- #1 Telling Lies
97% matchMixed63% of 1,307 reviews2019
Dev: Sam BarlowPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Four private lives. One big lie. Search through secretly recorded video conversations to discover the truth. The successor to the acclaimed Her Story.
Why similar: FMV 21.1% ★, Crime 13.4%, Detective 12.6%, Investigation 11.8%, Nonlinear 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: Created by the same developer, this game utilizes the exact same database-searching mechanic to uncover a complex, multi-layered mystery.
- #2 IMMORTALITY
96% matchVery Positive84% of 1,946 reviews2022
Dev: Sam BarlowPub: Half Mermaid
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.9 hrsMean: 6.2 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Marissa Marcel was a film star. She made three movies. But none of the movies were ever released. And Marissa Marcel disappeared. An interactive trilogy from Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story.
Why similar: FMV 24.9% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.4%, Detective 14.1%, Interactive Fiction 10.9%, Point & Click 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: This narrative-driven mystery uses a unique 'match cut' mechanic that allows you to explore a filmography to uncover a haunting story.
- #3 Contradiction: Spot The Liar
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,239 reviews2015
Dev: Baggy Cat Ltd.
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Spot the lie and beat the liars in 'Contradiction' - the all-video murder mystery adventure!
Why similar: FMV 24% ★, Crime 18%, Detective 15.7%, Investigation 14.9%, Interactive Fiction 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: A classic FMV detective game where you must cross-examine witnesses and identify inconsistencies in their statements.
- #4 Jessika
95% matchMixed68% of 238 reviews2020
Dev: Tritrie GamesPub: Assemble Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Jessika committed suicide, and it’s up to you to find out why she did what she did by prying into her digital past. What at first seems to be a job like any other quickly develops into a dark drama with twists and turns.
Why similar: FMV 33.6% ★, Crime 18.5%, Detective 15.5%, Interactive Fiction 10.9%, Female Protagonist 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: You play as a private investigator searching through a deceased woman's digital footprint to uncover the truth behind her life.
- #5 Return of the Obra Dinn
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 34,552 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Detective 68.6%, Puzzle 16.3%, Story Rich 12.2%, Singleplayer 2.9%
Why You'll Like It: A masterclass in deductive reasoning that tasks you with identifying the fates of a ship's crew using only a magical pocket watch.
- #6 The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker
94% matchVery Positive82% of 612 reviews2017
Dev: D'Avekki Studios Ltd
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 91%
YOU are a psychiatrist, trying to solve a murder whilst treating the unusual patients of the recently deceased Doctor Dekker. Type a question - patients reply in full screen video and have questions for you too but be careful what you say. Your words determine their eventual fates, and your own!
Why similar: FMV 37.1% ★, Detective 20.1%, Interactive Fiction 9.7%, Psychological Horror 9.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: This FMV game requires you to type questions to patients to solve a murder, mirroring the investigative freedom of Her Story.
- #7 The Case of the Golden Idol
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,678 reviews2022
Dev: Color Gray GamesPub: Playstack
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Why similar: Investigation 22.6%, Detective 22.4%, Crime 16.1%, Interactive Fiction 12.1%, Point & Click 10.9%
Why You'll Like It: This game excels at the 'detective' feel by requiring you to piece together clues from static scenes to solve a series of interconnected murders.
- #8 No Case Should Remain Unsolved
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 10,281 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: Investigation 20.8%, Interactive Fiction 14.6%, Detective 14%, Point & Click 10.7%, Visual Novel 9.9%
Why You'll Like It: A deep, text-based investigation game that focuses on piecing together memories and evidence to solve a long-forgotten cold case.
- #9 SIMULACRA
92% matchVery Positive90% of 4,658 reviews2017
Dev: Kaigan Games OÜ
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.6 hrs≥1hr: 71%
An interactive horror experience of exploring a missing woman’s phone.
Why similar: FMV 31.5% ★, Detective 21.3%, Point & Click 12.1%, Visual Novel 10.3%, Psychological Horror 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: You explore the contents of a lost phone, piecing together the owner's disappearance through texts, photos, and videos.
- #10 Who's Lila?
91% matchVery Positive94% of 3,686 reviews2022
Dev: Garage Heathen
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.7 hrs≥1hr: 78%
A reverse-detective adventure, where you control your character's face
Why similar: Detective 17.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.2%, Interactive Fiction 12.6%, Nonlinear 12.6%, Point & Click 10.3%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological detective game where you must manually control your character's facial expressions to interact with others and uncover the truth.
- #11 Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You
90% matchVery Positive90% of 15,492 reviews2016
Dev: Osmotic StudiosPub: Daedalic Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 8.3 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Big Brother has arrived - and it’s you. Investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Information from the internet, personal communications and private files are all accessible to you. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences.
Why similar: Investigation 70.1%, Simulation 14.9%, Detective 5.8%, Interactive Fiction 3.4%, Point & Click 1.9%
Why You'll Like It: You act as a government investigator sifting through private digital data to build a profile on citizens, emphasizing the power of information gathering.
- #12 Unheard - Voices of Crime
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 33,532 reviews2019
Dev: NEXT Studios
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 7.4 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: Crime 21.8%, Detective 18.6%, Investigation 15%, Interactive Fiction 10%, Point & Click 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: An innovative audio-based investigation game where you must listen to conversations and place characters to solve crimes.
- #13 Paradise Killer
88% matchVery Positive93% of 4,463 reviews2020
Dev: Kaizen Game WorksPub: Fellow Traveller
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 7.3 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Paradise Island, a world outside reality. There’s been a murder that only "investigation freak" Lady Love Dies can solve. Gather evidence and interrogate suspects in this open world adventure. You can accuse anyone, but you’ll have to prove your case in trial. It’s up to you to decide who’s guilty.
Why similar: Crime 23.7%, Investigation 21.7%, Detective 20.7%, Point & Click 11.8%, Female Protagonist 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: An open-world investigation game where you must gather evidence and interview suspects to solve a complex murder mystery.
- #14 The Painscreek Killings
87% matchVery Positive91% of 6,162 reviews2017
Dev: EQ Studios
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Investigate an infamous cold case in the eerie, abandoned town of Painscreek. Search for evidence, connect the dots and uncover who killed Vivian Roberts. Can you expose the truth behind this town’s dark secrets?
Why similar: Investigation 31.6%, Detective 27.8%, Exploration 8.2%, Puzzle 7.9%, Realistic 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: A pure investigation game that drops you into an abandoned town with no hand-holding, requiring you to find clues to solve a murder.
- #15 Erica
86% matchMostly Positive78% of 1,737 reviews2021
Dev: Flavourworks
Windows
Median: 2.1 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 74%
Erica is a live-action, FMV thriller that puts you directly at the heart of the mystery. Your choices, your consequences.
Why similar: FMV 26.8% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.9%, Interactive Fiction 11.2%, Detective 10.2%, Crime 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: A cinematic FMV game that uses interactive elements to immerse you in a dark, mystery-filled narrative.
- #16 Shadows of Doubt
83% matchVery Positive82% of 17,459 reviews2024
Dev: ColePowered GamesPub: Fireshine Games
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 15.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Take on the role of a private investigator in this immersive detective simulator. Solve murders and other crimes in a procedurally generated and persistent city where every NPC lives and breathes their own independent lives. Find the killer quickly… or they will kill again!
Why similar: Detective 81.1%, Puzzle 15.4%, Singleplayer 3.4%
Why You'll Like It: A procedural detective simulator that gives you total freedom to investigate crimes in a fully simulated city.
- #17 She Sees Red - Interactive Movie
85% matchMostly Positive78% of 3,158 reviews2019
Dev: Rhinotales
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 3.2 hrs≥1hr: 75%
She Sees Red is a mature, hard-boiled interactive thriller. When someone is killed inside a nightclub, an experienced detective vows to put the murderer behind bars. Make choices that affect the narrative and experience several different endings in this blood-red interactive movie.
Why similar: FMV 50.7% ★, Detective 12.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.4%, Female Protagonist 9%, Visual Novel 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: A concise, branching FMV thriller that focuses on uncovering the truth behind a crime through multiple perspectives.
- #18 Virginia
86% matchMixed64% of 3,367 reviews2016
Dev: Variable StatePub: 505 Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Virginia is a single-player first-person thriller set in a small town with a secret. Experience a missing person investigation through the eyes of graduate FBI agent Anne Tarver.
Why similar: Detective 34.9%, Female Protagonist 16.7%, Interactive Fiction 16.2%, Visual Novel 11.6%, Story Rich 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: A stylistic, non-verbal mystery game that relies on visual storytelling and atmosphere to guide the player through an investigation.
- #19 Late Shift
84% matchVery Positive86% of 9,202 reviews2017
Dev: CtrlMoviePub: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 95%
Late Shift is a high stakes FMV crime thriller. Forced into a brutal London heist, your choices matter in this interactive cinematic experience with adaptable storylines that lead to one of seven conclusions. Your decisions are you.
Why similar: FMV 49.7% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 19.1%, Interactive Fiction 12.6%, Crime 11.5%, Story Rich 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: A high-stakes FMV thriller where your choices dictate the path of the story and the ultimate outcome.
- #20 Gone Home
84% matchMostly Positive77% of 18,381 reviews2013
Dev: Fullbright
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.3 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 81%
June 7th, 1995. 1:15 AM. You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is empty. Something's not right. Where is everyone? And what's happened here? Unravel the mystery for yourself in Gone Home, a story exploration game from The Fullbright Company.
Why similar: Exploration 29.8%, Female Protagonist 26%, Story Rich 19.9%, Interactive Fiction 14.3%, Point & Click 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: A quintessential exploration game where you piece together a family's story by examining objects left behind in a house.
- #21 What Remains of Edith Finch
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 51,503 reviews2017
Dev: Giant SparrowPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 6.3 hrs≥1hr: 88%
What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she's the last one in her family left alive.
Why similar: Story Rich 31%, Female Protagonist 19.5%, Exploration 16.9%, Psychological Horror 13.3%, Visual Novel 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric narrative game that explores the history of a family through fragmented, interactive vignettes.
- #22 Oxenfree
82% matchVery Positive91% of 12,084 reviews2016
Dev: Night School Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. You are Alex, and you’ve just brought your new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight island party gone horribly wrong.
Why similar: Female Protagonist 39.1%, Story Rich 36.2%, Psychological Horror 20.7%, Singleplayer 4%
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural mystery that uses dialogue-heavy exploration to uncover the dark history of an island.
- #23 Not For Broadcast
81% matchVery Positive94% of 12,524 reviews2022
Dev: NotGamesPub: tinyBuild
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 6.3 hrs≥1hr: 80%
A new political Party has won a landslide in the General Election, and for some reason the editor at the news station you work at has done a runner. Now it’s up to you, the Janitor, to take over the editing booth in this tumultuous time - will you help the government, or stand in their way?
Why similar: FMV 40.5% ★, Interactive Fiction 16.8%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.5%, Point & Click 12.7%, Story Rich 6.7%
Why You'll Like It: A satirical FMV game where you manage a live news broadcast, requiring you to monitor multiple feeds and make choices that impact the story.
- #24 Scene Investigators
81% matchMostly Positive75% of 1,012 reviews2023
Dev: EQ Studios
Windows
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 75%
A hardcore deductive reasoning game for fans of the “true crime” genre. Only by unraveling the logic and grasping at the motivations behind each case can the crimes be completely solved. Perfect as a social-style mystery fiction.
Why similar: Investigation 28.6%, Crime 26%, Detective 23.5%, Realistic 7.6%, Puzzle 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: A hardcore deductive game that strips away UI hints, forcing you to observe environments closely to reconstruct crime scenes.
- #25 Hypnospace Outlaw
79% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 5,473 reviews2019
Dev: TendershootPub: No More Robots
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 6.8 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Greetings Enforcer, and thank you for enlisting in the Hypnospace Patrol Department! As the world falls into its slumber, Hypnospace becomes a bustling global village. These virtual streets aren't going to police themselves!
Why similar: Detective 30.2%, Point & Click 24.9%, Interactive Fiction 16.3%, Simulation 11.2%, Puzzle 8%
Why You'll Like It: You act as a moderator for a 90s-style internet, searching through websites and files to uncover hidden content and solve cases.
- #26 Murder by Numbers
79% matchVery Positive84% of 1,675 reviews2020
Dev: MediatonicPub: The Irregular Corporation
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 12.7 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Solve Pixel Puzzles to find clues. Use those clues to interrogate witnesses. Work your way to the truth... ...and uncover the mystery of Murder by Numbers!
Why similar: Dialogue Heavy 21.1%, Investigation 16.2%, Detective 14.5%, Crime 13.8%, Interactive Fiction 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: A detective game that blends investigation with logic puzzles to uncover the truth behind a series of murders.
- #27 Papers, Please
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 79,495 reviews2013
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Congratulations. The October labor lottery is complete. Your name was pulled. For immediate placement, report to the Ministry of Admission at Grestin Border Checkpoint. An apartment will be provided for you and your family in East Grestin. Expect a Class-8 dwelling.
Why similar: Point & Click 44.7%, Simulation 19.4%, Puzzle 15%, Story Rich 12.4%, Singleplayer 5.4%
Why You'll Like It: A document-based investigation game where you must scrutinize details to identify discrepancies and uncover a larger conspiracy.
- #28 2064: Read Only Memories
80% matchMostly Positive79% of 1,673 reviews2015
Dev: MidBoss, LLC.Pub: Chorus Worldwide Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 4.8 hrs≥1hr: 89%
2064: Read Only Memories is a cyberpunk point-and-click adventure set in Neo-San Francisco. Team up with Turing, the world's first sapient machine, to unravel a conspiracy that threatens to shake an entire society
Why similar: Dialogue Heavy 40.8%, Interactive Fiction 20.5%, Point & Click 15.1%, Visual Novel 14.5%, Story Rich 7.8%
Why You'll Like It: A cyberpunk detective adventure that focuses on dialogue and investigation to solve a high-stakes mystery.
- #29 Case #1472
77% matchMixed57% of 68 reviews2025
Dev: Broken at Release Game Studio
Windows
A mysterious woman is sitting in front of you. Who is she? And who are you? And why are you both there? Case #1472 is mystery information digging interrogation thriller game where there are more things going on than what meets the eye, but are you able to unravel what has happened?
Why similar: Typing 23.9% ★, Dialogue Heavy 15.8%, Interactive Fiction 10.9%, Detective 10.9%, Investigation 10.4%
- #30 Interrogation Simulator
77% matchVery Positive95% of 61 reviews2022
Dev: Otis MillerPub: Fire Cycle Games
Windows · Linux
Inspired by JCS videos and similar Interrogation analysis. Match evidence with statements. Play good cop/bad cop. Make choices. Learn what makes people tick. Unravel the mystery.
Why similar: Crime 17.2%, Investigation 14.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.9%, Interactive Fiction 11.4%, Dialogue Heavy 10.5%
- #31 The Operator
74% matchVery Positive92% of 8,412 reviews2024
Dev: Bureau 81
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Welcome to the FDI. As our newest Operator, your role is to use your detective skills to assist our field agents and investigate mysterious crimes. Use cutting-edge FDI software to dig for clues, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth.
Why similar: FMV 18.5% ★, Detective 17.9%, Investigation 17.8%, Crime 14.9%, Point & Click 6.8%
- #32 Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered
78% matchMostly Positive79% of 8,536 reviews2015
Dev: Quantic Dream
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in North America) was a breakthrough in interactive narrative. This newly remastered edition features updated textures in HD, expanded controller support, and is based on the uncut and uncensored international version of the game.
Why similar: Detective 50.3%, Story Rich 37.2%, Female Protagonist 7.6%, Singleplayer 4.8%
Why You'll Like It: A cinematic, story-rich mystery that emphasizes investigation and choices in a supernatural thriller setting.
- #33 YOUR HOUSE
75% matchVery Positive84% of 74 reviews2025
Dev: PATRONES & ESCONDITES
Windows · Mac
A narrative puzzle-thriller that blurs the lines between games and books, reality and fiction, puzzles and storytelling.
Why similar: Detective 20.4%, Investigation 20%, Interactive Fiction 12%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.8%, Point & Click 8.7%
- #34 Interrogation Files: Port Landsend
76% matchVery Positive87% of 89 reviews2020
Dev: Visual Interactive
Windows
Search through the interrogation footage of suspects of a bizarre and horrific crime. Decide who committed the crime and see them get arrested and have their day in court. The latest interactive video experience.
Why similar: FMV 27.1% ★, Typing 19.2% ★, Detective 13.9%, Crime 13.4%, Interactive Fiction 7.6%
- #35 Agatha Christie - The ABC Murders
76% matchVery Positive81% of 3,047 reviews2016
Dev: Artefacts StudioPub: Microids
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 91%
The ABC Murders is an adventure and investigation game adapted from the classic Agatha Christie novel. You are the famous private detective Hercule Poirot and, once again, you find yourself up against a mysterious serial killer who goes by the name of "ABC".
Why similar: Detective 18.3%, Crime 17.1%, Investigation 13.6%, Point & Click 11.6%, Visual Novel 10.3%
- #36 Grim Fandango Remastered
75% matchVery Positive91% of 8,802 reviews2015
Dev: Double Fine Productions
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.8 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
One of the most acclaimed adventure games of all time is now back, better than ever. Grim Fandango Remastered has the all the beautiful art and engaging story fans remember, but has also been remastered to look, sound, and control even better than the award-winning original release.
Why similar: Point & Click 59.5%, Story Rich 22%, Puzzle 14.6%, Singleplayer 3.8%
- #37 Misty Judgment
70% matchVery Positive94% of 1,487 reviews2025
Dev: 次元边界
Windows
This is a suspense reasoning interactive work with real people. You will play the protagonist "Qi Yi", find evidence in a series of murders, piece together the truth, and find the ultimate murderer, all of which will lead you to an unpredictable future.
Why similar: FMV 29.3% ★, Detective 15.8%, Interactive Fiction 14.5%, Crime 13.5%, Investigation 11.2%
- #38 Stories Untold
73% matchVery Positive87% of 5,467 reviews2017
Dev: No CodePub: Devolver Digital
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Stories Untold is a compilation tape of four experimental adventures, including a remaster of the original hit episode “The House Abandon”.
Why similar: Psychological Horror 38.8%, Point & Click 34.8%, Story Rich 12.5%, Puzzle 9.6%, Singleplayer 4.3%
- #39 Tokyo Detectives
74% matchMixed69% of 59 reviews2021
Dev: Rincho Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Detective Game. Murder Investigation. Interrogate witnesses. Rebut with evidence.
Why similar: Detective 24.2%, Investigation 23.1%, Crime 22.4%, Visual Novel 11.3%, Point & Click 7.6%
- #40 Kathy Rain
73% matchVery Positive92% of 3,973 reviews2016
Dev: Clifftop GamesPub: Raw Fury
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Set in the '90s, Kathy Rain tells the story of a strong-willed journalism major who has to come to terms with her troubled past as she investigates the mysterious death of her recently deceased grandfather.
Why similar: Point & Click 96.7%, Detective 1.5%, Female Protagonist 0.8%, Psychological Horror 0.4%, Puzzle 0.2%
- #41 Burn Me Twice
73% matchVery Positive82% of 268 reviews2020
Dev: Null Reference Studio
Windows
A narrative adventure that combines the exploration and investigation of the enigmatic town of Düstenburg and its people, with trials that test your knowledge about the case.
Why similar: Detective 20.3%, Investigation 16.8%, Dialogue Heavy 16.4%, Interactive Fiction 14.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10%
- #42 Turlock Holmes
71% matchVery Positive80% of 962 reviews2024
Dev: Find the Lamp GamesPub: Neverland Entertainment
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 5.9 hrs≥1hr: 84%
A detective narrative puzzler without pre-set options! Raise your questions at will, and an AI-host will answer only with 'yes' or 'no.' Drive the investigation with your curiosity; the path to solving the mystery lies in questions you ask. Can you dig out the truth through your questions?
Why similar: Crime 22.3%, Detective 19.9%, Dialogue Heavy 13.6%, Psychological Horror 8.6%, Typing 8% ★
- #43 The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
72% matchVery Positive88% of 8,965 reviews2014
Dev: The Astronauts
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery. Purchase this game to get both the original and the Unreal Engine 4 remaster called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux.
Why similar: Detective 58.3%, Exploration 13.5%, Story Rich 9.4%, Puzzle 7.7%, Psychological Horror 6.8%
- #44 SIMULACRA 2
71% matchVery Positive87% of 1,679 reviews2020
Dev: Kaigan GamesPub: Soft Source
Windows
Median: 3.9 hrsMean: 6.5 hrs≥1hr: 75%
A dead influencer. An obsessed detective. Three suspects. Piece the truth together by going through the victim’s phone messages, videos, and social media in the follow up to the critically acclaimed SIMULACRA.
Why similar: FMV 27.6% ★, Detective 18.3%, Dialogue Heavy 11.7%, Point & Click 9.8%, Visual Novel 9%
- #45 The Beginner's Guide
71% matchVery Positive88% of 23,214 reviews2015
Dev: Everything Unlimited Ltd.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.6 hrsMean: 2.2 hrs≥1hr: 85%
The Beginner's Guide is a narrative video game from Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable. It lasts about an hour and a half and has no traditional mechanics, no goals or objectives. Instead, it tells the story of a person struggling to deal with something they do not understand.
Why similar: Story Rich 64.7%, Psychological Horror 18%, Singleplayer 9.7%, Puzzle 4.6%, Exploration 2.2%
- #46 The Butterfly Collector
68% matchVery Positive89% of 923 reviews2025
Dev: Wicky Yu
Windows
Median: 1.0 hrsMean: 1.7 hrs≥1hr: 48%
investigate the evidence left by a stalker and kidnapper and track the fate of a college girl. The player advances and watches the plot by clicking to make choices for the heroine at key moments, with different choices leading to different endings.
Why similar: Visual Novel 38%, Psychological Horror 26.4%, Female Protagonist 24.7%, Story Rich 8.1%, Singleplayer 2.8%
- #47 Profession investigator
69% matchVery Positive99% of 107 reviews2022
Dev: Indie-Geek
Windows · Mac
Profession Investigator is an immersive simulator with a text-based interface in which you have to deal with real criminal cases. The game uses materials from court archives and specialized literature.
Why similar: Detective 35.2%, Interactive Fiction 21%, Investigation 15.1%, Simulation 11.6%, Puzzle 11%
- #48 To the Moon
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 85,800 reviews2012
Dev: Freebird Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 11.5 hrs≥1hr: 79%
A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories to artificially fulfill his last wish.
Why similar: Story Rich 48.7%, Interactive Fiction 39.9%, Female Protagonist 4.9%, Singleplayer 4.6%, Casual 1.9%
- #49 Emily is Away
69% matchVery Positive89% of 32,286 reviews2015
Dev: Kyle Seeley
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 54 minMean: 19.9 hrs≥1hr: 42%
Emily is Away is an interactive story. Create a screenname and choose your path through the branching narrative.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 31%, Choose Your Own Adventure 22.7%, Story Rich 15.9%, Visual Novel 13.9%, Simulation 9%
- #50 Replica
69% matchVery Positive86% of 3,518 reviews2016
Dev: Somi
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 35.9 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Replica is an interactive novel game played through a cellphone and social media. The insane experience of peeping into someone's private life through a cellphone will transform you into the state's greatest patriot.
Why similar: Puzzle 39.1%, Story Rich 23.8%, Psychological Horror 18.4%, Visual Novel 15%, Singleplayer 3.7%
- #51 The Red Strings Club
67% matchVery Positive93% of 14,085 reviews2018
Dev: DeconstructeamPub: Devolver Digital
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The Red Strings Club is a cyberpunk narrative experience about fate and happiness featuring the extensive use of pottery, bartending and impersonating people on the phone to take down a corporate conspiracy.
Why similar: Point & Click 34.5%, Story Rich 33.1%, Visual Novel 23.7%, Puzzle 5%, Singleplayer 3.6%
- #52 Tell Me Everything
70% matchMixed61% of 72 reviews2018
Dev: LizardFactory
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 12 minMean: 10.1 hrs≥1hr: 34%
A mysterious murder has shocked the inner city, and as the lead detective, it is your job to catch the real killer. Armed with words and wits, you uncover the secrets and capture the murderer, and make sure justice will be served.
Why similar: Typing 24.2% ★, Investigation 23%, Detective 20.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.8%, Puzzle 5.2%
- #53 Gods Will Be Watching
70% matchMostly Positive70% of 2,940 reviews2014
Dev: DeconstructeamPub: Devolver Digital
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 4.8 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Gods Will Be Watching is a minimalistic “point and click thriller” centered on despair, commitment, and sacrifice as players face intriguing puzzles and tough decisions that will affect their entire crew’s wellbeing.
Why similar: Point & Click 55.3%, Story Rich 23.2%, Puzzle 17.6%, Singleplayer 3.9%
- #54 Kathy Rain: Director's Cut
66% matchVery Positive93% of 1,478 reviews2021
Dev: Clifftop GamesPub: Raw Fury
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.6 hrsMean: 6.5 hrs≥1hr: 73%
The award-winning point-and-click adventure returns in the Director's Cut with an extended story, additional puzzles, and new areas to explore. Witness the rise of an iconic detective as you uncover a dark and sinister truth hiding behind the calm exterior of a small rural town.
Why similar: Detective 24%, Investigation 22.5%, Point & Click 15.2%, Female Protagonist 11%, Visual Novel 8.4%
- #55 Day of the Tentacle Remastered
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 4,674 reviews2016
Dev: Double Fine Productions
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Originally released by LucasArts in 1993 as a sequel to Ron Gilbert’s ground breaking Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle is back in a remastered edition that features all new hand-drawn, high resolution artwork, with remastered audio, music and sound effects.
Why similar: Point & Click 70.5%, Puzzle 16.7%, Story Rich 9.3%, Singleplayer 3.5%
- #56 Marie's Room
67% matchVery Positive93% of 6,669 reviews2018
Dev: Kenny Guillaume
Windows
Median: 54 minMean: 14.7 hrs≥1hr: 42%
Marie's Room is a short story exploration game about an unconventional friendship between two classmates. You play as Kelsey, remembering Marie's room as it was twenty years ago. But something’s off. What happened to Marie?
Why similar: Story Rich 26%, Female Protagonist 22.3%, Exploration 16.5%, Point & Click 14.3%, Puzzle 8.5%
- #57 Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
64% matchVery Positive94% of 3,123 reviews2024
Dev: SimogoPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 8.2 hrsMean: 12.5 hrs≥1hr: 82%
The stage is set. Imagine an old baroque manor, perhaps a hotel or a museum, somewhere in central Europe. A woman wanders in search of answers.
Why similar: Puzzle 39.3%, Exploration 23.6%, Female Protagonist 20.8%, Story Rich 13.3%, Singleplayer 3.1%
- #58 Broken Age
68% matchVery Positive84% of 8,189 reviews2014
Dev: Double Fine Productions
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 8.2 hrs≥1hr: 91%
A family friendly, hand-animated, puzzle-filled adventure game with an all-star cast, including Elijah Wood, Jack Black and Masasa Moyo. Funded by a record breaking crowdfunding campaign and designed by industry legend Tim Schafer, Broken Age is a timeless coming-of-age story.
Why similar: Point & Click 64.4%, Story Rich 13.9%, Female Protagonist 8.9%, Puzzle 7.9%, Casual 2.7%