- #1 LIMBO
97% matchVery Positive92% of 60,454 reviews2011
Dev: Playdead
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 5.8 hrs≥1hr: 73%
Uncertain of his sister's fate, a boy enters LIMBO
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 34.2%, Dark 14.1%, Platformer 12.6%, Puzzle 8.5%, Horror 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: Made by the same studio, it delivers nearly the same wordless puzzle-platforming structure, lethal trial-and-error design, and oppressive audiovisual atmosphere that define INSIDE.
- #2 Little Nightmares
96% matchVery Positive95% of 115,101 reviews2017
Dev: Tarsier StudiosPub: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
Windows
Median: 2.7 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 68%
Take on the role of Six, a lone child lost in a massive metal vessel known as the Maw, surrounded by dangerous, distorted versions of adults. You’ll need to do your best to escape in one piece or your fate will be worse than you ever dared dream.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 19.4%, Horror 17%, Dark 13.6%, 2.5D 10.5%, Atmospheric 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: Its 2.5D stealth-platforming, child-sized vulnerability, grotesque imagery, and environmental storytelling make it one of the closest tonal matches to INSIDE.
- #3 Little Nightmares II
96% matchVery Positive93% of 55,847 reviews2021
Dev: Tarsier StudiosPub: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
Windows
Median: 5.9 hrsMean: 8.6 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Little Nightmares II is the second game in a series that has thrilled and captivated millions of players worldwide since 2017. Now it’s your turn to try to survive this critically acclaimed entry in the most charming horror series ever made.
Why similar: Horror 18.8%, Dark 14.6%, Puzzle Platformer 10.9%, 2.5D 10.2%, Puzzle 9%
Why You'll Like It: This sequel leans even harder into cinematic chases, unsettling worldbuilding, and tense puzzle-platforming in a way that strongly overlaps with INSIDE's feel.
- #4 Somerville
95% matchMostly Positive70% of 1,808 reviews2022
Dev: Jumpship
Windows
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 73%
In the wake of catastrophe find the means to make your family whole again.
Why similar: Ambient 27.1% ★, Narrative 15.5% ★, Cinematic 11.7%, 2.5D 8.4%, Dark 6.7%
Why You'll Like It: From a former Playdead co-creator, it captures the same silent sci-fi mystery, visual storytelling, and side-scrolling cinematic tension on a broader scale.
- #5 Planet of Lana
93% matchVery Positive93% of 8,958 reviews2023
Dev: WishfullyPub: Thunderful Publishing
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 81%
In a world torn between nature’s grace and cold machine invasion, one girl and her companion must rely on their bond to survive and protect what they hold dear. Their story of hope, loss, and love will stay with you long after the journey ends.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 27.2%, 2D Platformer 17.6%, Platformer 15.3%, Atmospheric 10.5%, Puzzle 10.5%
Why You'll Like It: It shares INSIDE's side-on cinematic presentation, minimal dialogue, child protagonist, and sci-fi puzzle-platforming wrapped in a beautiful but threatening world.
- #6 Black The Fall
94% matchMostly Positive78% of 1,805 reviews2017
Dev: Sand Sailor StudioPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.1 hrs≥1hr: 89%
After decades of toil, an old machinist plots his escape from Communism, through manipulation and scheming. Along the road, he befriends the most unlikely creature, an abandoned robot. Could they solve the puzzles and flee this bleak world together?
Why similar: 2.5D 17.2%, Puzzle Platformer 15%, Cinematic 12.7%, Dark 9.3%, Platformer 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: Its bleak authoritarian setting, stealthy side-scrolling puzzles, and oppressive industrial atmosphere make it feel spiritually close to INSIDE.
- #7 White Shadows
92% matchVery Positive82% of 1,834 reviews2021
Dev: MonokelPub: Thunderful Publishing
Windows
Median: 2.8 hrsMean: 3.7 hrs≥1hr: 79%
The wolves are watching! Venture through a captivating but brutal dystopia where our young adventurer Ravengirl will travel through this huge city’s brightest highs and delve to its darkest depths on her perilous journey of discovery and finding her destiny where hope seems in short supply.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 15.3%, Cinematic 11.8%, Platformer 11.2%, Dark 10.2%, Horror 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: The monochrome visuals, 2.5D cinematic platforming, surreal oppression, and social dystopia make it a very natural follow-up for INSIDE fans.
- #8 DARQ: Complete Edition
91% matchVery Positive94% of 4,152 reviews2019
Dev: Unfold Games
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 85%
DARQ tells the story of Lloyd, a boy who finds himself in the middle of a lucid nightmare. Unable to wake up, Lloyd has to face his fears and decipher the meaning of the dream.
Why similar: 2.5D 23.2%, Puzzle Platformer 18.9%, Dark 16%, Horror 13.1%, Puzzle 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: It offers eerie puzzle-platforming, grotesque dream logic, and unsettling visual design that echo INSIDE's darker, more surreal side.
- #9 FAR: Changing Tides
90% matchVery Positive93% of 5,368 reviews2022
Dev: OkomotivePub: Frontier Foundry
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 77%
An atmospheric vehicle adventure that follows the emotional journey of a boy and his ship as he embarks on a voyage to find a new home.
Why similar: 2.5D 29.2%, Puzzle Platformer 22.5%, Platformer 12.1%, Action-Adventure 11%, Atmospheric 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: Like its predecessor, it focuses on quiet traversal and environmental problem-solving in a moody post-apocalyptic setting.
- #10 Monochroma
91% matchMostly Positive74% of 724 reviews2014
Dev: Nowhere Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 95%
Monochroma is a cinematic puzzle platformer. It’s a game about being a kid, growing up with a little brother that needs your help, facing obstacles and solving unique puzzles in a dystopian 1950's setting.
Why similar: Platformer 20.9%, Puzzle Platformer 18.7%, 2.5D 13.6%, Puzzle 12.9%, Adventure 8%
Why You'll Like It: This dialogue-free side-scroller channels a similarly oppressive industrial mood through grounded environmental puzzles and stark visual storytelling.
- #11 Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty
89% matchVery Positive86% of 3,611 reviews2015
Dev: Just Add Water (Developments), Ltd.Pub: Oddworld Inhabitants, Inc.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 8.3 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Built from scratch, enjoy breathtaking visuals, enhanced audio and improved, deeper gameplay as New 'n' Tasty reignites the original Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee using the latest next-generation technology.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 37.7%, Platformer 21.9%, Puzzle 10.5%, 2.5D 10.4%, Adventure 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: Its side-view stealth, environmental traps, vulnerable protagonist, and dark industrial dystopia line up well with INSIDE's moment-to-moment tension.
- #12 The Swapper
89% matchVery Positive94% of 7,519 reviews2013
Dev: Olli Harjola, Otto Hantula, Tom Jubert, Carlo CastellanoPub: Facepalm Games
Windows
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 74%
What if someone knew your mind better than you did? The Swapper is an award-winning, narrative driven puzzle game set in the furthest reaches of space.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 24.9%, Puzzle 24.8%, Platformer 17.1%, Atmospheric 16.3%, Indie 5.6%
Why You'll Like It: While slower and more cerebral, its lonely sci-fi setting, unsettling themes, and environmental storytelling hit many of the same notes as INSIDE.
- #13 SILT
88% matchMostly Positive79% of 875 reviews2022
Dev: Spiral Circus GamesPub: Fireshine Games
Windows
Median: 2.3 hrsMean: 7.7 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Dive into a surreal ocean abyss in an atmospheric puzzle-adventure. Explore dangerous waters, possess sea creatures and solve environmental puzzles to discover what lies deep below the surface…
Why similar: Cinematic 20.2%, Puzzle Platformer 19.6%, Dark 16.6%, Horror 13.6%, Puzzle 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: Its monochrome world, giant threatening creatures, environmental puzzles, and near-wordless descent into dread feel strongly adjacent to INSIDE.
- #14 FAR: Lone Sails
87% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 25,500 reviews2018
Dev: Okomotive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 7.8 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Traverse a dried-out seabed littered with the remains of a decaying civilization. Keep your unique vessel going, overcome numerous obstacles and withstand the hazardous weather conditions. How far can you make it? What will you find?
Why similar: 2.5D 22.7%, Cinematic 15.3%, Puzzle Platformer 14.4%, Atmospheric 8.6%, Platformer 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: It trades horror for melancholy, but its sparse storytelling, side-scrolling journey, and lonely atmospheric world will appeal to INSIDE players.
- #15 Bramble: The Mountain King
86% matchVery Positive95% of 7,288 reviews2023
Dev: Dimfrost StudioPub: Maximum Entertainment
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 5.8 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Bramble The Mountain King is a grim adventure set in a world inspired by dark, Nordic fables. Explore the beautiful yet dangerous and twisted land of Bramble in your endeavour to rescue your sister. Traverse a wondrous landscape and survive deadly encounters with Bramble's many hideous creatures.
Why similar: Cinematic 32.3%, Horror 17.4%, Dark 16.9%, Atmospheric 10.2%, Action-Adventure 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: Though more action-focused, it shares INSIDE's cinematic pacing, small vulnerable protagonist, and disturbing imagery beneath a storybook surface.
- #16 INMOST
86% matchVery Positive91% of 7,185 reviews2020
Dev: Hidden Layer GamesPub: Chucklefish
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Escape the depths of an otherworldly labyrinth in this cinematic puzzle platformer. Explore a hauntingly beautiful world, with three playable characters, in one dark, interconnected story.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 17.7%, Cinematic 13.2%, Dark 12.2%, Platformer 9.2%, Story Rich 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: Its dark narrative, minimalist storytelling, and somber platform-adventure structure make it a strong match for INSIDE's emotional bleakness.
- #17 SOMA
85% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 50,500 reviews2015
Dev: Frictional Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.6 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 89%
From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent comes SOMA, a sci-fi horror game set below the waves of the Atlantic ocean. Struggle to survive a hostile world that will make you question your very existence.
Why similar: Horror 22.4%, Dark 21.9%, Story Rich 13.3%, Atmospheric 13%, Puzzle 11.3%
Why You'll Like It: It is first-person rather than side-scrolling, but few games match INSIDE's sci-fi dread, oppressive mood, and deeply unsettling narrative so well.
- #18 Shady Part of Me
84% matchVery Positive94% of 3,198 reviews2020
Dev: Douze DixièmesPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Overcome emotional struggles across a touching narrative filled with twists and surprises. Embark on a dream-like journey, with breathtaking artistic direction and the enthralling voice of Hannah Murray (Game of Thrones, Skins).
Why similar: Platformer 20.2%, Puzzle Platformer 17.9%, Puzzle 15.1%, Atmospheric 14.3%, Indie 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: Its moody 2.5D puzzles, striking visual symbolism, and somber tone make it a good pick if you liked INSIDE's dreamlike storytelling.
- #19 Ugly
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 583 reviews2023
Dev: Team UglyPub: Graffiti Games
Windows
Median: 2.6 hrsMean: 6.9 hrs≥1hr: 64%
Unravel the dark secrets hidden throughout this stirring puzzle platformer about a tormented nobleman confronting the traumas of his past. Use an innovative mirror mechanic to solve challenging puzzle rooms and defeat towering bosses as you strive to piece together the ugly truth.
Why similar: Narrative 23.7% ★, Puzzle Platformer 17.6%, 2D Platformer 11.8%, Platformer 10.2%, Horror 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: This stylish puzzle-platformer uses dark surreal storytelling and precise environmental mechanics in ways that should appeal to INSIDE fans.
- #20 The Plane Effect
84% matchMixed62% of 77 reviews2021
Dev: Innovina/StudioKikuPub: PQube
Windows
Embark on a dark, dystopian isometric adventure as 'Solo,' seeking to reunite with your wife and daughter after an otherworldly, life-changing event. Solve intricate puzzles and evade an everwatching sinister presence...
Why similar: Narrative 24.9% ★, 2.5D 19%, Cinematic 16.4%, Horror 8.5%, Minimalist 8%
Why You'll Like It: This surreal side-scrolling journey emphasizes oppressive atmosphere, visual storytelling, and disorienting pursuit in a way INSIDE fans may appreciate.
- #21 Creaks
81% matchVery Positive95% of 5,721 reviews2020
Dev: Amanita Design
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 4.9 hrs≥1hr: 77%
The ground starts shaking, light bulbs are breaking - and something rather unusual is happening right behind the walls of your very room. Equipped with nothing but wit and courage, you slowly descend into a world inhabited by avian folk and seemingly deadly furniture monsters.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 31.3%, Puzzle 13.9%, Platformer 13.3%, Atmospheric 12.8%, 2D Platformer 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: It delivers another polished side-view puzzle experience built on environmental storytelling and mood, even if it is less threatening overall.
- #22 Toby: The Secret Mine
83% matchMostly Positive70% of 725 reviews2015
Dev: Lukas Navratil
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 3.7 hrs≥1hr: 85%
A challenging puzzle platformer inspired by games like Limbo and Badland.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 20%, Platformer 17.2%, Dark 15.7%, Atmospheric 9.6%, Horror 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: It is overtly inspired by LIMBO-style dark silhouette platforming, with traps, puzzles, and sinister creatures that overlap with INSIDE's roots.
- #23 The Cub
79% matchVery Positive84% of 591 reviews2024
Dev: Demagog StudioPub: Untold Tales
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 18.0 hrs≥1hr: 70%
From the creators of Golf Club Nostalgia and Highwater. Return to their whimsical, neon-lit apocalypse in a Jungle Book meets The Armageddon fusion. Parkour through the remains of humanity as a child being hunted, while catchy end-of-days tunes and curious survivor stories play on the radio.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 26.5%, Platformer 16.1%, 2D Platformer 14.4%, Story Rich 12.3%, Atmospheric 10.9%
Why You'll Like It: Its cinematic side-scrolling platforming through a decayed sci-fi world captures some of INSIDE's movement-driven storytelling and hostile-world energy.
- #24 7th Sector
82% matchMostly Positive74% of 688 reviews2019
Dev: Носков Сергей
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 6.2 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Welcome to the 7th Sector, set in a mysterious cyberpunk world. Immerse yourself on this intricate path, solving different puzzles, facing its dangers and collecting scattered information to discover the story of this world.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 47.2%, Multiple Endings 21%, Horror 19.4%, Action 5.4%, Adventure 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: This atmospheric puzzle-adventure tells its story almost entirely through a grim mechanized world, preserving the same wordless sense of mystery.
- #25 Deadlight: Director's Cut
81% matchMostly Positive71% of 1,593 reviews2016
Dev: Tequila WorksPub: Deep Silver
Windows
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 60%
A zombie outbreak eradicated all hope of returning life back to normal, now only survival lives on. Run, hide and fight your way through the undead as Randall searches for his family in this gorgeous, gritty, destroyed world.
Why similar: 2.5D 36.3%, Platformer 24.2%, Action 12.9%, Adventure 10.4%, Story Rich 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: It offers bleak side-view survival platforming, environmental hazards, and cinematic escapes in a similarly oppressive world.
- #26 Rain World
79% matchVery Positive94% of 50,449 reviews2017
Dev: VideocultPub: Akupara Games
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 23.7 hrs≥1hr: 72%
You are a nomadic slugcat, both predator and prey in a broken ecosystem. Grab your spear and brave the industrial wastes, hunting enough food to survive, but be wary— other, bigger creatures have the same plan... and slugcats look delicious.
Why similar: Platformer 28.8%, Atmospheric 24%, 2D Platformer 23.7%, Indie 8%, Adventure 7.5%
Why You'll Like It: Its constant vulnerability and sense of being a tiny creature surviving in a huge hostile ecosystem evoke a similar feeling of helpless immersion.
- #27 The Fall
80% matchVery Positive88% of 3,697 reviews2014
Dev: Over The Moon
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 16.4 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Take the role of ARID, the artificial intelligence within a high-tech combat suit. The Fall is a unique combination of adventure-game puzzle solving and side-scroller action, all set within a dark and atmospheric story. Get ready for a disturbing journey as you explore the world of The Fall.
Why similar: Atmospheric 15.3%, Puzzle 14.7%, Story Rich 14.1%, Dark 13%, Adventure 12.9%
Why You'll Like It: This moody sci-fi puzzle adventure combines side-scrolling exploration with a dark, thought-provoking story and a constant undertone of unease.
- #28 The Last Campfire
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 18,750 reviews2021
Dev: Hello Games
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 5.8 hrs≥1hr: 83%
The Last Campfire is an adventure, a story of a lost ember trapped in a puzzling place, searching for meaning and a way home.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 24.3%, Puzzle 17.4%, Story Rich 13.6%, Atmospheric 13.5%, Dark 13%
- #29 Seen
78% matchVery Positive91% of 9,938 reviews2019
Dev: Seen Games
Windows
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 17.3 hrs≥1hr: 74%
A lonely kid desperately tries to escape his dark world.
Why similar: 2.5D 19%, Dark 17.2%, Puzzle Platformer 16.1%, Platformer 10%, Puzzle 8.8%
- #30 Neverending Nightmares
78% matchMostly Positive76% of 2,989 reviews2014
Dev: Infinitap Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 3.7 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Experience true psychological horror as you explore nightmares inspired by the creator's struggles with depression and OCD. The defenseless protagonist must avoid monstrous manifestations of what haunts his subconscious in his quest to wake up into reality.
Why similar: Horror 45.5%, Atmospheric 17.8%, Dark 9%, Indie 8.3%, Adventure 6.6%
Why You'll Like It: If what you want most is psychological dread, this side-scrolling horror game captures a similarly nightmarish and oppressive emotional texture.
- #31 ANIMAL WELL
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 23,519 reviews2024
Dev: Billy BassoPub: Bigmode
Windows
Median: 5.7 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Explore a dense, interconnected labyrinth, and unravel its many secrets. Collect items to manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways. Encounter beautiful and unsettling creatures, as you attempt to survive what lurks in the dark. There is more than what you see.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 32.3%, Platformer 16.2%, Horror 15.4%, Puzzle 13.2%, Atmospheric 9.7%
- #32 Ori and the Blind Forest
76% matchVery Positive94% of 59,304 reviews2015
Dev: Moon Studios GmbHPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows
Median: 5.7 hrsMean: 17.7 hrs≥1hr: 87%
“Ori and the Blind Forest” tells the tale of a young orphan destined for heroics, through a visually stunning action-platformer crafted by Moon Studios for PC.
Why similar: Platformer 26.2%, Atmospheric 19.6%, Puzzle Platformer 16%, Story Rich 15%, Adventure 8%
- #33 Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
76% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 69,981 reviews2016
Dev: Moon Studios GmbHPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows
Median: 6.0 hrsMean: 21.2 hrs≥1hr: 79%
“Ori and the Blind Forest” tells the tale of a young orphan destined for heroics, through a visually stunning Action-Platformer crafted by Moon Studios.
Why similar: Platformer 29.7%, Atmospheric 21.4%, Story Rich 14%, 2.5D 10.8%, Adventure 7.5%
- #34 GRIS
75% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 93,692 reviews2018
Dev: Nomada StudioPub: Devolver Digital
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 7.5 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality.
Why similar: Atmospheric 26%, Puzzle Platformer 19.2%, Platformer 18%, Story Rich 10.7%, Puzzle 8%
- #35 Pinstripe
75% matchVery Positive89% of 2,607 reviews2017
Dev: Atmos Games, LLCPub: Armor Games Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 92%
An ex-minister ventures through the frozen depths of Hell in search of his kidnapped daughter.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 21.7%, Dark 18.6%, Platformer 12%, Atmospheric 10.3%, Story Rich 8.3%
- #36 Beyond The Darkness
73% matchVery Positive89% of 98 reviews2024
Dev: My Little StudioPub: IndieGO Publishing
Windows
💀🧩🕹️ Beyond The Darkness is a horror adventure game with puzzles where you help little girl Milly battle nightmares in the darkness to find her missing family. You will find yourself in bizarre worlds of memories, distorted by fears, and your only weapon will be the light of a small lamp...
Why similar: Horror 18.3%, 2.5D 16.6%, Puzzle Platformer 15.3%, Dark 10.3%, Platformer 8.1%
- #37 Unravel
74% matchVery Positive91% of 5,395 reviews2020
Dev: Coldwood InteractivePub: Electronic Arts
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 6.1 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Unravel is a physics-based puzzle platformer. Yarny, a character made from a single thread of yarn, must embark on a larger than life adventure.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 20.8%, Puzzle 18.6%, Platformer 17.4%, Atmospheric 13.5%, Adventure 9.4%
- #38 Hue
73% matchVery Positive92% of 11,146 reviews2016
Dev: Fiddlesticks GamesPub: Curve Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.0 hrsMean: 10.5 hrs≥1hr: 50%
Hue is a vibrant, award-winning puzzle-adventure, where you alter the world by changing its background colour.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 35.4%, Platformer 20.1%, Puzzle 17.6%, Adventure 8.5%, Indie 7.9%
- #39 A Plague Tale: Innocence
72% matchVery Positive93% of 66,807 reviews2019
Dev: Asobo StudioPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 9.8 hrsMean: 25.3 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Follow the grim tale of young Amicia and her little brother Hugo, in a heartrending journey through the darkest hours of history.
Why similar: Story Rich 27.4%, Dark 17.6%, Atmospheric 15.3%, Horror 13.2%, Adventure 10.9%
- #40 Nihilumbra
74% matchVery Positive88% of 2,981 reviews2013
Dev: BeautiFun Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Discover the beautiful world of Nihilumbra and join Born on his adventure to find himself whilst trying to escape from his inevitable curse. Born was created from the absolute nothingness: The Void. But somehow he separates himself from the black emptiness and appears in the world.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 27.2%, Platformer 21.4%, Puzzle 13.7%, Atmospheric 9.4%, Indie 7.3%
- #41 Hollow Knight
71% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 534,538 reviews2017
Dev: Team Cherry
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 11.3 hrsMean: 41.2 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Explore twisting caverns, battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs, all in a classic, hand-drawn 2D style.
Why similar: Platformer 30.3%, Multiple Endings 17%, Atmospheric 14.8%, Story Rich 14.2%, Indie 7.5%
- #42 The Beast Inside
72% matchVery Positive83% of 11,932 reviews2019
Dev: Illusion Ray
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 8.9 hrs≥1hr: 72%
The Beast Inside is a unique, gripping twist on thriller and survival horror. Immerse in the story of long-buried secrets, personal tragedies, and madness. Play as two protagonists bounded by dark heritage. Combat the enemies, solve riddles and experience real terror in the 3D-scanned environment.
Why similar: Horror 49.4%, Story Rich 13.9%, Atmospheric 10.6%, Adventure 9.5%, Action 7.1%
- #43 Unleaving
70% matchVery Positive90% of 58 reviews2024
Dev: orangutan matter
Windows · Mac
When everything seems hopeless a child is awakened by the whispers of the last leaf, drawn into an imaginary world. Unleaving invites the player into a narrative-driven puzzle platformer where each challenge unfolds within a hand-painted landscape, exploring perception and meaning
Why similar: Ambient 30.5% ★, Cinematic 12.2%, Dark 10.7%, 2D Platformer 8.5%, Puzzle Platformer 8%
- #44 Celeste
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 138,420 reviews2018
Dev: Maddy Makes Games Inc.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.8 hrsMean: 26.1 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight platformer from the creators of TowerFall. Brave hundreds of hand-crafted challenges, uncover devious secrets, and piece together the mystery of the mountain.
Why similar: 2D Platformer 24.9%, Platformer 24.7%, Puzzle Platformer 16.6%, Story Rich 10.8%, Indie 6.9%
- #45 Superliminal
69% matchVery Positive95% of 32,646 reviews2020
Dev: Pillow Castle
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 5.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Perception is reality. In this mind-bending first-person puzzler, you escape a surreal dream world through solving impossible puzzles using the ambiguity of depth and perspective.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 22.8%, Cinematic 22.7%, Puzzle 18%, Minimalist 15.7%, Story Rich 11.8%
- #46 Among the Sleep - Enhanced Edition
71% matchVery Positive89% of 8,096 reviews2014
Dev: Krillbite Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Among the Sleep: Enhanced Edition is a new and improved version of the award winning first person horror adventure. In the game you play as a small child trapped in a weird nightmare where you go looking for your mom.
Why similar: Horror 47.6%, Atmospheric 13.4%, Dark 11.1%, Adventure 6.8%, Indie 5.8%
- #47 Ayasa: Shadows of Silence
68% matchMixed69% of 95 reviews2025
Dev: Aya Games
Windows
A dark tale of survival and conscience, blending platforming, puzzles, and haunting beauty. Journey through surreal lands where every choice shapes the fate of a world on the edge of ruin will you restore the light or embrace the darkness?
Why similar: 2.5D 19.2%, Puzzle Platformer 16.8%, Dark 11.5%, Horror 10%, Platformer 8.9%
- #48 Journey
69% matchVery Positive94% of 37,187 reviews2020
Dev: thatgamecompanyPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 2.0 hrsMean: 7.5 hrs≥1hr: 76%
Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets.
Why similar: Narrative 34.8% ★, Atmospheric 28.8%, Adventure 14.4%, Story Rich 10.1%, Indie 9.7%
- #49 Through the Nightmares
67% matchVery Positive97% of 75 reviews2025
Dev: Sandman Team
Windows
Through the Nightmares is a challenge-driven platformer for anyone who’s ever had a restless night. Run, jump, and change your size to overcome the nightmare’s traps. Face Morpheus. Rescue children from an endless dream.
Why similar: Narrative 28.7% ★, Puzzle Platformer 27.4%, 2D Platformer 12.1%, Dark 11.7%, Action-Adventure 7.3%
- #50 Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna)
71% matchVery Positive81% of 8,630 reviews2014
Dev: Upper One GamesPub: E-Line Media
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Experience the epic journey of Nuna and Fox as they search for the source of an eternal blizzard that threatens the survival of everything they have ever known.
Why similar: Platformer 23%, Puzzle Platformer 17.9%, Atmospheric 14.1%, Story Rich 11%, 2.5D 9.1%
- #51 COCOON
66% matchVery Positive95% of 8,481 reviews2023
Dev: Geometric InteractivePub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.3 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 82%
From Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer of LIMBO and INSIDE — COCOON takes you on an adventure across worlds within worlds. Master world-leaping mechanics and solve intricate puzzles to unravel a cosmic mystery.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 35.5%, Puzzle 26.2%, Atmospheric 14.1%, Adventure 13.6%, Indie 6.4%
- #52 OVIVO
70% matchVery Positive90% of 467 reviews2017
Dev: IzHard
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 12.1 hrs≥1hr: 84%
OVIVO is a minimalistic platformer with unusual mechanics where everything is as simple as black and white. The journey in this metaphoric world is filled with illusions and hidden messages.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 17%, Cinematic 15.6%, Minimalist 14.5%, Dark 13.1%, Platformer 11.9%
- #53 Daydream: Forgotten Sorrow
68% matchMostly Positive70% of 278 reviews2023
Dev: Frozen LinePub: Ravenage Games
Windows
Median: 2.3 hrsMean: 3.9 hrs≥1hr: 65%
Experience the altered memories of a dying man, reliving his entire life as a little boy while lying on his deathbed. Explore the profound depths of his subconscious as you assist Griffin to shed the remains of his miserable life before his impending demise.
Why similar: 2.5D 18.6%, Puzzle Platformer 16.2%, Dark 9.8%, Platformer 9.1%, Story Rich 8.7%
- #54 Sea of Solitude
67% matchVery Positive83% of 2,065 reviews2020
Dev: Jo-Mei GamesPub: Electronic Arts
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 81%
When humans get too lonely, they turn into monsters… Set sail across a beautiful and evolving world of darkness and light, and discover what it means to be human.
Why similar: Dark 32.1%, Platformer 29.1%, Atmospheric 16.2%, Adventure 13.8%, Singleplayer 5.7%
- #55 Firewatch
67% matchVery Positive91% of 96,852 reviews2016
Dev: Campo SantoPub: Panic
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 13.5 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Firewatch is a single-player first-person mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness, where your only emotional lifeline is the person on the other end of a handheld radio.
Why similar: Story Rich 30.5%, Atmospheric 28.6%, Adventure 14.9%, Horror 14%, Singleplayer 6.4%
- #56 In Nightmare
67% matchVery Positive82% of 94 reviews2022
Dev: Magic Fish Games
Windows
In Nightmare is a narrative-driven horror adventure game combining sneak action with diverse puzzles. It follows a young boy in search for the last hope of love who is working out his own salvation by navigating through his fear.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 39.8%, Atmospheric 12.9%, Narrative 11.1% ★, Adventure 9.4%, Story Rich 8.3%
- #57 In Between
68% matchVery Positive85% of 473 reviews2015
Dev: GentlymadPub: Assemble Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 95%
In Between is set inside the mind of a man hit by a cruel twist of fate. Together you are on a journey through the protagonist's head, a world that doesn’t obey the laws of physics.
Why similar: Puzzle Platformer 27.2%, Dark 15.2%, Platformer 15.1%, Atmospheric 10.1%, Story Rich 9.8%
- #58 Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons
66% matchVery Positive94% of 41,204 reviews2013
Dev: Starbreeze Studios ABPub: 505 Games
Windows
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 10.7 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale journey from visionary Swedish film director, Josef Fares and top-tier developer Starbreeze Studios. Control both brothers at once as you experience co-op play in single player mode, like never before.
Why similar: Atmospheric 24.3%, Story Rich 22.1%, Adventure 16.9%, Puzzle 16%, Platformer 7.3%