Games Like Forwards

A story-based exploration game about the very far future. With the help of two Artificial Intelligences, explore a universe conquered by humanity, uncover your purpose in it, and try to stop it from falling apart.

Why similar: Philosophical 34.4%, Walking Simulator 18.4%, Interactive Fiction 14.5%, Minimalist 13%, Exploration 11.1%

Explore fantastic environments as Lula, as she journeys to discover the meaning of the Genie and fulfill her destiny.

Why similar: Philosophical 28.4%, Walking Simulator 18.3%, Linear 12.7%, Emotional 10.7%, Exploration 9.4%

This video game realized how boring it had been and now is trying its best to fix that.

Why similar: Game Development 32.2% ★, Philosophical 25.4%, Emotional 17.5%, Interactive Fiction 14.1%, Minimalist 5.2%

Soul Nexus is a text-based adventure game where you explore strange environments and interact with even stranger individuals. Will you wander the spaces forever or will you eventually fulfil your goal of being free?

Why similar: Philosophical 22.8%, Interactive Fiction 15.1%, Walking Simulator 13.5%, Text-Based 13.5%, Linear 8.6%

The 52 Fragments are an experimental, esoteric series of games and experiences. Beginning Nov. 1, 2023, one fragment will be added to the library every few weeks. These games examine themes related to identity, agency, perception, and the creative process.

Why similar: Philosophical 30%, Game Development 29.5% ★, Minimalist 10.4%, Emotional 10.4%, Interactive Fiction 10.1%

Abyssal Reflections is short Atmospheric depressing "non-jumpscare" game where you go through a total of 8 different time periods. You'll have to take care of your owners and how you relate to them is up to you.

Why similar: Philosophical 22.5%, Interactive Fiction 15.6%, Walking Simulator 14.9%, Emotional 13.7%, Minimalist 13.4%

Look for your car in a series of mazes and parking lots while you talk to your therapist about feeling lost. An interactive short story about trying to make sense out of the unreal. Based on real dreams!

Why similar: Philosophical 33.2%, Walking Simulator 18.5%, Emotional 16.4%, Exploration 10.4%, Interactive Fiction 7.9%

7th Chance is a short (20-30 minute) story-based exploration adventure game. Waking up from a night of heavy drinking ... something isn't right.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 19.5%, Walking Simulator 17.7%, Philosophical 15.1%, Emotional 12.3%, Exploration 10.7%

A Van Veen original game. Because everything else is irrelevant.

Why similar: Philosophical 56.4%, Minimalist 21.7%, Puzzle 10.9%, First-Person 5.8%, 3D 5.1%

Day In Day Out is a varied collection of mini-games inspired by events of daily life. The game offers a unique gaming experience that allows you to immerse yourself in the world of Mr. Lüneberg.

Why similar: Philosophical 18.3%, Dynamic Narration 16.9% ★, Interactive Fiction 15.7%, Minimalist 10.2%, Linear 9.6%

Summerland is a first-person narrative game about morality and the afterlife. You take control of Matthew, a detective reliving the events of his past, being questioned on his morals along the way. In every door lies another memory, and every memory unlocks another door.

Why similar: Philosophical 27.6%, Walking Simulator 16.9%, Interactive Fiction 14.1%, Linear 7.9%, Emotional 7.7%

Join us for a walk down memory lane with never-before-released Lightmatter prototypes. Get a peak behind the game design curtains and learn how we made a first-person puzzle game about lights and shadows.

Why similar: Game Development 27.8% ★, Interactive Fiction 14.6%, Walking Simulator 14.5%, Emotional 10.6%, Minimalist 10.3%

AI Unbound is a captivating, atmospheric puzzle-adventure game where you dive into a unique experience crafted by an AI, complete engaging puzzles, and unveil the story behind your enigmatic journey in this thought-provoking world. Note: this description was written by an AI.

Why similar: Game Development 28.8% ★, Philosophical 19.9%, Minimalist 17.5%, Exploration 9.6%, Puzzle 7.9%

Pleh! is a short psychological horror walking simulator that tells the story of a depressed game developer, his intrusive thoughts and his dark mysterious secrets.

Why similar: Game Development 30.7% ★, Emotional 17.4%, Walking Simulator 16.9%, Minimalist 9.3%, Linear 8.6%

A thrilling, poignant story-driven experience about a daughter who returns to her childhood home after receiving a letter that her estranged mother has left something mysterious for her. Explore, interact and experience a narrative about love, hope and umm.... HAUNTING DARK PAST!? WHAT?

Why similar: Philosophical 31.3%, Walking Simulator 15.9%, Emotional 13.5%, Interactive Fiction 13.3%, Exploration 8.6%

A boy and an old man stand in front a pond, waiting for a swan's song. Meanwhile, they talk about life, death, and the passage of time.

Why similar: Philosophical 36.2%, Emotional 21.7%, Interactive Fiction 14.4%, Text-Based 13.1%, Relaxing 7.3%

PULMO is a casual puzzle game where you control a lone character in a world full of faceless crowds.

Why similar: Philosophical 27.3%, Walking Simulator 13.8%, Minimalist 13.3%, Emotional 12.8%, Linear 10.5%

36 people. 36 questions designed to make them fall in love. One virtual park dedicated to this moment in time.

Why similar: Philosophical 24.7%, Walking Simulator 15.8%, Text-Based 12.7%, Linear 10.2%, Minimalist 9.8%

Between the veil of night and dawn, a cat once loved still wanders on. A meditative walking simulator about cats, patience, love, and loss.

Why similar: Philosophical 34.1%, Emotional 20.5%, Walking Simulator 16.1%, Exploration 7.8%, Relaxing 6.3%

EXISTENTIAL is a first-person story-driven puzzle game that offers a unique solution that will put your existence into the game world.

Why similar: Philosophical 38.8%, Walking Simulator 16%, Linear 11.3%, Exploration 9.6%, Puzzle 9.3%

Horror Stories: PLEASE COMPLY is a short interactive horror experience with a dark twist on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that will leave a long lasting chill down your spine. The only hope of escape its to comply. But how much are you ready to give up for a chance of freedom?

Why similar: Philosophical 26.3%, Interactive Fiction 14.2%, Walking Simulator 13.4%, Minimalist 12.8%, Linear 10.6%

HOME is a feel-good walking simulator experience in which you create your own poem and music. Embark on a poetic and musical heartwarming journey about what home means to you.

Why similar: Philosophical 32.7%, Emotional 17.8%, Walking Simulator 14.4%, Minimalist 13.7%, Exploration 8.1%

Veil: Mirages is a short, movie-like, narrative-focused psychological thriller with philosophical themes. Chase, a 19 year old boy in search of meaning, is haunted by memories of what he once had. Will he overcome his internal struggles, opening the door to reconciliation?

Why similar: Philosophical 28.9%, Interactive Fiction 15.6%, Emotional 15.1%, Linear 10.8%, Walking Simulator 10.8%

Life on the Hook - is a short story about the life of a lonely fisherman named Hrafn, who lives his life in a small house on a lake with a dock and an old boat.

Why similar: Philosophical 27.9%, Walking Simulator 17.2%, Emotional 15.8%, Linear 10.6%, Exploration 8.9%

Play as the developer of a tropical island game in this unique puzzle adventure! 🏝 Edit various object properties to achieve your goals and unlock more of the story. Experiment, undo, and repeat; no action is irreversible. Flex your creative skills to make an experience that is entirely your own!

Why similar: Game Development 46.2% ★, Minimalist 13.4%, Puzzle 9.3%, Linear 8.2%, Exploration 6%

Recover an inter-generational story of migration told through real audio recordings of a Lebanese family coming to America in the early 1990's. Maneuver a forgotten strip of audio tape through puzzling landscapes to piece together the voices of the past.

Why similar: Philosophical 23.6%, Interactive Fiction 19.7%, Minimalist 13.2%, Linear 13%, Emotional 10.7%

Have you ever wandered inside images? Images that blow your soul away? In Drizzlepath: Picturae, you embark on a journey of gorgeous landscapes. While some of these landscapes melt your heart, some will give you the chills.

Why similar: Philosophical 34.5%, Walking Simulator 18.7%, Emotional 15%, Linear 14%, Exploration 9.4%

An experimental serious meta game.

Why similar: Philosophical 39.3%, Minimalist 18.2%, Game Development 15.6% ★, Linear 10.2%, Exploration 8%

A deity creates everything in pursuit for the most heartfelt human soliloquy, pulling him deeper into an existential journey. Traverse an endless desert filled with structures that defy meaning while you carefully choose your words.

Why similar: Philosophical 25.5%, Dynamic Narration 16.9% ★, Walking Simulator 15.7%, Minimalist 10.7%, Emotional 10.5%

Beauty and the Beast is a narrative mystery adventure game. Explore, uncover, and unravel the mystery behind the Beast and his residence in this heartwarming take on the classic story.

Why similar: Philosophical 21.6%, Interactive Fiction 16.5%, Walking Simulator 15.8%, Emotional 11.6%, Minimalist 10.9%

In this dark interactive novel you will play as a lost soul wandering a forsaken desert, accompanied by a mysterious girl. Explore ancient ruins and face obscure choices. Your decisions will shape their journey—often in ways you’ll never fully understand. Will you find peace, or something else?

Why similar: Philosophical 29.5%, Dynamic Narration 20.1% ★, Interactive Fiction 17.5%, Emotional 12.9%, Minimalist 9.9%

On the early morning he comes of age, Yu begins the sacred journey to the foothill of Mountain Frostkorn.

Why similar: Philosophical 45.9%, Linear 15.5%, Walking Simulator 13.8%, Exploration 12.8%, Story Rich 4.9%

Set in a darkened arctic tundra, you follow the life of Jupyter, an axolotl-like creature that had to say goodbye to their partner as they chased their dreams of a better life. Brave the frozen tundra, retrace your partner’s steps, and rekindle your connection to another’s soul.

Why similar: Philosophical 39.6%, Emotional 20.5%, Linear 8.3%, Exploration 7.6%, Minimalist 6.9%

After school today, I talk with her again. Through the window, I see the sunset and someone playing in the schoolyard. We simply watch the scene or share memories from the past."TABLE GAME END" is an adventure game.

Why similar: Game Development 34.4% ★, Philosophical 26%, Walking Simulator 13.3%, Relaxing 7.3%, Exploration 6.6%

Survive a plane crash and enter the veil between life and death. Solve physics-bending puzzles, collect lost stars, and cultivate a garden within your mind. In this atmospheric journey inspired by The Little Prince and Sufi mysticism, the only way out is within.

Why similar: Philosophical 34.4%, Emotional 23.4%, Minimalist 10.8%, Puzzle 9.8%, Exploration 7.3%

“Thing-in-Itself” is a short interactive story about the struggles of understanding another human being. Using Immanuel Kant’s concept as a framework, it leads the player through stages of a relationship, exploring how perceptions may clash and surroundings can alter.

Why similar: Philosophical 31.1%, Emotional 18.7%, Walking Simulator 14.4%, Interactive Fiction 13.5%, Minimalist 12.2%

SIRE is a narrative card game about dealing with the death of a parent, and the whirlwind of emotions that follow. Players combine cards to explore a darkly comedic, surreal world of loss and learning, in a combination of classic point-n-click adventure and real video footage.

Why similar: Philosophical 26.4%, Emotional 17%, Interactive Fiction 15.2%, Minimalist 11.8%, Linear 8.5%

A psychological exploration through a liminal dreamscape: no guides, no paths, just you and small environmental mysteries.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 25.6%, Walking Simulator 21.5%, Exploration 14.9%, Linear 11.3%, Puzzle 10.6%

Explore the shifting manor of the enigmatic Henri Villemaine and uncover the truth behind his family’s sudden disappearance. Bend reality to recreate the scenes from his diary and expose long-buried secrets. What if your role in this case went beyond that of a simple investigator?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.7%, Interactive Fiction 17.8%, Emotional 17.4%, Dynamic Narration 15.6% ★, Puzzle 10.7%

A minimalist journey though life.

Why similar: Philosophical 33.8%, Emotional 20.1%, Walking Simulator 18.6%, Game Development 11.9% ★, Minimalist 10.8%

HOW WE KNOW WE'RE ALIVE is an award winning, hour long melancholy, point-and-click narrative mystery set in the bible belt of Sweden.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 25.3%, Philosophical 23.9%, Walking Simulator 23%, Emotional 18.6%, Linear 7.8%

Wander through vast, unsettling liminal spaces as a quiet presence grows alongside you. Inner Rooms is a psychological atmospheric exploration game set in a world that appears calm and peaceful, yet constantly radiates unease.

Why similar: Philosophical 33%, Walking Simulator 17%, Minimalist 13.9%, Exploration 9.3%, Interactive Fiction 8.8%

A garden caught in eternal recurrence. A god who forgets everything. A witness without rest. In this narrative-driven 2D exploration game, walk, listen, and read your way through four cycles to piece together a truth hidden beneath the surface.

Why similar: Philosophical 38.8%, Emotional 17.6%, Walking Simulator 17.1%, Interactive Fiction 13.2%, Exploration 9.7%

"EYE TO ME" is a modern-era adventure game. I am creating your "video game" and showing it while eating fries at a store. I wanted a place to share memories with you. You stare at me with big eyes.

Why similar: Game Development 29.7% ★, Philosophical 28.5%, Walking Simulator 12.6%, Exploration 9.6%, Relaxing 7.6%

Two games in one! - Prove you are not human by completing 9 impossible challenges. - Explore various scenes directly inspired by a poem, solving a few riddles along the way.

Why similar: Philosophical 25.3%, Walking Simulator 22.8%, Exploration 14.5%, Linear 12.5%, Puzzle 11.1%

Some folk call these barren plains the narrow space between this world and the next. The final place for souls to find a measure of peace. A train travels through endless landscapes. You seek clues about the fleeting life of Empress Roxelana. Finally, the train arrives at ...

Why similar: Emotional 20%, Interactive Fiction 16.3%, Walking Simulator 16.2%, Text-Based 10%, Exploration 9.1%

"Intuitive Level Design" is an interactive course designed for aspiring game developers. Find and activate commentary nodes scattered throughout the game to learn about the core principles of intuitive level design, illustrated with dozens of practical examples. Learn while having fun!

Why similar: Game Development 58.5% ★, Walking Simulator 19%, Minimalist 9.1%, Linear 9%, 3D 4.5%

Ekphrasis is a 2D puzzle game where you can solve and examine a collection of artifacts. Piece together historical artworks, arrange musical notes, and decipher codes. Uncover the secrets behind the artifacts and those that curated them through a branching story.

Why similar: Philosophical 33.9%, Minimalist 18.3%, Interactive Fiction 16.4%, Emotional 11.8%, Puzzle 8.9%

To push a stone upwards for eternity. Such is your punishment. What awaits you at the top? Can you change this world? Or only yourself?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.2%, Minimalist 18.9%, Emotional 17.8%, Philosophical 17.7%, Exploration 10.8%

Control, I'm Not Coming Back is a short and emotional narrative game about a lost astronaut searching for a reason to keep going forward while facing the emptiness of space. Inspired by the Hopecore aesthetic, it’s a story about positivism, friendship and our human connection with Voyager 1.

Why similar: Philosophical 40.6%, Walking Simulator 21.2%, Interactive Fiction 18.1%, Story Rich 5.6%, First-Person 5.6%

The world ends in 1 hour. It can't be saved. Wanna chat?

Why similar: Game Development 35.5% ★, Philosophical 22.9%, Emotional 18.5%, Interactive Fiction 14.1%, Text-Based 7.3%

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: Philosophical 21.5%, Emotional 16.4%, Walking Simulator 14.9%, Exploration 11.5%, Puzzle 10.8%

Unishroom, an indie developed video game. About a poor mushroom that was kicked of his hometown because of his irregular color. Join him in the journey of finding a new hometown.

Why similar: Philosophical 31.7%, Emotional 24.5%, Minimalist 19.9%, Walking Simulator 12.5%, Story Rich 5.4%

1st Person 3D Exploration Point&Click Intimate Journey. Experience trauma, gather clues, join the dots, find allies, unravel the truth, create your way out, face the demons, become stronger, challenge your "reality". Have you had enough already?

Why similar: Philosophical 30.1%, Emotional 21%, Interactive Fiction 11.7%, Minimalist 10.8%, Exploration 10.6%

"All Songs are from the King," a haunting psychological horror experience that transcends traditional gaming boundaries.

Why similar: Philosophical 31.9%, Emotional 16.6%, Interactive Fiction 15.6%, Walking Simulator 8.6%, Exploration 7.6%

Dear Esther immerses you in a stunningly realised world, a remote and desolate island somewhere in the outer Hebrides. As you step forwards, a voice begins to read fragments of a letter: 'Dear Esther...' - and so begins a journey through one of the most original first-person games of recent years.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.5%, Interactive Fiction 22.9%, Exploration 12.1%, Linear 12%, Puzzle 9.6%

Fall down further. Find them where they have always been. Help them remember. Explore multiple worlds, solve mysteries, and set your retail-hardened will against a mysterious cosmic force in the second installment of the beloved videohole series.

Why similar: Philosophical 28.2%, Interactive Fiction 21.1%, Walking Simulator 18.1%, Emotional 8.8%, First-Person 5.8%

Live through the last ten minutes of Juan Fuentes, who has been given the chance to choose his very last words. Captured by Victoriano Huerta's army after the Ten Tragic Days during the Mexican Revolution, Juan will confront his life, death, family, relationships and existence.

Why similar: Philosophical 34.6%, Interactive Fiction 21.9%, Text-Based 17.1%, Emotional 12.9%, Linear 7.1%

Awakening is a first person experimental puzzle game with a unique gameplay based on pattern recognition. Guide a soul that decided to find meaning by solving puzzle machines with videos. Use inductive reasoning to discover the challenges while exploring an oneiric environment.

Why similar: Philosophical 59.5%, Puzzle 14.6%, First-Person 11.3%, Exploration 7.2%, 3D 4.6%

You awaken at the bottom of a rusted pit, another forgotten machine amongst a pile of those who came before. On your right, an extendable grappling claw, and on your left, a melted screen. You are given only one goal - reach the light above.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.3%, Philosophical 22.1%, Emotional 13.9%, Exploration 11%, Puzzle 10.8%