Games Like Once Again

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: Narrative 19% ★, Female Protagonist 14.8%, Visual Novel 12.9%, Story Rich 10.2%, Casual 8%

Why You'll Like It: A short, interactive story that masterfully captures the highs and lows of a relationship through simple, evocative gameplay mechanics.

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: Narrative 36.3% ★, Emotional 26.6%, Story Rich 11.5%, Hand-drawn 6%, Interactive Fiction 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game uses a unique blink-detection mechanic to deliver a deeply emotional and fleeting story about life and memory.

A magical adventure about two high school sweethearts set at the end of their school days - and the end of the world. Explore a crumbling town and help friends face their inner demons, which could be the key to stopping reality itself disintegrating. And don’t forget to pet the cats.

Why similar: Emotional 46.7%, Story Rich 24.9%, Adventure 8.8%, Puzzle 8.7%, Relaxing 5.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game perfectly mirrors the nostalgic, time-bending emotional journey of a young protagonist dealing with personal growth and bittersweet memories.

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

Why similar: Emotional 34.2%, Story Rich 31%, Indie 10.6%, Interactive Fiction 8.5%, Adventure 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: A seminal emotional narrative experience that, like Once Again, uses a unique premise to explore the depths of human connection and regret.

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 25.4%, Hand-drawn 15.6%, Colorful 12.3%, Interactive Fiction 12.1%, Story Rich 11.9%

Why You'll Like It: A wordless, point-and-click adventure that uses surreal imagery and music to tell a touching story of love and loss.

Echo of Starsong is a visual novel style adventure game. Eda, a girl who can hear mysterious sound waves known as starsong, crosses paths with a young man in search of their source. Together, they venture out to the heart of space to unravel an ancient myth.

Why similar: Soundtrack 20% ★, Emotional 17.9%, Visual Novel 17.2%, Female Protagonist 14.3%, Story Rich 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: An expansive, emotional story that blends sci-fi elements with a deeply personal journey of connection and discovery.

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: Time Travel 28.3% ★, Story Rich 21.3%, Adventure 13.9%, Emotional 12%, Indie 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: A beautiful, interactive tale about time manipulation and the desperate, emotional attempt to change the past for a loved one.

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: Time Travel 34.9% ★, Female Protagonist 19.6%, Emotional 19.6%, Story Rich 10.7%, Adventure 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal puzzle game that uses time manipulation to explore the nostalgic memories and friendship of two neighbors.

A fateful meeting sets off a chain reaction, upending Mark's life. People disappear and memories prove unreliable. Uncover a hidden truth with Mark and his friends in this narrative adventure and race to unravel the mystery before it's too late.

Why similar: Emotional 31%, Visual Novel 28.5%, Story Rich 13.9%, Interactive Fiction 10.2%, Colorful 4.9%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy visual novel that captures the feeling of growing up and the weight of past decisions in a beautifully realized world.

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: Narrative 28.7% ★, Emotional 17.2%, Female Protagonist 13.8%, Hand-drawn 9.3%, Story Rich 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: A stunning, hand-painted narrative game that focuses on childhood nostalgia and the rediscovery of past memories.

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: Narrative 31.3% ★, Female Protagonist 18.6%, Hand-drawn 13.2%, Story Rich 11.1%, Interactive Fiction 9%

Why You'll Like It: An artistic, short-form narrative experience that focuses on the emotional resonance of art and memory.

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: Emotional 21.5%, Female Protagonist 17.1%, Adventure 13.3%, Interactive Fiction 12.5%, Casual 11%

Why You'll Like It: An interactive poem that uses visual storytelling to explore the complex relationship between a mother and daughter.

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: Narrative 19.9% ★, Emotional 17.4%, Visual Novel 13.9%, Female Protagonist 13.3%, Story Rich 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: A heartfelt story told through the pages of a diary that combines platforming with a moving narrative about coping with change.

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: Narrative 20.8% ★, Soundtrack 17.9% ★, Emotional 12.7%, Female Protagonist 11.4%, Visual Novel 10%

Why You'll Like It: A short, narrative-driven game that uses cooking and cultural memory to tell a poignant story about family and heritage.

If Found... is a game about going home, coming out and erasing everything.

Why similar: Visual Novel 24.5%, Female Protagonist 17.6%, Emotional 14.4%, Story Rich 10.1%, Casual 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: An intimate, hand-drawn visual novel that explores themes of identity and connection through a deeply personal diary format.

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: Narrative 23.6% ★, Visual Novel 18.2%, Female Protagonist 17.5%, Story Rich 9.5%, Colorful 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: A charming, narrative-focused adventure that takes place over a single day, emphasizing the importance of small choices and emotional closure.

Years after a boy genius named Evan disappears, a bizarre letter arrives. Evan wants a girl named Dysis to come find him. As Dysis, you’ll need to solve an intricate series of puzzles to unravel the entire mystery—and bring Evan home.

Why similar: Visual Novel 24.3%, Female Protagonist 24%, Story Rich 12.6%, Colorful 12%, Casual 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-filled visual novel that balances puzzle-platforming with a character-driven story about searching for someone lost.

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: Emotional 18.2%, Female Protagonist 16.8%, Narrative 14.1% ★, Visual Novel 11.6%, Story Rich 10%

Why You'll Like It: An exploration game that uses everyday objects to trigger memories and piece together a life story.

What Comes After is a side-scrolling adventure and a short heartwarming story about learning how to love yourself. Help Vivi in her journey on the train to the afterlife and back.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 23.6%, Interactive Fiction 22.3%, Emotional 19.6%, Story Rich 9.1%, Adventure 8%

Why You'll Like It: A short, meditative experience that explores the afterlife and the emotional weight of saying goodbye.

You can't save him... but what if you could meet him again? Unquiet Grey is a heartbreaking timeloop visual novel about a troubled young woman and the kind-hearted musician she loves through countless lifetimes.

Why similar: Emotional 21.6%, Time Travel 19.2% ★, Visual Novel 18%, Female Protagonist 17.4%, Hand-drawn 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: An emotional visual novel that explores themes of romance and memory with a focus on character-driven dialogue.

Two doctors traverse backwards through a dying man's memories to fulfill his last wish. This is To the Moon's standalone sequel, but can also be played first.

Why similar: Emotional 33.6%, Female Protagonist 22.1%, Story Rich 16.3%, Interactive Fiction 12.5%, Adventure 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: As a spiritual successor to To the Moon, this game continues the tradition of deeply emotional, story-driven exploration of a life well-lived.

🚗 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: Emotional 23.7%, Soundtrack 19% ★, Narrative 17.7% ★, Female Protagonist 12.1%, Colorful 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: A choice-driven narrative game that focuses on the emotional bond between a mother and son during a final road trip.

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 32.4%, Hand-drawn 17.2%, Story Rich 9.9%, Indie 9%, Colorful 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A visually stunning game that uses color and platforming to represent the emotional journey of processing grief.

Forgotten Fields is a game about yearning and nostalgia. Play as Sid - a struggling writer who travels back to his childhood home one last time before it's sold off. Visit old friends, relive memories and play through sections of Sid's book in this warm game about the passage of time.

Why similar: Narrative 28.3% ★, Soundtrack 14.4% ★, Emotional 13.5%, Visual Novel 11.5%, Story Rich 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy, narrative-focused game about a writer struggling with inspiration and the nostalgia of his childhood home.

Revisit and repeat the final moments of China's turn of the century in this narrative puzzle adventure. Play a 6th-grade student and greet classmates, explore secrets, play mini-4WD, or just wander around town. Make your choices to create a perfect day for everyone!

Why similar: Time Travel 30% ★, Emotional 18.5%, Hand-drawn 10.5%, Story Rich 9.4%, Interactive Fiction 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: A nostalgic adventure that allows players to relive a specific day in the 90s, focusing on the choices that define childhood.

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: Visual Novel 30%, Emotional 23.1%, Story Rich 14.9%, Interactive Fiction 11.9%, Casual 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy, dialogue-heavy game that focuses on listening to the personal stories and emotional struggles of patrons in a relaxing setting.

Spiritfarer® is a cozy management game about dying. As ferrymaster to the deceased, build a boat to explore the world, care for your spirit friends, and release them into the afterlife. The Spiritfarer Farewell Edition includes the heartwarming base game and three major content updates.

Why similar: Emotional 32.8%, Female Protagonist 18.2%, Hand-drawn 15.4%, Story Rich 15.4%, Adventure 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: A beautiful, hand-drawn game about death and letting go that focuses on building emotional bonds with characters before they depart.

A strange incident turns the life of an ordinary young man upside down when, having fallen asleep on a regular train commute, he wakes up in another country... in a body of a Japanese student! An unforgettable summer adventure awaits, promising many fateful meetings and momentous occasions.

Why similar: Narrative 27.4% ★, Emotional 20.1%, Visual Novel 18.2%, Story Rich 8.7%, Interactive Fiction 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: A visual novel that leans into the summer-themed nostalgia and romance found in Once Again.

A narrative puzzle game with themes of love, fate and time. Follow the life stories of the two main characters and influence their destinies through interactions and choices. The game combines hand-drawn style and an immersive interactive experience to explore a profound journey of love and choice.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 17%, Visual Novel 16.8%, Emotional 16.5%, Hand-drawn 14.3%, Colorful 8.4%

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: Narrative 17.8% ★, Soundtrack 15.6% ★, Emotional 12.1%, Female Protagonist 11.4%, Visual Novel 10.5%

OPUS: Prism Peak is a narrative adventure where you play as a weary photographer stranded in the Dusklands, traveling with a girl who's lost her memories. Together, you'll uncover the mysteries of this land through your camera and find your way home.

Why similar: Soundtrack 21.8% ★, Narrative 20.4% ★, Emotional 16.3%, Visual Novel 13.7%, Female Protagonist 10.2%

Explore a deeply emotional story about love and sacrifice, and the hope that exists in us all.

Why similar: Visual Novel 27.7%, Female Protagonist 19.2%, Adventure 17.3%, Casual 13.4%, Indie 12.2%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric visual novel that emphasizes emotional storytelling and a sense of wonder in its narrative delivery.

A Camping Story starring: Uncle Brad, Aunt Cloanne, Mord (and Ben)

Why similar: Casual 49.4%, Indie 41.5%, Story Rich 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: A short, cozy narrative game that captures the awkward and sweet moments of a family camping trip.

An adventure shattering stereotypes, a psychological experiment forcing a struggle within oneself. The tale of a girl with magical abilities who loses her beloved. Will she have a chance to turn back time? It's up to you!

Why similar: Time Travel 29.9% ★, Visual Novel 17.8%, Soundtrack 17% ★, Hand-drawn 11%, Female Protagonist 9.9%

Rue Valley is a narrative adventure about a man trapped in a time loop, surrounded by a colorful cast with complex emotional stories, each hiding unexpected secrets. Dealing with mental challenges, the main character must delve into the anomaly to uncover its enigmatic origins.

Why similar: Time Travel 22% ★, Narrative 20.5% ★, Emotional 14.2%, Visual Novel 12.5%, Story Rich 7.4%

Dive into the boundless galaxy and embark on an emotional adventure! Help little robot Emeth to fulfill a century-old promise by finding Earth in order to save Mankind—so step into the spaceship, operate a deep space telescope, and find out what’s out there in the unknown.

Why similar: Visual Novel 18.7%, Female Protagonist 16.3%, Emotional 14.9%, Story Rich 11.2%, Colorful 8%

NICE TO MEET YOU, AGAIN is a dramatic story by veteran visual novel developer, Purple software. How would you rewrite your life if given the chance to travel 13 years in to the past?

Why similar: Visual Novel 38.4%, Emotional 27.8%, Casual 21.4%, Story Rich 10.9%, Singleplayer 1.5%

Shanghai Summer is an adventure game set in the millennium. Our protagonist, Baichuan, goes through a series of "anomalies" over the length of twelve days. In his pursuit of the truth, he found that his hopes and regrets from the past finally seem to converge. Will he be able to "fix" it for good?

Why similar: Time Travel 33.8% ★, Visual Novel 19.6%, Hand-drawn 12%, Story Rich 11.2%, Interactive Fiction 8.1%

Embark on a journey of forgiveness through impossible environments and illusionary puzzles. Experience this meditative and calming puzzle game by manipulating monuments and creating evolving paths to explore new, surreal, and mysterious worlds.

Why similar: Design & Illustration 31.6% ★, Emotional 18.4%, Female Protagonist 17.9%, Adventure 8.1%, Puzzle 7.6%

A boy who can no longer hear the piano, living in the shadow of his gifted younger brother; a karate girl who is more than a friend but not yet a lover; and a girl with future memories. As past and future entwine, where will this triangle lead in this fleeting, bittersweet summer love story?

Why similar: Visual Novel 30.9%, Emotional 26.1%, Story Rich 13.3%, Adventure 12.4%, Casual 10%

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: Time Travel 20.4% ★, Soundtrack 16.7% ★, Female Protagonist 14.8%, Emotional 11.3%, Hand-drawn 9.9%

Dullpain is a side-scrolling, interaction, and storytelling game. Playing as Jingwen, a young boss of a long-established repair shop, you need to repair not only everyday items, also memories. You can enjoy dull-pain and breathtaking stories in different time and space and redefine the end of story.

Why similar: Time Travel 28.2% ★, Emotional 22.7%, Visual Novel 17.2%, Story Rich 10.5%, Interactive Fiction 9.5%

If she leaves now you will never see her again. Would you have enough courage to take a step, or would you stay quiet and regret it? Experience this story about love and loss.

Why similar: Emotional 24.1%, Visual Novel 23.2%, Female Protagonist 15.3%, Story Rich 12.4%, Colorful 10.4%

Extra Coin is a story-rich life sim set between the real world and a virtual utopia: explore the city, do activities, and face your opponents. Would you rather respect the Loop or break it to find your lost parents?

Why similar: Soundtrack 31.4% ★, Emotional 18.7%, Female Protagonist 17.7%, Story Rich 11.4%, Colorful 8.1%

Enter the pages of the hand painted world of Journal. A journey through the life of a young and troubled girl as she tries to face up to the choices and responsibilities that come with childhood. An experience that questions the reliability of how we choose to remember events and explores the truths hidden within our dreams.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 28%, Hand-drawn 15.5%, Adventure 15%, Visual Novel 13.5%, Indie 12.1%

This is a visual novel about 60 minutes in length, telling a story of memories."Once'" is a story which will recall the experience of many individuals. Regardless of if you're in your springtime of life having full of dreams for the future, or if you're a matured adult who has already stepped into the society and owns a family,...

Why similar: Adventure 55.5%, Indie 44.5%

"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 54.2%, Puzzle 14.2%, Story Rich 12.9%, 2D Platformer 12.2%, 2D 3.3%

A live-action romance adventure with high-definition images from a first-person perspective. A love drama begins with a friend, a childhood friend, a junior from high school, a senior at a part-time job, an influencer you like, and a student you saved from a delinquent...

Why similar: Time Travel 47.4% ★, Emotional 19.7%, Adventure 10.7%, Casual 9.2%, Story Rich 8.3%

Summer comes again and again, and changes come quietly.

Why similar: Visual Novel 30.3%, Female Protagonist 26.1%, Emotional 12.9%, Adventure 7.8%, Casual 7.7%

Experience the stories of Haru, Erika, and Manami, a trio of friends navigating their feelings of love, connection, and just wanting to belong.

Why similar: Visual Novel 20.3%, Emotional 18.8%, Soundtrack 17.2% ★, Female Protagonist 15.8%, Story Rich 10.2%

Embark on an emotional journey of losing the love of one's life. Manipulate time, solve puzzles, reshape surroundings as you push forward into the bittersweet recollections of a past life. This is a story about happiness and hardship, joy and sorrow. A story that all of us will one day experience.

Why similar: Emotional 38.8%, Story Rich 17.2%, Colorful 16.3%, Adventure 8.7%, Relaxing 6.1%

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: Soundtrack 21.1% ★, Narrative 20.6% ★, Female Protagonist 14.3%, Hand-drawn 10.7%, Story Rich 9.2%

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: Visual Novel 27.8%, Emotional 20.8%, Female Protagonist 15%, Story Rich 14.3%, Adventure 11.1%

First loves. Family issues. Yokai. 'Last Time I Saw You' is a coming-of-age adventure set in 1980s Japan. Explore a haunted forest hiding a terrible secret, and interact with a vast cast of friendly and deceitful characters in this beautifully hand-drawn story with some light action elements.

Why similar: Narrative 34.9% ★, Emotional 22.8%, Hand-drawn 13.2%, Story Rich 11.4%, Colorful 6.4%

‘A Musical Story’ is a rhythm game set against a 70s backdrop. Explore the memories of Gabriel, a young man trying to come to terms with his situation through the connections to his musical memory.

Why similar: Emotional 22.3%, Visual Novel 15.6%, Story Rich 15.3%, Colorful 13.6%, Hand-drawn 12.3%

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 18.3%, Emotional 15.4%, Story Rich 14.3%, Colorful 11.8%, Interactive Fiction 8.9%

Love is in the air, but work, life, and spicy Ramen keep getting in the way! From 8 hours to 8 years, this time-jumping saga will change the way you feel about fate forever.

Why similar: Adventure 25.6%, Emotional 22.8%, Female Protagonist 20.1%, Indie 16.8%, Story Rich 11.6%

Run, jump, rewind, and avoid a time paradox? A time-traveling gal changes the past where she drank tapioca to prevent the extinction of humanity in this time-loop action puzzle game!

Why similar: Time Travel 77.5% ★, Puzzle 8.1%, Indie 7.8%, Singleplayer 3.4%, Adventure 3.2%

Rocket of Whispers is an award-winning post-apocalyptic adventure that follows two survivors on a journey to launch a space burial for the lost souls of their desolate world. Help them search the snowy wasteland for supplies and the courage to say goodbye.

Why similar: Emotional 19.7%, Visual Novel 17.3%, Female Protagonist 16.2%, Story Rich 10.3%, Colorful 9.2%

The story follows a phone call between Noah and his wife, Sarah as they recall pivotal moments in their relationship. Peer into Noah's memories and relive the couple's happiest moments through choice based dialogue, a unique art-style, and an original soundtrack in this fully voice acted experience.

Why similar: Visual Novel 24.5%, Soundtrack 17.6% ★, Narrative 17.2% ★, Colorful 8.9%, Story Rich 8.9%