- #1 Murders on the Yangtze River
97% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 20,848 reviews2024
Dev: OMEGAMES STUDIO
Windows · Mac
Median: 11.4 hrsMean: 14.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
"Murders on Yangtze River" is an Ace Attorney-like detective game that takes you on a journey through early 20th century China as you solve a series of intriguing cases. Use your logical reasoning and deduction skills to uncover clues, interrogate suspects, and solve the mysteries.
Why similar: Detective 43.1%, Historical 17.9%, Investigation 14.6%, Story Rich 10.1%, Text-Based 7.1%
Why You'll Like It: This game offers a compelling historical detective experience with a strong focus on narrative deduction and atmosphere.
- #2 Legend of Mortal
96% matchMostly Positive76% of 36,422 reviews2024
Dev: Obb Studio Inc.Pub: Paras Games
Windows
Median: 22.8 hrsMean: 40.3 hrs≥1hr: 89%
The game world is set in a turbulent state and the mighty Tang-Man declines. The threats from the old enemies keep coming one after another.As a nobody, will you choose either to leave yourself out of it or to fight for Tang-Man's future and turning the tide? The journey of yours,is unpredictable.
Why similar: Martial Arts 60.8% ★, Choices Matter 19.8%, Multiple Endings 15.5%, Adventure 1.4%, 2D 1.4%
Why You'll Like It: This title masterfully blends martial arts themes with deep, choice-driven narrative consequences and RPG elements.
- #3 Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
96% matchVery Positive93% of 128,412 reviews2019
Dev: ZA/UM
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.4 hrsMean: 22.7 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is a groundbreaking role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.
Why similar: Detective 37.2%, CRPG 22%, Choices Matter 18.4%, Story Rich 13.4%, Visual Novel 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: It is the definitive dice-based, text-heavy detective CRPG where every choice and skill check significantly alters the narrative path.
- #4 Betrayal At Club Low
95% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 576 reviews2022
Dev: Cosmo D Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 2.6 hrs≥1hr: 65%
Tonight you're on a rescue mission, infiltrating a nightclub that was once a coffin factory. Will you succeed? Will you fail? Or will your night take an unexpected detour? Roll the Pizza Dice and find out!
Why similar: Detective 35.4%, Dialogue Heavy 21.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 17.8%, Choices Matter 14.2%, Multiple Endings 10.8%
Why You'll Like It: A unique, dice-based RPG that focuses on investigative gameplay and branching narrative paths in a surreal setting.
- #5 Citizen Sleeper
94% matchVery Positive92% of 10,281 reviews2022
Dev: Jump Over The AgePub: Fellow Traveller
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 7.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Roleplaying in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism. Live the life of an escaped worker, washed-up on a lawless station at the edge of an interstellar society. Inspired by the flexibility and freedom of TTRPGs, explore the station, choose your friends, escape your past and change your future.
Why similar: Dice 45.5% ★, Dialogue Heavy 16.4%, Text-Based 13.5%, Interactive Fiction 8.4%, Multiple Endings 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: It utilizes a dice-based system to drive its deep, character-focused narrative and exploration in a way that mirrors the tension of tabletop RPGs.
- #6 Wandering Sword
94% matchVery Positive95% of 42,955 reviews2023
Dev: The Swordman StudioPub: Spiral Up Games
Windows
Median: 23.5 hrsMean: 43.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Wandering Sword is a Chinese martial-arts RPG where you play a young swordsman caught up in a feud and nearly dies. Escaping the event puts you on the path of pursuing the highest form of martial arts and exploring the pugilistic world to become the great hero you are always destined to be.
Why similar: Martial Arts 85.4% ★, Story Rich 10%, Adventure 3.2%, Singleplayer 1.3%
Why You'll Like It: A classic-style martial arts RPG that emphasizes story-rich exploration and tactical turn-based combat.
- #7 Pentiment
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 9,484 reviews2022
Dev: Obsidian EntertainmentPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows
Median: 4.9 hrsMean: 10.5 hrs≥1hr: 72%
Step into a living illustrated world in a time when Europe is at a crossroads of great religious and political change. Walk in the footsteps of Andreas Maler, a master artist who finds himself in the middle of murders, scandals, and intrigue in the Bavarian Alps.
Why similar: Historical 22.5%, Detective 18.5%, Investigation 15%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9%, Interactive Fiction 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: A historically rich, narrative-heavy mystery that forces players to make difficult choices with lasting consequences in a beautifully realized setting.
- #8 Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders
92% matchVery Positive89% of 1,278 reviews2019
Dev: Nupixo Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 96%
A thrilling point-and-click adventure game where you play as Di Renjie, ancient China's most famous and gifted investigator, as he tracks a serial killer in the heart of the Tang Dynasty's capital city.
Why similar: Detective 23%, Historical 21%, Dialogue Heavy 15.2%, Investigation 13.4%, Interactive Fiction 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: A point-and-click adventure set in historical China that focuses on solving complex mysteries through investigation.
- #9 The Scroll of Taiwu : Beyond The Dome
89% matchMixed66% of 69,055 reviews2026
Dev: ConchShip Games
Windows
Median: 13.8 hrsMean: 59.2 hrs≥1hr: 88%
"The Scroll of Taiwu" is an indie game themed around Chinese mythology and wuxia. Players assume the role of the mysterious "heir of the Taiwu clan" in an alternate ancient China, working through generations of heirs to defeat a powerful hereditary enemy and shape the fate of the human world.
Why similar: Martial Arts 88.6% ★, Adventure 5%, 2D 4.3%, Singleplayer 2.1%
Why You'll Like It: An incredibly deep martial arts simulation that features complex historical systems and emergent storytelling.
- #10 A Case of Distrust
91% matchVery Positive82% of 609 reviews2018
Dev: An Open Ben
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 3.8 hrs≥1hr: 88%
A Case of Distrust is a narrative mystery from 1924 San Francisco. Play as private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone in this historical 2D adventure game.
Why similar: Detective 24%, Historical 17.4%, Investigation 14.2%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.7%, Interactive Fiction 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: A text-based detective game that relies on conversation and deduction to solve mysteries in a stylized historical setting.
- #11 Gamedec - Definitive Edition
91% matchMostly Positive80% of 1,711 reviews2021
Dev: Anshar StudiosPub: Anshar Publishing
Windows
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 6.8 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Gamedec is a single-player cyberpunk isometric RPG. You are a game detective, who solves crimes inside virtual worlds. Use your wits to gather info from your witnesses and suspects, getting to the bottom of deceptive schemes. The game continually adapts to your decisions and never judges.
Why similar: Detective 23.5%, CRPG 18.1%, Investigation 11.5%, Text-Based 11.4%, Choices Matter 10.3%
Why You'll Like It: A pure detective CRPG that focuses entirely on investigation, dialogue, and moral choices rather than combat.
- #12 Mohism: Battle of Words
90% matchMostly Positive78% of 608 reviews2023
Dev: 玄镜工作室Pub: Yooreka Studio
Windows
Mohism: Battle of Words is a detective game set in the world of wuxia. The game follows Zhang Xiaochen, investigates unsolved cases and comes into his own as a hero. He must rely on his wits and razor-sharp tongue to best his opponents, find the culprit and ensure justice prevails!
Why similar: Detective 32.4%, Dialogue Heavy 21.9%, Investigation 17.2%, Visual Novel 11.1%, Story Rich 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: A unique historical detective game that uses debate and logic as its primary mechanics for solving mysteries.
- #13 Roadwarden
89% matchVery Positive94% of 5,066 reviews2022
Dev: Moral Anxiety StudioPub: Assemble Entertainment
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.2 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 54%
Roadwarden is an illustrated text-based RPG that uses isometric pixel art and combines mechanics borrowed from RPGs, Visual Novels, adventure games and interactive fiction.
Why similar: Text-Based 32.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.5%, Interactive Fiction 11.8%, Choices Matter 9.2%, Detective 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: A text-based RPG that emphasizes exploration, survival, and difficult choices in a dark, atmospheric world.
- #14 The Case of the Golden Idol
88% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,678 reviews2022
Dev: Color Gray GamesPub: Playstack
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Why similar: Detective 31.8%, Investigation 19.6%, Historical 17.7%, Interactive Fiction 8.9%, Choices Matter 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: A brilliant detective game focused on deduction and piecing together historical narratives through observation.
- #15 The World of Kungfu: Dragon and Eagle
86% matchMixed67% of 4,828 reviews2024
Dev: ChillyRoom
Windows
Median: 8.3 hrsMean: 20.7 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Make a name for yourself in this old-school Wuxia RPG. Explore the chaotic lands of ancient China and engage in challenging turn-based battles to change the world of kungfu forever.
Why similar: Martial Arts 46% ★, Historical 19.8%, Choices Matter 10%, Multiple Endings 8.1%, Story Rich 7.9%
Why You'll Like It: An open-world martial arts RPG that provides significant freedom in character development and story progression.
- #16 侠客风云传(Tale of Wuxia)
87% matchMostly Positive77% of 7,592 reviews2016
Dev: Heluo StudioPub: Phoenix Game
Windows
Median: 8.0 hrsMean: 25.3 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Tale of Wuxia has been dedicated to providing gameplayers with a player-defined platform, where they can customize their own Wuxia. Instead of being restricted to characters’ basic properties, in this new version, gameplayers can also choose the personalities and talents of their own.
Why similar: Martial Arts 69% ★, CRPG 14.3%, Multiple Endings 8.2%, Story Rich 4.9%, Adventure 2.6%
Why You'll Like It: A comprehensive martial arts RPG that allows players to shape their character's path through training, relationships, and narrative choices.
- #17 Siberian Way
86% matchVery Positive83% of 70 reviews2025
Dev: ROOT GAMES
Windows
Siberian Way is a detective thriller novel. Follow the dark non-linear story and decide how it can end! For all fans of snowy Siberia, Murder on the Orient Express and twisted plots, seasoned with mysticism.
Why similar: Detective 22.7%, Historical 22.5%, Investigation 13.6%, Text-Based 12.3%, Choices Matter 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: A historical, choice-driven narrative game that focuses on psychological tension and mystery.
- #18 Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut
85% matchVery Positive89% of 6,535 reviews2014
Dev: Harebrained SchemesPub: Paradox Interactive
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 10.5 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Harebrained Schemes' biggest Shadowrun game to date, and the definitive Shadowrun RPG experience available on PC. Now a standalone title with tons of new content & improvements!
Why similar: CRPG 65%, Story Rich 25.5%, Adventure 5.9%, Singleplayer 3.5%
Why You'll Like It: A quintessential CRPG that combines detective-style investigation with deep, choice-heavy narrative writing.
- #19 Casebook 1899 - The Leipzig Murders
83% matchVery Positive85% of 108 reviews2025
Dev: Homo Narrans Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Play as a sharp-witted detective in late 19th-century Leipzig, Germany, in this retro pixel-art point & click adventure. Search for clues, question suspects, and piece together evidence on your deduction board to solve four gripping murder cases.
Why similar: Detective 29.9%, Historical 23.4%, Investigation 17.4%, Choices Matter 10.3%, Story Rich 6%
Why You'll Like It: A historical detective game that focuses on point-and-click investigation and period-accurate mystery solving.
- #20 Sacred Fire: A Role Playing Game
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 502 reviews2021
Dev: PoeticPub: Iceberg Interactive
Windows · Mac · Linux
A text-based RPG full of choice and action. Fight for survival in the midst of the Roman invasion of ancient Caledonia. Strategize one dice roll at a time as emotions affect your performance. Use willpower to outsmart opponents, gain allies, wage war, or strive for peace. How will your story end?
Why similar: Detective 20.6%, Dialogue Heavy 17.6%, Text-Based 12.6%, Choices Matter 11.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven RPG that uses a unique psychological system to influence choices and combat outcomes.
- #21 Suzerain
82% matchVery Positive93% of 11,527 reviews2020
Dev: Torpor Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.7 hrsMean: 18.4 hrs≥1hr: 73%
Assume the role of President Anton Rayne and guide the nation of Sordland. Amidst brewing international conflicts, need for reform, deep-seated corruption, and economic recession, you must make the decisions in this political drama. How will you lead?
Why similar: Text-Based 18.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 18.7%, Choices Matter 13.1%, Visual Novel 12.4%, Interactive Fiction 11.6%
Why You'll Like It: A text-heavy, choice-driven political drama that captures the weight of historical decision-making.
- #22 Death Trick: Double Blind
82% matchVery Positive87% of 279 reviews2024
Dev: Citreat StudioPub: Neon Doctrine
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 82%
The star magician of Morgan’s Traveling Circus is missing, but the show must go on! In this non-linear detective visual novel, unravel the mystery from two different perspectives as you learn the varying stories of an entire circus of performers, each with their own lives... and their own secrets.
Why similar: Detective 19.7%, Historical 16.4%, Dialogue Heavy 12.6%, Investigation 10.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused visual novel that emphasizes investigation and uncovering the truth through conversation.
- #23 Unrest
84% matchMixed68% of 195 reviews2014
Dev: Pyrodactyl
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Unrest is a role playing adventure game set in a fantasy interpretation of ancient India that adapts to death, failure, and the choices you make. Play as ordinary people in a struggle for safety, freedom, and a chance at peace. Use conversation, manipulation (and rarely, violence) to achieve your goals.
Why similar: CRPG 23.6%, Historical 16.2%, Dialogue Heavy 12%, Choose Your Own Adventure 11.4%, Interactive Fiction 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: A choice-heavy CRPG set in a historical-inspired world where player decisions directly impact the lives of multiple characters.
- #24 Return of the Obra Dinn
80% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 34,552 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Detective 64%, Historical 15.8%, Story Rich 11.6%, Multiple Endings 4.9%, Adventure 1.9%
Why You'll Like It: A masterclass in detective deduction that requires players to piece together a historical mystery through observation.
- #25 The Red Pearls Of Borneo
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 3,395 reviews2026
Dev: Bushmonkey Games
Windows · Mac
A detective noir puzzle deduction game. Explore a non-linear timeline as a clairvoyant investigator in 1941 Borneo. Jump between time and locations to uncover motives and discover what truly happened in the Goodwill tobacco plantation that fateful night on the eve of the WW2 Japanese invasion.
Why similar: Detective 33.3%, Text-Based 12.5%, Historical 12.5%, Interactive Fiction 11.6%, Story Rich 7.5%
- #26 NORCO
79% matchVery Positive92% of 3,163 reviews2022
Dev: Geography of RobotsPub: Raw Fury
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 65%
NORCO is a dialogue-focused point & click adventure that immerses the player in the sinking suburbs and industrial swamplands of an increasingly surreal and distorted South Louisiana.
Why similar: Investigation 52.7%, Story Rich 27.4%, Adventure 8.5%, 2D 7.9%, Singleplayer 3.4%
Why You'll Like It: A text-heavy, atmospheric mystery that prioritizes narrative depth and world-building over traditional gameplay.
- #27 Tyranny
81% matchVery Positive87% of 13,247 reviews2016
Dev: Obsidian EntertainmentPub: Paradox Interactive
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 15.9 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Experience a story-driven RPG where your choices mean all the difference in the world.
Why similar: CRPG 50.7%, Choices Matter 26.6%, Story Rich 16.5%, Adventure 4.6%, Singleplayer 1.7%
Why You'll Like It: A CRPG where the narrative focus is entirely on the consequences of your choices in a world where evil has already won.
- #28 再见断刀
77% matchVery Positive93% of 2,615 reviews2025
Dev: 非侠游戏Pub: LoveStoryProject
Windows
Median: 12.7 hrsMean: 13.4 hrs≥1hr: 89%
古风悬疑推理AVG《再见断刀》——在与世隔绝的山庄之中,接二连三地发生了骇人命案。只有通过细致入微的调查,抽丝剥茧的推理,才能定一个是非清白,还一个天理公道。 然而,在逐渐浮出水面的真相之下,似乎还有暗流涌动……
Why similar: Martial Arts 25.7% ★, Detective 18.7%, Historical 14.4%, Investigation 7.8%, Choices Matter 7.5%
- #29 Knell of St. Godhrkar
79% matchVery Positive93% of 1,565 reviews2021
Dev: -二律背反-
Windows · Mac
In this game, you can watch as 7 protagonists come to a crossroad, facing their own destiny. You will witness their own choices and the blood-splattering consequence they have on one another. There is no way out except to plunge them into the abyss...
Why similar: Text-Based 35.2%, Visual Novel 20.9%, Story Rich 19.4%, Interactive Fiction 14.4%, Adventure 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich RPG that blends mystery and exploration with a focus on narrative-driven decision-making.
- #30 Pathologic 2
78% matchVery Positive92% of 12,076 reviews2019
Dev: Ice-Pick LodgePub: tinyBuild
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 12.5 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Pathologic 2 is a groundbreaking open-world horror RPG. Resist the plague. Make medicine. Heal people. Perform an autopsy. Trade to get what you need. Fight and kill if necessary. Survive. Struggle with an outbreak in a secluded rural town that is rapidly turning into hell.
Why similar: Detective 36.8%, CRPG 25.2%, Choices Matter 19.1%, Story Rich 13.8%, Adventure 3.4%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, historical narrative experience where every choice is a struggle for survival and moral clarity.
- #31 阎罗索命
76% matchVery Positive92% of 130 reviews2026
Dev: Reptilian Brain Studio
Windows
古风悬疑探案文字冒险游戏——北宋天圣年间,科举省试方毕,汴京国子监突发连环命案,遇害者死状惊悚离奇,如遭阎罗审判。玩家将化身为被卷入权斗暗流的新科进士文彦博,通过勘验尸体、搜寻线索、推演谜局,找出案件背后的骇人真相……
Why similar: Historical 35.6%, Detective 28.1%, Visual Novel 15.3%, Story Rich 9.9%, Adventure 7.8%
- #32 Kill The Clock
76% matchVery Positive93% of 81 reviews2025
Dev: Happy Slugs
Windows
Kill the Clock is a narrative time-loop mystery adventure where you relive the same week to solve a murder that keeps changing. Customize your character, roll dice to influence story outcomes, and uncover the truth—before time resets again.
Why similar: Dice 23.7% ★, Detective 20.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.6%, Investigation 9.7%, Choices Matter 7.4%
- #33 Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York
78% matchMostly Positive74% of 3,106 reviews2019
Dev: Draw DistancePub: Dear Villagers
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 5.9 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York is a narrative experience set in the rich universe of Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition. It presents the struggle for power between two vampiric factions - the Camarilla and the Anarchs - bathed in the night lights of the Big Apple.
Why similar: Visual Novel 34.5%, Interactive Fiction 29.9%, Story Rich 20.9%, Text-Based 8.5%, Choices Matter 5.3%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven, text-based game that focuses on dialogue and the consequences of political choices.
- #34 Omen Exitio: Hunger
74% matchVery Positive95% of 122 reviews2026
Dev: Tiny Bull StudiosPub: 2P Games
Windows · Mac
A Lovecraftian investigative gamebook. New York, 1927. A case pulled from real history, wrapped in cosmic horror. His name was Billy Gaffney. The man who took him was real. But his purpose was from another plane of existence. You play a journalist. You make choices. The story remembers all of them.
Why similar: Detective 20.3%, Historical 16.9%, Investigation 12.5%, Text-Based 10.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.9%
- #35 奇天烈相談ダイヤル
74% matchVery Positive83% of 338 reviews2024
Dev: 法螺会
Windows · Mac
矛盾を見つけ、相談者の悩みを解決する怪異判定アドベンチャー
Why similar: Text-Based 35.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 29.3%, Visual Novel 19.8%, Adventure 13.7%, Singleplayer 1.5%
- #36 Suhoshin
75% matchVery Positive91% of 172 reviews2022
Dev: No More 500
Windows
Suhoshin is a 2D Visual Novel set in the medieval Joseon period of Korea. While investigating a series of mysterious murders, you will have to make choices that will lead you down different paths toward different endings.
Why similar: Detective 16.7%, Text-Based 12.2%, Dialogue Heavy 11.3%, Investigation 9.6%, Visual Novel 8.7%
- #37 Tokyo Detectives
75% matchMixed69% of 59 reviews2021
Dev: Rincho Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Detective Game. Murder Investigation. Interrogate witnesses. Rebut with evidence.
Why similar: Detective 41.1%, Investigation 23.9%, Text-Based 13.9%, Visual Novel 11%, Story Rich 5.9%
- #38 Miss Peacock
70% matchVery Positive100% of 93 reviews2026
Dev: Otter Club
Windows · Mac
Between 1930 and 1933, Lieutenant Chen, an ambitious Asian officer, travels to a remote mine in the mountains of French Indochina to investigate a decrease in mineral production. Various forces become entangled in the power play, revealing the truth amid diplomatic mediation and supernatural events.
Why similar: Detective 27.8%, Historical 19.6%, Visual Novel 12.6%, Story Rich 11.1%, Choices Matter 7.6%
- #39 Bahnsen Knights
72% matchVery Positive96% of 90 reviews2023
Dev: LCB Game StudioPub: Chorus Worldwide Games
Windows · Mac
1986, Tornado Alley, USA… Go undercover as Boulder, an agent infiltrating the notorious religious cult known as the Bahnsen Knights. Face off against occultists, biblical storms, and an enigmatic car salesman turned preacher as you investigate the disappearance of a fellow agent and close friend.
Why similar: Detective 22.2%, Dialogue Heavy 13.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.8%, Interactive Fiction 10.4%, Investigation 10.2%
- #40 Best Served Cold
69% matchVery Positive88% of 677 reviews2025
Dev: Rogueside
Windows · Mac
Can you mix a cocktail while eye-to-eye with a criminal? Find out in Best Served Cold, a murder mystery set in a bustling speakeasy where you serve customers, make friends and enemies, and solve crimes. At the Nightcap bar, prohibition is a killer… and so are some of your customers!
Why similar: Detective 27.6%, Dialogue Heavy 16.4%, Investigation 13.8%, Choices Matter 11.1%, Visual Novel 8.4%
- #41 BEAST CRIMES
73% matchMixed64% of 64 reviews2022
Dev: LINK
Windows
Crimes across the times. Are you able to solve them all?
Why similar: Detective 27%, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.2%, Interactive Fiction 11.2%, Choices Matter 10.2%, Investigation 9%
- #42 Burn Me Twice
73% matchVery Positive82% of 268 reviews2020
Dev: Null Reference Studio
Windows
A narrative adventure that combines the exploration and investigation of the enigmatic town of Düstenburg and its people, with trials that test your knowledge about the case.
Why similar: Detective 28.3%, Dialogue Heavy 17.7%, Investigation 14.3%, Interactive Fiction 10.4%, Choose Your Own Adventure 8.7%
- #43 Interrogation Simulator
71% matchVery Positive95% of 61 reviews2022
Dev: Otis MillerPub: Fire Cycle Games
Windows · Linux
Inspired by JCS videos and similar Interrogation analysis. Match evidence with statements. Play good cop/bad cop. Make choices. Learn what makes people tick. Unravel the mystery.
Why similar: Investigation 19%, Dialogue Heavy 17.2%, Choose Your Own Adventure 15.8%, Text-Based 15.6%, Interactive Fiction 12.5%
- #44 For Your Tranquility
72% matchMixed68% of 192 reviews2023
Dev: Gamesung Games
Windows · Mac
It's a mystery game that reveals the truth through an autopsy. Be a forensic doctor and find out why the dead died.
Why similar: Detective 36%, Choices Matter 14%, Text-Based 13.3%, Investigation 10.6%, Visual Novel 8.4%
- #45 Dice of God
69% matchVery Positive93% of 102 reviews2024
Dev: Bad Dog Works.
Windows
Roll the dice, will the outcome be a blessing or a punishment?
Why similar: Adventure 62.5%, 2D 27.5%, Singleplayer 10%
- #46 The Occult Detective
68% matchMostly Positive70% of 330 reviews2025
Dev: Battlecry Studio
Windows
A narrative detective game blended with supernatural elements. Play as a rookie investigator, discover vital clues in every case, dive into unscripted interrogations and uncover truths that break minds. But with each revelation, the world feels... less human.
Why similar: Detective 52.4%, Story Rich 18.2%, Visual Novel 17.9%, Adventure 5.2%, 2D 4.2%
- #47 烧尾宴
67% matchVery Positive87% of 94 reviews2025
Dev: 有点正经
Windows
This detective interactive game casts you as an officer solving a murder at a remote inn. Freely type to question NPCs, who react dynamically. Uncover the truth or enjoy playful interactions—it’s your call. Immerse yourself in The Ancient unsolved cases!
Why similar: Detective 39.8%, Dialogue Heavy 24.5%, Multiple Endings 12.9%, Visual Novel 12%, Story Rich 10.7%
- #48 12 Hours to Die
71% matchMostly Positive73% of 226 reviews2020
Dev: Wesley ReitsmaPub: Westeford
Windows · Mac · Linux
A mystery visual novel about six students forced to play a 12-hour long killing game.
Why similar: Detective 64%, Visual Novel 23.8%, Adventure 7.5%, 2D 3.7%, Singleplayer 1%
- #49 Tell Me Everything
73% matchMixed61% of 72 reviews2018
Dev: LizardFactory
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 12 minMean: 10.1 hrs≥1hr: 34%
A mysterious murder has shocked the inner city, and as the lead detective, it is your job to catch the real killer. Armed with words and wits, you uncover the secrets and capture the murderer, and make sure justice will be served.
Why similar: Detective 31.7%, Investigation 21.7%, Text-Based 15.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.4%, Story Rich 5.2%
- #50 Jackpot Crash Course
65% matchVery Positive100% of 301 reviews2026
Dev: RachelDrawsThisPub: STUDIO INVESTIGRAVE
Windows · Mac
In a game show starring only criminals, you must gamble against rival players to prove yourself worthy of being pardoned for your wrong deeds— But is the show really about proving your innocence? Jackpot Crash Course is a death game visual novel about crime, luck and spectacle.
Why similar: Choices Matter 22.1%, Interactive Fiction 18.2%, Multiple Endings 17.6%, Visual Novel 17.1%, Story Rich 15.1%
- #51 Gensokyo:Presumption of Guilt~Pansies Before Dawn
65% matchVery Positive93% of 350 reviews2026
Dev: 戏壤游戏(Xirang Games)
Windows
Explore the intertwined fates of humans and youkai in this interactive fiction. As an unwitting protagonist, enter the sealed realm of Gensokyo to investigate a series of bizarre murders. Unearth ancient secrets and witness a gripping saga hidden for millennia.
Why similar: Detective 40.1%, Text-Based 21.5%, Visual Novel 13.3%, Interactive Fiction 8.7%, Investigation 8.5%
- #52 The Deed: Dynasty
71% matchVery Positive82% of 1,028 reviews2016
Dev: Pilgrim AdventuresPub: GrabTheGames
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Getting away with murder has never been easy. These three members of a proud and noble family are separated by five centuries, but have in common a vengeful and murderous intent. Plans must be formed, blood must be spilled and evidence must be planted ...
Why similar: Detective 30.7%, Historical 16.9%, Choices Matter 13.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.9%, Story Rich 9.7%
- #53 Misty Judgment
65% matchVery Positive94% of 1,487 reviews2025
Dev: 次元边界
Windows
This is a suspense reasoning interactive work with real people. You will play the protagonist "Qi Yi", find evidence in a series of murders, piece together the truth, and find the ultimate murderer, all of which will lead you to an unpredictable future.
Why similar: Detective 33.7%, Interactive Fiction 16.1%, Investigation 14.6%, Multiple Endings 11.2%, Visual Novel 11%
- #54 Revolution: Young Mao
70% matchMostly Negative22% of 195 reviews2026
Dev: YunruPub: Revolt
Windows · Mac · Linux
Set around 1929, this interactive visual novel lets you relive the early Red Army's epic journey from a first-person perspective. Experience immersive historical narratives and make pivotal branching choices. Beware: wrong decisions will end your game!
Why similar: Historical 37%, Visual Novel 14.3%, Text-Based 12.9%, Dialogue Heavy 12.5%, Interactive Fiction 11.6%
- #55 鲤氏奇人异闻录
66% matchVery Positive98% of 109 reviews2024
Dev: 顽童计划
Windows
《明日方舟》同人游戏,以原作角色“老鲤”为主角,在二十年前的龙门,展开一系列解谜探案故事。
Why similar: Detective 33.6%, Visual Novel 24.9%, Text-Based 17%, Adventure 9%, Story Rich 8.6%
- #56 Kindaichi Mystery Series: The Honjin Murders
67% matchMostly Positive72% of 183 reviews2025
Dev: coly Inc.
Windows · Mac
Famous detective Kosuke Kindaichi's first case, the Honjin Murder Mystery. Honjin descendant Kenzo Ichiyanagi and his new wife Katsuko Kubo lay dead in a bed of blood on the night of their wedding. Kosuke Kindaichi searches for the truth about this locked room murder mystery. However...
Why similar: Detective 26.8%, Investigation 15.7%, Text-Based 12.8%, Interactive Fiction 12%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.7%
- #57 神都不良探 Underdog Detective
68% matchMostly Positive73% of 2,853 reviews2022
Dev: 天津芸芸科技有限公司
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 8.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Underdog Detective is a video-based playable, interactive story Set in the reign of Empress Wu Zetian of ancient China, you will play as a slum dweller in the imperial capital of Luoyang and embark on a thrilling yet comedic adventure! Traps and conspiracies, comradery and your unknown origin...
Why similar: Historical 33.5%, Choices Matter 17.3%, Multiple Endings 13.4%, Story Rich 11.5%, Visual Novel 10.5%
- #58 Esoteric Ebb
62% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 8,118 reviews2026
Dev: Christoffer BodegårdPub: Raw Fury
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 10.6 hrs≥1hr: 79%
Esoteric Ebb is a single-player CRPG inspired by the freedom of tabletop adventures. Unravel a political conspiracy with your goblin sidekick. Roll dice in tense encounters. Become a cleric of legends or completely ruin the campaign.
Why similar: CRPG 40.9%, Choices Matter 20.4%, Interactive Fiction 14%, Story Rich 13.8%, Visual Novel 5.8%
- #59 Deathless Death
67% matchMostly Positive72% of 865 reviews2024
Dev: Dream Delivery CenterPub: GCORES PUBLISHING
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 2.8 hrs≥1hr: 63%
In the quiet of conscience and shadows of sin, four souls find themselves entwined in crimes involving a woman. In this narrative puzzle game, you don the sacred robe of a priest, hear the confessions of sinners, uncover secrets, seek the truth behind their crimes and deliver the final judgment.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 28.4%, Visual Novel 22.8%, Multiple Endings 19.9%, Story Rich 17.7%, Adventure 8.3%