- #1 Her Story
97% matchVery Positive89% of 10,228 reviews2015
Dev: Sam Barlow
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 87%
A woman is interviewed seven times by the police. Search the video database and explore hundreds of authentic clips to discover her story in this groundbreaking and award winning narrative game.
Why similar: FMV 24.6% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.6%, Detective 14%, Interactive Fiction 11%, Point & Click 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: Created by the same developer, this game pioneered the non-linear database investigation mechanic that defines the genre.
- #2 The Case of the Golden Idol
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,171 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: Detective 29.4%, Interactive Fiction 17.1%, Point & Click 16.1%, Dark 11.5%, Puzzle 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: It captures the same satisfying 'aha!' moments of piecing together a complex mystery through careful observation and deduction.
- #3 Telling Lies
96% matchMixed63% of 1,290 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 27.9% ★, Detective 14.7%, Interactive Fiction 10.1%, Point & Click 8.5%, Realistic 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: This spiritual successor to Her Story expands on the FMV investigation format with a complex, multi-perspective narrative.
- #4 Return of the Obra Dinn
95% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,398 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 54.6%, Puzzle 14%, Story Rich 12.9%, Noir 11.3%, Horror 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: Like IMMORTALITY, this game requires the player to act as a detective who reconstructs past events through fragmented, non-linear clues.
- #5 Who's Lila?
94% matchVery Positive95% of 3,515 reviews2022
Dev: Garage Heathen
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 4.7 hrs≥1hr: 78%
A reverse-detective adventure, where you control your character's face
Why similar: Choose Your Own Adventure 19.4%, Detective 18.2%, Interactive Fiction 13.9%, Point & Click 12.2%, Visual Novel 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: This psychological horror game features a unique meta-narrative and a focus on facial expressions that echoes the unsettling nature of IMMORTALITY.
- #6 The Roottrees are Dead
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 7,749 reviews2025
Dev: Evil Trout Inc.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 8.0 hrsMean: 9.7 hrs≥1hr: 89%
A genealogical mystery straight out of 1998. Scour the early Internet for clues, uncover hidden connections, and piece together the family tree behind the secretive Roottree Corporation.
Why similar: Detective 33.6%, Point & Click 16.6%, Puzzle 11.6%, Noir 10.2%, Interactive Fiction 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: A deep, text-heavy investigative experience that mirrors the feeling of being a researcher digging through a massive, interconnected archive.
- #7 Paradise Killer
94% matchVery Positive93% of 4,378 reviews2020
Dev: Kaizen Game WorksPub: Fellow Traveller
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 7.4 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: Detective 33.7%, Point & Click 22.1%, Open World 19.5%, Story Rich 12.8%, Exploration 11.1%
Why You'll Like It: This open-world investigation game rewards players for exploring at their own pace and connecting disparate pieces of evidence.
- #8 The Painscreek Killings
92% matchVery Positive91% of 6,013 reviews2017
Dev: EQ Studios
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 6.3 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: Detective 28.2%, Open World 11.3%, Horror 11.2%, Realistic 10.9%, Story Rich 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: A pure investigative experience that trusts the player to find their own way through a cold case without hand-holding.
- #9 The Centennial Case : A Shijima Story
91% matchMostly Positive80% of 1,102 reviews2022
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 11.0 hrsMean: 15.9 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Unravel the mysteries of death, and find the answers to life.A unique Mystery-Adventure Game:The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
Why similar: FMV 51.3% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 20.9%, Detective 11.8%, Realistic 7.3%, Story Rich 5.5%
Why You'll Like It: A high-production FMV mystery that challenges players to connect clues to solve a century-spanning murder case.
- #10 Erica
91% matchMostly Positive78% of 1,713 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 34.4% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 19.1%, Interactive Fiction 13.5%, Detective 11.6%, Point & Click 10.8%
Why You'll Like It: A cinematic FMV thriller that emphasizes player choice and atmospheric storytelling in a live-action environment.
- #11 SIMULACRA
90% 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: FMV 25.8% ★, Detective 15.3%, Immersive Sim 10.2%, Point & Click 10%, Visual Novel 8.1%
Why You'll Like It: This found-phone horror game forces you to dig through personal files and messages to solve a missing person case.
- #12 Jessika
89% matchMixed68% of 238 reviews2020
Dev: Tritrie GamesPub: Assemble Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 5.6 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 40.3% ★, Detective 16.4%, Interactive Fiction 12.3%, Realistic 10.1%, Drama 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: This found-footage investigation game tasks you with searching a deceased person's digital life to uncover the truth behind their death.
- #13 Contradiction: Spot The Liar
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,223 reviews2015
Dev: Baggy Cat Ltd.
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Spot the lie and beat the liars in 'Contradiction' - the all-video murder mystery adventure!
Why similar: FMV 36.5% ★, Detective 21%, Interactive Fiction 13.8%, Point & Click 11.4%, Story Rich 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: A classic FMV detective game that focuses on identifying inconsistencies in witness testimonies through interactive questioning.
- #14 Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You
87% matchVery Positive90% of 15,333 reviews2016
Dev: Osmotic StudiosPub: Daedalic Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 8.1 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: Detective 36.6%, Interactive Fiction 23.3%, Story Rich 16.2%, Point & Click 10.1%, Visual Novel 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: This surveillance-based mystery puts you in the role of an investigator sifting through private data to uncover a larger conspiracy.
- #15 The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker
88% matchVery Positive83% of 596 reviews2017
Dev: D'Avekki Studios Ltd
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 7.3 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 35.3% ★, Detective 17%, Dark 9.8%, Interactive Fiction 8.7%, Drama 8.5%
Why You'll Like It: An FMV-based mystery where you play as a psychiatrist interviewing patients to uncover a dark, Lovecraftian truth.
- #16 Death Come True
86% matchMostly Positive77% of 948 reviews2020
Dev: IzanagiGames
Windows
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 3.1 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Everything rides on your choices in this new wave interactive movie game. Experience a thrilling science fiction mystery in full-length live-action format—from genius creator of the "Danganronpa" series, Kazutaka Kodaka!
Why similar: FMV 39% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 20.4%, Interactive Fiction 10.8%, Visual Novel 10.5%, Realistic 6%
Why You'll Like It: A stylish FMV mystery from the creator of Danganronpa that blends supernatural elements with interactive decision-making.
- #17 The Isle Tide Hotel
86% matchMixed65% of 254 reviews2023
Dev: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Explore a mysterious hotel and infiltrate a cult in this FMV detective game, featuring a cast from GoT, The Witcher, and more. Every decision counts as you gather clues and question guests. Can you unearth the ominous secrets at The Isle Tide Hotel before it's too late to save your missing daughter?
Why similar: FMV 25.9% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.6%, Detective 10.2%, Interactive Fiction 10.1%, Point & Click 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: A cult-themed FMV mystery that relies on exploration and dialogue choices to reveal its hidden lore.
- #18 This Bed We Made
84% matchVery Positive91% of 2,983 reviews2023
Dev: Lowbirth Games
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 87%
This Bed We Made is a third-person mystery game in which you play as a maid in a 1950s hotel and snoop around strangers' rooms to uncover their deadly secrets. Discover what links guests together in this tale of love, heartbreak and murder!
Why similar: Noir 24%, LGBTQ+ 16.9%, Detective 14%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.1%, Interactive Fiction 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: A 1950s-set mystery game that focuses on snooping through rooms to uncover the secrets of hotel guests.
- #19 Dark Nights with Poe and Munro
85% matchMostly Positive76% of 483 reviews2020
Dev: D'Avekki Studios Ltd
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 6.0 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Guide local radio hosts Poe and Munro through six TV-like episodes of supernatural strangeness and sizzling on-screen chemistry. From the creators of The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker and The Shapeshifting Detective.
Why similar: FMV 26.2% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 15%, Detective 13.9%, Interactive Fiction 10.6%, Point & Click 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural FMV adventure that focuses on character-driven mystery and branching narrative paths.
- #20 Late Shift
84% matchVery Positive86% of 9,107 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 50.8% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 24.5%, Interactive Fiction 12.1%, Story Rich 5.6%, Realistic 2.4%
Why You'll Like It: A high-stakes FMV crime thriller where your choices directly influence the branching path of the film.
- #21 The Forgotten City
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 13,031 reviews2021
Dev: Modern StorytellerPub: Dear Villagers
Windows
Median: 6.0 hrsMean: 7.7 hrs≥1hr: 74%
The Forgotten City is a narrative-driven time loop adventure in ancient Rome. Discover the ruins of an ancient underground city, travel 2000 years into the past, and unravel the mystery of who destroyed it by cleverly exploiting the power to wind back time. The fate of the city is in your hands.
Why similar: Story Rich 29%, Exploration 27.9%, Open World 26.7%, Adventure 16.4%
Why You'll Like It: A time-loop mystery that relies on knowledge-based progression, forcing players to learn from their mistakes to uncover the truth.
- #22 Stories Untold
83% matchVery Positive87% of 5,390 reviews2017
Dev: No CodePub: Devolver Digital
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Stories Untold is a compilation tape of four experimental adventures, including a remaster of the original hit episode “The House Abandon”.
Why similar: Horror 34.8%, Point & Click 31.7%, Story Rich 13.1%, Adventure 12.1%, Puzzle 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: An experimental, meta-narrative horror game that uses retro technology to deliver a fragmented and deeply unsettling story.
- #23 Observation
82% matchMostly Positive78% of 5,063 reviews2020
Dev: No CodePub: Devolver Digital
Windows
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Observation is a sci-fi thriller uncovering what happened to Dr. Emma Fisher, and the crew of her mission, through the lens of the station’s artificial intelligence S.A.M.
Why similar: Horror 34.3%, Adventure 33.1%, Story Rich 17.3%, Puzzle 15.3%
Why You'll Like It: A sci-fi thriller where you play as the station's AI, piecing together what happened to the crew through camera feeds and logs.
- #24 Not For Broadcast
81% matchVery Positive94% of 12,340 reviews2022
Dev: NotGamesPub: tinyBuild
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 6.3 hrs≥1hr: 81%
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 39.7% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 20.3%, Interactive Fiction 15.5%, Point & Click 12.6%, Story Rich 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: A chaotic FMV game that explores the power of editing and media manipulation, mirroring the film-centric themes of IMMORTALITY.
- #25 SIGNALIS
79% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 31,986 reviews2022
Dev: rose-enginePub: Balor Games
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 79%
A classic survival horror experience set in a dystopian future where humanity has uncovered a dark secret. Unravel a cosmic mystery, escape terrifying creatures, and scavenge an off-world government facility as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost dreams.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 51.7%, Dark 26.3%, Puzzle 15.9%, Adventure 6.1%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror game that uses cryptic, non-linear storytelling and atmospheric environmental clues to build its mystery.
- #26 Outer Wilds
79% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 99,459 reviews2020
Dev: Mobius DigitalPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 16.7 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer, and The Guardian, Outer Wilds is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop.
Why similar: Open World 22%, Exploration 21.7%, Story Rich 18.6%, Horror 15.3%, Puzzle 14.6%
Why You'll Like It: While a different genre, it shares the core 'knowledge-based' progression loop where the player's understanding of the world is the only way to advance.
- #27 Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus?
81% matchMixed66% of 1,161 reviews2022
Dev: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 69%
An eccentric FMV murder mystery with a twist: someone has poisoned Uncle Marcus. Uncover the truth in the yearly family quiz and try to save him before it is too late.
Why similar: FMV 33.4% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.6%, Detective 10.9%, Drama 8.5%, Realistic 8%
Why You'll Like It: A lighthearted but engaging FMV whodunit that requires you to interrogate family members to solve a murder.
- #28 Hypnospace Outlaw
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 5,338 reviews2019
Dev: TendershootPub: No More Robots
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 6.7 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 30.3%, Point & Click 29.7%, Interactive Fiction 18%, Story Rich 9.8%, Puzzle 9%
Why You'll Like It: An investigative simulator that tasks you with patrolling a 90s-style internet, rewarding deep dives into obscure data.
- #29 The Bunker
80% matchMostly Positive70% of 1,859 reviews2016
Dev: Splendy InteractivePub: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 86%
The Bunker is an award-winning interactive psychological horror movie. You are John, born underground the day the bombs fell, now alone and trying to survive. But when an alarm goes off, a catastrophic chain of events begins. Unlock the dark secrets of your past as you try to escape The Bunker.
Why similar: FMV 68.2% ★, Horror 13%, Story Rich 11.2%, Adventure 7.6%
Why You'll Like It: A fully live-action psychological horror game that delivers a tense, claustrophobic narrative experience.
- #30 Tacoma
78% matchVery Positive86% of 4,721 reviews2017
Dev: Fullbright
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Tacoma is a sci-fi narrative adventure from the creators of Gone Home. Set aboard a high-tech space station in the year 2088, explore every detail of how the station’s crew lived and worked, finding the clues that add up to a gripping story of trust, fear, and resolve in the face of disaster.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 32.4%, Story Rich 32.1%, Exploration 20.6%, Adventure 14.9%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-focused game where you explore a space station by replaying holographic recordings of past events to understand what happened.
- #31 Cellveillance
74% matchVery Positive86% of 596 reviews2025
Dev: KARMAGAME HK LIMITEDPub: EpicDream Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 9.1 hrsMean: 10.8 hrs≥1hr: 89%
"Cellveillance" is a detective drama entertainment product, you will visit the apartment every day, and the entire apartment is responsible for everything that happens in the apartment, a mysterious organization asks you to return the information of the residents.
Why similar: FMV 27% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.7%, Detective 10.6%, Immersive Sim 9.7%, Interactive Fiction 9.3%
- #32 Murderous Muses
77% matchMixed68% of 78 reviews2023
Dev: D'Avekki Studios Ltd
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Solve a sinister murder by spending three reality-shifting nights in a haunted art gallery. An infinitely re-playable murder mystery blending deduction, exploration, puzzles, collectibles and FMV.
Why similar: FMV 39.2% ★, Detective 19.5%, Point & Click 10.7%, Drama 9.2%, Story Rich 7.4%
- #33 I Saw Black Clouds
77% matchMixed62% of 633 reviews2021
Dev: Ghost Dog FilmsPub: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 81%
After the unexpected death of a close friend, Kristina returns to her hometown looking for answers, only to unearth a string of dark secrets. I Saw Black Clouds is an interactive psychological thriller with supernatural elements and branching storylines.
Why similar: FMV 31.9% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 15.7%, Emotional 10.5%, Interactive Fiction 10.1%, Horror 8.1%
- #34 Markus Ritter - The Lost Family
76% matchVery Positive85% of 176 reviews2021
Dev: Flimmersoft
Windows · Linux
Play as Markus Ritter in this short full motion video game in the style of the famous 90's point-and-click adventures.
Why similar: FMV 29.8% ★, LGBTQ+ 13.7%, Interactive Fiction 11.1%, Point & Click 10.5%, Detective 8.2%
- #35 The Séance of Blake Manor
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 2,784 reviews2025
Dev: Spooky DoorwayPub: Raw Fury
Windows · Linux
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 10.8 hrs≥1hr: 80%
The Séance of Blake Manor is a supernatural detective mystery, set in 1897 Ireland, where you investigate the disappearance of Evelyn Deane in a remote hotel full of secrets and other-worldly occurrences.
Why similar: Noir 33.4%, Detective 25.7%, Dark 10.8%, Horror 9.5%, Puzzle 8.6%
- #36 SIMULACRA 2
75% matchVery Positive86% of 1,648 reviews2020
Dev: Kaigan GamesPub: Neon Doctrine
Windows
Median: 4.0 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 30.4% ★, Detective 17.7%, Immersive Sim 12.4%, Point & Click 10.9%, Visual Novel 9.5%
- #37 Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
72% matchVery Positive94% of 2,911 reviews2024
Dev: SimogoPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 8.0 hrsMean: 12.3 hrs≥1hr: 83%
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 25.9%, Horror 21%, Exploration 15.6%, Noir 14.3%, Adventure 12.6%
- #38 The Gallery
75% matchMixed69% of 169 reviews2022
Dev: PRM Games
Windows · Mac
An art curator is held hostage by a portraitist who threatens to detonate a bomb unless their demands are met. 'The Gallery' contains two interactive narratives - set in 1981 (with a female protagonist) and 2021 (with a male protagonist).
Why similar: FMV 24.4% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.3%, Detective 13.1%, Immersive Sim 9.3%, Interactive Fiction 9.2%
- #39 Morph Girl
76% matchMostly Positive71% of 93 reviews2017
Dev: Autumn Knight
Windows
Morph Girl is a Japanese horror inspired FMV game about loss, depression and the supernatural.
Why similar: FMV 42.8% ★, LGBTQ+ 11.2%, Horror 8.4%, Visual Novel 8.1%, Interactive Fiction 8%
- #40 Strangeland
73% matchVery Positive93% of 953 reviews2021
Dev: Wormwood StudiosPub: Wadjet Eye Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 81%
You wake in a surreal carnival, where a woman cries out to you before leaping to her death. Can either of you be saved? The denizens and devices of Strangeland answer with riddles, puzzles, and warnings of a Dark Thing lurking at the park’s peak. A new adventure from the creators of Primordia.
Why similar: Point & Click 36.3%, Horror 18.2%, Story Rich 16.5%, Dark 12.1%, Adventure 11.5%
- #41 SIMULACRA 3
74% matchMixed60% of 342 reviews2022
Dev: Kaigan GamesPub: Neon Doctrine
Windows
The town of Stonecreek is haunted. People keep disappearing into thin air, leaving nothing but an eerie symbol behind. With the townsfolk gripped with fear, use a missing victim's phone to unlock the truth in the third entry of the acclaimed horror series, SIMULACRA.
Why similar: FMV 27.5% ★, Detective 19.8%, Interactive Fiction 15.7%, Immersive Sim 14.5%, Horror 8.6%
- #42 Impostor Factory
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 12,494 reviews2021
Dev: Freebird Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 85%
A bonkers time-loop tragicomedy murder mystery thriller featuring multiple casualties and a suspicious cat, from the creator of To the Moon & Finding Paradise.
Why similar: Emotional 39.5%, Interactive Fiction 31.6%, Story Rich 20.3%, Adventure 8.6%
- #43 Misty Judgment
69% matchVery Positive94% of 1,412 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 33.6% ★, Detective 15.9%, Interactive Fiction 15.6%, Immersive Sim 10.6%, Visual Novel 9.8%
- #44 Twin Mirror
72% matchMostly Positive77% of 1,604 reviews2021
Dev: DON'T NOD
Windows
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 8.9 hrs≥1hr: 79%
The small town of Basswood will be changed forever by ex-investigative journalist Sam Higgs in this thrilling narrative experience from award-winning studio DON'T NOD. Will you find the truth – no matter the cost?
Why similar: Detective 22.5%, Interactive Fiction 18.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 17.5%, Realistic 11.6%, Story Rich 8.9%
- #45 Breakout 13
70% matchVery Positive88% of 7,394 reviews2023
Dev: ALT Lab
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 12.2 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Breakout 13 is a thrilling narrative game with interactive cinematic experience. Based on true stories. Embark on a revealing journey as you attempt to break free from a negligent correctional institute and carve out your own path to justice. Each decision you make shapes the story.
Why similar: FMV 23.8% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.2%, Detective 11.3%, Interactive Fiction 10%, Immersive Sim 8.7%
- #46 Night Book
73% matchMixed68% of 586 reviews2021
Dev: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Tricked into reading an ancient book, Loralyn summons a demon into her home. Night Book is an interactive occult thriller movie, created in lockdown, from the publishers of The Complex, Five Dates and Maid of Sker.
Why similar: FMV 33.5% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.6%, Interactive Fiction 11.4%, Detective 11.4%, Drama 7.5%
- #47 Nobody Wants to Die
68% matchVery Positive84% of 6,506 reviews2024
Dev: Critical Hit GamesPub: PLAION
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Lose yourself in the dystopian world of New York, 2329; immortality comes at a price that someone has to pay. In this interactive noir story, lead the investigation using advanced technology, as Detective James Karra who risks it all in pursuit of a serial killer targeting the city’s elite.
Why similar: Noir 36.3%, Detective 24.8%, Interactive Fiction 17.8%, Realistic 12.9%, Story Rich 8.2%
- #48 The Council
71% matchVery Positive84% of 5,581 reviews2018
Dev: Big Bad WolfPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 17.4 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Experience a Narrative Adventure where your choices and character growth truly matter. As a member of a 1793 secret society, live a tale of intrigue and manipulation on the hunt for your missing mother.
Why similar: Detective 38.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.9%, Story Rich 15.3%, Adventure 9.8%, Puzzle 7.9%
- #49 The Last Case of John Morley
68% matchVery Positive85% of 261 reviews2025
Dev: Indigo Studios - Interactive StoriesPub: JanduSoft
Windows
Step into the mind of John Morley, a 1940s detective on his final case. Explore shadowed places long forgotten by time, and piece together crime scenes in a narrative adventure steeped in mystery, unexpected twists, and a truth buried for decades.
Why similar: Noir 27.1%, Detective 18.6%, Interactive Fiction 13.6%, Realistic 9.8%, Dark 8.3%
- #50 Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
67% matchVery Positive86% of 5,787 reviews2025
Dev: DON'T NOD
Windows
Median: 11.2 hrsMean: 12.4 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Embark on a new narrative journey by the creators of Life is Strange. Film your summer of 1995 and create memories of a lifetime with your new friends. 27 years later, confront the dark secrets that made you all promise to never speak again after that fateful summer.
Why similar: LGBTQ+ 50.6%, Interactive Fiction 27.5%, Story Rich 17.5%, Adventure 4.5%
- #51 Overboard!
70% matchVery Positive90% of 640 reviews2021
Dev: inkle Ltd
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.0 hrsMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 66%
GET AWAY WITH MURDER. Highly replayable detective game where you're the one whodunnit. From the creators of 80 Days and Heaven's Vault.
Why similar: Detective 24.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 24.4%, Interactive Fiction 19.2%, Visual Novel 10%, Drama 8.9%
- #52 Love Love Mystery Club
66% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 559 reviews2026
Dev: LuminDrivePub: NANA Stories
Windows · Mac
In Love Love Mystery Club, you’re the newest member of the Detective Club at a seemingly ordinary high school. Through Full Motion Video (FMV) storytelling, your choices steer the narrative—will your heart find tenderness… or will hidden horrors emerge from the darkness?
Why similar: FMV 39.7% ★, Immersive Sim 17.2%, Interactive Fiction 16.3%, Visual Novel 12.4%, Emotional 6.9%
- #53 Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches
73% matchMixed63% of 150 reviews2014
Dev: Arberth StudiosPub: Meridian4
Windows
Median: 24 minMean: 6.2 hrs≥1hr: 38%
Rhiannon: Curse of the Four Branches is a first-person point-and-click adventure inspired by Welsh mythology, focused on investigation, puzzles, and a dark, atmospheric mystery.
Why similar: Hidden Object 18.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 17.8%, Detective 14.3%, Point & Click 10.7%, Drama 8.2%
- #54 As Dusk Falls
68% matchVery Positive91% of 4,052 reviews2022
Dev: INTERIOR/NIGHTPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows
Median: 7.1 hrsMean: 10.5 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Explore the entangled lives of two families across thirty years in an original interactive drama from INTERIOR/NIGHT. Starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong, the character's lives depend on the choices you make.
Why similar: Choose Your Own Adventure 40.3%, Emotional 22%, Story Rich 15.9%, Dark 15.4%, Adventure 6.4%
- #55 Matsuro Palette
69% matchVery Positive99% of 319 reviews2020
Dev: SleepingMuseumPub: KEMCO
Windows
Survive seven days with a cursed painting. Rely on notes from past victims and manage to successfully paint her portrait. But be careful not to upset her, or you'll quickly find yourself dead! An assortment of terminal tableaus awaits you. Will you be the one to finally finish her?
Why similar: Hidden Object 14.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.7%, Emotional 10.7%, Drama 10.4%, Interactive Fiction 10.2%
- #56 Confidential Killings - A Detective Game
66% matchMostly Positive79% of 580 reviews2026
Dev: BRANEPub: Surefire.Games
Windows · Mac
A series of murders is shocking Hollywood! Use your detective skills: search the crime scene, find clues, solve the mystery. Who is pulling the strings behind these Confidential Killings?
Why similar: Noir 18.4%, Detective 15.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.9%, Interactive Fiction 11%, Hidden Object 10.7%
- #57 Road to Empress I
64% matchVery Positive87% of 11,428 reviews2025
Dev: New One Studio
Windows
Median: 6.8 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 95%
You've never played a game like this before. Road to Empress I is a cinematic palace adventure where your choices decide everyone's fate. Tackle multiple story branches and a high mortality rate with charm, wisdom and courage? First...survive.
Why similar: FMV 42.6% ★, Immersive Sim 11.3%, Visual Novel 10.7%, Interactive Fiction 10.1%, Drama 7.8%
- #58 The Signifier Director's Cut
69% matchVery Positive80% of 333 reviews2020
Dev: PlaymestudioPub: Raw Fury
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 89%
This story-driven adventure follows a mystery of death and despair from reality into the surreal realms of objective memories and subjective experiences. Search the mind, solve puzzles, and unravel the dark truth in this psychological thriller.
Why similar: Emotional 36.2%, Dark 27.6%, Story Rich 16.1%, Exploration 13.4%, Adventure 6.8%
- #59 Lost Luminosity
64% matchVery Positive85% of 223 reviews2025
Dev: Ember Wing Games
Windows
The inheritance following his mother’s death turns into a series of mysterious events for Sam. Neighbors are complaining about strange noises and unexplained phenomena in the empty apartment. Intrigued, he decides to investigate what’s going on there himself.
Why similar: Hidden Object 39.1%, Realistic 18.6%, Emotional 13.1%, Exploration 11.6%, Horror 10.4%
- #60 Attentat 1942
67% matchVery Positive93% of 479 reviews2017
Dev: Charles Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Attentat 1942 is a historically-accurate adventure about World War 2. Face moral dilemmas and existential struggles as you uncover the troubled past of your family.
Why similar: FMV 24.6% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.3%, Hidden Object 11.8%, Drama 8.7%, Emotional 8.3%