- #1 The Witness
97% matchVery Positive85% of 20,427 reviews2016
Dev: Thekla, Inc.
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 12.3 hrs≥1hr: 77%
You wake up, alone, on a strange island full of puzzles that will challenge and surprise you.
Why similar: Puzzle 23.3%, Open World 19.3%, Exploration 12.8%, First-Person 9.7%, Nonlinear 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: Like Epitasis, this game offers a sprawling open world filled with environmental puzzles that reward keen observation and curiosity.
- #2 Manifold Garden
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 8,118 reviews2020
Dev: William Chyr Studio
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 79%
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: Psychedelic 19.6%, Surreal 17.9%, Nonlinear 11.6%, Puzzle 9.2%, Mystery 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: Its surreal, non-Euclidean architecture and abstract puzzle mechanics evoke the same psychedelic and otherworldly atmosphere as Epitasis.
- #3 Quern - Undying Thoughts
96% matchVery Positive91% of 3,924 reviews2016
Dev: Zadbox EntertainmentPub: Blue Brain Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 88%
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: Surreal 18.2%, Mystery 16.3%, Open World 14%, Puzzle 13.3%, Exploration 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: This game mirrors the specific blend of first-person exploration and complex, logic-based puzzle solving found in ancient ruins.
- #4 Outer Wilds
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 99,459 reviews2020
Dev: Mobius DigitalPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 16.7 hrs≥1hr: 82%
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: Space 24.2%, Mystery 14.9%, Open World 14.2%, Exploration 13.2%, Puzzle 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: It perfectly captures the core loop of exploring a mysterious, ancient alien solar system to piece together the history of a lost civilization.
- #5 Obduction
95% matchMostly Positive80% of 3,942 reviews2016
Dev: Cyan, Inc.
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 84%
A new sci-fi adventure from Cyan, the creators of Myst. Abducted far across the universe, you find yourself on a broken alien landscape with odd pieces of Earth. Explore, uncover, solve, and find a way to make it home.
Why similar: Surreal 18.3%, Puzzle 15.5%, Mystery 14.2%, Exploration 12.8%, Open World 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: Created by the developers of Myst, this title excels at providing a deep, sci-fi puzzle-exploration experience in a strange, alien setting.
- #6 Exo One
94% matchVery Positive90% of 5,125 reviews2021
Dev: ExbleativePub: Future Friends Games
Windows
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 2.7 hrs≥1hr: 68%
A strange signal... an alien craft... an interplanetary, gravity-defying journey through space and time.
Why similar: Space 21.6%, Psychedelic 21.3%, Exploration 10.2%, Relaxing 10%, Sci-fi 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: It focuses on atmospheric, sci-fi traversal across alien landscapes, emphasizing the feeling of scale and wonder found in Epitasis.
- #7 Antichamber
92% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 17,576 reviews2013
Dev: Alexander BrucePub: Demruth
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.4 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Antichamber is a mind-bending psychological exploration game where nothing can be taken for granted. Discover an Escher-like world where hallways wrap around upon each other, spaces reconfigure themselves, and accomplishing the impossible may just be the only way forward.
Why similar: Surreal 27.1%, Puzzle 22.2%, Nonlinear 12.2%, First-Person 10.8%, Exploration 9.9%
Why You'll Like It: Its surreal, mind-bending geometry and non-linear exploration provide a similar sense of discovery and disorientation.
- #8 The Talos Principle
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 32,657 reviews2014
Dev: CroteamPub: Devolver Digital
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 14.9 hrs≥1hr: 87%
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 31.7%, Sci-fi 19.3%, First-Person 13%, Atmospheric 11.9%, Exploration 8%
Why You'll Like It: It combines philosophical sci-fi themes with high-quality, environmental puzzle-solving in a beautiful, atmospheric world.
- #9 MirrorMoon EP
93% matchMixed58% of 597 reviews2013
Dev: Santa Ragione
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 4.1 hrs≥1hr: 88%
MirrorMoon EP is a game about mystery and exploration set in outer space. These space travels begin on a red planet and its unique moon and extend across galaxies. The single player part of MirrorMoon EP blends adventure and exploration with navigation-based puzzle solving.
Why similar: Space 20.2%, Open World 14%, Surreal 14%, Exploration 12.6%, Puzzle 11.9%
Why You'll Like It: It is a minimalist, abstract exploration game that tasks players with solving cryptic puzzles across various alien planets.
- #10 Firmament
91% matchMostly Positive72% of 1,594 reviews2023
Dev: Cyan Worlds, Inc.
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 12.2 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Firmament is a new puzzle-adventure game by the legendary game studio behind the best-selling games Myst and Riven. Featuring deep storytelling and world-building, discover the story of this seemingly abandoned world as you explore and unlock the mysteries of 3 unique Realms… and beyond!
Why similar: Mystery 32.3%, Puzzle 26.1%, Exploration 23%, Atmospheric 12.8%, Singleplayer 4.5%
Why You'll Like It: This game offers a modern, high-fidelity experience focused on interacting with ancient machinery and exploring mysterious, isolated environments.
- #11 Riven
89% matchVery Positive93% of 2,718 reviews2024
Dev: Cyan Worlds, Inc.
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.2 hrsMean: 7.0 hrs≥1hr: 80%
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: Surreal 18.1%, Mystery 16.8%, Puzzle 16.5%, Exploration 14.4%, First-Person 11.2%
Why You'll Like It: This game provides a deeply immersive, surreal environment that rewards players for paying close attention to environmental details and logic.
- #12 P·O·L·L·E·N
90% matchMixed65% of 204 reviews2016
Dev: Mindfield Games
Windows
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 3.7 hrs≥1hr: 93%
P·O·L·L·E·N is an atmospheric, suspenseful and highly interactive first person sci-fi exploration game set on Saturn’s moon Titan. Delve into the richly detailed Station M, and try everything you can get your hands on to uncover the mysteries that lie beneath the moon’s crust.
Why similar: Science 27.6% ★, Psychedelic 23.2%, Sci-fi 15.6%, Exploration 11.8%, Atmospheric 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: It is a highly atmospheric, first-person sci-fi exploration game that focuses on interacting with a detailed, alien environment.
- #13 Venineth
89% matchVery Positive81% of 261 reviews2020
Dev: Venineth TeamPub: mort-art
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Venineth is a single-player game focusing on unraveling the mysteries of ancient alien technology, somewhere in the universe via exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving, in a dangerous, distant worlds.
Why similar: Space 15.2%, Nonlinear 14.2%, Sci-fi 10.5%, Mystery 10%, 3D Platformer 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: It provides a sci-fi, atmospheric exploration experience that emphasizes movement and discovery in strange, alien settings.
- #14 Sable
87% matchVery Positive86% of 6,173 reviews2021
Dev: ShedworksPub: Raw Fury
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Embark on an unique and unforgettable journey and guide Sable through her Gliding; a rite of passage that will take her across vast deserts and mesmerizing landscapes, capped by the remains of spaceships and ancient wonders.
Why similar: Open World 21.1%, Sci-fi 12.3%, Exploration 11.7%, 3D Platformer 10.7%, Relaxing 10.7%
Why You'll Like It: This game features a vast, open-world exploration experience centered on uncovering the history of ancient ruins with a distinct, artistic aesthetic.
- #15 Myst
86% matchVery Positive89% of 2,089 reviews2021
Dev: Cyan Worlds, Inc.
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 67%
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 31.1%, Exploration 27.3%, First-Person 14.1%, Mystery 13.2%, Atmospheric 5.5%
Why You'll Like It: As the foundational title for the genre, it provides the quintessential experience of exploring a mysterious, isolated world through puzzle-solving.
- #16 Memorrha
88% matchMixed66% of 151 reviews2019
Dev: StickyStoneStudio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 10.3 hrs≥1hr: 96%
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: Open World 16%, Puzzle 14.2%, Mystery 13.3%, Exploration 11.2%, Sci-fi 10.9%
Why You'll Like It: The game focuses on exploring ancient ruins and interacting with forgotten technology to solve environmental puzzles.
- #17 Call of the Sea
85% matchVery Positive88% of 5,866 reviews2020
Dev: Out of the Blue GamesPub: Raw Fury
Windows
Median: 4.8 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 75%
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: Surreal 19.1%, Puzzle 19%, Mystery 17.3%, First-Person 12.7%, Exploration 11%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a strong narrative-driven exploration experience set in a beautiful, mysterious location filled with ancient puzzles.
- #18 The Sojourn
86% matchMostly Positive72% of 217 reviews2020
Dev: Shifting TidesPub: Iceberg Interactive
Windows
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 4.8 hrs≥1hr: 83%
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: Surreal 21.1%, Mystery 13.5%, Puzzle 12.4%, Relaxing 10.7%, Puzzle Platformer 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: Its surreal, vibrant art style and focus on perspective-shifting puzzles create an atmospheric experience very similar to Epitasis.
- #19 Islands of Insight
83% matchMostly Positive72% of 3,163 reviews2024
Dev: Lunarch StudiosPub: Behaviour Interactive Inc.
Windows
Median: 1.7 hrsMean: 18.3 hrs≥1hr: 59%
Seek out and solve 10,000+ puzzles at your own pace across this sublime puzzle game.
Why similar: Nonlinear 18.2%, Open World 15.7%, Mystery 11.8%, Puzzle Platformer 10%, Puzzle 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: This open-world puzzle game offers a vast, non-linear experience focused on discovery and environmental logic.
- #20 Earth Analog
84% matchMixed66% of 111 reviews2021
Dev: Funcraft Games
Windows
In this relaxing space flight adventure, you pilot the science vessel Eurisko XI on a quest through deep space. Explore fascinating, fractal-based exoplanets and uncover their mysteries. Analyze artifacts and upgrade your ship to unlock new pathways. Your mission: find humanity’s new home.
Why similar: Space 24.1%, Surreal 16%, Mystery 14%, Sci-fi 11.5%, Exploration 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: It focuses on space exploration and mystery, capturing the sense of being a lone traveler in an unknown galaxy.
- #21 Krystopia: A Puzzle Journey
84% matchVery Positive88% of 59 reviews2019
Dev: Antler Interactive
Windows
Follow Nova Dune, a space explorer in her quest to find out about the unfamiliar distress signal she received aboard her ship. Determined to investigate it, she finds herself on a desolated planet where all civilization has vanished.
Why similar: Mystery 26%, Space 24.2%, Sci-fi 22.5%, Puzzle 20.2%, Indie 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: It is a sci-fi adventure that centers on solving intricate puzzles while exploring a mysterious, alien-like environment.
- #22 AER Memories of Old
82% matchVery Positive86% of 7,624 reviews2017
Dev: Forgotten KeyPub: Daedalic Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Transform into a bird and fly to explore and experience a vibrant world of floating islands in the sky. Venture down into lost ancient ruins where each step leads you closer to the end of the world.
Why similar: Open World 25.2%, Exploration 17.1%, Relaxing 14.7%, Nature 13.1%, Atmospheric 10.4%
Why You'll Like It: This title emphasizes exploration, nature, and atmospheric storytelling in a world that feels both ancient and mysterious.
- #23 NaissanceE
82% matchVery Positive84% of 4,240 reviews2014
Dev: Limasse Five
Windows
Median: 42 minMean: 3.8 hrs≥1hr: 44%
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: Surreal 25%, Exploration 19.1%, Atmospheric 12.6%, First-Person 10.3%, Psychedelic 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: This game features abstract, architectural exploration that captures a similar sense of scale and surrealism.
- #24 Chroma Zero
77% matchVery Positive96% of 313 reviews2024
Dev: ekorzPub: ZeroXP
Windows
Explore a unique and connected world. Understand its fragile balance, uncover its deepest questions, and find more than just the answers.
Why similar: Open World 14.1%, Mystery 13.5%, Puzzle 12.9%, Surreal 12.6%, Nonlinear 9.4%
- #25 Future Unfolding
81% matchVery Positive84% of 100 reviews2017
Dev: Spaces of Play UG
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Future Unfolding is an action adventure that is all about exploration. Your goal is to unfold the mysteries and solve the puzzles hidden in the beautiful landscapes around you.
Why similar: Nature 24.6%, Exploration 15.2%, Puzzle 11.8%, Surreal 11.2%, Indie 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: This game prioritizes exploration and discovery in a beautiful, nature-filled world that feels mysterious and untamed.
- #26 DREAMO - Puzzle Adventure
81% matchMostly Positive77% of 62 reviews2020
Dev: Hypnotic AntsPub: Carbon Studio
Windows
The plane crashed, bringing an abrupt end to your journey. You regain consciousness in a strange lucid dream filled with interactive cube puzzles, where a mysterious voice guides you through the changing landscape. What is happening? Who are you? Do you have what it takes to wake up?
Why similar: Surreal 15.6%, Nonlinear 13.8%, Open World 12.2%, Mystery 11.7%, Puzzle 9%
Why You'll Like It: This game offers a relaxing, puzzle-focused exploration experience set in a mysterious, colorful world.
- #27 Kredolis
79% matchMixed56% of 90 reviews2022
Dev: Pharos Interactive
Windows
You find yourself shipwrecked on a beautiful unsunken island that was once part of Atlantis. Explore the mysteries of the island, and solve unique puzzles to enter the sunken lighthouse into the depths of Atlantis.
Why similar: Mystery 19.3%, Puzzle 18.9%, Exploration 16.6%, Atmospheric 14.5%, First-Person 12.4%
Why You'll Like It: This adventure game features atmospheric exploration and puzzle-solving on a mysterious island filled with ancient secrets.
- #28 Ether One
80% matchMostly Positive73% of 447 reviews2014
Dev: White Paper Games
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 89%
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: Puzzle 27.5%, Exploration 25.2%, First-Person 22.1%, Indie 13%, Atmospheric 10.5%
Why You'll Like It: It blends environmental puzzle-solving with a focus on exploring detailed, atmospheric locations to uncover a hidden history.
- #29 Waking Mars
78% matchVery Positive89% of 1,195 reviews2012
Dev: Tiger Style
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 54 minMean: 4.3 hrs≥1hr: 49%
In 2097, life is discovered on Mars. When your mission of first contact becomes trapped by a cave-in, you must master the alien ecosystem to survive. Soon you stumble upon more than anyone expected, and with time running out, you will make a decision that determines the fate of a lost planet.
Why similar: Sci-fi 30.9%, Exploration 19%, Puzzle 16.2%, Nature 15.2%, Atmospheric 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: It combines sci-fi exploration with puzzle-like ecosystem management in a subterranean alien environment.
- #30 Exographer
75% matchVery Positive95% of 130 reviews2024
Dev: SciFunGamesPub: Abylight Studios
Windows · Mac
Exographer is an exploration game based on science. Become an explorer, stranded in an alien planet, and discover the secrets of an extinct civilization. Gain new powers to avoid dangers and obstacles in your journey, and use your camera to reveal particles and hidden clues.
Why similar: Science 37.4% ★, Puzzle 13.8%, Puzzle Platformer 13.5%, Exploration 13.3%, Sci-fi 10.8%
- #31 Relicta
78% matchMixed67% of 452 reviews2020
Dev: Mighty PolygonPub: Ravenscourt
Windows
Median: 1.3 hrsMean: 10.0 hrs≥1hr: 56%
Relicta is a first-person physics-based puzzle game where you need to creatively combine magnetism and gravity to unravel the secrets of Chandra Base.
Why similar: Science 27.5% ★, Sci-fi 15.6%, Puzzle Platformer 15.5%, Exploration 12.7%, Puzzle 12.7%
Why You'll Like It: This physics-based puzzle game set in a sci-fi environment offers a challenging and atmospheric experience.
- #32 INFLUXIS
74% matchMixed66% of 249 reviews2026
Dev: BaleYc Studios
Windows
Explore a mesmerizing alien world, filled with deep bioluminescent wonders and horrors alike. Old alien artefacts await uncovering, in your search for the lost crew of Lazarus, in the search for your family in the depths of planet Eo-III.
Why similar: Open World 30.1%, Nature 22.1%, Mystery 14.1%, Sci-fi 10.1%, First-Person 10%
- #33 Ilamentia
79% matchMixed67% of 103 reviews2014
Dev: caiysPub: caiysware
Windows
Median: 2.0 hrsMean: 3.2 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Ilamentia is an experimental abstract puzzler where you must first discover the level mechanics before solving them. Delve into mysterious mind-bending levels that each have unique mechanics to explore that will test the limits of every facet of your cognitive faculties.
Why similar: Psychedelic 27.1%, Surreal 21%, Puzzle 11.4%, First-Person 8.3%, Exploration 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: It is a surreal, first-person puzzle game that leans into the psychedelic and abstract aesthetic of Epitasis.
- #34 The Eternal Cylinder
74% matchVery Positive90% of 1,173 reviews2022
Dev: ACE TeamPub: Good Shepherd Entertainment
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Control a herd of charming creatures called Trebhum and explore an unforgettable alien world filled with exotic lifeforms and surreal environments. Discover dozens of mutations to overcome puzzles, explore new biomes, and survive on a dangerous planet.
Why similar: Surreal 29.8%, Open World 24.4%, Exploration 13%, Puzzle Platformer 12.5%, Atmospheric 9.8%
- #35 Nemezis: Mysterious Journey III
76% matchMixed60% of 149 reviews2021
Dev: Detalion Games S.A.
Windows
Median: 3.9 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Welcome to Regilus, a paradise planet turned into a popular tourist destination! But your holiday adventure soon turned into a nightmare. Stranded on an alien planet you need to find your way out. Remember though, not everything here is as it seems.
Why similar: Surreal 19.7%, Mystery 18.2%, Puzzle 11%, Sci-fi 10.9%, Exploration 10.1%
- #36 PLANET ALPHA
76% matchMixed70% of 1,107 reviews2018
Dev: Planet Alpha ApSPub: Team17 Digital Ltd
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 88%
PLANET ALPHA, a beautiful alien world filled with mystery and danger. Pursued by relentless enemies, you must harness the power of night and day as you struggle to survive.
Why similar: Space 25.4%, Open World 17%, Sci-fi 16.3%, Atmospheric 12.4%, Exploration 11.7%
- #37 Seed of Life
75% matchMostly Positive71% of 95 reviews2021
Dev: MadLightPub: Leonardo Interactive
Windows
Seed of Life is an epic adventure game about the persistence of life. You're Cora, the last known survivor of Lumia, a dying planet. Your only hope to save your homeworld is to activate the Seed of Life and rekindle the sun once again. Will you be the light that conquers the darkness?
Why similar: Nature 23.1%, Open World 17.6%, Puzzle Platformer 15.5%, Sci-fi 12.5%, 3D Platformer 11%
- #38 DE-EXIT - Eternal Matters
73% matchVery Positive83% of 58 reviews2023
Dev: SandBloom StudioPub: HandyGames
Windows
Embark on a surrealistic afterlife journey to discover the secrets of the broken and mysterious Plane of Memory in this cinematic adventure with a hint of stealth. Dive into a wonderful voxel world with an intense atmosphere and save the day!
Why similar: Puzzle 24.8%, Exploration 23.7%, Relaxing 23.1%, Atmospheric 17.6%, Casual 5.8%
- #39 Machinika: Atlas
71% matchMostly Positive76% of 557 reviews2024
Dev: Littlefield StudioPub: Dear Villagers
Windows
Machinika: Atlas is an indie puzzle game and is the direct sequel to Machinika: Museum, you play as a museum researcher who just land on Atlas. Will you unravel the mysteries of the alien vessel? Solve cryptic puzzles to find out what happened!
Why similar: Space 21.2%, Science 15.9% ★, Mystery 15.1%, Sci-fi 14.4%, Puzzle 13.6%
- #40 Platonic
72% matchVery Positive86% of 93 reviews2022
Dev: FidgetBear Games
Windows
Platonic is a first-person puzzle adventure game. Explore five unique worlds. Solve logical challenges. Gather clues and think outside the cube.
Why similar: Nature 19.5%, Nonlinear 15.7%, Open World 12%, Puzzle 10.2%, Mystery 10.2%
- #41 Recursive Ruin
72% matchMostly Positive79% of 310 reviews2022
Dev: Bit RotPub: Iceberg Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 84%
A story rich narrative puzzle game in which an artist comes to terms with their grief. Explore an infinitely recursive world of strange fractal beauty and solve mind-bending puzzles. Confront the ineffable and chat with your cat in a search for meaning and hope.
Why similar: Surreal 22.3%, Puzzle Platformer 14.6%, Puzzle 13.5%, Exploration 12.6%, Mystery 10.2%
- #42 Logicality
73% matchMostly Positive74% of 54 reviews2022
Dev: SVGames
Windows
Immerse yourself in an exciting journey on the island of dreams. Explore the open world and interesting places, while solving various puzzles that use environment.
Why similar: Puzzle 17.8%, Nonlinear 17.4%, Exploration 15.5%, Open World 14.1%, First-Person 12%
- #43 Submerged: Hidden Depths
70% matchVery Positive90% of 818 reviews2022
Dev: Uppercut Games Pty Ltd
Windows
Median: 6.8 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Boat, climb, interact and explore in the beautiful ruins of a sunken world.
Why similar: Nature 28.3%, Open World 24.8%, Exploration 15.8%, Relaxing 15.6%, Atmospheric 10.5%
- #44 Omno
69% matchVery Positive92% of 2,713 reviews2021
Dev: Studio InkyfoxPub: Future Friends Games
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 6.8 hrs≥1hr: 65%
A single-player journey of discovery through an ancient world of wonders, created by solo developer Jonas Manke.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 17%, Relaxing 16.7%, Exploration 15.8%, Puzzle 15.3%, 3D Platformer 14.1%
- #45 The Station
71% matchVery Positive86% of 1,108 reviews2018
Dev: The Station Game ltd
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.4 hrsMean: 3.8 hrs≥1hr: 85%
The Station is a first-person sci-fi mystery set on a space station sent to study a sentient alien civilization. Assuming the role of a recon specialist, players must unravel a mystery which will decide the fate of two civilizations.
Why similar: Space 29.5%, Sci-fi 20.3%, Atmospheric 12.2%, Mystery 10.1%, Indie 9.5%
- #46 The Art of Reflection
67% matchVery Positive97% of 139 reviews2025
Dev: Hydrozoa
Windows
Traverse mirrors as if they were natural extensions of space to solve puzzles and uncover secrets. Reshape your perspective to perform gravity-shifting acrobatics as you jungle-gym through a sprawling environment. You'll never look in a mirror the same way again.
Why similar: Surreal 20.7%, Nonlinear 16.2%, Puzzle Platformer 12%, Puzzle 10.4%, Exploration 9.2%
- #47 Goldenheart
68% matchVery Positive89% of 95 reviews2024
Dev: Millenniapede
Windows
You have entered a foreign land in the course of an expedition and become involved in an otherworldly mystery. Tuldenorrea is a deceptively simple world, balanced delicately between the extreme forces of a magical universe.
Why similar: Surreal 26.1%, Nature 21%, Mystery 12.3%, Puzzle 12.2%, Exploration 11.7%
- #48 EQI
70% matchVery Positive86% of 236 reviews2021
Dev: Chopin et al.Pub: Hyperstrange
Windows
Median: 1.1 hrsMean: 19.1 hrs≥1hr: 54%
EQI is a trippy first-person arcade game with spatial puzzles, and a synthwave soul. You find yourself in a digital world that twists and changes around you, challenging your senses, focus, and reflexes. Interface with the great mystery and transcend.
Why similar: Surreal 22.9%, Psychedelic 22.6%, Exploration 10.9%, Puzzle 10.8%, First-Person 10.2%
- #49 Breached
73% matchMixed55% of 128 reviews2016
Dev: HRA INTERACTIVE
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.1 hrsMean: 3.1 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Unveil the truth in a genre-blending sci-fi mystery. Awaken from cryogenic slumber you find your shelter damaged by unknown circumstances. Scavenge your surroundings, repair the shelter and explore the ruins in hopes of uncovering – or perhaps avoiding – the uncomfortable truth of what has transpired.
Why similar: Sci-fi 38.9%, Mystery 37.3%, Indie 23.8%
- #50 ANIMAL WELL
65% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 23,519 reviews2024
Dev: Billy BassoPub: Bigmode
Windows
Median: 5.7 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 77%
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: Surreal 16.2%, Nonlinear 13.9%, Exploration 13.5%, Puzzle Platformer 13.2%, Puzzle 12.9%
- #51 Metamorphosis
70% matchVery Positive86% of 640 reviews2020
Dev: Ovid WorksPub: Untold Tales
Windows
Median: 2.7 hrsMean: 4.1 hrs≥1hr: 69%
Play as Gregor, turned into a tiny bug, and set out on an extraordinary journey to unravel the mystery of your transformation. Metamorphosis is a first person adventure set in a surrealist world where your newfound abilities are your last and only hope for redemption.
Why similar: Mystery 20.3%, Puzzle 16.5%, 3D Platformer 14.5%, Exploration 14.2%, First-Person 12.9%
- #52 Downward: Enhanced Edition
71% matchMostly Positive71% of 560 reviews2017
Dev: Caracal GamesPub: Plug In Digital
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Downward is a first-person open-world parkour based platform adventure set in the medieval ruins of a post-apocalyptic planet Earth. Make your way through breath-taking landscapes, face ancient guardians and unravel the deep mystery that lies behind the disappearance of humanity.
Why similar: Open World 26.1%, First-Person 14.4%, Sci-fi 13.4%, Puzzle 10.4%, 3D Platformer 8.7%
- #53 Floodcore
67% matchVery Positive96% of 215 reviews2024
Dev: Floodcore Team
Windows
Floodcore is a puzzle adventure game in which you explore an ancient civilization in a flooded world, and discover a mysterious power to overcome the temple's challenges.
Why similar: Puzzle 18%, Mystery 16.9%, Relaxing 16.1%, Exploration 15.5%, Puzzle Platformer 14.4%
- #54 Alchemy
67% matchVery Positive85% of 52 reviews2024
Dev: Default Company
Windows
Discover what lies beyond our reality with Alchemy. A portal-like experience that will challenge you to think with potions while trying to solve the mysteries of this strange new place.
Why similar: Science 27.8% ★, Space 16.6%, Puzzle 12.8%, Puzzle Platformer 12.3%, 3D Platformer 12.3%
- #55 Andarin Weppes: Pre-Dementia
65% matchVery Positive92% of 184 reviews2024
Dev: MötivPub: Next in Game
Windows
Median: 30 minMean: 1.7 hrs≥1hr: 24%
Andarin Weppes is a first person puzzle experience of a man with ever advancing dementia...
Why similar: Psychedelic 24.7%, Surreal 17.9%, Puzzle Platformer 11%, 3D Platformer 10%, Puzzle 9.9%
- #56 SELINI
64% matchVery Positive96% of 55 reviews2026
Dev: Cymban
Windows
A wordless metroidvania through fog-covered ruins and the remnants of a lost world. Explore, gain new abilities and uncover meaning without guidance or dialogue.
Why similar: Nonlinear 16.9%, Sci-fi 16.1%, Mystery 15.7%, Exploration 14%, Puzzle Platformer 13.3%
- #57 Planet of the Eyes
69% matchVery Positive84% of 589 reviews2015
Dev: Cococucumber
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 3.6 hrs≥1hr: 84%
An atmospheric narrative-platformer about a service robot stranded on a mysterious planet, Planet of the Eyes features a stunning visual mix of puzzle and platforming challenges, an original musical score, and fully voiced audio logs left by another survivor. Explore the mystery of an unknown world.
Why similar: Puzzle 21.4%, Sci-fi 20.3%, Puzzle Platformer 14.8%, Space 12.1%, Atmospheric 9.9%
- #58 Nomori: Prologue
66% matchVery Positive94% of 156 reviews2022
Dev: Enchanted Works
Windows
Nomori is a mind-bending adventure game where you control time and space to journey through a shattered spirit world. Take shortcuts through portals, rotate your perspective, and control the flow of time to move forward, whichever way that is.
Why similar: Surreal 20.1%, Nonlinear 16.1%, Nature 15.8%, Puzzle Platformer 11.6%, Puzzle 10.7%
- #59 Syke
66% matchVery Positive82% of 85 reviews2024
Dev: Infinite Digital Monkeys LLC
Windows
Syke is a first-person exploratory puzzle game set in a mysterious and beautifully warped reality. You play as an individual making their way through areas of strange geometry; solving puzzles to piece together the story of their love.
Why similar: Psychedelic 21.8%, Nonlinear 14%, Puzzle 11.7%, Exploration 11.4%, Mystery 10.5%