Games Like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

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 12.3%, Atmospheric 6.6%, Exploration 6.3%, First-Person 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the same focus on hauntingly beautiful, desolate environments and fragmented, ethereal storytelling.

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 32.4%, Story Rich 11.4%, Exploration 9%, Mystery 8.2%, First-Person 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: This game masterfully uses environmental storytelling to weave together a series of intimate, emotional narratives.

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 32.4%, Exploration 8.9%, Mystery 8.8%, First-Person 8.3%, Story Rich 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: It excels at building a deep emotional connection through dialogue and exploration in a remote, atmospheric setting.

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 31.1%, Mystery 11.3%, Exploration 9.1%, First-Person 7.8%, Horror 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a similarly atmospheric, first-person exploration experience set in a stunning, isolated landscape.

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 48.9%, Story Rich 11.6%, First-Person 11.1%, Great Soundtrack 8%, Atmospheric 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: Like Dear Esther, it is a deeply personal, meta-narrative experience that prioritizes the author's voice over traditional game mechanics.

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

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.5%, Interactive Fiction 18%, Horror 16.3%, Psychological Horror 12.5%, First-Person 9%

Why You'll Like It: A short, narrative-focused experience that relies on atmosphere and voice-over to immerse the player in a dark, literary world.

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 62.2%, Exploration 9.4%, First-Person 6.4%, Atmospheric 4.7%, Story Rich 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: It is a quintessential environmental storytelling game where the narrative is uncovered through the objects left behind.

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 45.6%, Exploration 15%, First-Person 9.6%, Atmospheric 8.9%, Story Rich 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: This title mirrors the abstract, philosophical, and poetic narration style found in Dear Esther.

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 41.2%, Horror 15.5%, Interactive Fiction 10%, Psychological Horror 6.1%, Exploration 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: Developed by the same team, it shares a similar focus on linear, atmospheric storytelling and psychological dread.

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 45.1%, Exploration 11.3%, First-Person 9.8%, Story Rich 9.6%, Mystery 8%

Why You'll Like It: It utilizes a unique 'augmented reality' playback system to tell a compelling, character-driven story within a confined space.

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 32.2%, Story Rich 10.7%, Great Soundtrack 10.1%, Exploration 9.8%, First-Person 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: A short, poignant, and free-to-play narrative experience that focuses on uncovering the history of a single room.

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 30.1%, Exploration 10.6%, Mystery 10.3%, Open World 9.7%, First-Person 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-driven walking simulator that relies heavily on atmospheric tension and voice-acted dialogue.

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 36.7%, Exploration 13.8%, Puzzle 13.4%, First-Person 12.8%, Adventure 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: It combines exploration with a focus on memory and narrative, allowing players to piece together a story 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 20.2%, Psychological Horror 14.8%, Exploration 14.3%, Horror 12.3%, Mystery 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological, narrative-heavy exploration game that deals with mature themes in a haunting, real-world location.

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 34.9%, Exploration 20.7%, First-Person 11.6%, Atmospheric 8.9%, Puzzle 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: An abstract, first-person exploration game that focuses on scale, light, and atmosphere rather than traditional objectives.

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 46.2%, Great Soundtrack 15%, First-Person 10.1%, Horror 8.6%, Exploration 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal, atmospheric exploration game that prioritizes environmental detail and a unique, dreamlike aesthetic.

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

Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.1%, Great Soundtrack 16%, Exploration 15%, Relaxing 13.3%, Atmospheric 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: A minimalist, emotional masterpiece that tells its story entirely through visuals, music, and atmosphere.

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

Why similar: Walking Simulator 39.3%, Interactive Fiction 21%, Mystery 10%, Exploration 8.7%, First-Person 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: A hard sci-fi narrative adventure that emphasizes exploration and philosophical reflection on an alien planet.

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 30.4%, Interactive Fiction 15.9%, Mystery 9.8%, First-Person 8.4%, Horror 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: A cinematic, non-verbal narrative experience that uses editing and atmosphere to tell a complex mystery.

The most terrifying journey of your life set in the beautiful winter scenery of the Ural Mountains. Uncover the horrific mystery behind the Dyatlov Pass Incident. Narrated by the famous Sean Bean.

Why similar: Horror 67%, Walking Simulator 10.1%, Psychological Horror 4.7%, Exploration 3.4%, Open World 3.3%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the feeling of being lost in a desolate, atmospheric wilderness while uncovering a mysterious narrative.

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 41.4%, Exploration 18.7%, Relaxing 14.3%, First-Person 7.1%, Great Soundtrack 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: It is a purely experiential, audio-visual journey that emphasizes the joy of exploration and the beauty of the environment.

The era-defining first-person psychological horror in all its terrifying glory. All of the game’s chapters collected into one convenient package that allows you to plumb the depths of madness in pursuit of artistic revelation.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 15.2%, Interactive Fiction 13.4%, Psychological Horror 13.1%, Horror 10%, Exploration 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: It uses shifting environments and psychological tension to tell a story, much like the surreal transitions in Dear Esther.

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 23.4%, Psychological Horror 13.8%, Horror 12.4%, Exploration 9.8%, Puzzle 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: While it has more mechanics, its core strength lies in its profound, existential narrative and oppressive, atmospheric setting.

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 30.4%, Puzzle 9.4%, First-Person 8.4%, Relaxing 8.3%, Exploration 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: A short, casual exploration game that focuses on the simple pleasure of wandering through a beautiful, atmospheric forest.

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 20.3%, Puzzle 14.4%, Investigation 11.7%, First-Person 11.4%, Exploration 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, narrative-driven adventure that balances exploration with light puzzle-solving in a beautiful setting.

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 38.8%, Relaxing 15.9%, Open World 15.9%, Story Rich 10.1%, Exploration 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, narrative-driven experience that focuses on the quiet, contemplative nature of daily life in a small town.

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 23.1%, Open World 12.8%, Exploration 10.7%, First-Person 10.5%, Horror 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: A detective-themed exploration game set in a desolate, snowy landscape that emphasizes atmosphere and investigation.

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 22.1%, Relaxing 18.5%, Walking Simulator 17.6%, Open World 14.6%, Great Soundtrack 13.5%

Why You'll Like It: While more upbeat, it shares a deep commitment to the feeling of exploration and the emotional impact of a small, focused world.

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 24.2%, Puzzle 11.7%, Exploration 11.5%, Great Soundtrack 9.2%, First-Person 9%

Why You'll Like It: A quiet, atmospheric exploration game that focuses on piecing together a story in a decaying, mysterious world.

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 25.3%, Exploration 12%, Puzzle 11.3%, First-Person 8.6%, Mystery 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a grounded, exploration-heavy experience that rewards players for observing the details of its industrial environment.

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 33.4%, Adventure 19.9%, Casual 17.6%, Indie 13%, First-Person 9%

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 41.4%, Story Rich 17.4%, Exploration 14.6%, Mystery 11.1%, Atmospheric 8%

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 47%, First-Person 9.9%, Exploration 7.5%, Atmospheric 7.1%, Relaxing 6.6%

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 35.9%, Open World 17.1%, Exploration 14%, First-Person 11%, Atmospheric 8.6%

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 16.3%, Relaxing 14.3%, First-Person 14%, Mystery 11%

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

Why similar: Puzzle 27.8%, Adventure 15.9%, Mystery 15.4%, Atmospheric 12%, Story Rich 12%

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

Why similar: Relaxing 70.5%, Casual 20.4%, Singleplayer 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: Open World 17.4%, Exploration 15.3%, Relaxing 13.2%, First-Person 12.8%, Great Soundtrack 10.6%

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

Why similar: Puzzle 40.9%, Great Soundtrack 30%, Adventure 10.3%, Indie 8.8%, Story Rich 4.2%

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

Why similar: Puzzle 22.7%, Walking Simulator 18.9%, Exploration 14.1%, Open World 12.7%, First-Person 11.1%

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 22.6%, Horror 16.9%, Psychological Horror 14.4%, Mystery 8.3%, First-Person 8.1%

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: Great Soundtrack 25%, Puzzle 23.3%, Atmospheric 10.7%, Exploration 10.5%, Story Rich 10.3%

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 46.1%, Indie 33.3%, Singleplayer 20.6%

Take a fishing trip to Jura, a remote and beautiful island. Explore, meet the locals, and catch delicious fish!

Why similar: Walking Simulator 47.4%, Exploration 20.8%, Relaxing 14.2%, Atmospheric 6.6%, Casual 4.2%

The Stanley Parable is a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have no choice. The game will end, the game will never end.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 48.3%, First-Person 16.2%, Exploration 11.1%, Story Rich 4.5%, Puzzle 4.4%

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 36.6%, Psychological Horror 25.9%, Horror 10.9%, First-Person 10.5%, Atmospheric 4.7%

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 26.7%, Psychological Horror 12.1%, Exploration 8.9%, Great Soundtrack 8.6%, First-Person 8.2%

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 64.3%, Adventure 29.2%, Singleplayer 6.5%

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 25.2%, Exploration 24.3%, First-Person 13.3%, Story Rich 7.7%, Adventure 7.4%

A 15 minute heist game by Crows Crows Crows & Directed by William Pugh (The Stanley Parable). Slip into the soft-soled shoes of the mastermind responsible for the greatest heist- oh god I can’t do this any more, i’m joining the strike. good luck writing the steam description. -tina

Why similar: Walking Simulator 56%, First-Person 22.2%, Story Rich 5%, Indie 4%, Atmospheric 3.6%

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: Walking Simulator 24%, Exploration 17.8%, Puzzle 17.1%, First-Person 8.9%, Mystery 8.7%

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 42.2%, Indie 36.3%, Singleplayer 21.5%

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 36.3%, Psychological Horror 18%, Exploration 10.9%, First-Person 9.4%, Relaxing 8%

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 28.1%, First-Person 23.1%, Walking Simulator 11.4%, Atmospheric 10.4%, Puzzle 8.9%

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 13.4%, Mystery 12.3%, First-Person 11.5%, Puzzle 10.6%, Investigation 10.3%

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 39.5%, Psychological Horror 16.7%, First-Person 12.8%, Horror 12.6%, Puzzle 11.8%

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

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23%, Investigation 11.9%, Puzzle 10.5%, Exploration 9.1%, Mystery 9.1%

How long has it been? A man sits in a distant getaway cabin waiting for his wife Serena. Where is she? Things in the cabin evoke memories, and the husband comes to a disturbing realization... This short point-and-click adventure is the result of a massive collaborative effort between dozens of fans and designers of adventure games.

Why similar: Horror 88.1%, Psychological Horror 3.3%, First-Person 1.6%, Mystery 1.5%, Story Rich 1.4%

Explore the beginnings of the Samorost series in the space gnome’s original bite-sized adventure, formerly released in 2003. Now with remastered sounds, enhanced graphics, and new music by Floex.

Why similar: Puzzle 35.3%, Relaxing 34.8%, Casual 11.8%, Linear 9%, Adventure 4.7%