Games Like Lake

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: Cozy 32.9%, Wholesome 31.2% ★, Female Protagonist 12.3%, Open World 12.2%, Story Rich 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: Like Lake, this game emphasizes a wholesome, job-like objective within a small, community-focused environment.

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

Why similar: Relaxing 32.7%, Open World 22.6%, Walking Simulator 17.1%, Female Protagonist 11.9%, Adventure 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the same sense of cozy, low-stakes exploration and personal discovery in a beautiful, contained natural setting.

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: Open World 31.2%, Female Protagonist 20.3%, Relaxing 19.3%, Story Rich 12.2%, Atmospheric 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on the meditative act of documenting a world through exploration and quiet, narrative-rich interactions.

It's Mail Time! As a newly trained Mail Scout, put on your pack, grab those letters, and deliver them across Grumblewood Grove! The forest animals eagerly await the sight of your mushroom hat in this cozy, cottagecore light-platformer adventure!

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 21.6%, Open World 16.1%, Female Protagonist 15.6%, Relaxing 15.2%, Story Rich 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the core premise of delivering mail while exploring a cozy, vibrant world at your own pace.

Embark on an unique and unforgettable journey and guide Sable through her Gliding; a rite of passage that will take her across vast deserts and mesmerizing landscapes, capped by the remains of spaceships and ancient wonders.

Why similar: Choose Your Own Adventure 17.2%, Open World 14.3%, Female Protagonist 12.9%, Multiple Endings 12.3%, Relaxing 11.2%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a similarly contemplative, non-violent journey focused on coming-of-age and exploring a vast, atmospheric landscape.

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: Walking Simulator 37%, Story Rich 16.9%, Open World 14%, Atmospheric 12.2%, Mature 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: It features a similar job-based narrative structure where you explore a beautiful, isolated wilderness while building relationships through dialogue.

Wayward Strand is a heartfelt story told in a curious way. Hop aboard an airborne hospital and meet its fully-voiced cast of eclectic characters. As time passes for everyone on board, explore the interwoven lives of the patients and staff; discover something new on each and every playthrough.

Why similar: Cozy 21.8%, Wholesome 21.2% ★, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.4%, Female Protagonist 9.8%, Relaxing 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game features a unique, time-sensitive narrative structure set in a contained location that rewards observing and interacting with the local community.

Hitchhike your way to freedom in this crazy procedurally generated road trip. No one's road is the same!

Why similar: Choose Your Own Adventure 24.8%, Choices Matter 21.8%, Multiple Endings 19.5%, Story Rich 16%, Atmospheric 10%

Why You'll Like It: This narrative-driven road trip game emphasizes the importance of your choices and encounters with a diverse cast of characters.

Alex Chen hides her 'curse': the psychic power of Empathy, the ability to absorb the emotions of others. When her brother dies in a so-called accident, Alex must embrace her power to find the truth.

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 16.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.7%, Choices Matter 13.8%, Female Protagonist 11.8%, Multiple Endings 11.1%

Why You'll Like It: It features a small-town setting with a strong focus on character relationships, emotional storytelling, and impactful choices.

Tell Me Why is the multi-award winning episodic adventure game from Dontnod Entertainment in which twins use their supernatural bond to discover the truth of their troubled past.

Why similar: Choices Matter 18.4%, LGBTQ+ 17.8%, Walking Simulator 15%, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.3%, Story Rich 11.9%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a grounded, character-driven story set in a small town where your choices significantly influence the narrative outcome.

Coffee Talk is a coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator about listening to fantasy-inspired modern peoples’ problems, and helping them by serving up a warm drink or two.

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 23.3%, Relaxing 20.3%, Multiple Endings 15.4%, Choices Matter 15%, Story Rich 13.8%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a relaxing, slice-of-life narrative experience where you connect with locals by listening to their stories while performing a simple job.

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: Relaxing 39.9%, LGBTQ+ 21.1%, Story Rich 14.4%, Female Protagonist 14.4%, Atmospheric 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game tells a deeply personal, quiet story through the simple, meditative act of organizing a living space.

You are a traveling painter, exploring the island of Eastshade. Capture the world on canvas using your artist’s easel. Talk to the inhabitants to learn about their lives. Make friends and help those in need. Visit cities, scale summits, unearth mysteries, and discover forgotten places!

Why similar: Open World 31.4%, Relaxing 26.7%, Story Rich 18.7%, Atmospheric 12.9%, Adventure 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: It is a peaceful, open-world exploration game where you interact with quirky locals and complete tasks in a beautiful, painterly environment.

Venba is a short narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations, and explore South Indian food in this story about family, love, and loss.

Why similar: 1980s 37%, Female Protagonist 22.7%, Choices Matter 17.8%, Story Rich 13.8%, Atmospheric 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: A short, narrative-focused game that uses cooking and conversation to explore themes of family and cultural connection.

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+ 20.6%, Choices Matter 14.8%, Female Protagonist 14.3%, Romance 13.3%, Multiple Endings 13.1%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven, choice-heavy game that explores character dynamics and personal history in a nostalgic setting.

Repair old-school objects in this cozy puzzle game. Join antique-restorer Maria, as she arrives in the sun-soaked town of Bellariva and set out on a journey of helping the townsfolk reconnect.

Why similar: Relaxing 26.8%, Cozy 24.9%, Female Protagonist 22.7%, Story Rich 14.8%, Atmospheric 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: A relaxing, story-rich experience about fixing broken items and mending relationships within a small community.

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: Walking Simulator 58.9%, LGBTQ+ 13.9%, Female Protagonist 8.8%, Story Rich 7.8%, Atmospheric 6.6%

Why You'll Like It: This intimate, narrative-focused exploration game excels at telling a personal story through the environment and everyday objects.

Set off on a delightful expedition and use your photographic eye to uncover the mysteries of the magical TOEM in this hand-drawn adventure game. Chat with quirky characters, solve their problems by snapping neat photos, and make your way through a relaxing landscape!

Why similar: Cozy 39.2%, Wholesome 34.8% ★, Relaxing 14.2%, Atmospheric 6.4%, Adventure 3.9%

Why You'll Like It: A wholesome, photography-based adventure that encourages players to explore and help the residents of a charming, hand-drawn world.

Join Norah, a woman plagued by a mysterious illness, in her search for her missing husband in this adventure puzzle game set on a lush island paradise. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and unlock forbidden secrets in a moving tale of mystery and love.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 28.6%, Walking Simulator 27.4%, Story Rich 20.9%, Atmospheric 11.9%, Adventure 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-focused adventure with a strong sense of place and mystery that encourages players to explore at their own pace.

A neon-noir story in a rain-drenched cyberpunk metropolis. It’s your first night on the job working for the Cloudpunk delivery service. Two rules: Don’t miss a delivery and don’t ask what’s in the package.

Why similar: Driving 21%, Open World 15.9%, Walking Simulator 15.3%, Female Protagonist 11.6%, Mature 11%

Why You'll Like It: It features a job-based narrative structure where you explore a city and interact with its inhabitants, similar to the delivery mechanics in Lake.

Submerged is a third-person combat-free game in which you explore a mysterious flooded city and discover the beauty of desolation in vast outdoor environments. You take on the role of Miku, a young girl who has brought her wounded brother to the city in their small fishing boat.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.3%, Relaxing 17.5%, Female Protagonist 17.5%, Open World 16.2%, Third Person 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a relaxing, non-violent exploration experience in a beautiful, flooded world that emphasizes atmosphere over challenge.

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: LGBTQ+ 21.6%, Walking Simulator 19.3%, Female Protagonist 16.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.6%, Story Rich 12.1%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused narrative game that captures a specific period atmosphere through exploration and character interaction.

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: Choices Matter 24.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 24.1%, Story Rich 18.1%, Third Person 13.5%, LGBTQ+ 12.7%

Why You'll Like It: A detective-style narrative game that focuses on personal history, character relationships, and the consequences of your decisions.

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a fantasy adventure about an aspiring witch who delivers packages to the townspeople of a small island. Explore every cranny and soar through the sky with your magic broom.

Why similar: Cozy 30.6%, Wholesome 25.7% ★, Female Protagonist 12.5%, Relaxing 11.9%, Open World 10.6%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy, relaxing exploration game about a young protagonist delivering packages in a charming, lighthearted world.

🚗 Take part in a roller coaster of emotions with Louise embarking on a road trip of a lifetime through the late 1960s USA, trying to show her son Mitch how to navigate the often cruel modern world. Your choices matter! ✅

Why similar: Wholesome 33.6% ★, Female Protagonist 15.3%, Choices Matter 14.3%, Multiple Endings 14.3%, Story Rich 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: An emotional, choice-driven narrative that focuses on the relationship between a mother and son during a pivotal road trip.

Step into the shoes of Lyric, the humble innkeeper in a quiet mountain village, as she reflects upon a lifetime of poignant memories, heartwarming friendships, and bittersweet choices — proving along the way that you don't have to slay dragons to be the hero of your own story.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 14.4%, Choices Matter 13.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 13.8%, Romance 13.5%, Relaxing 12.8%

Why You'll Like It: This emotional, narrative-driven life simulation focuses on the personal growth and choices of its protagonist.

Immerse yourself in an enchanting narrative experience as Fortuna, a fortune-teller Witch condemned to exile on her asteroid home. Craft your own Tarot deck, regain your freedom, and shape the fate of the cosmic Witch society.

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 33.4%, Female Protagonist 26.4%, Choices Matter 19.9%, Story Rich 13%, Adventure 5%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply narrative-driven game where your choices and interactions with characters shape the direction of the story.

Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game in which you play as the proprietor of a local plant store. Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries.

Why similar: Cozy 43.4%, Relaxing 15.7%, Multiple Endings 10%, Choices Matter 9.4%, Atmospheric 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a cozy, atmospheric mystery that rewards quiet observation and methodical, low-stress gameplay.

The saga of Max and Chloe, and the fate of Caledon, is yours to decide! Play as both Max and Chloe as an all-new story builds towards an epic climax. The fire will force Max and Chloe to make devastating decisions. Can they find a future together… Before everything burns?

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 21.3%, Choose Your Own Adventure 18.5%, Choices Matter 12.7%, Female Protagonist 11%, Romance 7.7%

Northern Canada, 1970. A strange blizzard ravages Atamipek Lake. Step into the shoes of a detective to explore the eerie village, investigate surreal events, and battle the elements to survive. Kona is a chilly interactive tale you won't soon forget.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 31.4%, Open World 28.7%, Story Rich 15.1%, Atmospheric 14.2%, Adventure 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, first-person mystery set in a cold, isolated environment that emphasizes exploration and narrative discovery.

When Max Caulfield finds her friend Safi dead in the snow, she tears open the way to a parallel timeline. Here, Safi is still alive - and still in danger! With her new power to Shift between two timelines – can Max solve and prevent the same murder?

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 20.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.8%, Choices Matter 15%, Female Protagonist 13.7%, Romance 9.4%

Boat, climb, interact and explore in the beautiful ruins of a sunken world.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.8%, Open World 18.8%, Relaxing 18.4%, Female Protagonist 18.4%, Atmospheric 8.1%

Draugen is a single-player, first-person Fjord Noir mystery set in 1920s Norway. Explore a forgotten coastal village in your search for your missing sister, accompanied by your independent and enigmatic young ward. Norwegian Game of the Year 2019.

Why similar: Story Rich 46.2%, Atmospheric 32.1%, Adventure 14.5%, Singleplayer 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy, atmospheric exploration game set in a remote location that focuses on uncovering the truth through quiet observation.

Leave everything behind and open a tiny bookshop by the sea in this cozy narrative management game. Stock your tiny bookshop with different books and items, set up shop in scenic locations, and run your cozy second-hand bookshop while getting to know the locals.

Why similar: Cozy 46%, Relaxing 17.6%, Choices Matter 13.8%, Story Rich 11.8%, Romance 10.7%

Experience the BAFTA award-winning story of Life is Strange now beautifully remastered with enhanced visuals and vastly improved animation using mocap technology.

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 19.2%, Choices Matter 17.3%, Female Protagonist 14.5%, Multiple Endings 14.3%, Story Rich 11.8%

The prequel to Road 96. Play Zoe and Kaito where it all started. Change their destinies!

Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 26.4%, Multiple Endings 15.7%, Choices Matter 15.3%, Story Rich 10.6%

Coming back to the family hotel after years, a young woman finds herself trapped with the ghosts from her past and an old cellular telephone as the only way to unveil a terrible truth.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.4%, Mature 17.7%, Female Protagonist 14.6%, Open World 14.6%, Story Rich 11.3%

Go on a summer vacation to the Cloudy Valley archipelago! Swim, climb, and explore the different islands at your own pace. Discover treasures or enjoy a cozy and relaxing atmosphere by the waves...

Why similar: Wholesome 23.4% ★, Walking Simulator 18.7%, Relaxing 17.6%, Open World 16.6%, Female Protagonist 11.7%

Stan, a professional diver in the North Sea, is struggling to overcome a life-changing loss during an extended mission underwater. Stuck in his self-imposed solitude, he starts to experience strange events and will have to make the most significant choice of his life...

Why similar: Story Rich 30%, Atmospheric 20.4%, Third Person 18.3%, Adventure 17.5%, Open World 8.9%

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 30%, Choices Matter 25.1%, Multiple Endings 20%, Story Rich 17.4%, Adventure 5.4%

The August Before: Chapter One is the first chapter in a meditative narrative 3D puzzle about cleaning up, sorting out and packing up your life before moving on. Clean up and don’t forget your old belongings on your way to the new life!

Why similar: Cozy 36.7%, Wholesome 22.1% ★, Female Protagonist 14.5%, Relaxing 11.2%, Story Rich 7.2%

Join Tara on a heartfelt journey to become a witch in Wylde Flowers. Farm by day, and cast spells by night as you craft your cottagecore life and bond with your coven. Come to know and love the fully voice acted characters of Fairhaven, as you unravel a local mystery.

Why similar: Cozy 41.9%, LGBTQ+ 17.4%, Female Protagonist 12.9%, Relaxing 9.1%, Romance 7.9%

Be Flint, who is doing his best to keep his grandma's park up and running and make it a place for the campers to enjoy. Learn the camper's wishes and build whatever their hearts desire to attract even more quirky characters and look forward to whimsical conversations and quests.

Why similar: Cozy 32%, Wholesome 27.1% ★, Open World 14.6%, Relaxing 13.8%, Third Person 7.1%

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: Female Protagonist 32.8%, Walking Simulator 28.3%, Adventure 21.1%, Atmospheric 15%, Singleplayer 2.7%

The August Before is a meditative narrative 3D puzzle about cleaning up, sorting out and packing up your life before moving on. Clean up and don’t forget your old belongings on your way to the new life!

Why similar: Cozy 25.6%, Wholesome 25.5% ★, Female Protagonist 13.6%, Relaxing 11.6%, LGBTQ+ 8%

A poignant narrative-driven game about rejection, belonging and the meaning of home. It follows the story of a newly adopted shelter cat whose space in the home is taken by a copycat. Bring the tissues.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 35.6%, Story Rich 21.5%, Atmospheric 13.3%, Third Person 10%, Female Protagonist 8.3%

An exploration game about emotional ties that transcend even death. Riley is faced with a headstrong ghost, urging her on an adventure across atmospheric shores, uncovering the island's tragic secret. Choices in dialogue shape the bond between the two, ultimately deciding Riley's fate.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.9%, Romance 14.7%, Story Rich 13.3%, Female Protagonist 13.2%, Atmospheric 10.1%

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: Romance 34.2%, Female Protagonist 28.3%, Story Rich 23.9%, Adventure 10.5%, Singleplayer 3.1%

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 26.1%, Relaxing 26%, Romance 20.6%, Story Rich 15%, Atmospheric 9.7%

Explore the acclaimed animal adventure in never before seen beauty! Slip into the role of different animals to uncover the fate of an ancient world. Dive into deep waters, fly at lofty heights or even climb steep cliffs with a mountain goat, there are lots of ways of getting around.

Why similar: Wholesome 21.9% ★, Walking Simulator 18.8%, LGBTQ+ 13.7%, Female Protagonist 11.9%, Relaxing 10%

A visual novel about emotional survival in an automated world. Play as Lina, the last human cab driver. It’s your first night driving the lonely streets of Los Ojos, and your best friend has just disappeared. Stay on the road. Stay on the search. Stay human.

Why similar: Multiple Endings 29.2%, Choices Matter 27.2%, Story Rich 20.9%, Atmospheric 14.8%, Adventure 5.5%

Five years after the events of OXENFREE, Riley returns to her hometown of Camena to investigate mysterious radio signals. What she finds is more than she bargained for.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 19.9%, Female Protagonist 14.9%, Multiple Endings 13.7%, Choices Matter 12.9%

Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower’s past.

Why similar: Relaxing 41.5%, Third Person 24.6%, Atmospheric 22.7%, Adventure 11.3%

Embark on a journey across vast landscapes in Caravan SandWitch, a captivating narrative-driven exploration adventure.

Why similar: Driving 33.5%, 1980s 27.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 20.8%, Third Person 10.9%, Adventure 5%

A deep, interactive adventure about love and loss, beautifully depicted and offering an intense cinematic experience. What would you do to save the one you love?

Why similar: Story Rich 16.8%, Choices Matter 16.4%, Walking Simulator 14.9%, Romance 14.3%, Atmospheric 12.6%

Eliza is a visual novel about an AI counseling program, the people who develop it, and the people who use it. Follow Evelyn Ishino-Aubrey as she reconnects with people from her past, gets to know the people of Seattle who use Eliza for counseling, and decides the course of her future.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 45.2%, Story Rich 16.5%, Atmospheric 14.8%, Choices Matter 13.8%, LGBTQ+ 7.6%

A quiet game of life and loss. One by one, everyone left the village for the city. Everyone, except Talma. Approaching her final years, she maintains a simple way of life tending to her homestead, surviving, subsisting, whilst increasingly disturbing letters arrive from her family in the city.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 33.2%, Story Rich 24.3%, Atmospheric 20.1%, Adventure 18.7%, Singleplayer 3.7%

Undusted: Letters from the Past is a casual game in which you clean and restore dirty items. What is her story as she returns to a long-neglected house? Enjoy the satisfying audiovisuals featuring sensually designed sounds and graphics.

Why similar: Cozy 34.6%, Wholesome 26.2% ★, Relaxing 13.7%, Female Protagonist 10.5%, Story Rich 8.8%

Life is Strange: Before the Storm returns with remastered visuals across characters & environments.

Why similar: LGBTQ+ 19.5%, Female Protagonist 15.8%, Choices Matter 15.6%, Multiple Endings 13.7%, Romance 11.9%

Beacon Pines is a cute and creepy adventure set within a mysterious book. Sneak out late, make new friends, uncover hidden truths, and collect words that will change the course of fate!

Why similar: Cozy 54.8%, Story Rich 16.3%, Relaxing 15.4%, Atmospheric 7.3%, Adventure 3.6%