- #1 Cyber Manhunt
97% matchVery Positive92% of 15,668 reviews2021
Dev: Aluba Van+Pub: 摸鱼游戏
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.9 hrsMean: 11.5 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Cyber Manhunt is a story-oriented puzzle game focusing on big data, hacking, citizen privacy, and social workers. It focuses on social issues such as cyber violence and privacy breaches.
Why similar: Hacking 41.8% ★, Detective 12.2%, Puzzle 9%, RPG 8.3%, Simulation 8%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a deep simulation of hacking and social engineering that mirrors the investigative intensity found in CaseCracker.
- #2 Her Story
96% matchVery Positive89% of 10,391 reviews2015
Dev: Sam Barlow
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 87%
A woman is interviewed seven times by the police. Search the video database and explore hundreds of authentic clips to discover her story in this groundbreaking and award winning narrative game.
Why similar: Typing 35.6% ★, Detective 24.1%, Psychological Horror 11.6%, Puzzle 7.9%, Realistic 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: It shares the core mechanic of searching through a database to piece together a fragmented narrative through keywords.
- #3 Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You
96% matchVery Positive90% of 15,558 reviews2016
Dev: Osmotic StudiosPub: Daedalic Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 8.4 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Big Brother has arrived - and it’s you. Investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Information from the internet, personal communications and private files are all accessible to you. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences.
Why similar: Simulation 47.2%, Hacking 21.3% ★, Detective 16.8%, Mystery 6.2%, Story Rich 5.4%
Why You'll Like It: This game perfectly captures the feeling of being an investigator who must sift through private data and cross-reference information to solve a case.
- #4 The Case of the Golden Idol
95% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,922 reviews2022
Dev: Color Gray GamesPub: Playstack
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.9 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Why similar: Detective 46.7%, Mystery 18.3%, Puzzle 13.7%, Story Rich 10.6%, 2D 5.8%
Why You'll Like It: This title excels at the same kind of 'mental gymnastics' required to deduce the truth from static, detail-heavy scenes.
- #5 Hacknet
94% matchVery Positive94% of 26,067 reviews2015
Dev: Team Fractal AlligatorPub: Fellow Traveller
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 13.4 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Hacknet is an immersive, terminal-based hacking simulator for PC. Dive down a rabbit hoIe as you follow the instructions of a recently deceased hacker, whose death may not have been the accident the media reports.
Why similar: Hacking 78.7% ★, Typing 8.3% ★, Detective 5.1%, Logic 2.8%, Simulation 1.7%
Why You'll Like It: A terminal-based hacking simulator that provides an authentic, text-heavy experience for those who enjoy the technical side of CaseCracker.
- #6 Unheard - Voices of Crime
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 33,881 reviews2019
Dev: NEXT Studios
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 78%
What if you could hear every word spoken at the scene of a crime? “Acoustic Detectives” wanted for testing our new device! Return aurally to crime scenes and use the voices you hear to identify potential suspects and solve the mysteries. What is it that’s connecting these seemingly unrelated cases?
Why similar: Detective 32.5%, Psychological Horror 13.8%, Mystery 12.3%, Puzzle 10.4%, Story Rich 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: This game forces you to listen and deduce the truth, emphasizing the same investigative focus on details that CaseCracker demands.
- #7 Return of the Obra Dinn
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 35,035 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Detective 51.2%, Mystery 17.6%, Puzzle 12.5%, Story Rich 9.3%, First-Person 4.5%
Why You'll Like It: It is the gold standard for pure deduction and logical inference, requiring players to meticulously record and verify every detail.
- #8 Shadows of Doubt
91% matchVery Positive82% of 17,722 reviews2024
Dev: ColePowered GamesPub: Fireshine Games
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 15.7 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Take on the role of a private investigator in this immersive detective simulator. Solve murders and other crimes in a procedurally generated and persistent city where every NPC lives and breathes their own independent lives. Find the killer quickly… or they will kill again!
Why similar: Detective 49.8%, Hacking 18.7% ★, Puzzle 9.7%, First-Person 8.5%, RPG 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: An immersive detective sim that allows for total freedom in how you investigate, search databases, and track suspects.
- #9 Telling Lies
92% matchMixed63% of 1,323 reviews2019
Dev: Sam BarlowPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Four private lives. One big lie. Search through secretly recorded video conversations to discover the truth. The successor to the acclaimed Her Story.
Why similar: Detective 36.3%, Mystery 14.3%, Realistic 14.1%, Puzzle 10.4%, Story Rich 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: Like the seed game, it relies on the player's ability to search through video archives and connect disparate pieces of information.
- #10 Mainlining
91% matchMostly Positive77% of 368 reviews2017
Dev: RebelephantPub: ReadGraves
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 3.3 hrs≥1hr: 92%
After MI7 has been hacked, your primary goal is to bring a cyber-criminal network to justice. Played entirely from your computer's desktop, Mainlining is a thrilling point and click hacking adventure that features a gripping narrative which will have you hooked from the very first case.
Why similar: Hacking 56% ★, Typing 22% ★, Simulation 7%, Puzzle 5.8%, Story Rich 3.5%
Why You'll Like It: A point-and-click hacking game that focuses heavily on the investigative process of gathering evidence from a simulated internet.
- #11 Murders on the Yangtze River
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 21,156 reviews2024
Dev: OMEGAMES STUDIO
Windows · Mac
Median: 11.4 hrsMean: 14.2 hrs≥1hr: 88%
"Murders on Yangtze River" is an Ace Attorney-like detective game that takes you on a journey through early 20th century China as you solve a series of intriguing cases. Use your logical reasoning and deduction skills to uncover clues, interrogate suspects, and solve the mysteries.
Why similar: Detective 37.3%, Puzzle 11.6%, Logic 10.6%, Mystery 9.1%, Story Rich 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: It features complex puzzle-solving and detective work that rewards careful reading and observation.
- #12 Grey Hack
90% matchVery Positive90% of 1,866 reviews2017
Dev: Loading Home
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 13.3 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Grey Hack is a massively multiplayer hacking simulator game. You're a hacker with full freedom to act as you wish on a vast network of procedurally generated computers.
Why similar: Hacking 57.8% ★, Typing 10.4% ★, Detective 6.6%, Text-Based 6.2%, Simulation 6.2%
Why You'll Like It: A persistent, multiplayer hacking simulator that offers the most authentic experience for players interested in terminal-based investigation.
- #13 Papers, Please
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 80,270 reviews2013
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Congratulations. The October labor lottery is complete. Your name was pulled. For immediate placement, report to the Ministry of Admission at Grestin Border Checkpoint. An apartment will be provided for you and your family in East Grestin. Expect a Class-8 dwelling.
Why similar: Simulation 26.4%, Puzzle 19.3%, Story Rich 15.9%, Indie 10.2%, Strategy 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: It captures the high-stakes, bureaucratic, and text-heavy nature of investigative work where every small detail matters.
- #14 SIMULACRA 2
88% matchVery Positive87% of 1,688 reviews2020
Dev: Kaigan GamesPub: Soft Source
Windows
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 6.5 hrs≥1hr: 75%
A dead influencer. An obsessed detective. Three suspects. Piece the truth together by going through the victim’s phone messages, videos, and social media in the follow up to the critically acclaimed SIMULACRA.
Why similar: Hacking 33.9% ★, Detective 20%, Text-Based 15.3%, Psychological Horror 9.9%, Realistic 5.4%
Why You'll Like It: It uses a phone-based interface to simulate the experience of digging through a victim's digital life to solve a mystery.
- #15 Do Not Feed the Monkeys
87% matchVery Positive94% of 12,685 reviews2018
Dev: Fictiorama StudiosPub: Alawar
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 6.9 hrs≥1hr: 87%
A digital voyeur simulator where you watch strangers through surveillance cameras. Invade their privacy and witness their most intimate moments, but don’t interact with the subjects – anything could happen if you dare feed the monkeys!
Why similar: Story Rich 25.8%, Strategy 23.1%, Simulation 20.3%, 2D 14.9%, Adventure 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: A surveillance-based game that requires constant monitoring and information gathering to succeed.
- #16 Midnight Protocol
86% matchVery Positive86% of 452 reviews2021
Dev: LuGus StudiosPub: Iceberg Interactive
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Midnight Protocol is a tactical narrative-driven RPG with unique keyboard-only controls. Hack into servers, beat security systems and discover encrypted secrets while you try to find answers to why and how you got doxxed.
Why similar: Hacking 46.3% ★, Typing 35% ★, Story Rich 7%, Strategy 5.1%, RPG 3.8%
Why You'll Like It: A tactical hacking game that uses a keyboard-driven interface to create a tense, atmospheric experience.
- #17 Turlock Holmes
85% matchVery Positive80% of 984 reviews2024
Dev: Find the Lamp GamesPub: Neverland Entertainment
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 5.8 hrs≥1hr: 83%
A detective narrative puzzler without pre-set options! Raise your questions at will, and an AI-host will answer only with 'yes' or 'no.' Drive the investigation with your curiosity; the path to solving the mystery lies in questions you ask. Can you dig out the truth through your questions?
Why similar: Word Game 24.9%, Detective 23.6%, Psychological Horror 11.9%, Puzzle 8.3%, Mystery 7.9%
Why You'll Like It: A puzzle-focused detective game that shares the psychological-horror and mystery themes of the seed game.
- #18 Keyword: A Spider's Thread
86% matchVery Positive82% of 277 reviews2021
Dev: City From Naught Inc.
Windows
Become an investigator in Keyword, a narrative thriller where you’ll depend on skills of logical deduction, hacking, and social engineering to solve challenging puzzles as the only means of finding your missing daughter.
Why similar: Hacking 32.2% ★, Detective 24.7%, Logic 11.2%, Puzzle 8.6%, Mystery 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: This game integrates puzzle-solving with detective work, focusing on the same 'search and cross-reference' loop.
- #19 Hypnospace Outlaw
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 5,534 reviews2019
Dev: TendershootPub: No More Robots
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 6.9 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Greetings Enforcer, and thank you for enlisting in the Hypnospace Patrol Department! As the world falls into its slumber, Hypnospace becomes a bustling global village. These virtual streets aren't going to police themselves!
Why similar: Detective 42.1%, Simulation 17.4%, Puzzle 11.7%, Mystery 10.9%, Story Rich 10.7%
Why You'll Like It: It tasks you with navigating a simulated 90s internet to find clues and enforce rules, mirroring the database-searching gameplay.
- #20 Project DeepWeb
84% matchVery Positive81% of 134 reviews2020
Dev: NightCat Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 6.5 hrs≥1hr: 87%
This is a deep web exploration simulator. Discover hundreds of websites and files around the Web to get to the Silent House and save your friend. Find out creepy stories from the Web and meet its inhabitants. It's showtime!
Why similar: Hacking 36.3% ★, Typing 24% ★, Puzzle 7.2%, Mystery 6.1%, Text-Based 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: A hacking and investigation simulator that leans into the dark, atmospheric side of digital detective work.
- #21 Emily is Away
82% matchVery Positive89% of 32,336 reviews2015
Dev: Kyle Seeley
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 54 minMean: 19.8 hrs≥1hr: 42%
Emily is Away is an interactive story. Create a screenname and choose your path through the branching narrative.
Why similar: Text-Based 30.7%, Story Rich 28.9%, Simulation 17.3%, Casual 7%, Singleplayer 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on text-based interaction and reading between the lines, which is essential for any CaseCracker fan.
- #22 Need to Know
83% matchMixed67% of 298 reviews2018
Dev: Monomyth Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Welcome to the Department of Liberty. Ascend the ranks of the NSA-like surveillance agency and decide: will you stand up for privacy, or help create an unstoppable police state? Spy on people’s deepest secrets, pick apart their private lives and decide their fate in this modern surveillance thriller.
Why similar: Simulation 40%, Puzzle 18.5%, Story Rich 16.9%, Adventure 15.7%, Indie 9%
Why You'll Like It: A surveillance thriller that forces you to balance your morality with the need to dig through sensitive, text-based information.
- #23 Hacker Evolution
82% matchMixed68% of 1,083 reviews2010
Dev: exosyphen studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Hacker Evolution is a hacking simulation game, featuring unparalleled graphics and features. You play the role of a former intelligence agent, specializing in computer security. When a chain of events sets off worldwide, leaving critical service disabled, you assume the role a computer hacker to find out what happened and attempt to stop...
Why similar: Hacking 39.2% ★, Typing 18.9% ★, Text-Based 18.2%, Puzzle 7.4%, Simulation 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: A classic hacking simulation that emphasizes puzzle-solving and terminal commands.
- #24 The Painscreek Killings
80% matchVery Positive91% of 6,246 reviews2017
Dev: EQ Studios
Windows
Median: 5.1 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Investigate an infamous cold case in the eerie, abandoned town of Painscreek. Search for evidence, connect the dots and uncover who killed Vivian Roberts. Can you expose the truth behind this town’s dark secrets?
Why similar: Detective 37.1%, Mystery 15%, Puzzle 10.9%, Realistic 9.6%, Story Rich 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: A pure detective game that provides no hand-holding, requiring you to take your own notes and piece together evidence.
- #25 Event[0]
81% matchVery Positive80% of 2,287 reviews2016
Dev: Ocelot Society
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 4.1 hrs≥1hr: 92%
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: Typing 59.4% ★, Mystery 14.6%, First-Person 11.1%, Story Rich 7.3%, Adventure 3.7%
Why You'll Like It: A unique narrative game where you must communicate with an AI via a terminal to uncover the truth of your situation.
- #26 CaseCracker3
77% matchVery Positive86% of 422 reviews2026
Dev: BlackRobe
Windows · Mac
Confronted with fragmented narratives and deceptive persons of interest, you must isolate crucial evidence. Shatter logical loopholes from testimonies and reconstruct the crime scene from subtle clues. Can you survive this immersive battle of wits?
Why similar: Typing 18.2% ★, Word Game 17.5%, Detective 14.7%, Text-Based 11%, Psychological Horror 7%
- #27 Detective Grimoire
79% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 2,547 reviews2014
Dev: SFB Games
Windows
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Detective Grimoire has been called to investigate a murder. The owner of a small tourist attraction, seemingly killed by the mythical creature his attraction is based around... Explore the area, inspect the crime scene, grill suspects, solve puzzles, hunt for clues & uncover the secret of the swamp!
Why similar: Detective 47.1%, Puzzle 16.1%, Mystery 13%, Story Rich 11.4%, 2D 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A classic detective mystery that relies on questioning and logical deduction to solve crimes.
- #28 Cyber Manhunt 2: New World - The Hacking Simulator
76% matchVery Positive93% of 5,660 reviews2025
Dev: Aluba Van+Pub: Spiral Up Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 10.1 hrsMean: 21.8 hrs≥1hr: 95%
Discover a digital realm shrouded in mystery. Sequel to an award-winning narrative driven hacking simulator puzzle game. Play as an AI assistant in a major corporation. Deploy intricate social engineering tactics and expose hidden truths in a world of ambition and high-tech deception.
Why similar: Hacking 33.5% ★, Detective 22%, Word Game 9.1%, Mystery 8.1%, Puzzle 7.3%
- #29 Quadrilateral Cowboy
79% matchVery Positive92% of 1,013 reviews2016
Dev: Blendo Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 55%
When you have a top-of-the-line hacking deck armed with a 56.6k modem and a staggering 256k RAM, it means just one thing: you answer only to the highest bidder.
Why similar: Hacking 59.2% ★, Typing 13.2% ★, First-Person 7.9%, Story Rich 6.1%, Puzzle 6.1%
Why You'll Like It: A hacking-based puzzle game that rewards creative thinking and technical problem-solving.
- #30 CaseCracker2
77% matchVery Positive91% of 824 reviews2024
Dev: BlackRobePub: NPC Entertainment
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Officer Jia has vanished, leaving a classified message pointing to the CaseCracker 2.0 system. Tear through suspects' alibis, look beyond the text, and extract hidden threads from seemingly unrelated intel. Will you find the ultimate truth, or a trap?
Why similar: Typing 20.3% ★, Word Game 19.4%, Detective 16.2%, Text-Based 13.1%, Logic 8.4%
- #31 Aviary Attorney
78% matchVery Positive95% of 2,275 reviews2015
Dev: Sketchy Logic
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 90%
The hottest bird lawyering game to come out of 1840s France! Join Jayjay Falcon and his witty apprentice, Sparrowson, as the two take on clients, interview witnesses, collect evidence, and deliver justice to the guilty.
Why similar: Detective 56.9%, Mystery 17.3%, Story Rich 12.5%, Adventure 6%, Indie 3.6%
Why You'll Like It: A text-heavy detective game that requires careful investigation and logical courtroom arguments.
- #32 HACK_IT
81% matchMostly Negative25% of 145 reviews2016
Dev: Dan_D
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 4.7 hrs≥1hr: 88%
HACK_IT presents players with a fully immersive hacking experience, you’ll meet characters and find out things you never imagined. Including interactive apps that will give you the power to shutdown servers and retrieve passwords.
Why similar: Hacking 47.9% ★, Typing 14.4% ★, Simulation 7.3%, RPG 6.1%, Strategy 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: A casual but engaging hacking simulator that focuses on the mechanics of breaking into systems.
- #33 Nodes Escape
76% matchVery Positive85% of 551 reviews2023
Dev: 夜喵
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.7 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 64%
The game presents realistic game graphics through sound effects, narration and imagination. The level design is subtle and challenging, allowing players to challenge their intelligence and logic skills in solving puzzles.
Why similar: Word Game 38.5%, Text-Based 22.3%, Detective 22%, Puzzle 9.4%, Mystery 4.5%
- #34 Myths of Rules
75% matchVery Positive88% of 1,043 reviews2023
Dev: Sugarcane Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 2.8 hrs≥1hr: 53%
This is a text-based adventure puzzle game, where you must struggle to survive in a world filled with ghosts and urban legends. While collecting clues, you'll uncover the truth behind the world and find the way out. The game features a wealth of levels, unconventional rules, and a touch of horror.
Why similar: Word Game 42.7%, Psychological Horror 18.8%, Puzzle 10.5%, Text-Based 10.2%, Story Rich 7.6%
- #35 Detective Worden
74% matchVery Positive88% of 66 reviews2025
Dev: Domestic Black CatPub: Studio Amateur
Windows · Mac
As a private detective, you’ll crack word clues left by a mysterious informant, gather evidence, and uncover the truth hidden in the shadows.
Why similar: Word Game 27.5%, Typing 23.9% ★, Detective 13.2%, Strategy 9.8%, Puzzle 8%
- #36 Palm Cracker
73% matchVery Positive97% of 97 reviews2025
Dev: Petter Malmehed
Windows
Delve into a gripping world of puzzles, true ciphers on an old PalmPilot system. Will you uncover the Crypt Killer’s confession and bring him to justice, or will he escape the law?
Why similar: Detective 31.1%, Hacking 30.6% ★, Puzzle 12.1%, Simulation 11.7%, Mystery 6.8%
- #37 探岛海龟汤
74% matchMostly Positive75% of 119 reviews2025
Dev: 探岛工作室
Windows · Mac
最烧脑的单人海龟汤!训练有素的超智能主持人支持完全自由提问,每个问题都可能撕开隐藏的真相。层层迷雾与反转步步逼近,让你在推理的每一秒都感受到紧张与压迫。防卡关系统保证游戏顺畅,畅玩不虐心~
Why similar: Word Game 25.4%, Detective 23.8%, Typing 9.9% ★, Mystery 8.1%, Puzzle 7.5%
- #38 HackHub - Ultimate Hacker Simulator
72% matchVery Positive89% of 912 reviews2026
Dev: HotBunnyPub: G-DEVS.com
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Unravel cyber secrets and foil mass surveillance as a skilled hacker in Hackhub. Challenge authority, rewrite the rules, and emerge as the ultimate digital rebel.
Why similar: Hacking 41% ★, Typing 29.9% ★, Detective 7%, Puzzle 6.8%, Simulation 5.3%
- #39 全网公敌:诡村
73% matchVery Positive88% of 620 reviews2024
Dev: Triangel GamePub: Lightning Games
Windows
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 2.1 hrs≥1hr: 54%
本作是与《全网公敌》联动的全新故事,通过一台“旧电脑”进行互联网搜索解密的剧情互动游戏。你作为一名特殊调查员,需要负责解开隐藏在“登山客意外失踪”背后的超自然事件。随着调查深入,始作俑者也渐渐浮出水面,“祂”,似乎又与四十多年前消失在大火中的白河村,有着千丝万缕的联系。
Why similar: Word Game 26.9%, RPG 10.8%, Simulation 9.6%, Psychological Horror 9.6%, Detective 8.9%
- #40 Hymer 2000
71% matchVery Positive89% of 1,108 reviews2025
Dev: doBellPub: indienova
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 2.2 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Hymer 2000 is an interactive text puzzle game, where players freely converse with the "Hymer" and use an open "Search" function to retrieve past conversations. By discovering keywords, gathering clues, and collecting "Faces", players uncover Hymer's secrets and ultimately shut it down.
Why similar: Typing 30.7% ★, Text-Based 23.3%, Detective 16%, Puzzle 8%, Story Rich 7.2%
- #41 REWIND
71% matchVery Positive91% of 356 reviews2026
Dev: Damian_Zhao
Windows
《REWIND》 is a hardcore text-based detective puzzle game containing nearly a hundred clues. Players need to carefully examine and deduce the clues to find the answer to the case.
Why similar: Detective 31.4%, Text-Based 20.2%, Puzzle 12.6%, Mystery 12.4%, RPG 9.9%
- #42 Desktop Explorer
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 1,696 reviews2026
Dev: Recurring Dream
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.8 hrsMean: 6.2 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Rummage through the abandoned profiles of an old PC to unravel an inherited mystery. What secrets hide in this eerie adventure of cryptic games and outdated software? Who was using this computer? And what happened to them?
Why similar: Detective 27.7%, Text-Based 22.6%, Psychological Horror 17.3%, Mystery 9.9%, Puzzle 9.8%
- #43 The Incident at Galley House
69% matchVery Positive94% of 3,745 reviews2026
Dev: William RousPub: Evil Trout Inc.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 8.4 hrsMean: 8.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
In 1936, something terrible happened at Galley House. Decades later, with a strange contraption that reveals echoes of the past, you must uncover the truth behind this grisly mystery.
Why similar: Detective 36%, Mystery 18%, Logic 14.5%, Puzzle 14%, Story Rich 9.1%
- #44 Profession investigator
72% matchVery Positive99% of 109 reviews2022
Dev: Indie-Geek
Windows · Mac
Profession Investigator is an immersive simulator with a text-based interface in which you have to deal with real criminal cases. The game uses materials from court archives and specialized literature.
Why similar: Detective 33.8%, Text-Based 20.2%, Simulation 12.1%, Puzzle 10.9%, Logic 10.2%
- #45 New Folder
70% matchVery Positive88% of 60 reviews2026
Dev: Evicted Games
Windows
You log on to a computer having no clue of what lies within. Explore its files, solve puzzles to recover missing pieces, and decipher passwords to enter otherwise prohibited folders. As you delve deeper into its content, you’ll find that there is a greater mystery to be solved.
Why similar: Detective 34.5%, Text-Based 25.6%, Puzzle 12.2%, Mystery 10.1%, Simulation 9.7%
- #46 Tell Me Everything
75% matchMixed61% of 72 reviews2018
Dev: LizardFactory
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 12 minMean: 10.1 hrs≥1hr: 35%
A mysterious murder has shocked the inner city, and as the lead detective, it is your job to catch the real killer. Armed with words and wits, you uncover the secrets and capture the murderer, and make sure justice will be served.
Why similar: Word Game 23.1%, Detective 18.1%, Typing 16.3% ★, Text-Based 12.6%, Logic 7.7%
- #47 Word Game
71% matchVery Positive93% of 6,426 reviews2022
Dev: Team9
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 6.8 hrs≥1hr: 69%
Word game is literally a game of words. Player controls "I" to find clues between lines, delete words to change the meaning of sentences, or shift words to rewrite facts. “I” must be wise and brave enough complete the mission of words. May the best "I” win!
Why similar: Word Game 27.9%, Puzzle 15.8%, Logic 15.4%, RPG 11.4%, Story Rich 10.6%
- #48 [Redacted] The Safehouse
69% matchVery Positive99% of 141 reviews2026
Dev: Heartbeast
Windows · Linux
You're a detective. Investigate the haunting events surrounding the murder of Ann Peterson and her boyfriend. Explore an old safehouse for clues, deduce keywords and reveal redacted words as you search Ann's digital journal, and piece together your case report as this unfortunate story unfolds.
Why similar: Detective 31.6%, Typing 26.7% ★, Text-Based 22.8%, Story Rich 7.9%, First-Person 5%
- #49 Anonymous Hacker Simulator
69% matchVery Positive86% of 779 reviews2024
Dev: SicariusPub: G-DEVS.com
Windows
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 4.6 hrs≥1hr: 72%
Step into the shoes of a skilled Anonymous hacker and embark on a mission to unveil the truth hidden behind a sinister organization's plans to monitor civilian data and enforce mass surveillance.
Why similar: Hacking 41.3% ★, Typing 30.4% ★, Detective 12.9%, Simulation 7.9%, Realistic 3.6%
- #50 XXX_CYBERRAT_XXX
70% matchVery Positive94% of 147 reviews2023
Dev: Nocturne Studio
Windows
A paranoid cybercriminal tries to regain control over an underground marketplace stolen by his former coworkers. You must utilize your hacking and intelligence gathering skills to get rid of hitmen sent by your enemies in a race with worsening mental state and terrifying hallucinations.
Why similar: Hacking 36.2% ★, Detective 12.6%, Logic 8.1%, Psychological Horror 7.5%, Realistic 6.5%
- #51 The Operator
68% matchVery Positive92% of 8,818 reviews2024
Dev: Bureau 81
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Welcome to the FDI. As our newest Operator, your role is to use your detective skills to assist our field agents and investigate mysterious crimes. Use cutting-edge FDI software to dig for clues, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth.
Why similar: Detective 48.7%, Mystery 15.5%, Puzzle 14.4%, Simulation 9%, Story Rich 6.2%
- #52 Staffer Case: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure
68% matchVery Positive94% of 4,260 reviews2023
Dev: Team Tetrapod
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.5 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Staffer Case is a new sort of mystery game, asking players to find clues, arrange them into documents, and point out the contradictions between them to solve a series of murders. Each mystery unraveled leads you closer to the truth lying at the heart of each case!
Why similar: Detective 38.5%, Text-Based 23.2%, Mystery 11.7%, Story Rich 9%, Puzzle 8.1%
- #53 全网有点怪
68% matchMixed69% of 93 reviews2026
Dev: Aluba Van+
Windows · Mac
"CyberGhitch" is a puzzle game: investigate online, explore mazes, build decks. You're student blogger Zhu Jue. Meet a girl in a disc, dive into a virtual adventure – grab your keyboard and fight back!
Why similar: Word Game 17.3%, Detective 13.8%, RPG 12.3%, Strategy 10.3%, Simulation 9.9%
- #54 The Roottrees are Dead
66% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 9,873 reviews2025
Dev: Evil Trout Inc.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.8 hrsMean: 9.7 hrs≥1hr: 88%
A genealogical mystery straight out of 1998. Scour the early Internet for clues, uncover hidden connections, and piece together the family tree behind the secretive Roottree Corporation.
Why similar: Detective 44.3%, Mystery 15.6%, Puzzle 14.3%, Logic 11.7%, Story Rich 7.4%
- #55 HackHub: Free Trial
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 699 reviews2024
Dev: HotBunnyPub: G-DEVS.com
Windows · Mac
Median: 48 minMean: 2.2 hrs≥1hr: 39%
Unravel cyber secrets and foil mass surveillance as a skilled hacker in HackHub. Challenge authority, rewrite the rules, and emerge as the ultimate digital rebel.
Why similar: Hacking 45.7% ★, Typing 20.2% ★, Puzzle 9.8%, Simulation 8.4%, Strategy 8.4%
- #56 Uncover the Smoking Gun
67% matchVery Positive96% of 449 reviews2024
Dev: ReLU Games, Inc.
Windows
A Battle of Wits with AI: Solve the case by conversing with a suspect robot using GPT to gather evidence. What single truth emerges from countless dialogues and pieces of information?
Why similar: Detective 23.2%, Text-Based 20.2%, Typing 19.3% ★, Mystery 7%, First-Person 6.8%
- #57 Tomb of the Bloodletter
66% matchVery Positive89% of 116 reviews2026
Dev: Ethan's SecretionsPub: indie.io
Windows
Tomb of the Bloodletter is a strategic word roguelike where your keyboard becomes your arsenal. Use your wit to unleash deadly words through tactical combinations of your letters to defeat the denizens of this dingy tomb and claim the Bloodletter for yourself...
Why similar: Word Game 39.8%, Typing 25.7% ★, Text-Based 13.1%, Strategy 7.3%, Puzzle 6.7%
- #58 Trials of Innocence
65% matchVery Positive92% of 1,779 reviews2025
Dev: 猫龙游戏Pub: Right Mind
Windows
Median: 18.5 hrsMean: 20.9 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Trials of Innocence is an indie courtroom detective game. Step into the shoes of the main character, rookie lawyer Luna Ray, and navigate her journey through the legal world. Unravel a shocking conspiracy that changes the fate of many, including herself, and confront her inner choices.
Why similar: Detective 37.4%, Logic 13.5%, Mystery 12.1%, Story Rich 10%, Puzzle 9.4%
- #59 Interrogation Simulator
67% matchVery Positive95% of 62 reviews2022
Dev: Otis MillerPub: Fire Cycle Games
Windows · Linux
Inspired by JCS videos and similar Interrogation analysis. Match evidence with statements. Play good cop/bad cop. Make choices. Learn what makes people tick. Unravel the mystery.
Why similar: Word Game 31.4%, Text-Based 17.9%, Psychological Horror 12.3%, Puzzle 8.9%, RPG 7%