fiction 10%, Mystery 5%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-rich adventure that explores complex themes of time and regret through a deeply emotional lens.

What if you lost all your memories? An emotional family drama seen through the eyes of a woman with Alzheimer's disease. As Annie’s life slowly unravels, uncover memories of her deceased brother as her past bleeds into the present.

Why similar: Narrative 28.3% ★, Emotional 22.9%, Story Rich 8.7%, Walking Simulator 7.9%, Drama 6.6%

From the creators of What Remains of Edith Finch. Enter the surreal world of The Unfinished Swan and explore a mysterious, hidden kingdom by splatting paint to reveal the world around you.

Why similar: Narrative 24.4% ★, Surreal 18.1%, Walking Simulator 14.4%, Story Rich 9.8%, First-Person 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person exploration game that uses a unique painting mechanic to uncover a storybook world.

From the creators of Before Your Eyes — You are Isaac, a 6-month-old baby, developing mysterious psychic powers. What you want most is to be loved and accepted by your family, but a secretive tech corporation wants you for their own.

Why similar: Narrative 28.9% ★, Emotional 21.7%, Interactive Fiction 9.9%, Story Rich 8.3%, First-Person 5.2%

When the Past was Around is an adventure point-and-click puzzle game about love, moving on, letting go, and the joy and pain of everything in between.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 20.2%, Philosophical 19.8%, Surreal 15.8%, Story Rich 14.1%, Hand-drawn 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal, point-and-click puzzle game that tells a wordless, emotional story about love and letting go.

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: Story Rich 39.3%, Mystery 23.7%, First-Person 16.8%, Adventure 8.4%, Indie 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: While larger in scope, this game captures the profound sense of discovery and the emotional impact of uncovering a story hidden in time.

What if the physical objects of everyday life, the possessions we hold close, were actual windows to the past? Peer into distant memories and unseen futures in Hindsight.

Why similar: Emotional 40%, Story Rich 17.8%, Interactive Fiction 13%, Drama 10.2%, Stylized 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative exploration game that focuses on the objects of our past and how they shape our memories.

Traverse a dried-out seabed littered with the remains of a decaying civilization. Keep your unique vessel going, overcome numerous obstacles and withstand the hazardous weather conditions. How far can you make it? What will you find?

Why similar: Story Rich 55.6%, Adventure 17.1%, Indie 16.9%, Singleplayer 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, wordless journey that emphasizes the emotional weight of moving forward through a desolate landscape.

The Last Campfire is an adventure, a story of a lost ember trapped in a puzzling place, searching for meaning and a way home.

Why similar: Emotional 41.5%, Philosophical 17.5%, Story Rich 15.6%, Cute 6.6%, Family Friendly 6.4%

Forgotten Fields is a game about yearning and nostalgia. Play as Sid - a struggling writer who travels back to his childhood home one last time before it's sold off. Visit old friends, relive memories and play through sections of Sid's book in this warm game about the passage of time.

Why similar: Narrative 40.9% ★, Emotional 14.3%, Interactive Fiction 10.4%, Walking Simulator 8.6%, Philosophical 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy, interactive-fiction style game that captures the struggle of creativity and the nostalgia of childhood.

I have some memories of saying goodbye that I don't want to forget, so I turned them into 11 minigames and backed them up in this collection.

Why similar: Narrative 42.8% ★, Emotional 14.1%, Interactive Fiction 9.4%, Story Rich 8.8%, Philosophical 6.8%

Uncover secrets, experience history, solve puzzles and understand one another. Immerse yourself and explore a surreal and colorful world in this short, first-person adventure.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.6%, Surreal 26.8%, First-Person 13.3%, Colorful 8.3%, Adventure 7.7%

A "Blind" simulator that lets you experience a new perspective and immersive sensory journey. Step into a world of darkness using your guide cane.

Why similar: Emotional 39.8%, Walking Simulator 20.9%, Story Rich 16.5%, Psychological 15.9%, Indie 3.6%

The End of You is a short, emotional narrative game about love lost, the ghosts of the past, and the painful crawl towards closure.

Why similar: Narrative 37.3% ★, Emotional 23.3%, Psychological 10.4%, Story Rich 8.6%, Walking Simulator 8.1%

Challenge perception, redefine reality, and reshape the world around you with an instant camera. Viewfinder is a new single player game offering gamers hours of interesting and fun experiences while uncovering the mysteries left behind.

Why similar: Psychological 25%, Surreal 20.5%, First-Person 17.9%, Story Rich 15.1%, Colorful 6.4%

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: Emotional 22.4%, Walking Simulator 15.4%, Story Rich 13.7%, Psychological 9.7%, First-Person 9.1%

Two doctors traverse backwards through a dying man's memories to fulfill his last wish. This is To the Moon's standalone sequel, but can also be played first.

Why similar: Emotional 36.5%, Interactive Fiction 15.6%, Story Rich 14.4%, Psychological 14.3%, Drama 9.7%

Old Man’s Journey, a soul-searching puzzle adventure, tells a story of life, loss, and hope. Interacting with the world around you, you'll shape the landscape to create the old man's path forward. Experience heartache and hope as you embark on a heartfelt journey through a sunkissed world.

Why similar: Story Rich 23.5%, Hand-drawn 17.4%, Interactive Fiction 10.5%, Adventure 9.3%, Indie 8.5%

A thoughtful and deeply personal title with stripped-down mechanics. The lack of dialogue or text allows you to create your own narrative through your time with four characters. Each short story will allow players to be swept away by the haunting lyrics of over twenty original, nostalgic songs.

Why similar: Narrative 43% ★, Emotional 17.3%, Interactive Fiction 10.7%, Walking Simulator 9.8%, Drama 6.8%

What Comes After is a side-scrolling adventure and a short heartwarming story about learning how to love yourself. Help Vivi in her journey on the train to the afterlife and back.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 32.7%, Emotional 25.2%, Cartoony 12.6%, Philosophical 12.2%, Story Rich 9.4%

Spiral is a third-person narrative exploration game that shares a poetic vision of cognitive degeneration. Step into the shoes of Bernard as you help him and support him while braving his unravelling mind and reliving his most treasured moments.

Why similar: Emotional 36.1%, Narrative 18.9% ★, Walking Simulator 15.8%, Story Rich 15%, Stylized 4.5%

Rediscover gravity and explore an Escher-esque world of impossible architecture. Witness infinity in first-person and master its rules to solve physics-defying puzzles. Cultivate a garden to open new paths forward, where an eternal expanse awaits.

Why similar: Philosophical 29.6%, Surreal 24.3%, First-Person 17.8%, Mystery 9.9%, Colorful 6.8%

A first-person narrative adventure game, telling the story of a sick child playing a 2D platformer. Made in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity!

Why similar: Narrative 42.8% ★, Emotional 14.3%, Walking Simulator 9%, Interactive Fiction 8.2%, Story Rich 6.7%

Make up for lost time with Once Again, If you could travel through time, who’s the first person you’d meet? An interactive story about a boy who spends his summers wandering between past and present... After meeting her, summer will never be the same again...Who is she, and what journey awaits you?

Why similar: Narrative 33.9% ★, Emotional 24.5%, Story Rich 10.5%, Drama 7.2%, Hand-drawn 5.7%

The prequel to Road 96. Play Zoe and Kaito where it all started. Change their destinies!

Why similar: Narrative 31.3% ★, Emotional 18.5%, Interactive Fiction 13.2%, Walking Simulator 12.3%, Story Rich 8.6%

Alone in the forest glade he shared with his wife, a woodworker struggles to accept her passing. Help him hold on to cherished memories of their life together as he struggles to care for himself and his now empty home. Pine is a single-serving game focused on telling a beautiful, emotional tale.

Why similar: Emotional 30.3%, Narrative 28.3% ★, Interactive Fiction 11.3%, Story Rich 11%, Hand-drawn 7.8%

Play as a border collie and restore color to your human’s world in an atmospheric journey through the northern isles of Scotland. Explore land and sea, uncover hidden paths, herd animals and free wildlife to bring color back to her world, while revealing an emotional story about saying farewell.

Why similar: Narrative 38.2% ★, Emotional 23.9%, Walking Simulator 9.6%, Story Rich 9.3%, Family Friendly 3.6%

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: Emotional 24.4%, Interactive Fiction 15.8%, Narrative 15.6% ★, Psychological 10%, First-Person 8.7%

Leila is a heartfelt, hand-animated narrative game about the small yet significant struggles we all face. Solve story-driven puzzles, relive fragile memories, and discover a deeply personal journey that may feel more familiar than you expect.

Why similar: Narrative 39.5% ★, Emotional 19.6%, Psychological 9.1%, Story Rich 8.7%, Hand-drawn 7.1%

Explore the remains of a fallen world from fascinating perspectives! Slip into the role of different animals to uncover the fate of an ancient world. Dive into deep waters, fly at lofty heights, dig underground as a mole or even climb steep cliffs with a mountain goat, there are lots of ways of getting around.

Why similar: Emotional 38.9%, Walking Simulator 18.6%, Story Rich 17%, Family Friendly 6.9%, Stylized 6.7%

Gorogoa is an elegant evolution of the puzzle genre, told through a beautifully hand-drawn story designed and illustrated by Jason Roberts. Winner of Debut Game at the 2018 BAFTA Games Awards, as well as Best Mobile Game and the Innovation Award at the GDC 2018 Choice Awards.

Why similar: Hand-drawn 25.9%, Story Rich 15.9%, Interactive Fiction 13%, Stylized 8.8%, Mystery 8.6%

A magical adventure about two high school sweethearts set at the end of their school days - and the end of the world. Explore a crumbling town and help friends face their inner demons, which could be the key to stopping reality itself disintegrating. And don’t forget to pet the cats.

Why similar: Emotional 36.8%, Story Rich 15.7%, Psychological 15.5%, Philosophical 13.5%, Surreal 8.6%

Experience the intricate dioramas and connections of your life, and the ripples we all make, in this award-winning narrative puzzle game about death, loss, and mental health.

Why similar: Emotional 36.4%, Story Rich 18.1%, Mystery 12.5%, Surreal 10.1%, Stylized 6%

A song from years ago triggers a flood of memories for champion swimmer Miriam. Embark on an evocative journey through her turbulent childhood and the complicated relationship she shared with her devoted mother.

Why similar: Emotional 40.5%, Interactive Fiction 27.5%, Story Rich 12.5%, Adventure 8.5%, Colorful 5.8%

A contemplative experience where you’ll wander through the dreams, memories and fantasies emerging from a dialogue between a grandfather and his grandchild.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.1%, Story Rich 17.4%, Psychological 15.8%, Surreal 15.6%, Mystery 8.5%

Beacon Pines is a cute and creepy adventure set within a mysterious book. Sneak out late, make new friends, uncover hidden truths, and collect words that will change the course of fate!

Why similar: Emotional 39.1%, Interactive Fiction 17.5%, Story Rich 15.5%, Hand-drawn 7.1%, Colorful 6.3%

The Star Named EOS is a story-rich puzzle adventure built around photography. Recreate compositions of past photos to uncover the truth of a family mystery. Experience a harmonious mixture of beautiful hand-drawn art and engaging puzzles on a journey of reminiscence.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 17.6%, First-Person 15%, Story Rich 14.4%, Surreal 12.9%, Hand-drawn 11.8%