- #1 Braid
97% matchVery Positive93% of 9,924 reviews2009
Dev: Number None
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.7 hrsMean: 4.3 hrs≥1hr: 61%
This is the original version of Braid from 2009, which may not work well on newer systems. For an updated version of the game with nicer graphics, more levels and a large amount of developer commentary, see Braid, Anniversary Edition.
Why similar: Platformer 32%, Puzzle 22.8%, Puzzle Platformer 19.5%, Great Soundtrack 12.7%, Indie 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: A classic puzzle-platformer that uses time manipulation mechanics to challenge your perception of space and logic.
- #2 Antichamber
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 17,636 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: Puzzle 57.1%, Exploration 16.8%, Indie 11.8%, Great Soundtrack 6.1%, Singleplayer 2.8%
Why You'll Like It: This first-person puzzle game uses non-Euclidean geometry to subvert your expectations of space, much like the perspective-shifting mechanics of FEZ.
- #3 TUNIC
95% matchVery Positive91% of 17,461 reviews2022
Dev: TUNIC TeamPub: Finji
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.8 hrsMean: 12.8 hrs≥1hr: 85%
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 47.3%, Exploration 32.6%, Indie 7.6%, Metroidvania 6%, Cute 3.6%
Why You'll Like It: Like FEZ, this game features a cryptic world filled with hidden secrets and a unique language that players must decipher to progress.
- #4 The Witness
96% matchVery Positive85% of 20,692 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 51.9%, Exploration 18.7%, Indie 6.8%, Great Soundtrack 5.9%, Mystery 3.6%
Why You'll Like It: It shares the focus on environmental observation and non-linear puzzle-solving within a beautiful, mysterious, and interconnected world.
- #5 ANIMAL WELL
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 23,932 reviews2024
Dev: Billy BassoPub: Bigmode
Windows
Median: 5.7 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 76%
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: Platformer 24%, Puzzle 18.3%, Pixel Graphics 12.5%, Exploration 12.4%, Puzzle Platformer 10%
Why You'll Like It: A dense, atmospheric metroidvania that prioritizes exploration and hidden secrets over combat, echoing the discovery-focused gameplay of FEZ.
- #6 Outer Wilds
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 102,192 reviews2020
Dev: Mobius DigitalPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 16.8 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: Great Soundtrack 30.4%, Puzzle 17.7%, Exploration 17.5%, Beautiful 12.9% ★, Mystery 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: It captures the same profound sense of discovery and non-linear exploration as you piece together the mystery of a dying solar system.
- #7 Chants of Sennaar
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 30,726 reviews2023
Dev: RundiscPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 5.8 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
In this award-winning puzzle adventure game, play as the Traveler on a quest to reunite the Peoples of the Tower. Observe, listen, and decipher ancient languages in a fascinating universe inspired by the Myth of Babel.
Why similar: Puzzle 47%, Great Soundtrack 17.1%, Indie 9.2%, Exploration 6.3%, Adventure 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: This game focuses heavily on the linguistic puzzles and deciphering mechanics that made the secret-hunting in FEZ so rewarding.
- #8 Manifold Garden
92% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 8,248 reviews2020
Dev: William Chyr Studio
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 5.3 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: Puzzle 36.5%, Exploration 17.7%, Puzzle Platformer 15.1%, Mystery 8.5%, Indie 7.9%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a mind-bending experience centered on gravity manipulation and infinite, repeating architectural structures.
- #9 VVVVVV
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 10,449 reviews2010
Dev: Terry Cavanagh
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 66%
VVVVVV is a platform game all about exploring one simple mechanical idea - what if you reversed gravity instead of jumping?
Why similar: Platformer 34.6%, Great Soundtrack 26.4%, Pixel Graphics 18.5%, Indie 7.1%, Exploration 5%
Why You'll Like It: A precision-platformer that uses a unique gravity-flipping mechanic to create challenging, puzzle-like navigation sequences.
- #10 Gorogoa
90% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 20,093 reviews2017
Dev: Buried SignalPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.4 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 86%
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 41.7%, Beautiful 18.7% ★, Great Soundtrack 13.4%, Indie 7.6%, Exploration 4.3%
Why You'll Like It: This game features beautiful, hand-drawn art and perspective-shifting puzzles that require you to layer and manipulate images to progress.
- #11 The Swapper
91% matchVery Positive94% of 7,539 reviews2013
Dev: Olli Harjola, Otto Hantula, Tom Jubert, Carlo CastellanoPub: Facepalm Games
Windows
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 74%
What if someone knew your mind better than you did? The Swapper is an award-winning, narrative driven puzzle game set in the furthest reaches of space.
Why similar: Puzzle 34.1%, Platformer 25.1%, Great Soundtrack 13.6%, Puzzle Platformer 7.6%, Indie 7.1%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric puzzle game that uses cloning mechanics to navigate complex, sci-fi environments.
- #12 Cave Story+
89% matchVery Positive93% of 8,055 reviews2011
Dev: Nicalis, Inc.
Windows · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 21.7 hrs≥1hr: 60%
Run, jump, shoot, fly and explore your way through a massive action-adventure reminiscent of classic 8- and 16-bit games.
Why similar: Platformer 37.7%, Great Soundtrack 29.3%, Pixel Graphics 10.6%, Indie 7.5%, Exploration 4.7%
Why You'll Like It: A quintessential indie metroidvania that balances tight platforming with a sense of mystery and exploration.
- #13 Toki Tori 2+
89% matchVery Positive85% of 1,089 reviews2013
Dev: Two Tribes
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.9 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Toki Tori 2+ may look cute, but it’s a challenging puzzle adventure game. Whistle and stomp are the only moves you need to solve increasingly complex puzzles, as you go anywhere, anytime on a lush forest island!
Why similar: Platformer 32.9%, Puzzle 19.8%, Exploration 12.9%, Puzzle Platformer 12.6%, Indie 6%
Why You'll Like It: A metroidvania-style puzzle game that relies on environmental interaction and observation rather than traditional combat or inventory systems.
- #14 Superliminal
86% matchVery Positive95% of 33,072 reviews2020
Dev: Pillow Castle
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Perception is reality. In this mind-bending first-person puzzler, you escape a surreal dream world through solving impossible puzzles using the ambiguity of depth and perspective.
Why similar: Puzzle 56.1%, Exploration 18.2%, Puzzle Platformer 15.6%, Adventure 5.4%, Singleplayer 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: This game plays with forced perspective and scale, forcing you to rethink how you interact with 3D objects in a 2D-like manner.
- #15 Teslagrad
88% matchVery Positive84% of 2,464 reviews2013
Dev: Rain Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 88%
A journey begins... A treacherous tower... Unravel its mysteries!Discover the secrets kept in the long abandoned Tesla Tower!Magnetism and other electromagnetic powers will help you explore a non-linear world of beautiful hand-drawn environments, in a steampunk-inspired vision of old Europe.
Why similar: Platformer 44%, Puzzle 20.3%, Great Soundtrack 8.1%, Indie 6.8%, Puzzle Platformer 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A puzzle-platformer that uses magnetism and electricity mechanics to navigate its intricate, steampunk-inspired world.
- #16 Thomas Was Alone
87% matchVery Positive94% of 9,361 reviews2012
Dev: Bithell Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 3.1 hrs≥1hr: 57%
Guide a group of rectangles through 120 levels, using their different skills together to overcome a series of obstacles in each environment. Discover the human-made story of the first sentient artificial intelligences with Danny Wallace’s BAFTA-winning narration.
Why similar: Platformer 51.1%, Puzzle Platformer 15.5%, Indie 9.2%, Mystery 8.4%, Adventure 3.4%
Why You'll Like It: A minimalist platformer that uses simple shapes and clever narration to create a surprisingly deep and emotional experience.
- #17 Carto
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 9,210 reviews2020
Dev: Sunhead GamesPub: Balor Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 86%
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 36.4%, Exploration 20.9%, Indie 15.6%, Relaxing 6.9%, Adventure 5.5%
Why You'll Like It: A charming adventure game where you manipulate the map itself to explore new areas and solve environmental puzzles.
- #18 Environmental Station Alpha
86% matchVery Positive83% of 1,627 reviews2015
Dev: Arvi TeikariPub: Hempuli Oy
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 6.2 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Explore an abandoned space station in this retro-themed explorative action platformer.
Why similar: Platformer 31.9%, Pixel Graphics 19.6%, Great Soundtrack 17.4%, Indie 7.7%, Exploration 5.5%
Why You'll Like It: A pixel-art metroidvania that is deeply focused on exploration and uncovering cryptic secrets hidden throughout its map.
- #19 A Short Hike
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 22,017 reviews2019
Dev: adamgryu
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 25.5%, Exploration 19.4%, Pixel Graphics 14.6%, Beautiful 12.7% ★, Indie 9.9%
Why You'll Like It: It captures the pure joy of exploration and the atmospheric, low-pressure discovery that makes the world of FEZ so inviting.
- #20 Owlboy
85% matchVery Positive84% of 6,078 reviews2016
Dev: D-Pad Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.1 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Owlboy is a story-driven platform adventure game, where you can fly and explore a brand new world in the clouds! Pick up your friends, and bring them with you as you explore the open skies, in one of the most detailed adventures of this era.
Why similar: Platformer 32.3%, Pixel Graphics 17.6%, Exploration 10.4%, Puzzle Platformer 10.4%, Indie 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: Features gorgeous pixel art and a focus on exploration and traversal mechanics in a vibrant, interconnected world.
- #21 Journey
82% matchVery Positive94% of 37,631 reviews2020
Dev: thatgamecompanyPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 2.0 hrsMean: 7.7 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 30.7%, Beautiful 30.1% ★, Exploration 13.6%, Indie 8.3%, Adventure 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: Focuses on atmospheric exploration and wordless storytelling, emphasizing the beauty of the world over complex mechanics.
- #22 Bastion
83% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 38,029 reviews2011
Dev: Supergiant Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Discover the secrets of the Calamity, a surreal catastrophe that shattered the world to pieces.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 74.1%, Indie 14.6%, Singleplayer 3.8%, Adventure 3.4%, Beautiful 2.5% ★
Why You'll Like It: While more action-oriented, it shares the beautiful, hand-painted aesthetic and atmospheric world-building found in FEZ.
- #23 Baba Is You
81% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 24,029 reviews2019
Dev: Hempuli Oy
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 13.5 hrs≥1hr: 86%
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 49.3%, Great Soundtrack 16%, Pixel Graphics 14.7%, Indie 12.1%, Singleplayer 2.8%
Why You'll Like It: A logic-based puzzle game that forces you to rewrite the rules of the game world, mirroring the meta-puzzle nature of FEZ.
- #24 Hyper Light Drifter
82% matchVery Positive93% of 18,682 reviews2016
Dev: Heart Machine
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Explore a beautiful, vast and ruined world riddled with dangers and lost technologies.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 43.3%, Pixel Graphics 25.2%, Exploration 9.5%, Indie 9.2%, Adventure 4.4%
Why You'll Like It: It features a cryptic, wordless narrative told through its environment and stunning pixel art, rewarding observant players.
- #25 Unpacking
79% matchVery Positive93% of 39,661 reviews2021
Dev: Witch BeamPub: Balor Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking.
Why similar: Puzzle 34.4%, Pixel Graphics 25.5%, Relaxing 12.6%, Indie 10.1%, Casual 4.9%
Why You'll Like It: A meditative experience that uses environmental storytelling to reveal the history of a character through their possessions.
- #26 Return of the Obra Dinn
80% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,856 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.4 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Puzzle 34.3%, Great Soundtrack 29%, Mystery 17.5%, Indie 8.9%, Atmospheric 3.4%
Why You'll Like It: A masterclass in deduction and observation that rewards players for paying attention to the smallest visual details.
- #27 Gato Roboto
79% matchVery Positive94% of 5,104 reviews2019
Dev: doinksoftPub: Devolver Digital
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Pounce inside of your cozy armored mech and set off on a dangerous trek through an alien underworld full of irritable creatures and treacherous obstacles in a valiant effort to save your stranded captain and his crashed spaceship.
Why similar: Platformer 36%, Pixel Graphics 22%, Indie 14.1%, Exploration 7.1%, Metroidvania 6.1%
Why You'll Like It: A compact metroidvania that emphasizes exploration and secrets within a charming, retro-inspired pixel art world.
- #28 World of Goo
81% matchVery Positive94% of 6,512 reviews2008
Dev: 2D BOYPub: 2D BOY
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 13.6 hrs≥1hr: 67%
World of Goo is a multiple award winning physics based puzzle / construction game made entirely by two guys.
Why similar: Puzzle 42.7%, Great Soundtrack 35.8%, Indie 12.5%, Singleplayer 2.9%, Casual 2.3%
Why You'll Like It: A physics-based puzzle game that requires creative thinking and spatial awareness to build structures across challenging terrain.
- #29 Portal
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 194,399 reviews2007
Dev: Valve
Windows · Linux
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 18.7 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Portal™ is a new single player game from Valve. Set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories, Portal has been called one of the most innovative new games on the horizon and will offer gamers hours of unique gameplay.
Why similar: Puzzle 53.4%, Puzzle Platformer 22.7%, Platformer 17.9%, Singleplayer 3.4%, Adventure 1.5%
Why You'll Like It: The definitive perspective-based puzzle game that challenges your spatial reasoning in a sterile, mysterious environment.
- #30 Dust: An Elysian Tail
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 18,985 reviews2013
Dev: Humble Hearts LLCPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 11.5 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Immerse yourself in a gorgeous hand-painted world on a search for your true identity. As the mysterious warrior, Dust, your action-packed journey will take you from peaceful glades to snowy mountaintops and beyond.
Why similar: Platformer 43.4%, Great Soundtrack 22.2%, Indie 8.5%, Beautiful 7.8% ★, Exploration 5.5%
- #31 Knytt Underground
78% matchVery Positive84% of 483 reviews2013
Dev: Nifflas' GamesPub: Ripstone
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.4 hrsMean: 3.2 hrs≥1hr: 67%
The legendary Knytt series continues with Nifflas’ latest creation; Knytt Underground. In this Knytteration; humans have long since abandoned the planet after practically destroying it in a war, five hundred years ago.
Why similar: Platformer 44.1%, Great Soundtrack 15.8%, Exploration 14.8%, Indie 11.5%, Puzzle 4.5%
Why You'll Like It: A massive, atmospheric world focused entirely on exploration and movement rather than combat or traditional progression.
- #32 Hue
76% matchVery Positive92% of 11,223 reviews2016
Dev: Fiddlesticks GamesPub: Curve Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.0 hrsMean: 10.5 hrs≥1hr: 50%
Hue is a vibrant, award-winning puzzle-adventure, where you alter the world by changing its background colour.
Why similar: Platformer 28%, Puzzle 23%, Great Soundtrack 21.1%, Puzzle Platformer 10.3%, Indie 9.6%
- #33 Pid
77% matchVery Positive83% of 2,431 reviews2012
Dev: Might and Delight
Windows · Mac
Median: 30 minMean: 29.8 hrs≥1hr: 32%
You are stranded on a strange and peculiar planet. It’s time to embark on your journey and find your way home! Explore a gravity defying and challenging platformer with striking visuals and a captivating story that transports you to a world beyond ours.
Why similar: Platformer 40.9%, Puzzle Platformer 15.4%, Puzzle 13.7%, Indie 11.6%, Great Soundtrack 11.2%
- #34 RiME
75% matchVery Positive90% of 5,170 reviews2017
Dev: Tequila WorksPub: Grey Box
Windows
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 6.2 hrs≥1hr: 88%
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: Great Soundtrack 32.5%, Puzzle 27.3%, Exploration 15.8%, Platformer 7.1%, Adventure 5.1%
- #35 Nihilumbra
76% matchVery Positive88% of 2,989 reviews2013
Dev: BeautiFun Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Discover the beautiful world of Nihilumbra and join Born on his adventure to find himself whilst trying to escape from his inevitable curse. Born was created from the absolute nothingness: The Void. But somehow he separates himself from the black emptiness and appears in the world.
Why similar: Platformer 32.6%, Puzzle 19.5%, Great Soundtrack 14.5%, Indie 9.6%, Puzzle Platformer 8.6%
- #36 Lumote: The Mastermote Chronicles
74% matchVery Positive90% of 104 reviews2020
Dev: Luminawesome Games Ltd.Pub: Wired Productions
Windows
Meet Lumote, the squishiest bioluminescent creature, in this beautiful 3D puzzle platformer. Take control of the world’s inhabitants on a quest into the Great Depths to seize control from the Mastermote.
Why similar: Platformer 23.1%, Great Soundtrack 18.3%, Puzzle 13.7%, Beautiful 13.5% ★, Puzzle Platformer 9.1%
- #37 Escape Goat 2
74% matchVery Positive95% of 455 reviews2014
Dev: MagicalTimeBeanPub: Double Fine Presents
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 95%
Escape Goat 2 is a puzzle platformer game where you use machinery, the environment, and a friendly mouse to progress through a dungeon.
Why similar: Platformer 41.2%, Puzzle 24.7%, Great Soundtrack 16.5%, Indie 10.5%, Puzzle Platformer 3.4%
- #38 Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
75% matchMostly Positive77% of 2,647 reviews2012
Dev: CapybaraPub: Capybara Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 30 minMean: 2.2 hrs≥1hr: 34%
Traverse a mythic little realm, use a sword to do battle & evoke sworcery to solve mystical musical mysteries.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 39.2%, Pixel Graphics 17.5%, Indie 10.4%, Puzzle 10%, Beautiful 7% ★
- #39 MANDAGON
73% matchVery Positive95% of 5,730 reviews2016
Dev: Blind Sky Studios
Windows · Mac
Median: 36 minMean: 3.3 hrs≥1hr: 23%
Explore Mandagon, a world inspired by Tibetan theology and philosophy. With a focus on life and death, discover what it means to make a true sacrifice . . .
Why similar: Platformer 39.5%, Pixel Graphics 17.2%, Great Soundtrack 12%, Indie 8.8%, Adventure 3.9%
- #40 Semblance
73% matchVery Positive86% of 400 reviews2018
Dev: NyamakopPub: Good Shepherd Entertainment
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 52%
Semblance is an innovative platformer with deformable terrain, set in a beautiful minimalist world. It’s a game that asks, what if you could deform and reshape the world itself? Semblance takes the idea of a ‘platform’ in a platformer and turns it on its head.
Why similar: Platformer 26.4%, Great Soundtrack 22.1%, Puzzle 16.7%, Puzzle Platformer 9.9%, Indie 9%
- #41 EDGE
73% matchVery Positive92% of 2,248 reviews2011
Dev: Two TribesPub: Two Tribes Publishing
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 30 minMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 34%
EDGE, the award winning retro-styled platform game has been extended! Now with over 40 brand new levels, additional music and all-new races against the notorious Dark Cube!
Why similar: Puzzle 27.8%, Platformer 22.4%, Great Soundtrack 20.4%, Puzzle Platformer 16.3%, Indie 9.7%
- #42 EMUUROM
65% matchVery Positive96% of 69 reviews2026
Dev: borbwarePub: Coyote Time Publishing
Windows · Mac · Linux
A creature-scanning metroidvania. Explore an ancient paradise before it's lost forever. Study the EMUUROM creatures, document your findings in the EMUUDEX, and use what you learn to unlock new paths.
Why similar: Platformer 26.5%, Puzzle 17.5%, Pixel Graphics 13.7%, Exploration 11.4%, Puzzle Platformer 9.5%
- #43 Downwell
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 8,526 reviews2015
Dev: MoppinPub: Devolver Digital
Windows
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 4.6 hrs≥1hr: 53%
Downwell is a curious game about a young person venturing down a well in search of untold treasures with only his Gunboots to protect him.
Why similar: Platformer 48.5%, Pixel Graphics 22.2%, Indie 11.3%, Great Soundtrack 9.6%, 2D 2.5%
- #44 The Way
72% matchVery Positive83% of 1,302 reviews2016
Dev: Puzzling DreamPub: PlayWay S.A.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Journey to another planet and discover its secrets in order to bring your loved one back to life. Experience an adventure, inspired by old school classics like Another World, Heart of Darkness and Flashback.
Why similar: Platformer 35.5%, Pixel Graphics 18.4%, Puzzle Platformer 12.1%, Indie 10.9%, Puzzle 9.7%
- #45 Spelunky
70% matchVery Positive92% of 16,577 reviews2013
Dev: Mossmouth
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 21.4 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Spelunky is a unique platformer with randomized levels that offer a challenging new experience each time you play. Journey deep underground and explore fantastic places filled with all manner of monsters, traps, and treasure.
Why similar: Platformer 73.6%, Indie 12.4%, Great Soundtrack 9.2%, 2D 2.8%, Adventure 1.2%
- #46 Recursed
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 645 reviews2016
Dev: PortponkyPub: Shambles Software
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 5.8 hrs≥1hr: 81%
A puzzle game where the rooms are items and the items are rooms. Get to the goal by moving, rearranging and duplicating rooms and altering the structure of the world.
Why similar: Puzzle 33.6%, Great Soundtrack 23%, Puzzle Platformer 13.7%, Indie 13.7%, Pixel Graphics 9.3%
- #47 MO:Astray
68% matchVery Positive92% of 5,040 reviews2019
Dev: Archpray Inc.Pub: Rayark International Limited
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 76%
MO: Astray is a pixel art, side-scrolling, action-platformer. Lead MO through mind-bending puzzles using special abilities. Bizarre enemies, threatening traps and ingenious level designs await.
Why similar: Platformer 27.9%, Great Soundtrack 19.3%, Pixel Graphics 16.9%, Puzzle Platformer 11.7%, Indie 10.2%
- #48 Closure
71% matchVery Positive85% of 993 reviews2012
Dev: Eyebrow Interactive
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.7 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 67%
In the dark and mysterious world of Closure, only what you see exists. Manipulate lights to phase objects in and out of reality in this multiple-award-winning puzzle game. Play as a strange spider-like demon who explores the stories of three human characters through beautiful, eerie environments such as a decrepit factory, a murky...
Why similar: Platformer 42%, Puzzle 29.1%, Indie 9.1%, Great Soundtrack 9%, Puzzle Platformer 7.3%
- #49 Fe
69% matchMostly Positive78% of 918 reviews2020
Dev: ZoinkPub: Electronic Arts
Windows
Median: 5.1 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Run, climb and glide your way through a dark Nordic forest and explore its living, breathing ecosystem filled with secrets and mystical creatures. Become Fe and discover a world that you will never want to leave.
Why similar: Puzzle 58.6%, Beautiful 15.7% ★, Exploration 7.3%, Adventure 6.8%, Singleplayer 5.2%
- #50 ZeGame
70% matchVery Positive95% of 85 reviews2016
Dev: Jesper The End
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 7.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
ZeGame is a beautiful puzzle game with complex but rewarding puzzles in three dimensions. Discover the new surroundings in every world, each having their own unique look and feel.
Why similar: Puzzle 37.7%, Beautiful 20.3% ★, Indie 17.2%, Adventure 7.7%, Relaxing 7.6%
- #51 PONCHO
72% matchMixed65% of 197 reviews2015
Dev: Delve InteractivePub: Rising Star Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 94%
A robot, a poncho and a journey of discovery! Make your way through this wonderful world of pixelated parallax platforming to solve the ultimate puzzle: who is Poncho?
Why similar: Platformer 32.5%, Great Soundtrack 13.4%, Indie 11.8%, Pixel Graphics 11.1%, Puzzle Platformer 7%
- #52 OneShot
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 62,700 reviews2016
Dev: Future Cat LLCPub: KOMODO
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 27.5 hrs≥1hr: 84%
OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 36.5%, Puzzle 19.3%, Pixel Graphics 17.6%, Indie 8.4%, Exploration 6.3%
- #53 COCOON
63% matchVery Positive95% of 8,624 reviews2023
Dev: Geometric InteractivePub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 82%
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 36.3%, Exploration 14.6%, Puzzle Platformer 11.1%, Great Soundtrack 9.8%, Beautiful 9.1% ★
- #54 Super Life of Pixel
71% matchMostly Positive79% of 379 reviews2014
Dev: Super Icon LtdPub: WhiteMoon Dreams, Inc.
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Join Pixel as he quests through gaming history, teleporting across the most iconic video game systems of generations past. He’ll have to jump, dodge and play smart if he wants to survive all the traps, puzzles and enemies waiting to take him down at every turn.
Why similar: Platformer 43%, Great Soundtrack 24.2%, Pixel Graphics 14.7%, Indie 9.6%, Retro 2.9%
- #55 Etherborn
69% matchMostly Positive73% of 445 reviews2019
Dev: Altered MatterPub: Akupara Games
Windows
Median: 2.4 hrsMean: 3.1 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Delve into an environmental puzzle platformer built on exploring and understanding gravity-shifting structures. You are a voiceless being that has just been born into a world where a bodiless voice awaits your arrival. Go forth and seek your purpose.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 26.3%, Platformer 22.9%, Puzzle 15.8%, Puzzle Platformer 8.9%, Beautiful 7.9% ★
- #56 Out There Somewhere
67% matchVery Positive93% of 6,918 reviews2016
Dev: MiniBossPub: Senpai Industrial Studios
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 3.7 hrs≥1hr: 72%
You play an explorer stranded on a dangerous alien planet. Low on fuel, your only hope for escape is to find the planet’s core in this incredibly clever action-puzzle-platformer.
Why similar: Platformer 35.9%, Great Soundtrack 19.8%, Puzzle 14.2%, Pixel Graphics 11.8%, Indie 6%
- #57 Hiiro
69% matchVery Positive86% of 311 reviews2016
Dev: Jon TiburziPub: Sometimes You
Windows
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 3.8 hrs≥1hr: 95%
Hiiro is a 2D platform game focused on ambient exploration and puzzle solving. Discover a grand world filled with mysterious artifacts and forgotten ruins. Become immersed in relaxing gameplay and meditative music. Remain observant as you unravel an explanation for your solitude.
Why similar: Platformer 28.4%, Adventure 15.9%, Puzzle 14.6%, Pixel Graphics 9%, Exploration 9%
- #58 Mark of the Ninja
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 15,870 reviews
Dev: Klei EntertainmentPub: Microsoft Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.6 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 87%
In Mark of the Ninja, you'll know what it is to truly be a ninja. You must be silent, agile and clever to outwit your opponents in a world of gorgeous scenery and flowing animation. Marked with cursed tattoos giving you heightened senses, every situation presents you with options.
Why similar: Platformer 73.7%, Indie 12.4%, 2D 3.9%, Puzzle 3.6%, Singleplayer 3%
- #59 Full Bore
68% matchVery Positive85% of 245 reviews2014
Dev: Whole Hog GamesPub: Nkidu Games Inc.
Windows · Linux
Median: 2.4 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Deep underground lies a reminder of Boarkind’s darkest hours. All it takes is one little boar to dig it back up. A block puzzler with an exploratory twist, Full Bore throws the player into an open world of crumbling mines, arcane ruins, and technological wonders with only curiosity to lead the way.
Why similar: Platformer 23.6%, Puzzle 19.9%, Great Soundtrack 19.8%, Indie 10.8%, Exploration 5.8%
- #60 LIMBO
66% matchVery Positive92% of 60,918 reviews2011
Dev: Playdead
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 5.8 hrs≥1hr: 73%
Uncertain of his sister's fate, a boy enters LIMBO
Why similar: Platformer 36.9%, Puzzle 23.4%, Puzzle Platformer 20.8%, Indie 9.7%, Adventure 2.6%