Games Like Forest Ranger Services: Episode 1

Jack Nelson, a 24-year-old fire lookout, transferred to a new outpost. As he settled into his new home, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, little did he know what was transpiring down in Ironbark State Park.

Why similar: Episodic 28.9% ★, Psychological Horror 14%, Horror 13.6%, Cinematic 10.1%, Walking Simulator 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game shares the exact premise of a lone ranger in a remote lookout tower dealing with escalating psychological terror.

YOU CONTROL THE FOUND FOOTAGE. An FBI intern leaked special investigation tapes before suddenly disappearing. The first tape of the series contains found footage from O'Brien State Park revealing the true events that were covered up in the 1980s.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 18.1%, 1990's 17.9%, Horror 14.4%, Investigation 11.9%, Psychological Horror 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: This title directly mirrors the investigative, park-based horror setting and walking-simulator mechanics of the seed game.

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 35%, Mystery 14.6%, Atmospheric 11.3%, Horror 9%, Story Rich 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: While less focused on horror, it is the definitive experience for exploring the isolation and atmosphere of a U.S. National Park ranger job.

Missing Hiker is a short indie horror game, where your brother Ethan went missing while hiking and you need to find him.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 23.4%, Horror 23.2%, Walking Simulator 17.4%, Linear 9.5%, Atmospheric 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the specific theme of investigating disappearances in a wilderness setting with a retro, atmospheric presentation.

A short interactive first-person horror game. Walk, look around, and talk to people to finish the short story about closing your restaurant. Complete the story with immersive sounds, and spooky tension and jumpscares to keep you focused.

Why similar: Horror 41.7%, Psychological Horror 37.9%, 3D 13%, Mystery 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: Like the seed game, this title excels at turning a mundane service job into a tense, episodic psychological horror experience.

The following is a series of tapes recovered near the Overlook National Park where four people were recently reported missing- a family of three and one motorist.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.4%, Psychological Horror 16.2%, Cinematic 16.2%, Horror 15.5%, 1990's 13.7%

Why You'll Like It: A strong walking-simulator that focuses on exploration and building tension within an isolated, wooded environment.

A local news team breaks into an abandoned house to chase a salacious ghost story... until a MANIAC chases them! ...VHS era 80's slasher. PS1 style survival horror!

Why similar: Horror 35%, Psychological Horror 26.1%, Cinematic 18.1%, Investigation 7.6%, 3D 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: This game leans heavily into the 90s VHS-horror aesthetic and cinematic camera angles found in the seed game.

Smuggle contraband VHS tapes across the border. Discover the remnants of illicit industry. Prepare for an assassination. This is Paratopic, an atmospheric retro-3D horror adventure through a cursed fever dream.

Why similar: Surreal 31.9%, Horror 22.9%, Psychological Horror 15%, Walking Simulator 11.5%, Atmospheric 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the surreal, low-poly 90s aesthetic and disjointed narrative style that makes the seed game feel so unsettling.

Mimic Search is a short indie horror game, in which you take the role of a police officer investigating a recent mimic attack.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 25.3%, Horror 24.2%, Walking Simulator 15.1%, Linear 9.4%, Atmospheric 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: It delivers a short, punchy psychological horror experience with a retro aesthetic that aligns well with the seed game's vibe.

Fears to Fathom is an episodic psychological horror game where each episode unveils a short story narrated by the ones who survived.

Why similar: Episodic 26.4% ★, Horror 23.6%, Psychological Horror 18.1%, Cinematic 8.2%, Walking Simulator 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: Another entry in the series that masterfully uses realistic, relatable scenarios to build intense psychological horror.

Alone with the dead... Embalm corpses, banish demons, save your soul.

Why similar: Horror 41.9%, Surreal 23.1%, Mystery 14%, Atmospheric 7.7%, First-Person 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game emphasizes the investigative, job-based horror loop where you must perform tasks while being hunted by supernatural forces.

Can you escape the home of a cannibal serial killer? It's only a matter of time until you're dinner!

Why similar: 1990's 44.2%, Horror 34.9%, Atmospheric 10.6%, First-Person 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a similar 90s-inspired aesthetic and claustrophobic horror experience that rewards careful exploration.

Immerse yourself in the obscure and mysterious autumnal forest, where every wrong step could be your last. As you travel uncover the dark story behind this place, where beauty and danger have become as one.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.3%, Surreal 23%, Horror 11.2%, Mystery 9%, Atmospheric 8%

Why You'll Like It: This game captures the essence of wandering through a dark, mysterious forest where the environment tells a tragic and terrifying story.

A horror game about claustrophobia. During a storm your service dog is forced down a broken sewer drain. You find the nearest sewer entrance and run in after it. Along the way you will meet others that are also stricken by abnormal or psychological fear.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 32.4%, Horror 26.4%, Surreal 22.7%, Atmospheric 10.3%, First-Person 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: This title excels at psychological horror and surreal, dream-like environments that feel deeply unsettling to traverse.

Experience the liminal world of the backrooms through a VHS camera, immersing into a mysterious story and wandering the dream-like structures... Might there be something following you?

Why similar: Horror 21.4%, Psychological Horror 20.6%, Walking Simulator 17%, 1990's 14.7%, Mystery 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: It utilizes the found-footage aesthetic to create a surreal and disorienting horror experience similar to the seed game's cinematic style.

A short horror game where you pilot a tiny submarine through an ocean of blood on an alien moon.

Why similar: Horror 25%, Psychological Horror 24%, Walking Simulator 14%, Atmospheric 9%, Surreal 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a masterclass in atmospheric, claustrophobic horror where the environment itself is the primary source of dread.

You are the Nightslink. Traverse abandoned roads under cover of night. Deliver cassette tapes in a post-apocalyptic world. An atmospheric retro-3D horror adventure.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 15.8%, Surreal 15.1%, Psychological Horror 12.7%, Horror 11.5%, Cinematic 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: This walking-simulator focuses on atmosphere and environmental storytelling in a way that mirrors the seed game's surreal pacing.

DREAM LOGIC is a story driven first-person atmospheric horror game which takes place in liminal spaces. Explore various nostalgic, dreamlike, uncanny environments. But don't feel too safe, there's a sneaky creature watching your every move.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 17.5%, Walking Simulator 15.4%, Horror 14%, 1990's 9.5%, Mystery 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a surreal, exploration-heavy horror experience that prioritizes mood and atmosphere over traditional gameplay mechanics.

You have arrived in a forest where people are rumored to disappear and strange things happen... Locals often see bright flashes and hear strange sounds...

Why similar: Cinematic 19.7%, Walking Simulator 19.6%, Psychological Horror 17.4%, Horror 15.3%, Mystery 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: It focuses on atmospheric, psychological horror within a walking-simulator framework, perfect for fans of the seed game's pacing.

Sub Terra is a first person psychological horror game set deep underground. As a maintenance worker, your job is to fix a broken water line at the end of tunnel 04-R. Enter the tunnel, repair the pipe, and get out.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 20.7%, Horror 20.7%, Cinematic 12.7%, Conspiracy 12.2% ★, Linear 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game provides a realistic, first-person horror experience that focuses on the tension of being trapped in an isolated environment.

Hollowbrook is a stylized horror experience told through multiple episodes. Each chapter immerses you in the life of a new character, blending personal backstories with chilling encounters that react to your decisions.

Why similar: Episodic 39.8% ★, Psychological Horror 13.9%, 1990's 10.9%, Walking Simulator 10.8%, Horror 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: This episodic horror game shares the indie, exploration-heavy focus and psychological tension found in the seed game.

Fragments of Dread is an episodic psychological horror series. Each episode tells a self-contained story of dread, fear, and survival.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21%, Psychological Horror 19.8%, Horror 16.2%, Cinematic 11.3%, Mystery 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play psychological horror game that emphasizes atmosphere and environmental exploration.

You've been called into the forest to investigate a wounded deer, but the forest is dark and all you have is a flashlight. Oh bother, what a Tuesday you're having.A retro PSX style horror game

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26%, Horror 25.4%, 1990's 16.9%, Cinematic 16.8%, First-Person 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person exploration game that captures the feeling of being alone in the wilderness with a lingering sense of dread.

A young and promising boy applies for a job at a AAA game development company. As he starts working night shifts on probation, he experiences a series of events that could lead to no good. As the story unfolds, you will be able to choose what you would do in his place.

Why similar: Episodic 34.7% ★, Psychological Horror 13%, Cinematic 12%, Walking Simulator 11.8%, Horror 11.6%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven horror game that uses atmospheric storytelling and a retro vibe to keep the player on edge.

Welcome to your new summer job. Arthur Brooks, a 22 year old, starts a night job at Moon Gas Station. As he settles in, he experiences strange events that unsettle him. The urban legends about the gas station seem to come to life. Dealing with customers at night is deeply unsettling.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 17.4%, Cinematic 16.3%, Walking Simulator 16.2%, Horror 15.8%, Driving 13.4%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the eerie, roadside-horror vibe that complements the seed game's focus on isolated, cinematic storytelling.

What hides in the depths of the forest?!

Why similar: Cinematic 21.2%, Walking Simulator 20.2%, Psychological Horror 17.9%, Horror 15.6%, Atmospheric 6.3%

Why You'll Like It: This title leans into the psychological horror and walking-simulator elements, focusing on uncovering mysteries in a dark setting.

Backrooms: Found Footage is a single-player horror game where you are the main character trying to survive the Backrooms. Curiosity wins and you decide to explore this weird place that you got trapped in. What could go wrong?

Why similar: 1990's 19.2%, Horror 16%, Investigation 14.5%, Psychological Horror 13.3%, Adventure 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: This game utilizes the found-footage style to create an immersive and surreal horror experience centered on exploration.

Aurora Hills: Chapter 1 is the first part in series of point and click puzzle adventure games. Follow the journey of Ethan Hill, a park ranger tasked with investigating strange disappearances from the region to uncover the mystery of Aurora Hills!

Why similar: Cinematic 35.5%, Mystery 26.6%, Adventure 14.1%, First-Person 10.5%, Atmospheric 7.8%

Horror game series about the investigation of missing hikers in the U.S. National Parks. Follow the story of a wannabe reporter who got a job as a ranger to investigate the disappearances - several episodes that tell one story. Based on true events.

Why similar: Episodic 13.5% ★, Walking Simulator 9.5%, 1990's 9.5%, Cinematic 9%, Psychological Horror 8.5%

The Wellmonts Case is a first-person psychological horror game set in 1993, Northern Maine. As a private detective, you explore the abandoned Wellmont farm, search for clues, photograph unsettling evidence, and uncover the truth behind a family's unexplained disappearance.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 17.2%, Psychological Horror 16%, Horror 14.1%, Cinematic 12.8%, Investigation 11.9%

Stranded in the depths of an eerie forest after your car breaks down, you set out in search of help. But as you navigate the darkness, an unseen presence stalks you—until it finally strikes. The adventure begins. First-person horror that will introduce you to Hoia Baciu lore.

Why similar: Horror 22.8%, Psychological Horror 17.8%, Mystery 13.6%, First-Person 11.6%, Adventure 10.5%

It Lurks in the Woods is a short first-person horror game based on French Canadian folklore.

Why similar: Horror 55.3%, Adventure 25.6%, Atmospheric 19%

Why You'll Like It: It features a dark, exploration-based horror experience set in a forest, directly echoing the seed game's primary setting.

A park ranger's life is changed forever as they discover what really lurks in their national park. A first-person horror, exploration, and stealth-based game.

Why similar: Horror 45.1%, Atmospheric 16.6%, Mystery 10.9%, First-Person 9.9%, Story Rich 7.4%

Bushside Rangers® is a first-person survival horror game that forces you to use your wits as you navigate through the dark, dreary depths of an abandoned nature park.

Why similar: Horror 21%, Psychological Horror 18.6%, Linear 14.3%, First-Person 10.8%, Cinematic 10.7%

Step into the shoes of a researcher in the depths of the antarctic and uncover the mysteries behind Project Hailstorm.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.6%, Investigation 15.4%, Conspiracy 14.4% ★, Horror 12.7%, Linear 9.2%

"Tavern in the Woods" is a first person, single-player interactive fiction story that blends mystery, storytelling, and supernatural horror. Players explore and investigate an isolated environment as the narrative slowly unfolds, gradually uncovering the truth behind the eerie emptiness.

Why similar: Investigation 24.2%, Mystery 17.7%, Atmospheric 15.1%, First-Person 14.9%, Adventure 14.1%

Explore an abandoned children's recreational camp and uncover the dark secrets covered up by its founders. Find clues and apply specific commands in the Discord channel to find out what truly happened. But be careful: Sparky has been activated and the monster inside of it never sleeps…

Why similar: Episodic 40.8% ★, Walking Simulator 12.2%, Horror 11.4%, Psychological Horror 11.1%, Conspiracy 9.7% ★

A psychological horror game where you take the role of Jonah, an 18 year old trying out a new board game, The Ouija Board, with his friend Emily. Little did they know, it was far from a simple board game.

Why similar: Episodic 35.8% ★, Horror 13%, Psychological Horror 12.9%, Walking Simulator 9.1%, Linear 6.1%

Holly Gardner, a 19 year old on an interstate drive experiences unusual happenings that leads to an unplanned stay at a motel, little did she know what was transpiring down in Norwood Valley.

Why similar: Episodic 25.9% ★, Psychological Horror 17.5%, Horror 13.7%, Driving 12.8%, Walking Simulator 11.8%

Grandma never showed up and Grandpa's tragic passing 3 days later left me in anger, confusion and sadness. I couldn't just let this go like it never happened, so I decided to go and find out what happened on my own. Will you survive a first-person psychological horror game and uncover the mystery?

Why similar: Surreal 16.7%, Psychological Horror 14.1%, Walking Simulator 13.4%, Horror 13%, Investigation 11.4%

Two city detectives are sent to a small idyllic town in North Carolina called ‘Silver Creek Falls” to investigate a strange series of events that the local sheriff can’t seem to get his mind around. What initially seems like an open-and-shut case unfolds into a truly terrifying mystery that will leave the detectives wondering what is...

Why similar: Investigation 23.2%, Detective 20.2%, Walking Simulator 19.2%, Horror 16.7%, Mystery 7.8%

A short first-person horror game where you wander through an eerie forest using the dials of a microwave.

Why similar: Surreal 25.6%, Psychological Horror 19.5%, Horror 18.6%, Walking Simulator 13.8%, First-Person 5.8%

YOU CONTROL THE FOUND FOOTAGE. Another tape has been leaked, this time a cover-up of a tragic mass casualty event.

Why similar: Surreal 20.6%, 1990's 17.9%, Psychological Horror 17.9%, Horror 16.4%, Investigation 7.4%

Take the role of a detective from Tokyo who tries to solve the mysterious case of the disappearance of a young camper. You will try to follow the trail of evidence to guide you through an enigmatic and paranormal case connected with a Japanese urban legend. Can you help until the end?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 20.8%, Investigation 18.5%, Horror 16.4%, Mystery 9.2%, Linear 8.5%

The protagonist, Ethan, heads into the forest with his dog, Ranger, for a simple hunting trip. At first, nothing seems out of the ordinary—but as the time goes on, the hunt slowly turns into a nightmare. Something strange and unexplainable lurks deep within the woods...

Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.8%, Horror 21.6%, Linear 18.1%, Psychological Horror 14.8%, Adventure 7.6%

Backrooms: Exploration is a single-player horror game, which takes place in 2020. Two friends have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, but they still have to bring food to the table. After a failed heist, one of them ends up in the Backrooms. Now your only mission is to survive.

Why similar: Horror 23.2%, Psychological Horror 19%, Walking Simulator 14.4%, Investigation 12.6%, First-Person 9%

Lewis, an intelligent detective, finds himself on a mission to uncover the truth behind the many disappearances including his sister's. With the help of Joy, Lewis is going to explore what lies behind these walls. only to realize that there's much more to discover than he initially thought.

Why similar: Detective 25.1%, Horror 19.7%, Psychological Horror 17.5%, 1990's 14.6%, Mystery 9.9%

Uncanny Tales is an episodic horror series where the real terror comes not from monsters or the supernatural, but from people. Each episode is a new unsettling story inspired by real fears and eerie situations from everyday life.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 20.4%, Horror 19.1%, Walking Simulator 15.8%, 1990's 15.1%, Atmospheric 7.1%

This is a first-person Chinese horror game, players will go to a murder building, uncover the truth of the murder, find the missing people..

Why similar: Horror 21%, Psychological Horror 18.9%, Walking Simulator 14.2%, Investigation 13.1%, Mystery 11.1%

Permanent Residence invites players into an episodic journey of psychological horror, where each chapter reveals a sinister short story woven into the eerie legacy of a cursed place.

Why similar: Episodic 22.9% ★, Psychological Horror 19.6%, Horror 17.2%, Linear 12.2%, Mystery 8.8%

What Happened to Lily? Is a real-time first-person horror game. Discover the secrets and spooky truths behind the mysterious event at Miller Farm.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.5%, Surreal 20.5%, Psychological Horror 16.3%, Horror 15%, Mystery 8.6%

The main character is a truck driver. Along the way, he finds a road that is not on the map and drives along it. On the road, abandoned cars and abandoned gas stations are a place shrouded in horror, secrets and mysteries. Soon the hero realizes that someone is watching him...

Why similar: Horror 26.5%, Psychological Horror 22%, Walking Simulator 16.9%, Driving 12.2%, First-Person 9.3%

Paranormal VHS is a horror game that features a VHS tape-inspired aesthetic. The game's story revolves around a popular vlogger who spends a night in haunted locations in search of paranormal activity. Brace for intense jumpscares.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 23.2%, Horror 21.2%, Detective 17.8%, Linear 10.4%, Mystery 6.4%

On a task to find your sister, you find yourself exploring an old abandoned house. But you soon find out that things are not as they seem.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.2%, Horror 24.6%, Psychological Horror 11.1%, Adventure 9.6%, Mystery 7.1%

(BURIED TAPES) is a collection of psychological horror stories recorded on VHS. Each story features paranormal incidents narrated from the perspective of the survivors of these supernatural encounters.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 47.7%, Psychological Horror 31.9%, 3D 7.5%, Story Rich 6.9%, Casual 6.1%

Aurora Hills: Chapter 2 is the second part in series of point and click puzzle adventure games. Follow the journey of Ethan Hill, a park ranger tasked with investigating strange disappearances from a national park to uncover the mystery of Aurora Hills!

Why similar: Investigation 28.8%, Mystery 19.8%, Detective 16.1%, Adventure 13.2%, Psychological Horror 12.2%

There's nothing scarier than waking up in the middle of the forest alone... or so it seems. Taking control of Rachel in this short, story driven, exploration game, you must find out where you are, why you're there, and most importantly, how to get out. What will you uncover when you delve into the unknown?

Why similar: Adventure 50.7%, Casual 49.3%

Passing Pineview Forest is a free mini-prequel set in the universe of Pineview Drive. Behind the abandoned house on Pineview Drive lies ominous Pineview Forest...

Why similar: Horror 57.5%, Walking Simulator 16.7%, Psychological Horror 10.7%, First-Person 7.5%, Adventure 6.1%

A psychological horror short story. Explore the untouched wilderness of rural Wales as you uncover the forgotten remains of a mysterious facility and find the truth behind the missing villagers of Hearth.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.9%, Cinematic 19.7%, Psychological Horror 17.2%, Horror 15.3%, Mystery 8.4%

Explore a mysterious abandoned bunker and find notes that paint a disturbing picture.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.3%, Psychological Horror 21.2%, Horror 18.4%, Investigation 17.1%, First-Person 7.5%