Games Like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

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 32.1%, Story Rich 11.5%, Exploration 9.1%, Mystery 8.3%, First-Person 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a masterclass in environmental storytelling and fragmented narrative structure that mirrors the emotional depth of Dear Esther.

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 50.2%, Great Soundtrack 12%, Atmospheric 6.6%, Exploration 6.5%, First-Person 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: This game shares the same focus on slow-paced exploration of a deserted, atmospheric environment to uncover a haunting mystery.

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 32.3%, Exploration 9%, Mystery 8.9%, First-Person 8.4%, Story Rich 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: It features a strong, character-driven narrative delivered through dialogue while exploring a beautifully realized, isolated wilderness.

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: Walking Simulator 62.1%, Exploration 9.5%, First-Person 6.4%, Atmospheric 4.6%, Story Rich 4.4%

Why You'll Like It: Like Dear Esther, it relies on environmental clues and personal artifacts to piece together a poignant and intimate story.

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 49.1%, Story Rich 11.8%, First-Person 11.3%, Atmospheric 8%, Great Soundtrack 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: This title provides a deeply introspective and meta-narrative experience that challenges the player's perception of the creator and the game world.

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 30.8%, Mystery 11.3%, Exploration 9.2%, First-Person 7.8%, Horror 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: It combines stunning, atmospheric landscapes with a mysterious, narrative-heavy investigation that rewards careful observation.

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: Walking Simulator 23.3%, Exploration 18.1%, Puzzle 17.5%, First-Person 8.9%, Mystery 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: It focuses on artistic exploration and discovery, using a unique visual mechanic to reveal a narrative-rich world.

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 45%, Exploration 11.4%, First-Person 9.8%, Story Rich 9.6%, Mystery 8%

Why You'll Like It: Developed by the creators of Gone Home, this game uses augmented reality recordings to tell a compelling story within a desolate, abandoned space.

NaissanceE is an obscure and magical first person exploration game, a philosophical trip and an artistic experience. The adventure takes place in a primitive mysterious structure and the game mainly consists to explore and feel the deep and strong ambiance of this atemporal world.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 34.6%, Exploration 20.8%, First-Person 11.7%, Atmospheric 8.9%, Puzzle 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: This game offers an abstract, atmospheric journey through a massive, surreal structure that emphasizes the feeling of isolation.

Coming back to the family hotel after years, a young woman finds herself trapped with the ghosts from her past and an old cellular telephone as the only way to unveil a terrible truth.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 30%, Exploration 10.7%, Mystery 10.4%, Open World 9.8%, First-Person 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: It is a focused, atmospheric walking simulator that relies on voice-over narration to drive a tense and personal mystery.

Proteus is a game about exploration and immersion in a dream-like island world where the soundtrack to your play is created by your surroundings. Played in first-person, the primary means of interaction is simply your presence in the world and how you observe it.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 41.1%, Exploration 18.9%, Relaxing 14.6%, First-Person 7.1%, Great Soundtrack 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: It is a pure exploration experience where the environment and its procedural music react to your movement, mirroring the relaxing nature of Dear Esther.

Marie's Room is a short story exploration game about an unconventional friendship between two classmates. You play as Kelsey, remembering Marie's room as it was twenty years ago. But something’s off. What happened to Marie?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 32.1%, Story Rich 10.7%, Exploration 9.9%, Great Soundtrack 9.7%, First-Person 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, narrative-focused experience that uses environmental storytelling to uncover the history of a complex relationship.

Virginia is a single-player first-person thriller set in a small town with a secret. Experience a missing person investigation through the eyes of graduate FBI agent Anne Tarver.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 30.1%, Interactive Fiction 16.2%, Mystery 9.8%, First-Person 8.4%, Horror 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: This cinematic, first-person thriller uses abstract visual storytelling and a strong musical score to evoke a sense of mystery similar to Dear Esther.

Explore an abandoned building, encountering puzzles and clues to discover what happened, as you try to escape in both your nightmares and the waking world. Be immersed in the hauntingly beautiful 3D atmosphere in this puzzle exploration mystery game.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 24%, Puzzle 11.9%, Exploration 11.6%, First-Person 9%, Horror 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: It captures a similar sense of loneliness and beauty in a decaying, mysterious environment that requires quiet observation to understand.

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 23.1%, Psychological Horror 14%, Horror 12.6%, Exploration 9.8%, Puzzle 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: While it contains horror elements, its core strength lies in its profound philosophical questions and atmospheric, narrative-driven exploration.

From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Dear Esther comes a new first-person horrorgame that will drag you to the depths of greed, power and madness. It will bury its snout into your ribs and it will eat your heart.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 40.7%, Horror 15.8%, Interactive Fiction 10.1%, Psychological Horror 6.2%, Exploration 4.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game prioritizes atmospheric storytelling and psychological tension over complex mechanics, much like the narrative-first approach of Dear Esther.

Face unspeakable horrors. Succumb to madness. Welcome to a free daemonic narrative experience inspired by H. P. Lovecraft.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.2%, Interactive Fiction 18.2%, Horror 16.6%, Psychological Horror 12.7%, First-Person 9%

Why You'll Like It: A short, narrative-driven experience that uses atmospheric, first-person exploration to adapt classic horror literature.

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 20.1%, Puzzle 14.7%, Investigation 11.8%, First-Person 11.4%, Exploration 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: It features a lush, atmospheric setting and a strong narrative hook that encourages players to explore and uncover secrets at their own pace.

12 March 1938, Renée, 16, was ripped out of her world, her only fault was that of not knowing her place in the world.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 20%, Psychological Horror 15%, Exploration 14.3%, Horror 12.6%, Mystery 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: This psychological narrative game explores a dark, historical setting with a heavy focus on storytelling and emotional immersion.

Ether One is a first person adventure that deals with the fragility of the human mind. There are two paths in the world you can choose from. At its core is a story exploration path free from puzzles where you can unfold the story at your own pace.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 36.3%, Exploration 13.9%, Puzzle 13.7%, First-Person 12.8%, Horror 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: This game blends exploration with puzzle-solving, allowing players to delve into the fragile memories of another person.

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

Why similar: Exploration 22.3%, Relaxing 19%, Walking Simulator 17.6%, Open World 14.4%, Great Soundtrack 13%

Why You'll Like It: While more lighthearted, it captures the joy of exploration and the beauty of a self-contained world that is a joy to traverse.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded re-imagining of 2013's The Stanley Parable. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will make a choice, and you will become powerless. You are not here to win. The Stanley Parable is a game that plays you.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 40%, Psychological Horror 13.2%, First-Person 11.9%, Exploration 9.8%, Mystery 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: It is a meta-narrative experience that plays with the conventions of the walking simulator genre in a highly engaging and humorous way.

A slow burn retro horror game, in which you arrive at the old lighthouse on a small island near the coast of the United States. After the previous keeper has gone missing, you need to take over his duties and watch after the light.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.2%, Horror 17%, Psychological Horror 14.7%, Mystery 8.2%, First-Person 8%

Why You'll Like It: It creates a thick, unsettling atmosphere through its isolated setting and slow-burn, narrative-heavy progression.

It's 1986 - Meredith Weiss takes a break from her career in the big city to deliver mail in her hometown. How will she experience two weeks in beautiful Providence Oaks, with its iconic lake and quirky community? And what will she do next? It's up to you.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 38.5%, Relaxing 16.3%, Open World 16.1%, Story Rich 10%, Exploration 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: This game offers a relaxing, narrative-focused experience centered on the quiet, contemplative act of delivering mail in a scenic town.

Nephise Begins tells the player what happened at the time before Nephise was an orb collector. The main setting is forest again, but this time without snow, instead a more sunny and foggy weather.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 30.1%, Puzzle 9.6%, Relaxing 8.5%, First-Person 8.5%, Exploration 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: A short, atmospheric exploration game that focuses on the simple pleasure of traversing a beautiful, quiet world.

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: Walking Simulator 18.7%, Investigation 16.2%, Mystery 9.6%, Exploration 9.4%, Puzzle 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: It is an exploration-heavy mystery game that trusts the player to piece together a narrative through observation and reading.

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: Exploration 16.2%, Great Soundtrack 12.5%, Mystery 11.3%, Open World 10.4%, Puzzle 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: It is the ultimate exploration game, where the narrative is entirely driven by the player's curiosity and discovery of the world's history.

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: Horror 17.8%, Psychological Horror 13%, Adventure 12.5%, Walking Simulator 11.1%, Puzzle 11%

Why You'll Like It: This sci-fi thriller uses a unique perspective to tell a deep, atmospheric story about isolation and discovery.

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 51.4%, Horror 17%, First-Person 13.8%, Adventure 8%, Indie 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a visually striking, narrative-driven journey through an alternate-history setting that emphasizes atmosphere and discovery.

Maquette is a first-person recursive puzzle game that takes you into a world where every building, plant, and object are simultaneously tiny and staggeringly huge.

Why similar: Puzzle 23.7%, First-Person 19.2%, Exploration 10.9%, Great Soundtrack 10.1%, Mystery 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: This game uses a recursive world mechanic to tell an intimate, emotional story that feels personal and contained.

A surreal first person walking sim about the end of humanity. Explore magnificent sky-bound ruins, and learn why they were built.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 46.7%, First-Person 9.8%, Exploration 7.4%, Atmospheric 7%, Relaxing 6.8%

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: Walking Simulator 22.9%, Open World 12.9%, Exploration 10.8%, First-Person 10.6%, Horror 9.9%

SLUDGE LIFE is a first-person / open-world / vandalism-centric stroll through a polluted island full of cranky idiots and a vibe so thick you can taste it.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 35.6%, Open World 17.2%, Exploration 14.1%, First-Person 11%, Atmospheric 8.5%

INFRA puts you into the boots of a structural analyst on a routine mission. Quickly though, your task turns into a fight for survival, all caused by deep-rooted schemes of the past. Your tools are simple: your camera and the wits to navigate a labyrinth of debris.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.1%, Exploration 12%, Puzzle 11.7%, First-Person 8.6%, Mystery 7.3%

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

Why similar: Puzzle 23.2%, Walking Simulator 18.7%, Exploration 14.1%, Open World 12.7%, First-Person 11.1%

Tell Me Why is the multi-award winning episodic adventure game from Dontnod Entertainment in which twins use their supernatural bond to discover the truth of their troubled past.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 41.3%, Story Rich 17.3%, Exploration 14.7%, Mystery 11.3%, Atmospheric 8%

Embark on a journey of discovery and inspiration in The Search - a story-driven puzzle-adventure set in a mysterious world where art comes to life!

Why similar: Exploration 18%, Puzzle 16.6%, Relaxing 14.4%, First-Person 14%, Mystery 10.9%

Navigate through psychadelic mazes to chill electornic beats. Imagine a mix between Super Meat Boy and Geometry Wars.

Why similar: Relaxing 70.8%, Casual 20.3%, Singleplayer 8.9%

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

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.9%, Great Soundtrack 15.4%, Exploration 15.3%, Relaxing 13.8%, Atmospheric 10.4%

You're stranded at a cathedral-like train station in the near future, searching for a ticket out of town. Explore the secret passageways, interact with strangers, dig for records, and get hypnotized by the soundtrack – a batch of original music courtesy of the band, Archie Pelago.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 46.4%, Great Soundtrack 14.6%, First-Person 9.9%, Horror 9%, Exploration 6.5%

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

Why similar: Puzzle 41.8%, Great Soundtrack 28.8%, Adventure 10.4%, Indie 9%, Story Rich 4.3%

TE120 is a short single player experience set in the Half-Life Universe featuring a gravity defying weapon that allows you to jump buildings and sustain large falls. The story takes place at a mysterious date & location. Where are you? Why have you been sent?

Why similar: Horror 28.9%, First-Person 23.1%, Walking Simulator 11%, Atmospheric 10.2%, Puzzle 9%

You are a traveling painter, exploring the island of Eastshade. Capture the world on canvas using your artist’s easel. Talk to the inhabitants to learn about their lives. Make friends and help those in need. Visit cities, scale summits, unearth mysteries, and discover forgotten places!

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 18.3%, Open World 15.3%, Exploration 13.6%, Relaxing 11.9%, First-Person 11.4%

Join Kate Walker as she travels to remote locations and time periods in this timeless voyage to discover her true destiny.

Why similar: Puzzle 28.4%, Adventure 15.8%, Mystery 15.4%, Story Rich 12%, Atmospheric 11.8%

Estranged: The Departure follows the story of a fisherman, stranded on a mysterious island during a violent storm. Little does he know his adventure has just begun, and the island is home to more than it first seems.

Why similar: Horror 34.1%, Adventure 19.5%, Casual 17.6%, Indie 12.9%, First-Person 9%

When the Darkness comes is a walking simulator whose glitchy and dark tale tries to illustrate the hardships of depression and anxiety through a variety of imaginary digital landscapes.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 36%, Psychological Horror 26.4%, Horror 11.1%, First-Person 10.5%, Atmospheric 4.6%

Walking simulator. Explore, admire and listen. Uncanny. Relaxing. Unnerving. Eerie. Immersive. No monsters chasing you or jumping at your screen, but can feel oppressive at times by invoking fears of getting lost, the dark, tight spaces and liminal space architecture. Inspired by backrooms.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 37.2%, Psychological Horror 19.2%, Exploration 11.4%, First-Person 9.8%, Relaxing 7.8%

A first-person horror adventure. Uncover your past and survive the Algerian desert. Fear is your enemy; stay calm to not succumb to an illness threatening you and your loved one. Avoid darkness, hide from monsters and solve puzzles. Adventure Mode available for a less scary experience.

Why similar: Puzzle 14.9%, Horror 14.7%, Exploration 14.5%, First-Person 13.8%, Psychological Horror 11.3%

The Old City: Leviathan is an experiment in first person exploration that focuses entirely on story. All that exists is you and the world. Set in a decaying city from a civilization long past, The Old City: Leviathan puts the player in the shoes of a sewer dwelling isolationist.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 45.4%, Exploration 15.2%, First-Person 9.7%, Atmospheric 8.9%, Story Rich 5.2%

Chaotic Party Arr-cade Action for up to 12 players! Be the first to plunder all the treasure, sink the enemy ship, or defeat their captain. Featuring local & online play, crossplay, 18 stages, 30+ modify-arrs, and a single-player campaign!

Why similar: Casual 42.4%, Indie 36.2%, Singleplayer 21.4%

There is only you, the abandoned remains of a former life and the flourishing nature that feels great in the absence of man. This world is both gloomy and empty, but so incredibly beautiful.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 38.9%, Psychological Horror 17%, Horror 12.9%, First-Person 12.8%, Puzzle 12%

Humanity is enslaved by an AI… which is awesome, because we’re on the right side of the conflict. Exploit puny humans to extract power and build your own empire!

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 45%, Indie 34%, Singleplayer 21%

This is just an idle game for chilling, relaxing or focusing.

Why similar: Relaxing 56.2%, Atmospheric 25.7%, Casual 10.2%, Indie 4.3%, Singleplayer 3.6%

Draugen is a single-player, first-person Fjord Noir mystery set in 1920s Norway. Explore a forgotten coastal village in your search for your missing sister, accompanied by your independent and enigmatic young ward. Norwegian Game of the Year 2019.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 13.7%, Mystery 12.2%, First-Person 11.5%, Puzzle 10.7%, Investigation 10.4%

Figment is an action-adventure game that invites you to explore a unique surreal universe filled with music, humor and multi layered narrative. Join Dusty and his ever-optimistic friend, Piper, on an adventure through the different sides of the mind seeking to restore the courage that's been lost.

Why similar: Puzzle 24.1%, Great Soundtrack 23.9%, Atmospheric 10.7%, Exploration 10.5%, Story Rich 10.4%

Smash skeletons, defeat dragons, and battle giant golems in Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-Shot Adventure. Experience the acclaimed 2013 quest that started it all in this standalone campaign jam-packed with fantasy, fun, and mountains of magical loot!

Why similar: Story Rich 64.6%, Adventure 28.9%, Singleplayer 6.5%

You are on a bleak, cold, windy island. And you seem to be alone... but fires and candles still burn. As you explore, a story of guilt, loneliness, and faith begins to take shape. And it becomes obvious that something is hunting you...

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.4%, Psychological Horror 12.4%, Exploration 9%, First-Person 8.2%, Great Soundtrack 8.2%

The Uncertain is an story-driven adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Experience the mysterious vibe of each of carefully explored locations, solve diverse puzzles, make fateful decisions and discuss intriguing matters to find out the whole truth being kept from you.

Why similar: Puzzle 22.7%, Walking Simulator 16%, Atmospheric 14.4%, Great Soundtrack 12.6%, Story Rich 12.5%

Red Wings: Aces of the Sky is an arcade action game that puts you in the middle of WWI aerial battles. Accompany the legendary Red Baron and cheat death on your way to victory!

Why similar: First-Person 42.3%, Story Rich 25.4%, Great Soundtrack 24.2%, Singleplayer 6.1%, Indie 2%