Games Like Chants of Sennaar

An archaeologist uncovers a lost history in an ancient space Nebula. Award-winning narrative adventure game with hieroglyphic language puzzles, from the creators of 80 DAYS.

Why similar: Puzzle 25.1%, Point & Click 23.2%, Adventure 10.3%, Mystery 8.1%, Atmospheric 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: It is the closest match on Steam, built around exploring an ancient world and deciphering a lost language through context, symbols, and careful interpretation.

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Why similar: Detective 31.6%, Puzzle 26.2%, Great Soundtrack 9.5%, Mystery 9.3%, Atmospheric 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: It delivers the same thrill of solving a giant mystery by observing tiny details, cross-referencing evidence, and making confident deductions.

Explore a land filled with lost legends, ancient powers, and ferocious monsters in TUNIC, an isometric action game about a small fox on a big adventure.

Why similar: Puzzle 46.5%, Exploration 10.9%, Colorful 10.8%, Stylized 8.3%, Action-Adventure 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: Like Chants of Sennaar, it makes deciphering an unknown language and extracting meaning from fragmented clues a central part of the adventure.

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 24.5%, Puzzle 24.3%, Point & Click 20.4%, Mystery 8.1%, Atmospheric 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: It similarly turns close reading, contextual inference, and assembling meaning from sparse clues into the main puzzle loop.

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: Puzzle 46.3%, Point & Click 14.6%, Great Soundtrack 6.4%, Stylized 6.1%, Atmospheric 6%

Why You'll Like It: It offers elegant, visual, meaning-based puzzles in a beautiful stylized world where understanding comes from careful observation.

Sethian is a sci-fi puzzle game in which you master a fictitious language. The only surviving speaker is an ancient computer. Does it hold the answers behind the disappearance of the Sethianese people?

Why similar: Puzzle 73.6%, Indie 26.4%

Why You'll Like It: This is one of the purest language-deciphering games on Steam, asking you to learn an alien tongue through logic and pattern recognition.

You wake up, alone, on a strange island full of puzzles that will challenge and surprise you.

Why similar: Puzzle 54.2%, Colorful 9.7%, Exploration 6.6%, Atmospheric 5.8%, Adventure 5.2%

Why You'll Like It: Like Chants of Sennaar, it teaches you a puzzle language over time and rewards learning the rules of an unfamiliar system.

To know a language, know the world, and finally know you.

Why similar: Word Game 53.8%, Puzzle 30.8%, Atmospheric 7.9%, Mystery 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: Its entire hook is piecing together an unreadable language through repeated observation, making it a very direct companion to Chants of Sennaar.

From Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer of LIMBO and INSIDE — COCOON takes you on an adventure across worlds within worlds. Master world-leaping mechanics and solve intricate puzzles to unravel a cosmic mystery.

Why similar: Puzzle 41.8%, Adventure 14.3%, Stylized 9%, Puzzle Platformer 8.3%, Atmospheric 7%

Why You'll Like It: It captures a similar feeling of wordless discovery and elegant environmental problem-solving in a striking, atmospheric journey.

The stage is set. Imagine an old baroque manor, perhaps a hotel or a museum, somewhere in central Europe. A woman wanders in search of answers.

Why similar: Puzzle 45.6%, Adventure 15.1%, Stylized 9.4%, Mystery 7.5%, Exploration 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: Its cryptic symbols, layered mysteries, and demanding clue interpretation capture the same 'decipher the world itself' appeal.

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: Puzzle 27.2%, Great Soundtrack 19.9%, Adventure 10%, Mystery 9.5%, Exploration 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: Although more exploration-driven, it shares the joy of uncovering an ancient culture through translation, observation, and interconnected discoveries.

Unravel a thrilling mystery by exploring a strange and twisted mansion, discovering curious clues, interrogating peculiar suspects and solving unique puzzles. Will you be able to uncover the secrets of Tangle Tower?

Why similar: Detective 24.1%, Point & Click 22.1%, Puzzle 20.9%, Mystery 5%, Great Soundtrack 4.9%

Why You'll Like It: This is a great fit if you especially liked the colorful mystery-adventure side of Sennaar and want more clue-driven deduction.

The Rewinder is an adventure puzzle game based on Chinese mythology. You play as Yun, the last known Rewinder, who can communicate with spirits and explore other people's memories to alter the past.

Why similar: Puzzle 21.5%, Detective 17.2%, Point & Click 15.8%, Mythology 11%, Adventure 8%

Why You'll Like It: Its mythic atmosphere, puzzle-adventure structure, and emphasis on understanding people and memories give it a similar contemplative feel.

Step into a living illustrated world in a time when Europe is at a crossroads of great religious and political change. Walk in the footsteps of Andreas Maler, a master artist who finds himself in the middle of murders, scandals, and intrigue in the Bavarian Alps.

Why similar: Detective 24.6%, Point & Click 21.6%, Stylized 13.2%, Adventure 11.9%, Mystery 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: Its historical mystery and emphasis on language, interpretation, and understanding different social groups make it a strong thematic fit.

Lingo 2 blends word puzzles and impossible geometry, with brand new puzzle mechanics and a large, colorful world to discover. Welcome back!

Why similar: Word Game 42.1%, Puzzle 28.7%, Adventure 8.1%, Exploration 4.9%, Colorful 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: It expands on the original's idea of navigating space through language and wordplay, which overlaps nicely with Sennaar's core appeal.

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: Puzzle 33.1%, Point & Click 18.6%, Adventure 11.5%, Atmospheric 8.6%, Mystery 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: It scratches the same 'mysterious civilization and layered environmental puzzle' itch, even if it is more traditional in structure.

Lingo is a first person word puzzle game with a large, abstract world to explore. With its epiphany-driven gameplay and impossible geometry, Lingo provides a unique and nonlinear experience.

Why similar: Puzzle 35.3%, Word Game 32.1%, Indie 6.7%, Adventure 5.8%, Exploration 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: It blends first-person exploration with word and language puzzles, making it a natural pick for Sennaar players who liked the deciphering angle.

Welcome to Myst: a starkly beautiful island, eerily tinged with mystery and shrouded in intrigue. Built from the ground up to play in 2D & VR, explore Myst in a whole new dimension! Journey to the Ages, unravel puzzles, and be a part of the surrealistic adventure that will become your own.

Why similar: Puzzle 44.2%, Adventure 16.2%, Point & Click 13.6%, Exploration 8.4%, Story Rich 4.2%

Why You'll Like It: Its lonely, enigmatic world and focus on environmental understanding make it a classic choice for players who enjoy thoughtful puzzle exploration.

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: Puzzle 39.2%, Adventure 13.3%, Colorful 10.5%, Atmospheric 8.3%, Mystery 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a story-rich mystery with atmospheric exploration and satisfying environmental puzzles in an exotic, stylized setting.

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: Puzzle 36.9%, Puzzle Platformer 9.9%, Colorful 9.8%, Atmospheric 8%, Adventure 7%

Why You'll Like It: Its abstract, elegant world design and exploration-through-comprehension echo the satisfying mental shifts Sennaar often creates.

Uncover a story of intrigue, betrayal, and a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse as you solve intricate puzzles to unlock the secrets of Riven. Built from the ground-up and expanded from the award-winning original game released in 1997.

Why similar: Puzzle 42.4%, Adventure 13.7%, Atmospheric 10.1%, Mystery 8.8%, Exploration 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: Riven is especially strong if your favorite part of Sennaar was learning how an unfamiliar culture and place fit together through observation.

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: Puzzle 27.6%, Detective 25.2%, Point & Click 18.5%, Mystery 7.8%, Atmospheric 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: If you loved the act of inferring hidden truths from scattered information, this detective puzzle game offers that same satisfying deduction loop.

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: Puzzle 32.1%, Puzzle Platformer 12.1%, Colorful 9.6%, Adventure 9.3%, Atmospheric 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: While more mechanically playful, it shares Sennaar's delight in perspective-shifting puzzles and beautifully presented discovery.

Machinarium is the award-winning independent adventure game developed by the makers of Samorost series, Botanicula and CHUCHEL. Help Josef the robot save his girlfriend Berta kidnapped by the Black Cap Brotherhood gang!

Why similar: Puzzle 29.2%, Point & Click 26.4%, Great Soundtrack 10%, Stylized 8.5%, Atmospheric 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: Its wordless point-and-click design and expressive environmental puzzles echo Sennaar's focus on reading meaning from context.

Welcome to Mt. Holly, where every dawn unveils a new mystery. Navigate through shifting corridors and ever-changing chambers in this genre-defying strategy puzzle adventure. But will your unpredictable path lead you to the rumored Room 46?

Why similar: Puzzle 45.2%, Mystery 10.2%, Adventure 8.1%, Exploration 7.6%, Atmospheric 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: It leans more into mystery exploration, but its clue-chasing, note-taking, and deduction-heavy progression are very Sennaar-adjacent.

Samorost 3 is an exploration adventure and puzzle game from the award-winning creators of Machinarium and Botanicula. Travel across space to nine unique worlds teeming with colorful challenges, creatures and surprises to discover, brought to life with beautiful artwork, sound and music.

Why similar: Point & Click 29.8%, Puzzle 24.2%, Stylized 11.1%, Atmospheric 7.7%, Relaxing 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: Its surreal, wordless puzzle adventure asks you to interpret strange worlds through visual logic and playful experimentation.

The Forgotten City is a narrative-driven time loop adventure in ancient Rome. Discover the ruins of an ancient underground city, travel 2000 years into the past, and unravel the mystery of who destroyed it by cleverly exploiting the power to wind back time. The fate of the city is in your hands.

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 22.7%, Adventure 19.7%, Mystery 15.3%, Atmospheric 12.2%, Exploration 11%

Why You'll Like It: Its investigation-heavy progression and emphasis on piecing together social and historical clues will appeal to Sennaar's detective side.

Carto is a charming adventure game wrapped around a unique, world-altering puzzle mechanic. Use this power to explore mysterious lands, help a quirky cast of characters, and guide Carto on her journey back to her family.

Why similar: Puzzle 31.8%, Colorful 12%, Stylized 9.4%, Adventure 9.3%, Atmospheric 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: This is a softer, more colorful puzzle-adventure that matches Sennaar's approachable style and sense of travel between distinct cultures.

The Talos Principle is a first-person puzzle game in the tradition of philosophical science fiction. Made by Croteam and written by Tom Jubert (FTL, The Swapper) and Jonas Kyratzes (The Sea Will Claim Everything).

Why similar: Puzzle 55.5%, Great Soundtrack 12.8%, Atmospheric 8.1%, Story Rich 5.3%, Adventure 5%

Why You'll Like It: It pairs philosophical atmosphere with carefully structured puzzle spaces and the gradual unraveling of a mysterious world.

A fantastic, oceanic, open world puzzle adventure. Solve innovative block puzzles while unearthing a mystifying story, gaining new friends that change the puzzle landscape, and unlocking powers that provide more options for how you choose to progress through the enigmatic Isles of Sea and Sky.

Why similar: Puzzle 29.4%, Mythology 24.5%, Stylized 11.1%, Adventure 9.9%, Atmospheric 8.8%

The Sexy Brutale — a never-ending masked ball featuring intrigue, murder and the (quite possibly) occult! Relive the same mysterious day where the guests at the casino mansion are being murdered by the staff over and over again...

Why similar: Puzzle 30.2%, Detective 18.4%, Great Soundtrack 12.5%, Adventure 8.5%, Mystery 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: Its stylized mystery structure and emphasis on learning patterns across a closed world make it a good fit for investigative puzzle fans.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, the classic puzzle-solving mystery adventure directed by Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi, is back! This long-awaited HD remaster features upgraded visuals and sound and new gallery content.

Why similar: Puzzle 30.5%, Detective 21.1%, Point & Click 9.6%, Adventure 9.5%, Great Soundtrack 8.8%

The Séance of Blake Manor is a supernatural detective mystery, set in 1897 Ireland, where you investigate the disappearance of Evelyn Deane in a remote hotel full of secrets and other-worldly occurrences.

Why similar: Word Game 27%, Puzzle 17.6%, Detective 16.6%, Mythology 13.7%, Adventure 5.6%

Storyteller is an award-winning puzzle game about building stories. Start with a title, settings and characters and create a story that fits the story’s description. Play with stories of love, intrigue, crime, monsters, betrayal, and more!

Why similar: Puzzle 45.3%, Point & Click 33.1%, Adventure 10.1%, Mystery 6.5%, Singleplayer 5%

Explore a dense, interconnected labyrinth, and unravel its many secrets. Collect items to manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways. Encounter beautiful and unsettling creatures, as you attempt to survive what lurks in the dark. There is more than what you see.

Why similar: Puzzle 39.5%, Puzzle Platformer 14%, Exploration 9.1%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Adventure 8.7%

The Sojourn is a first-person puzzle game set in an immersive colour-drenched world of light and darkness. Think your way through dozens of puzzles as you traverse parallel worlds, awaken mysterious artifacts and overcome challenging obstacles on an unforgettable journey.

Why similar: Puzzle 24.9%, Great Soundtrack 10.6%, Colorful 9.7%, Stylized 8.6%, Adventure 7.7%

Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game in which you play as the proprietor of a local plant store. Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries.

Why similar: Puzzle 23.1%, Detective 19.8%, Point & Click 19.8%, Adventure 7.4%, Atmospheric 6.9%

Seek out and solve 10,000+ puzzles at your own pace across this sublime puzzle game.

Why similar: Puzzle 35%, Puzzle Platformer 13.4%, Adventure 11.4%, Atmospheric 10.4%, Mystery 9.4%

Amphora is a peculiar puzzle game that mixes story elements and physics. Amphora presents you with an unfamiliar world with a striking visual style inspired by all the shadow theatre traditions and colors of the world.

Why similar: Puzzle 35.8%, Great Soundtrack 13.8%, Adventure 11%, Colorful 10.4%, Stylized 8.7%

Hue is a vibrant, award-winning puzzle-adventure, where you alter the world by changing its background colour.

Why similar: Puzzle 38%, Great Soundtrack 14.9%, Adventure 12.1%, Puzzle Platformer 11%, Colorful 10.8%

Baba Is You is a puzzle game where the rules you have to follow are present as blocks you can interact with. By manipulating them, you can change how the game works, repurpose things you find in the levels and cause surprising interactions!

Why similar: Puzzle 68.7%, Great Soundtrack 9.5%, Indie 9.1%, Singleplayer 6%, Difficult 5.7%

Embark on a journey of forgiveness through impossible environments and illusionary puzzles. Experience this meditative and calming puzzle game by manipulating monuments and creating evolving paths to explore new, surreal, and mysterious worlds.

Why similar: Puzzle 38.8%, Point & Click 18.6%, Adventure 11.2%, Relaxing 7.2%, Puzzle Platformer 6.4%

Archaica is an atmospheric puzzler with lasers and mirrors, that introduces a mystical and ancient world, full of challenging puzzles. In this game, we become the Light Bearer who is sent on a quest to walk the legendary Path of Light and save the world from impending disaster.

Why similar: Puzzle 39.4%, Adventure 12.2%, Colorful 10.3%, Indie 8.4%, Atmospheric 8.3%

A land of discovery stretches out before you. Explore the beautiful, rugged world of RiME. Armed with your wits and a will to overcome—and the guidance of a helpful fox—you must explore the enigmatic island, reach the tower's peak, and unlock its closely guarded secrets.

Why similar: Puzzle 34%, Great Soundtrack 17.3%, Adventure 12.1%, Atmospheric 9.2%, Colorful 8.8%

Set sail for a world-changing adventure as you guide Noor in their quest through a series of mind-bending illusions and atmospheric puzzles. Can you unlock the secrets of the mysterious world – and the meaning behind the Sacred Light?

Why similar: Puzzle 28.9%, Point & Click 21%, Colorful 13.9%, Atmospheric 9%, Puzzle Platformer 8.8%

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

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 25.2%, Adventure 17%, Atmospheric 16.1%, Exploration 8.8%, Indie 8.7%

A mind-bending recursive puzzle game about boxes within boxes within boxes within boxes. Learn to use infinity to your advantage as you explore a deep and elegant system.

Why similar: Puzzle 78.1%, Singleplayer 9.1%, Indie 7.8%, Difficult 5%

Mystic Pillars is an original blend of intriguing puzzles and an immersive storyline set in Ancient India, providing you with a unique gameplay experience.

Why similar: Adventure 29.4%, Puzzle 23.4%, Indie 17.1%, Colorful 9.6%, Atmospheric 5.3%

Havsala is an investigative puzzle game with rich storytelling full of historical references and mysticism. Search the room for the clues left behind by the previous reincarnations of a single soul, solve the puzzles and unravel the mystery.

Why similar: Mythology 27.9%, Puzzle 24.5%, Point & Click 20.3%, Stylized 8.1%, Adventure 7%

A noir adventure spanning time and space. When a love triangle between cosmic beings becomes a bitter confrontation, you'll witness a gunshot fired by a jealous god—otherwise known as The Big Bang. Jump into the expanding universe and search for a way to destroy creation and save your love.

Why similar: Puzzle 25.1%, Point & Click 23.8%, Stylized 9.4%, Great Soundtrack 7.9%, Atmospheric 7.4%

The Talos Principle 2 is a thought-provoking first-person puzzle experience that greatly expands on the first game's philosophical themes and stunning environments with increasingly mind-bending challenges.

Why similar: Puzzle 53.5%, Puzzle Platformer 15%, Story Rich 9.3%, Exploration 8.2%, Action-Adventure 7.3%

Help renowned explorer and adventurer Adam Venture and his accomplice Evelyn discover artifacts, unravel ancient mysteries, decipher strange symbols and solve ingenious puzzles around gorgeous historical sites from the 1920's.

Why similar: Puzzle 39%, Adventure 18.9%, Great Soundtrack 13.7%, Indie 9.6%, Atmospheric 6.7%

My Brother Rabbit is a beautifully drawn exploration adventure and puzzle game set in a surreal world that mixes reality with a child’s imagination.

Why similar: Puzzle 32.1%, Point & Click 28.3%, Great Soundtrack 16.9%, Adventure 13.2%, Singleplayer 5.1%

Explore a unique and connected world. Understand its fragile balance, uncover its deepest questions, and find more than just the answers.

Why similar: Puzzle 35.5%, Colorful 14.1%, Adventure 11%, Stylized 9.4%, Mystery 7.7%

Explore a woollen world where stuffed animals once lived in peace. Search for hidden secrets and customize your character with different animal shapes to solve puzzles. An epic adventure with two very unlikely heroes and a story narrated in rhyme.

Why similar: Adventure 21.9%, Puzzle 13.9%, Indie 11%, Atmospheric 10.4%, Story Rich 9.4%

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: Puzzle 31.5%, Colorful 10.3%, Adventure 9.3%, Stylized 7.9%, Atmospheric 7.2%

SAY ANYTHING in this bizarre dungeon adventure where words control everything. Fill in the blanks with text or voice to uncover lost abilities, embark on strange quests, and solve mindbending riddles. Can you conquer the crypt and uncover the mystery at the heart of CRYPTMASTER?

Why similar: Word Game 73%, Stylized 12.6%, Action-Adventure 8.1%, Story Rich 6.3%

Epigraph is a short, challenging, language decipherment puzzle game.

Why similar: Puzzle 43.3%, Detective 33.2%, Mystery 8.4%, Adventure 7.9%, Indie 3.7%

Become the custodian of a store dealing in occult antiquities. Explore the quaint and gloomy town of Undermere, where strange goings-on and dark mysteries abound. Find and identify arcane artefacts, use your collection to aid the townsfolk with their unusual problems — and remember to pet your cat!

Why similar: Puzzle 22.7%, Point & Click 19.8%, Detective 19.6%, Adventure 7.4%, Atmospheric 6.9%