- #1 GNOSIA
97% matchVery Positive94% of 4,733 reviews2022
Dev: Petit DepottoPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 7.2 hrsMean: 15.4 hrs≥1hr: 90%
The Gnosia lie. Pretending to be human, they’ll get in close, trick and deceive, and then eliminate one victim at a time...
Why similar: Detective 27.7%, Visual Novel 20.9%, Mystery 17.2%, Simulation 9.3%, Anime 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: This game features a core social deduction loop that perfectly mirrors the challenge of identifying hidden threats among a group of characters.
- #2 Raging Loop
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 9,674 reviews2017
Dev: KEMCO
Windows
Median: 23.9 hrsMean: 58.6 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The feast has begun, can you escape the village alive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.9%, Detective 21.9%, Mystery 20.7%, Adventure 7.1%, Indie 4.9%
Why You'll Like It: An intense occult mystery that utilizes a time-loop mechanic to uncover the truth behind a series of ritualistic murders.
- #3 AI: The Somnium Files
96% matchVery Positive92% of 9,101 reviews2019
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 15.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Play as detective Kaname Date on the case of an elusive serial killer in this thrilling, sci-fi murder mystery.
Why similar: Detective 35.5%, Visual Novel 21.7%, Mystery 17.8%, Anime 9.1%, Story Rich 4.7%
Why You'll Like It: A high-quality detective thriller that combines complex investigation with surreal, puzzle-filled dream sequences.
- #4 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
95% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 6,520 reviews2023
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.6 hrsMean: 10.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
How far would you go to bring someone back from the dead? Discover the depths that some will go to in this horror-adventure game.
Why similar: Visual Novel 27.6%, Mystery 20.5%, Simulation 15.9%, Anime 11.7%, Horror 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: A gripping supernatural mystery that tasks players with investigating urban legends through a unique, atmospheric lens.
- #5 Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 35,609 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.9 hrsMean: 22.8 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Investigate murders, search for clues and talk to your classmates to prepare for trial. There, you'll engage in deadly wordplay, going back and forth with suspects. Dissect their statements and fire their words back at them to expose their lies! There's only one way to survive—pull the trigger.
Why similar: Detective 35.4%, Visual Novel 19.4%, Mystery 17%, Anime 9.3%, Great Soundtrack 5.3%
Why You'll Like It: The quintessential death game mystery that challenges players to solve complex murders while navigating a high-stakes social environment.
- #6 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
94% matchVery Positive93% of 6,967 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 21.7 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Kidnapped and taken to an unfamiliar location, nine people find themselves forced to participate in a diabolical Nonary Game by an enigmatic mastermind called Zero. Why were they there? Why were they chosen to put their lives on the line? And more importantly, who can be trusted?
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.7%, Mystery 22.2%, Detective 12.4%, Puzzle 8.6%, Anime 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: A masterclass in puzzle-heavy mystery that forces players to make life-or-death decisions in a confined, high-pressure setting.
- #7 Return to Shironagasu Island
93% matchVery Positive94% of 3,990 reviews2020
Dev: HYOGO ONIMUSHIPub: TABINOMICHI
Windows
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 14.2 hrs≥1hr: 92%
A mystery adventure game and visual novel set on solitary Shironagasu Island. Discover its secrets, solve its mysteries, and escape from the ominous island!
Why similar: Visual Novel 23.5%, Detective 20.5%, Mystery 19%, Adventure 9.8%, Thriller 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A classic-style mystery adventure that balances investigation with a tense, isolated island setting.
- #8 Staffer Case: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure
91% matchVery Positive94% of 3,907 reviews2023
Dev: Team Tetrapod
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.6 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Staffer Case is a new sort of mystery game, asking players to find clues, arrange them into documents, and point out the contradictions between them to solve a series of murders. Each mystery unraveled leads you closer to the truth lying at the heart of each case!
Why similar: Detective 35.6%, Mystery 13.8%, Visual Novel 13.7%, Thriller 10.6%, Anime 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused game that tasks players with solving supernatural crimes using logic and deduction.
- #9 Tokyo Dark
92% matchVery Positive84% of 1,336 reviews2017
Dev: CherrymochiPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Legend tells of a door deep below Tokyo's sewers. All who enter are lost forever. Detective Ito's partner is missing. Explore Tokyo & uncover the darkness that lays beneath the streets in this Point & Click - meets Visual Novel - narrative adventure that questions the very core of Ito's sanity.
Why similar: Detective 36.4%, Visual Novel 19.9%, Mystery 14.4%, Anime 10.4%, Horror 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric mystery that forces players to deal with the psychological consequences of their choices in a supernatural setting.
- #10 Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 3,866 reviews2023
Dev: NankidaiPub: 0UP GAMES
Windows
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 14.0 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority- is a multi-ending horror adventure game. Sara Chidouin returns home from school late one night to discover that something's gone terribly wrong. When she comes to, she finds herself, her friend Joe, and 9 other people trapped in a mysterious place.
Why similar: Mystery 39.1%, Anime 16.2%, Dark 13.2%, Adventure 10.9%, Survival 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: A tense death game mystery where social deduction and difficult choices determine who survives.
- #11 428: Shibuya Scramble
90% matchVery Positive95% of 3,587 reviews2018
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 11.9 hrs≥1hr: 82%
A kidnapping on the streets of Shibuya brings together a hot-blooded detective, hard-hitting journalist, former gang leader, the head researcher of a big pharma manufacturer and a part-timer stuck in cat costume for a series of events each more unexpected and outrageous than the last.
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.9%, Mystery 24.4%, Detective 19.9%, Adventure 8.9%, Story Rich 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: A branching narrative masterpiece where multiple perspectives must be pieced together to solve a city-wide conspiracy.
- #12 Kara no Shojo
89% matchVery Positive92% of 439 reviews2018
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.1 hrsMean: 165.3 hrs≥1hr: 64%
Play as a detective tasked with catching a serial killer in this visual novel set in post-war Japan. Investigate key locations, question many complex characters, piece together clues, and try to stop the culprit before they end yet another young girl's smile.
Why similar: Detective 30.8%, Visual Novel 16.1%, Mystery 14.7%, Thriller 11.9%, Anime 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A gritty, dark detective mystery that captures the same sense of dread and investigation found in occult thrillers.
- #13 Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
89% matchVery Positive82% of 496 reviews2019
Dev: EXPERIENCEPub: Aksys Games
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 13.2 hrs≥1hr: 70%
A strange rumor is spreading through the shadows of Tokyo's H City: a mysterious disfigurement has been appearing on the bodies of certain individuals. Anyone who receives the Mark will rapidly die of unknown, horrifying causes. The countdown to death has already begun...
Why similar: Visual Novel 38.5%, Detective 22.2%, Horror 15.7%, Adventure 15%, Anime 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, occult-themed adventure that focuses on investigating supernatural phenomena to break a deadly curse.
- #14 The Sekimeiya: Spun Glass
88% matchVery Positive86% of 279 reviews2021
Dev: Trinitite Team
Windows · Mac · Linux
An intricate mystery visual novel. Search text, piece together clues, and jump around the story to unravel the tangled events within the sealed tower.
Why similar: Detective 36.1%, Mystery 19%, Visual Novel 19%, Anime 7.8%, Story Rich 4.5%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused mystery that requires careful observation and deduction to solve an impossible crime.
- #15 Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition
87% matchVery Positive90% of 592 reviews2016
Dev: YetiPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 14.3 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Rescue squad captain Watase Kasasagi wakes up without his memories in the middle of his most critical mission yet-- a nuclear meltdown at a research facility. In an unfamiliar place and without his years of training, he must rescue the survivors and escape...
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.9%, Mystery 19.2%, Anime 12.6%, Thriller 7.6%, Adventure 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A sci-fi mystery that uses a unique choice system to explore the truth behind a catastrophic incident.
- #16 Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
86% matchVery Positive83% of 21,767 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 9.2 hrsMean: 30.6 hrs≥1hr: 91%
A new cast of 16 characters find themselves kidnapped and imprisoned in a school. Inside, some will kill, some will die, and some will be punished. Reimagine what you thought high-stakes, fast-paced investigation was as you investigate twisted murder cases and condemn your new friends to death.
Why similar: Detective 36.8%, Visual Novel 19.3%, Mystery 15.1%, Anime 8.2%, Great Soundtrack 4.9%
Why You'll Like It: A fresh take on the death game formula with improved mechanics and a highly engaging mystery plot.
- #17 Sunlight Scream
86% matchVery Positive84% of 81 reviews2023
Dev: Faithy Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
The hero moves to a new city. However, along with him comes a masked killer who begins to kill his friends one by one... Make decisions to build your adventure. Can you stop him before it's too late?
Why similar: Detective 29.2%, Visual Novel 15.5%, Mystery 13.3%, Thriller 8%, Anime 7%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-heavy mystery that focuses on uncovering the truth behind a series of unsettling events.
- #18 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 30,083 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 10.8 hrsMean: 33.0 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Jabberwock Island—You and your classmates were ready for fun in the sun until Monokuma returned to restart his murderous game! Trapped in a kill-or-be-killed situation, your only hope rests in solving the island’s mysteries.
Why similar: Detective 37.5%, Visual Novel 17.5%, Mystery 15%, Anime 9.2%, Great Soundtrack 5%
Why You'll Like It: A direct sequel that expands on the mystery and social deduction mechanics of the original series.
- #19 SHINRAI - Broken Beyond Despair
85% matchVery Positive91% of 128 reviews2016
Dev: Gosatsu Visual Novels
Windows · Mac · Linux
A secluded mountain resort, 10 friends, 1 murderer. Investigate, interrogate and present evidence as you solve various mysteries throughout the night. Will you be able to reach the truth and uncover the culprit’s identity? Or will your deductions lead you to blame someone completely innocent...?
Why similar: Detective 34.2%, Visual Novel 18%, Mystery 15.9%, Thriller 9.7%, Horror 4.5%
Why You'll Like It: An interactive fiction mystery that emphasizes investigation and character interaction to uncover the truth.
- #20 Urban Myth Dissolution Center
82% matchVery Positive88% of 5,751 reviews2025
Dev: HakababunkoPub: SHUEISHA GAMES
Windows
Median: 7.7 hrsMean: 9.8 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Join forces with the psychic Director of the Urban Myth Dissolution Center and solve a variety of cases involving cursed relics, rental properties with shady histories, and dimensional anomalies. Monstrous oddities and otherworldly planes abound in this occult mystery adventure game!
Why similar: Detective 25.2%, Visual Novel 23.8%, Mystery 18.6%, Drama 6.8%, Adventure 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A mystery game focused on investigating and resolving supernatural urban legends through detective work.
- #21 Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
84% matchVery Positive82% of 4,723 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 11.5 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Nine participants awaken, trapped in an underground facility. To escape, they must play a game with deadly consequences. Who will live, and who will die? The choice is yours. Let the Decision Game begin…
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.1%, Mystery 22.8%, Puzzle 10.2%, Anime 7.9%, Story Rich 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: The final chapter of the series, offering more intense puzzle-solving and branching narrative paths.
- #22 Umineko When They Cry - Question Arcs
83% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 2,634 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 13.9 hrsMean: 40.4 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Umineko When They Cry is the 2nd series of Sound Novel released by 07th Expansion. The steam version features renewed character sprites which is swappable from the classic art.
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.9%, Mystery 23.5%, Detective 20.1%, Great Soundtrack 10.3%, Anime 6%
Why You'll Like It: A complex, multi-layered mystery that challenges the player to distinguish between reality and the supernatural.
- #23 Lucid9: Inciting Incident
82% matchVery Positive90% of 1,038 reviews2016
Dev: Fallen Snow Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 12.1 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Lucid9 is a visual novel focused on a web of intricate mysteries set in the fictional 2018 metropolis of Isamu. Lucid9: Inciting Incident is the first part of the story, focused on a string of disappearances that occur at a prestigious, uppity boarding academy.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.4%, Mystery 22.9%, Anime 13.6%, Simulation 12.5%, Horror 5.9%
Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused visual novel that captures the feeling of a high-stakes investigation in a school setting.
- #24 The Shell Part I: Inferno
81% matchVery Positive91% of 1,325 reviews2023
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 10.7 hrsMean: 110.2 hrs≥1hr: 70%
Unravel a string of gruesome murders terrorizing Tokyo in this mystery-thriller visual novel. The secrets of a case from six years prior may just be the key to the current unending cycle of tragedy—and the thing that cracks this woeful world’s shell may be one girl’s smile.
Why similar: Detective 38.3%, Visual Novel 22.1%, Mystery 18.5%, Anime 4.6%, Dark 4.3%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, psychological detective mystery that explores the depths of human depravity.
- #25 Higurashi When They Cry Hou+
81% matchVery Positive88% of 163 reviews2023
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 64%
The tragedy of Hinamizawa is over. Those held captive within its grip are free from the fate that bound them to June 1983. Yet the tale of Hinamizawa is not truly complete. There are many worlds not yet explored.
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.2%, Anime 17.6%, Adventure 13.4%, Mystery 8.9%, Indie 5%
Why You'll Like It: A foundational occult mystery that excels at building paranoia and psychological tension within a small, isolated community.
- #26 The Murder Hotel
80% matchVery Positive95% of 59 reviews2025
Dev: Wegenbartho Games
Windows
Interrogate suspects, search for clues, & uncover a dastardly plot, as you solve a string of mystifying murders to help reluctant detective Ilmarinen escape the foreboding Fafnir Hotel.
Why similar: Detective 33.4%, Visual Novel 18.6%, Mystery 17%, Thriller 9.6%, Anime 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: A focused mystery visual novel that challenges players to solve a crime within a confined, dangerous location.
- #27 Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved
79% matchVery Positive95% of 385 reviews2025
Dev: Armonica LLC
Windows
A woman vanishes without a trace on a cross-country train. The catch? Nobody on board remembers her ever existing in the first place - nobody, except for you. Uncover the story in this mystery adventure game!
Why similar: Detective 42.5%, Visual Novel 20.4%, Mystery 17.3%, Adventure 9.7%, Anime 5.5%
Why You'll Like It: A pixel-art detective game that emphasizes investigation and logical deduction in a mystery setting.
- #28 The House in Fata Morgana
79% matchVery Positive95% of 6,041 reviews2016
Dev: NOVECTPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 27.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
A gothic suspense tale set in a cursed mansion. "The House in Fata Morgana" is a full-length visual novel spanning nearly a millennium that deals in tragedy, human nature, and insanity.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.7%, Mystery 21.5%, Anime 9.3%, Horror 7.6%, Great Soundtrack 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: A gothic mystery that uses a haunting narrative to explore themes of tragedy and truth.
- #29 The Occult Detective
77% matchMostly Positive72% of 323 reviews2025
Dev: Battlecry Studio
Windows
A narrative detective game blended with supernatural elements. Play as a rookie investigator, discover vital clues in every case, dive into unscripted interrogations and uncover truths that break minds. But with each revelation, the world feels... less human.
Why similar: Detective 32.9%, Visual Novel 19.2%, Mystery 13.1%, Anime 8.5%, Puzzle 6.3%
- #30 Spirit Hunter: NG
78% matchVery Positive90% of 280 reviews2019
Dev: EXPERIENCEPub: Aksys Games
Windows
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 20.5 hrs≥1hr: 72%
Beware the Creeping Horror... Face nightmares you thought were merely urban legends. Uncover a dark mystery, making deadly decisions just to survive. Play this chilling companion story to the award-winning Spirit Hunter: Death Mark game and bring the terror home.
Why similar: Visual Novel 50.9%, Adventure 23.1%, Horror 18.1%, Anime 7.9%
Why You'll Like It: A horror-adventure game that tasks players with investigating urban legends and making life-or-death choices.
- #31 Novena Diabolos
78% matchVery Positive96% of 56 reviews2021
Dev: H5DEV GamesPub: Giiku Games
Windows · Mac
One reporter, trying to survive nine days in an isolated village. Four demonesses who are out for blood. Several supernatural murders... Welcome to Hope Hill!
Why similar: Detective 25.5%, Visual Novel 18.9%, Mystery 11.1%, Thriller 9.5%, Anime 8.8%
- #32 SIMULACRA
77% matchVery Positive90% of 4,596 reviews2017
Dev: Kaigan Games OÜ
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.7 hrs≥1hr: 71%
An interactive horror experience of exploring a missing woman’s phone.
Why similar: Detective 29.9%, Visual Novel 14.5%, Thriller 12.5%, Mystery 10.4%, Simulation 8.1%
- #33 Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo
75% matchVery Positive80% of 133 reviews2025
Dev: DankHeartsPub: WhisperGames
Windows
Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo is a multi-ending mystery adventure game. A group of boys and girls who have lost their memories gather in a “Tokyo” that is both familiar and unfamiliar. They must trace their lost memories to escape the bizarre labyrinths. Are they prepared to confront their “true selves”?
Why similar: Detective 34.8%, Visual Novel 20.6%, Mystery 12.2%, Anime 9.3%, Adventure 7.5%
- #34 Other Side Of Mist And Mountain
76% matchMostly Positive74% of 91 reviews2024
Dev: Universe Studio
Windows
In 2005, a sophomore student named Maha Igarashi boarded a private train to Soukyo City. However, she vanished upon alighting at the "Kisaragi" station. Five years later, her lover, Shizuno Yokoyama, initiated an investigation into her disappearance, unraveling a series of mysteries along the way.
Why similar: Detective 19.5%, Visual Novel 13.2%, Mystery 12.5%, Thriller 11.1%, Simulation 10.2%
- #35 The NOexistenceN of you AND me
72% matchVery Positive93% of 19,673 reviews2024
Dev: 0x0Real StudioPub: Nino Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 15.7 hrs≥1hr: 70%
Use "game" as a medium to showcase the world of "you/girl". Explore the truth of "you/girl/world" through the form of a "visual novel".
Why similar: Visual Novel 45%, Anime 14.9%, Dating Sim 9.5%, Story Rich 7.7%, Drama 6.9%
- #36 FAKEBOOK
73% matchVery Positive91% of 732 reviews2024
Dev: banjihagames
Windows · Mac
Point-and-click mystery adventure on the virtual SNS! Find secrets hidden by family, friends, companies, and idols.
Why similar: Mystery 21.5%, Visual Novel 20.5%, Detective 19.4%, Simulation 8.2%, Horror 7.3%
- #37 Abnormal1999:Sector 49
74% matchVery Positive96% of 140 reviews2024
Dev: QZQ Studio
Windows
Abnormal1999: Sector 49 is a challenging mystery puzzle game. You play as Sam, searching for your daughter in the abandoned Sector 49. Collect 10 consciousnesses to open the portal and escape.
Why similar: Adventure 27.3%, Mystery 27%, Puzzle 19.1%, Horror 12%, Exploration 7.6%
- #38 Folie Fatale
73% matchVery Positive86% of 2,482 reviews2024
Dev: Kanmidoko (神海処)Pub: 346lab Localization
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 87%
All capture targets are mentally "Jirai"(landmine)!? Meet these eccentric boys, reveal the truth beneath in this Psycho-love-horror VN!
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.6%, Thriller 19.6%, Mystery 16.2%, Dating Sim 10.2%, Simulation 8.8%
- #39 Analogue: A Hate Story
74% matchVery Positive93% of 2,291 reviews2012
Dev: Love Conquers All Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.7 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 57%
A dark visual mystery novel featuring transhumanism, traditional marriage, loneliness, and cosplay. Two pursuable characters. Five endings. Welcome to the future.
Why similar: Visual Novel 64.7%, Anime 14.1%, Indie 6.6%, Story Rich 4.1%, Mystery 3.4%
- #40 Charon's Staircase
75% matchMixed63% of 72 reviews2022
Dev: Indigo Studios - Interactive StoriesPub: SOEDESCO
Windows
In this first-person horror mystery game, you set out to bury the horrible past of a tyrannical government. Retrieve and destroy the documents that unravel the secrets that lie beneath Oack Grove. Will you discover the terrifying truth and find your way out?
Why similar: Detective 42.5%, Mystery 15.6%, Adventure 7.7%, Puzzle 7.3%, Dark 5.9%
- #41 Train of Afterlife
76% matchMixed51% of 183 reviews2015
Dev: Zeiva Inc
Windows
Median: 2.3 hrsMean: 3.4 hrs≥1hr: 97%
Train of Afterlife is a mystery, psychological, horror Visual Novel.
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.3%, Simulation 16.2%, Mystery 10.2%, Anime 9.8%, Adventure 9.7%
- #42 Staffer Reborn
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 889 reviews2024
Dev: Team Tetrapod
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.4 hrsMean: 2.0 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Staffer Reborn is a game of supernatural abilities and logical deduction set in 1960s America. It tells the story of a man trapped in a cycle of death and resurrection caused by his supernatural ability and the investigator who was recruited to help.
Why similar: Detective 35.4%, Visual Novel 19.5%, Mystery 17.5%, Anime 8.3%, Adventure 6.6%
- #43 Red Line
71% matchVery Positive97% of 180 reviews2023
Dev: Rolling Cat StudioPub: indienova
Windows · Mac
Moving into a shabby apartment, a saturnine girl with hidden secrets finds a notebook that allows her to communicate with another world. A thrilling adventure taking place across multiple timelines ensues.
Why similar: Detective 25.6%, Thriller 21.8%, Mystery 21%, Puzzle 8%, Visual Novel 7.5%
- #44 Reaplaced
72% matchVery Positive91% of 55 reviews2023
Dev: Mystery Gamedev
Windows · Mac · Linux
A supernatural Halloween whodunnit. Solve a chilling locked-room mystery before the grim reaper reveals the answer!
Why similar: Detective 37.1%, Mystery 16.1%, Visual Novel 15.5%, Anime 8.3%, Horror 7.3%
- #45 it's always monday
73% matchMostly Positive79% of 291 reviews2016
Dev: Alon Zubina
Windows
Median: 30 minMean: 13.9 hrs≥1hr: 32%
it's always monday - is a first person exploration game
Why similar: Adventure 86.1%, Simulation 4.2%, Mystery 2%, Visual Novel 1.9%, Indie 1.6%
- #46 Raining City: Millions Recollections
69% matchVery Positive87% of 285 reviews2025
Dev: Orca LayoutPub: 昆布科技
Windows
One night, Lyu Xuan woke up soaked in blood, a mysterious black hole in the palm of her hand, and millions pouring out of that hole, like an unstoppable fountain of wealth. Still in shock, She has to evade the monsters that rushed to her and her new riches. A strange story begins in a gloomy city…
Why similar: Detective 24.8%, Visual Novel 14.8%, Mystery 14.6%, Thriller 14.5%, Dating Sim 7%
- #47 Ib
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive99% of 5,037 reviews2022
Dev: kouriPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 16.4 hrs≥1hr: 82%
A 2D exploration adventure game set in a creepy, mysterious art gallery.
Why similar: Horror 17.7%, Anime 16.7%, Puzzle 14.4%, Surreal 13.4%, Story Rich 12.4%
- #48 The Monster Inside
71% matchVery Positive88% of 2,060 reviews2017
Dev: Random Seed Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 12 minMean: 1.5 hrs≥1hr: 10%
A film noir style audio-visual novella. A mysterious woman... a string of murders... and a man with a hidden past.
Why similar: Detective 44.5%, Visual Novel 23.2%, Mystery 20.1%, Indie 5.8%, Horror 4.3%
- #49 Deluge: Threnody of Crashing Waves
70% matchVery Positive85% of 252 reviews2022
Dev: leavesPub: socah
Windows · Mac · Linux
In the not so distant past, the Isle of Abbot underwent a mysterious evacuation event. Delve into the secrets of this unsettling place and elicit the girls' tragic fate. An interactive visual novel with psychological and lovecraftian undertones.
Why similar: Visual Novel 29%, Mystery 23%, Dating Sim 15.8%, Simulation 14.1%, Anime 13.7%
- #50 Anomalies Detective
69% matchMostly Positive77% of 70 reviews2024
Dev: ChenGame
Windows
A psychological horror game with a chapter-based plot, thriller and unusual elements! You are a novice paranormal detective, exploring secrets and finding ways to escape in an infinite loop of scenes. Many unusual things happen during this process, as if some strange force wants to devour you...
Why similar: Horror 33.6%, Adventure 25.7%, Exploration 19.1%, Indie 17.7%, Singleplayer 3.9%
- #51 Notch - The Innocent LunA: Eclipsed SinnerS
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,292 reviews2015
Dev: Angels Blue Digital EntertainmentPub: DigitalEZ
Windows
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 161.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
This is an isolated town, a town of memories that have been forgotten by its people. However, this small town has not been quiet and peaceful since the murders began... Time passes by, where are the sinful spirits going? Are my memories reality, or just a dream?
Why similar: Thriller 19.2%, Mystery 17.7%, Visual Novel 16.6%, Anime 8.1%, Horror 7.2%
- #52 Cat in the Box
69% matchVery Positive94% of 1,513 reviews2020
Dev: Gustav
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Cat in the Box is a horror adventure game. Help the poor girl explore the mansion and escape from unknown entities that are pursuing her. Use a variety of tools and your wits to overcome any challenges you face. At times, you'll even have to wake yourself from nightmares to survive.
Why similar: Mystery 27.6%, Horror 21.1%, Thriller 13.2%, Adventure 12.5%, Indie 6%
- #53 Subway Exorcist Girl
67% matchVery Positive83% of 304 reviews2025
Dev: 纤指游戏Pub: Delicate Fingers
Windows
A subway train plagued by strange occurrences. A part-time exorcist girl arrives to confront the supernatural chaos, with the unknown ahead.
Why similar: Detective 32%, Visual Novel 17.8%, Mystery 16%, Horror 7.7%, Anime 6%
- #54 Enola
71% matchMixed65% of 171 reviews2014
Dev: The DomaginariumPub: Plug In Digital
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.9 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 97%
Survive a macabre world conjured up by the tortured memories of Angelica.
Why similar: Adventure 21%, Mystery 19.5%, Indie 15.4%, Horror 14.1%, Great Soundtrack 6.5%
- #55 [Chilla's Art] Night Security | 夜間警備
66% matchVery Positive89% of 946 reviews2023
Dev: Chilla's Art
Windows
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 1.7 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Night Security | 夜間警備 is a Japanese psychological horror game about night security.
Why similar: Detective 34.7%, Mystery 28.2%, Horror 14.1%, Adventure 10.7%, Dark 6.9%
- #56 Unheard - Voices of Crime
65% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 32,839 reviews2019
Dev: NEXT Studios
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 7.5 hrs≥1hr: 78%
What if you could hear every word spoken at the scene of a crime? “Acoustic Detectives” wanted for testing our new device! Return aurally to crime scenes and use the voices you hear to identify potential suspects and solve the mysteries. What is it that’s connecting these seemingly unrelated cases?
Why similar: Detective 55.8%, Mystery 16.7%, Simulation 9.4%, Puzzle 6.7%, Indie 3.8%
- #57 Mercury Abbey
64% matchVery Positive92% of 931 reviews2024
Dev: YiTi GamesPub: Gamirror Games
Windows
In a mansion surrounded by mist, as the curse made by the Alchemist and Fairy reappears, the danger is quietly lurking in the darkness, awaiting its visitors.Follow Harrod and Willie to unravel an incredible story in Mercury Abbey, and go on an adventure that you would only find in mystery novels.
Why similar: Detective 42.2%, Visual Novel 12.9%, Puzzle 10.5%, Drama 8.7%, Adventure 6.4%
- #58 [Chilla's Art] Missing Children | 行方不明
67% matchVery Positive84% of 615 reviews2020
Dev: Chilla's Art
Windows
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 1.4 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Missing Children | 行方不明 is a Japanese horror-themed adventure game about a bully detective searching for reported missing children.
Why similar: Simulation 31%, Adventure 15.6%, Horror 14.1%, Indie 12.3%, Mystery 11.4%
- #59 Nightmare Zapping
66% matchVery Positive99% of 74 reviews2023
Dev: Maldo19
Windows
A horror channel browsing game where each channel holds a different nightmare to experience, explore them and find out the truth about what has happened in a small town where the inhabitants have disappeared.
Why similar: Visual Novel 31%, Mystery 19.6%, Anime 11.2%, Horror 10.8%, Dark 7.4%
- #60 No Case Should Remain Unsolved
63% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 9,767 reviews2024
Dev: Somi
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 2.7 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Twelve years after Senior Inspector Jeon Gyeong's retirement, she is visited by a young police officer: a woman who pleads with her to reexamine Seowon's case. But with each uncovered memory, only one thing becomes clear: everyone in Seowon's vicinity was lying.
Why similar: Detective 37.1%, Visual Novel 26.6%, Puzzle 9.3%, Anime 7.6%, Adventure 7.5%
