Games Like Journal

A short, fully voiced, story-first adventure across two worlds. Rearrange words into platforms in Izzy’s diary, then wield word magic to shape your path in the fantasy she writes. Gentle puzzles, watercolour wonder, and a bittersweet story of family, loss, and healing.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 57.3%, Adventure 30.5%, Casual 7.8%, Singleplayer 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: This title perfectly mirrors the journal-themed narrative and hand-drawn aesthetic while focusing on a deeply emotional coming-of-age story.

A song from years ago triggers a flood of memories for champion swimmer Miriam. Embark on an evocative journey through her turbulent childhood and the complicated relationship she shared with her devoted mother.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 32.3%, Adventure 26.5%, Female Protagonist 24.1%, Casual 8.4%, Indie 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the same introspective, memory-focused atmosphere through a beautiful, artistic lens that explores a woman's relationship with her past.

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: Female Protagonist 38%, Hand-drawn 21.6%, Indie 15.6%, Adventure 13%, Walking Simulator 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, hand-drawn masterpiece that explores emotional trauma and personal healing through a beautiful, wordless narrative.

What if the physical objects of everyday life, the possessions we hold close, were actual windows to the past? Peer into distant memories and unseen futures in Hindsight.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 37.1%, Interactive Fiction 21.2%, Adventure 14.7%, Visual Novel 12.5%, Indie 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game centers on the act of looking back at one's life through objects and memories, mirroring the core themes of Journal.

Florence Yeoh feels a little... stuck. Her life is an endless routine of work, sleep, and spending too much time on social media. Then one day, she meets a cello player named Krish who changes everything about how she sees the world and herself.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 25.1%, Interactive Fiction 20.8%, Indie 17.3%, Adventure 17.3%, Visual Novel 10.6%

Why You'll Like It: A short, interactive narrative experience that masterfully conveys the emotional highs and lows of personal growth and relationships.

When the Past was Around is an adventure point-and-click puzzle game about love, moving on, letting go, and the joy and pain of everything in between.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 36.6%, Interactive Fiction 32.2%, Hand-drawn 24%, Casual 4.9%, Singleplayer 2.4%

Why You'll Like It: This hand-drawn point-and-click adventure uses surreal imagery and music to tell a touching, wordless story about love and letting go.

Immerse yourself in a unique narrative experience and explore the thousand summer colors of Dordogne as you revisit your childhood to uncover lost family secrets in this touching formative journey.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 36.9%, Hand-drawn 26.6%, Adventure 17.9%, Indie 9.2%, Casual 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game features a stunning hand-painted art style and focuses on a woman revisiting her childhood memories in a nostalgic, narrative-driven journey.

Guide brush strokes and solve a variety of puzzles to help an aspiring artist complete her masterpiece amid her brusque neighbor’s gaze and his pesky cat. As her painting starts to take shape, uncover an emotional tale of chance and artistry revealed behind unrelated yet familiar moments.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 36.5%, Interactive Fiction 32.7%, Hand-drawn 27.7%, Singleplayer 3.1%

Why You'll Like It: The hand-painted art style and focus on a creative protagonist make this a perfect companion for fans of Journal's aesthetic.

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: Walking Simulator 45.2%, Female Protagonist 24.8%, Adventure 13.5%, Indie 9.2%, Visual Novel 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: It is the gold standard for narrative exploration games that delve into the memories and stories of a family's past.

Blackwood Crossing is a story-driven first-person adventure game. An intriguing and emotive tale exploring the fragile relationship between orphaned siblings, Scarlett and Finn. When their paths cross with a mysterious figure, an ordinary train ride evolves into a magical story of life, love and loss.

Why similar: Adventure 42.9%, Indie 31.1%, Female Protagonist 26.1%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy adventure that explores the complex relationship between two siblings and the weight of their shared childhood memories.

One Day, One Life. Sumire is a magical narrative adventure about choices made, and dreams lost and found. Embark on a mysterious journey to help Sumire achieve her deepest wishes, before the day ends and the sky turns to twilight.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.6%, Female Protagonist 24.7%, Interactive Fiction 24.2%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Indie 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: An interactive fiction title that captures the feeling of a single, transformative day in the life of a young girl, filled with emotional choices.

Old Man’s Journey, a soul-searching puzzle adventure, tells a story of life, loss, and hope. Interacting with the world around you, you'll shape the landscape to create the old man's path forward. Experience heartache and hope as you embark on a heartfelt journey through a sunkissed world.

Why similar: Hand-drawn 30.9%, Adventure 28.8%, Indie 18.3%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Casual 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A poignant, artistic game that uses puzzle-like mechanics to navigate through the memories and life story of an elderly man.

Embark on an emotional first-person narrative adventure where you control the story—and affect its outcomes—with your real-life blinks. With this innovative technique you will fully immerse yourself in a world of memories, both joyous and heartbreaking, as your whole life flashes before your eyes.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 27.5%, Walking Simulator 26.5%, Hand-drawn 16.9%, Indie 15.1%, Adventure 12%

Why You'll Like It: A unique narrative experience that uses your own eyes to control the passage of time as you relive a life's most significant memories.

Make up for lost time with Once Again, If you could travel through time, who’s the first person you’d meet? An interactive story about a boy who spends his summers wandering between past and present... After meeting her, summer will never be the same again...Who is she, and what journey awaits you?

Why similar: Female Protagonist 27.8%, Hand-drawn 15.7%, Adventure 14.6%, Visual Novel 13.5%, Indie 12.5%

Why You'll Like It: A casual, colorful, and short narrative adventure that focuses on the simple, heartfelt moments of a young girl's life.

Memoranda is a 2D point and click adventure game inspired by author Haruki Murakami’s surreal short stories.The game tells the story of a young lady who gradually realizes that she is forgetting her own name. But is she really losing her memory?

Why similar: Female Protagonist 38.8%, Adventure 36.3%, Indie 24.9%

Why You'll Like It: A hand-drawn, surreal adventure game that captures a similar whimsical and slightly melancholic tone found in Journal.

Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 52.5%, Indie 26.6%, Casual 15.4%, Singleplayer 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game tells a subtle, emotional story about a person's life and growth simply by having the player unpack their belongings over the years.

Home is Where One Starts... is a short, first-person exploration game in the same vein as Dear Esther or Gone Home. It’s a story about childhood, hope, and the miracle of memory. You play as a little girl from a broken home somewhere in the American South.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 35%, Female Protagonist 23.7%, Adventure 21.8%, Indie 17.2%, Casual 2.2%

Why You'll Like It: A short, first-person walking simulator that focuses on childhood memories and the feeling of returning to a place from one's past.

Explore a lovingly crafted world with all its odd inhabitants as you experience the ethereal realm and deliver messages to the spirits. Make your mark in the wordless narrative - with a Tiny Echo.

Why similar: Hand-drawn 29%, Female Protagonist 23.2%, Adventure 22.3%, Indie 16.3%, Casual 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: A hand-drawn, casual adventure that emphasizes atmosphere and gentle exploration, much like the quiet moments in Journal.

The Gardens Between is a surreal puzzle adventure that follows best friends, Arina and Frendt, as they fall into a mysterious world of beautiful garden islands. Manipulate time to solve puzzles and discover the secrets of each island.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 55.3%, Female Protagonist 44.7%

Why You'll Like It: A beautiful, short puzzle game that explores the nature of friendship and the bittersweet passage of time through memory-based levels.

A short psychological adventure about a stressed girl who wants to explore her ceiling.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 29.6%, Interactive Fiction 20.4%, Adventure 18.9%, Hand-drawn 17.1%, Visual Novel 14%

Why You'll Like It: A short, psychological narrative game that focuses on a character's internal struggle and multiple endings based on choices.

Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, set in a foldable, paper world.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 26.9%, Hand-drawn 22.5%, Adventure 21.2%, Indie 20.7%, Casual 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: This puzzle-adventure features a beautiful, atmospheric art style that emphasizes exploration and the personal journey of its protagonist.

A hand-drawn story exploration game set 300 years after the apocalypse. You play an archaeologist named Professor Zay, joined by her companion, ARORA, a centuries-old AI capable of recreating human memories from scanned relics.

Why similar: Adventure 27.7%, Female Protagonist 22.6%, Walking Simulator 20.1%, Indie 18.4%, Casual 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on uncovering the history of a lost civilization through exploration and dialogue, echoing the investigative nature of memory.

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: Adventure 57.7%, Female Protagonist 36.1%, Singleplayer 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game uses powerful metaphors and a female protagonist to explore themes of loneliness and emotional growth in a visually striking world.

A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories to artificially fulfill his last wish.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 33.6%, Indie 33.4%, Adventure 21.1%, Female Protagonist 6.9%, Singleplayer 3.1%

Why You'll Like It: While more pixel-art focused, its core narrative about reconstructing a person's memories to fulfill their final wish is deeply moving.

Carto is a charming adventure game wrapped around a unique, world-altering puzzle mechanic. Use this power to explore mysterious lands, help a quirky cast of characters, and guide Carto on her journey back to her family.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 32.3%, Hand-drawn 30.9%, Indie 18%, Adventure 16.4%, Singleplayer 2.4%

Why You'll Like It: This hand-drawn adventure features a charming protagonist and a unique puzzle mechanic that makes exploration feel like a storybook coming to life.

Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.

Why similar: Adventure 27.7%, Indie 21.9%, Female Protagonist 21.6%, Walking Simulator 20.5%, Casual 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy, short exploration game that captures the feeling of a quiet, personal journey through nature.

Even the smallest person can make a big difference. Join Alba, as she sets out to save her beautiful island and its wildlife. And possibly start a revolution.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 49.2%, Adventure 23.1%, Indie 15.4%, Casual 9.4%, Singleplayer 3%

Why You'll Like It: A wholesome, casual, and short game that focuses on the positive impact a young girl can have on her environment.

It's 1986 - Meredith Weiss takes a break from her career in the big city to deliver mail in her hometown. How will she experience two weeks in beautiful Providence Oaks, with its iconic lake and quirky community? And what will she do next? It's up to you.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 42%, Female Protagonist 40.3%, Adventure 15.8%, Singleplayer 1.9%

Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, narrative-driven game that focuses on the quiet, personal life of a woman returning to her hometown.

Leila is a heartfelt, hand-animated narrative game about the small yet significant struggles we all face. Solve story-driven puzzles, relive fragile memories, and discover a deeply personal journey that may feel more familiar than you expect.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 28.6%, Hand-drawn 27.4%, Adventure 14.3%, Visual Novel 13.3%, Indie 9.7%

A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. Uncover artifacts from the son's life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 49.2%, Adventure 26%, Indie 17.7%, Casual 4.2%, Singleplayer 3%

Why You'll Like It: A short, emotional exploration game that weaves together a story about a fox searching for her family and a human dealing with personal loss.

"I hope that someday, you'll dream of me." -- CINERIS SOMNIA is a 3D adventure through a beautifully strange and mesmerizing world - and a young girl's cruel and forlorn dreams.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 42%, Female Protagonist 39.4%, Adventure 11.9%, Casual 5.2%, Singleplayer 1.5%

Forgotten Hope is a short, single-player narrative-driven video game presented through the eyes of a teenage girl who is trying to reconnect with her past to find answers.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 38.4%, Walking Simulator 34%, Adventure 14.4%, Casual 6.5%, Indie 5.4%

Third Eye Open is a supernatural narrative adventure about a young girl coming of age. The game is set in a small Malaysian suburb which the player navigates to speak to friends, families, and ghosts. Various minigames immerse the player deeper into the protagonist's journey.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 29%, Female Protagonist 26.5%, Hand-drawn 25.3%, Adventure 15.6%, Indie 3%

Whimsy is a hand-drawn point & click game about a girl who lives in the forest stumbling upon little red footprints. Following these footsteps leads her on a whimsical journey through the forest to solve puzzles, assist woodland creatures and discover rituals.

Why similar: Adventure 45.6%, Indie 40.1%, Casual 14.3%

Intruder In Antiquonia is a narrative mystery adventure that will immerse you in the Internet-hostile town of Antiquonia. Sarah does not remember who she is and how she got there. Help her solve the mysteries of her past while exploring beautiful hand-drawn environments.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 27.3%, Interactive Fiction 22.8%, Hand-drawn 21.7%, Adventure 15.2%, Indie 10.9%

Get lost in a lucid dream, bending the lines between reality and fiction. Utilize the strange camera to navigate through the ghosts' mysterious residence. Find the purpose of your nocturnal visit in a vivid and dreamlike setting.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 38.1%, Walking Simulator 37.7%, Adventure 22.3%, Singleplayer 1.9%

Join Kristal as she sets out on her journey to better understand herself and the world around her in a point and click adventure game, featuring turn-based combat and hand-painted environments.

Why similar: Adventure 35.9%, Indie 27.7%, Female Protagonist 24.9%, Visual Novel 10%, Singleplayer 1.5%

Several diaries gradually reveal the thrilling story of a missing case; after multiple deductions, are the answers in the past or present? With frequent plot twists, you never know which is the truth and which is the unexpected; in a dense fog, time buries the past, but the marks remain.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 36.9%, Interactive Fiction 25.3%, Visual Novel 15.5%, Indie 13.8%, Casual 6.5%

A contemporary adventure game about debt, family, and the truth about honesty.

Why similar: Adventure 54.3%, Indie 45.7%

Lucid Dream is the story of little Lucy, who goes on an adventure into the world of dreams with the mission to save her mother.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 39%, Hand-drawn 21.5%, Adventure 18.4%, Indie 17%, Casual 2.2%

A short interactive essay on dreams, pressure, and expectations. Take part in an ancient ritual where one shot determines the fate of a generation.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 35.7%, Female Protagonist 35.6%, Adventure 19.8%, Casual 7.5%, Singleplayer 1.4%

When night falls, she wanders into another world... Moonless Moon is a text-based adventure game following a girl as she travels through a variety of different worlds.

Why similar: Adventure 30.5%, Female Protagonist 30.1%, Visual Novel 27.5%, Indie 10.3%, Singleplayer 1.7%

"Piano at 5 a.m." is a short text adventure game. A girl who is the main character wanders in a fog forest while adjusting the four factors of "drowsiness," "thirst," "madness," and "recharge," which increase or decrease depending on the choices she makes.

Why similar: Adventure 47.3%, Visual Novel 31%, Indie 13.5%, Casual 5.5%, Singleplayer 2.6%

Awakening Sarah is a 2D platformer with emphasis on exploration. Unravel the dreams and realities of Sarah, a girl who's recovering from a coma, while helping her understand the world around her and herself.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 45.3%, Female Protagonist 43.4%, Adventure 6%, Casual 5.3%

"Life sometimes feels like it’s going in circles." Little Girl On Earth Asking Why She Asking Why is a short pixel art Visual Novel about a girl who tell herself this, forever. Maybe you can try to help her ?

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 38.4%, Visual Novel 31.1%, Indie 18.2%, Adventure 10.7%, Singleplayer 1.5%

Embark on a journey of discovery and inspiration in The Search - a story-driven puzzle-adventure set in a mysterious world where art comes to life!

Why similar: Female Protagonist 66.6%, Adventure 20.1%, Casual 10.3%, Singleplayer 3.1%

Leave home for the first time to collect memories before a mysterious cataclysm washes everything away. Ride, record, meet people, and unravel the strange world around you in this third-person meditative exploration game.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 33.9%, Interactive Fiction 31%, Visual Novel 17.2%, Adventure 15.5%, Singleplayer 2.3%

Dyscourse is an interactive choice-based narrative adventure game where you journey through a stylized world of choice and consequence. Choose wisely.

Why similar: Adventure 36.6%, Indie 28.2%, Female Protagonist 24.2%, Casual 9.8%, Singleplayer 1.3%

"How should I face my past in my ever-changing life? "Collaborating with the shadow of the past to unravel allegorical puzzles, confront inner struggles, and explore the path of self-growth.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 94%, Indie 4.8%, Singleplayer 1.2%

"From Head to Toe" is a short interactive story about winter, existential guilt and your ex-classmates.

Why similar: Adventure 19.7%, Female Protagonist 19.3%, Indie 16.4%, Walking Simulator 14.9%, Interactive Fiction 14.8%

Experience a brand new adventure game set amongst a world of weird and wonderful fish planets. Explore beautiful environments, solve intricate puzzles and discover the truth about a mysterious little girl and her mechanical alter-ego, Cubus.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 40.7%, Hand-drawn 29.1%, Adventure 13.2%, Indie 8%, Casual 7%

This is a game in which you traverse the extremely dark world inside a dream.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 34%, Female Protagonist 29.8%, Indie 16.3%, Adventure 13.6%, Casual 4.1%

Labyrinthine Dreams is a short puzzle game about overcoming the scars of the past and following the right path, even in the face of overwhelming challenges.

Why similar: Adventure 36.4%, Indie 30.3%, Female Protagonist 21.8%, Casual 11.5%

Led by her new friend, Mr. Voice, Misfortune ventures into the woods, where mysteries are unraveled and a little bad luck unfolds.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 36.3%, Adventure 21%, Indie 19.3%, Interactive Fiction 17.6%, Casual 3.1%

Walk as Lula, on the path you choose, as she journeys to discover the meaning of the Genie and fulfill her destiny.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 33.6%, Female Protagonist 29%, Adventure 16.8%, Indie 12.8%, Casual 5.6%

You wake up in an old watermill in the middle of the night ... and can't remember anything. Examine the surroundings in this thrilling point&click adventure and find out what happened.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 28.8%, Interactive Fiction 25.2%, Hand-drawn 21.9%, Visual Novel 13.9%, Adventure 10.2%

Lake Ridden is a story-driven, first-person puzzle game! A cozy supernatural adventure where you unravel a mysterious past, trying to find your sister. Luckily, you are not alone...

Why similar: Adventure 32.2%, Female Protagonist 26.7%, Indie 24.5%, Walking Simulator 15.2%, Singleplayer 1.4%

An Interactive first-person puzzle game. Help Elures navigate through the labyrinth of dreams and uncover the secret of extraneous memories.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 49.7%, Adventure 33.5%, Indie 14%, Singleplayer 2.8%

My dream is a Lost Memory is a short interactive story about having Déjà vu, realizing that this Déjà vu came to you because of a dream, and then wondering if that dream is actually a memory. It's a story about work, limitations and self-respect.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 35.7%, Hand-drawn 29.2%, Visual Novel 18.3%, Indie 10.4%, Casual 6.4%