- #1 Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy
97% matchVery Positive88% of 4,106 reviews2024
Dev: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 33.6 hrsMean: 52.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Join rookie attorney Apollo Justice and his mentor, the legendary Phoenix Wright, in this collection of 3 games! This title features 16 episodes (including previously DLC-only episodes) and supports English, French, German, Japanese Korean, and Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
Why similar: Detective 28.2%, Visual Novel 17.9%, Crime 12.5%, Mystery 10.2%, Great Soundtrack 9%
Why You'll Like It: It is the closest possible follow-up, offering more Ace Attorney courtroom battles, investigations, and character-driven mystery cases in the same style.
- #2 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
96% matchVery Positive94% of 9,045 reviews2021
Dev: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 11.4 hrsMean: 34.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Immerse yourself in a dramatic yet charming and witty world of evidence-gathering, deduction and courtroom battles with this double-pack of the adventures of rookie lawyer Ryunosuke.
Why similar: Detective 31.1%, Visual Novel 18.3%, Mystery 12.6%, Anime 9.8%, Great Soundtrack 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: This keeps the signature investigate-then-argue structure but refreshes it with historical cases, brilliant deductions, and some of the series' best writing.
- #3 Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 4,302 reviews2024
Dev: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 30.3 hrsMean: 33.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Miles Edgeworth's dramatic turnabouts take center stage! Experience both Ace Attorney Investigations games in one gorgeous collection! Investigate crime scenes and solve tough, intriguing cases through logic and deduction. When Edgeworth's past and present collide, his future begins!
Why similar: Detective 25.7%, Crime 16.4%, Visual Novel 14.2%, Mystery 12.1%, Great Soundtrack 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: It trades the courtroom focus for deeper crime-scene sleuthing and logic battles while preserving the same world, humor, and mystery design.
- #4 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
95% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 7,849 reviews2023
Dev: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 8.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, the classic puzzle-solving mystery adventure directed by Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi, is back! This long-awaited HD remaster features upgraded visuals and sound and new gallery content.
Why similar: Detective 28.8%, Mystery 14%, Great Soundtrack 10.8%, Story Rich 8.5%, Visual Novel 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: From Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi, it delivers the same clever writing, eccentric cast, and twisty mystery storytelling through puzzle-driven investigations.
- #5 Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 1,574 reviews2023
Dev: Diamondhenge Entertainment
Windows · Mac
Median: 12.0 hrsMean: 13.7 hrs≥1hr: 79%
In Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane, you play as a defense attorney who practices law in a world of fantasy and wizards. You must defend clients accused of various crimes committed using magic and use the rules of magic to prove them innocent.
Why similar: Visual Novel 28.2%, Mystery 19.1%, Detective 18.4%, Anime 15.7%, Story Rich 10.9%
Why You'll Like It: It is one of the most direct Ace Attorney-inspired indies, built around courtroom confrontations, testimony breakdowns, and over-the-top case drama.
- #6 Aviary Attorney
94% matchVery Positive95% of 2,252 reviews2015
Dev: Sketchy Logic
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 90%
The hottest bird lawyering game to come out of 1840s France! Join Jayjay Falcon and his witty apprentice, Sparrowson, as the two take on clients, interview witnesses, collect evidence, and deliver justice to the guilty.
Why similar: Detective 38.1%, Visual Novel 23%, Mystery 12.9%, Story Rich 8%, Great Soundtrack 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: This is essentially Ace Attorney filtered through 19th-century Paris and hand-drawn comedy, with courtroom defenses, investigations, and absurdly memorable witnesses.
- #7 Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
93% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 35,609 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.9 hrsMean: 22.8 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Investigate murders, search for clues and talk to your classmates to prepare for trial. There, you'll engage in deadly wordplay, going back and forth with suspects. Dissect their statements and fire their words back at them to expose their lies! There's only one way to survive—pull the trigger.
Why similar: Detective 29.4%, Great Soundtrack 16.1%, Visual Novel 15.8%, Mystery 12.2%, Anime 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: It swaps courtrooms for deadly class trials, but the appeal is very similar: investigate murders, spot contradictions, and break apart lies with style.
- #8 Trials of Innocence
91% matchVery Positive92% of 1,556 reviews2025
Dev: 猫龙游戏
Windows
Median: 19.1 hrsMean: 22.2 hrs≥1hr: 77%
Trials of Innocence is an indie courtroom detective game. Step into the shoes of the main character, rookie lawyer Luna Ray, and navigate her journey through the legal world. Unravel a shocking conspiracy that changes the fate of many, including herself, and confront her inner choices.
Why similar: Detective 28%, Crime 13.6%, Visual Novel 13.4%, Mystery 10.1%, Anime 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: This is another strong courtroom mystery game for players who specifically want more witness interrogation, legal drama, and anime-style storytelling.
- #9 Nina Aquila: Legal Eagle, Season One
92% matchVery Positive96% of 100 reviews2021
Dev: Tanuki-sama Studios
Windows · Linux
The chart-topping itch.io and Newgrounds indie hit comes to Steam, with a slew of enhancements and new features! Step into court as Nina Aquila, rookie defense attorney in this thrilling VN/adventure game hybrid, and fight for justice in a world where all anime genres exist at once!
Why similar: Detective 26.6%, Crime 14.2%, Visual Novel 13.4%, Mystery 10.4%, Anime 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: It closely channels Ace Attorney's legal-anime energy with case-based storytelling, cross-examination flavor, and a humorous tone.
- #10 AI: The Somnium Files
91% matchVery Positive92% of 9,101 reviews2019
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 15.1 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Play as detective Kaname Date on the case of an elusive serial killer in this thrilling, sci-fi murder mystery.
Why similar: Detective 31.2%, Visual Novel 18.7%, Mystery 13.5%, Anime 10.5%, Story Rich 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a similarly characterful blend of detective work, bizarre humor, and escalating mystery twists, just with more sci-fi and surrealism.
- #11 Murders on the Yangtze River
89% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 20,376 reviews2024
Dev: OMEGAMES STUDIO
Windows · Mac
Median: 11.4 hrsMean: 14.0 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 57.2%, Mystery 15.3%, Story Rich 13%, Puzzle 8.7%, Adventure 4.3%
Why You'll Like It: Its historical murder cases, deduction-heavy progression, and evidence-focused confrontations make it a strong fit for Ace Attorney fans.
- #12 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
90% matchVery Positive93% of 6,967 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 21.7 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Kidnapped and taken to an unfamiliar location, nine people find themselves forced to participate in a diabolical Nonary Game by an enigmatic mastermind called Zero. Why were they there? Why were they chosen to put their lives on the line? And more importantly, who can be trusted?
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.3%, Mystery 16.6%, Great Soundtrack 13.4%, Story Rich 12%, Detective 10.8%
Why You'll Like It: If your favorite part of Ace Attorney is unraveling layered mysteries through tense dialogue and puzzle solving, this is a superb next step.
- #13 Murder by Numbers
89% matchVery Positive84% of 1,650 reviews2020
Dev: MediatonicPub: The Irregular Corporation
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 12.7 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Solve Pixel Puzzles to find clues. Use those clues to interrogate witnesses. Work your way to the truth... ...and uncover the mystery of Murder by Numbers!
Why similar: Detective 29.5%, Visual Novel 15.9%, Crime 15.2%, Mystery 9.4%, Anime 8%
Why You'll Like It: Its combination of colorful visual-novel mystery writing, evidence gathering, and stylish case-solving makes it feel like a gentler cousin to Ace Attorney.
- #14 Tangle Tower
88% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 5,973 reviews2019
Dev: SFB Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 6.7 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Unravel a thrilling mystery by exploring a strange and twisted mansion, discovering curious clues, interrogating peculiar suspects and solving unique puzzles. Will you be able to uncover the secrets of Tangle Tower?
Why similar: Detective 31%, Crime 11.6%, Visual Novel 10.9%, Mystery 8.5%, Point & Click 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: Its witty writing, eccentric suspects, and clue-based mystery solving capture a lot of the same charm as Ace Attorney, even without formal trials.
- #15 Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
87% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 30,083 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 10.8 hrsMean: 33.0 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Jabberwock Island—You and your classmates were ready for fun in the sun until Monokuma returned to restart his murderous game! Trapped in a kill-or-be-killed situation, your only hope rests in solving the island’s mysteries.
Why similar: Detective 32.7%, Great Soundtrack 16.2%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Mystery 11.3%, Anime 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: It keeps the investigation-and-trial loop of the first game while leaning even harder into outrageous twists and larger-than-life personalities.
- #16 Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
86% matchVery Positive83% of 21,767 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 9.2 hrsMean: 30.6 hrs≥1hr: 91%
A new cast of 16 characters find themselves kidnapped and imprisoned in a school. Inside, some will kill, some will die, and some will be punished. Reimagine what you thought high-stakes, fast-paced investigation was as you investigate twisted murder cases and condemn your new friends to death.
Why similar: Detective 32.2%, Visual Novel 16.5%, Great Soundtrack 15.8%, Mystery 11.4%, Anime 9.4%
Why You'll Like It: Like Ace Attorney at its most theatrical, it thrives on contradiction spotting, dramatic debates, and wild late-case reversals.
- #17 Master Magistrate
86% matchVery Positive91% of 206 reviews2020
Dev: IRODORIPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 5.1 hrsMean: 8.9 hrs≥1hr: 93%
The samurai detective visual novel! Solve crimes and pass judgment on vigilantes, officials, inventors, and brigands to protect a city of eternal cherry blossoms.
Why similar: Detective 34.8%, Visual Novel 18.7%, Mystery 12.5%, Great Soundtrack 11.8%, Anime 8%
Why You'll Like It: This blends visual-novel investigation with courtroom-style case resolution, making it one of the more mechanically relevant non-Ace Attorney alternatives.
- #18 428: Shibuya Scramble
85% matchVery Positive95% of 3,587 reviews2018
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 11.9 hrs≥1hr: 82%
A kidnapping on the streets of Shibuya brings together a hot-blooded detective, hard-hitting journalist, former gang leader, the head researcher of a big pharma manufacturer and a part-timer stuck in cat costume for a series of events each more unexpected and outrageous than the last.
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.3%, Mystery 18.9%, Detective 17.8%, Great Soundtrack 13.5%, Story Rich 10.8%
Why You'll Like It: Though more nonlinear and grounded, it shares Ace Attorney's love of suspense, big reveals, and juggling multiple perspectives in a tightly plotted mystery.
- #19 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
83% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 6,520 reviews2023
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.6 hrsMean: 10.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
How far would you go to bring someone back from the dead? Discover the depths that some will go to in this horror-adventure game.
Why similar: Visual Novel 31.5%, Mystery 20.7%, Anime 18%, Story Rich 13.1%, Point & Click 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: It delivers dense mystery plotting, memorable characters, and constant reveals in a story-rich format that strongly overlaps with Ace Attorney's appeal.
- #20 Unheard - Voices of Crime
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 32,839 reviews2019
Dev: NEXT Studios
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 7.5 hrs≥1hr: 78%
What if you could hear every word spoken at the scene of a crime? “Acoustic Detectives” wanted for testing our new device! Return aurally to crime scenes and use the voices you hear to identify potential suspects and solve the mysteries. What is it that’s connecting these seemingly unrelated cases?
Why similar: Detective 61.7%, Mystery 16%, Story Rich 7.8%, Puzzle 7.1%, Crime 3.3%
Why You'll Like It: Its entire design is about reconstructing crimes from evidence and testimony-like audio clues, which strongly matches Ace Attorney's deductive core.
- #21 Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments
84% matchVery Positive89% of 7,723 reviews2014
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Become the most celebrated detective of all time: Sherlock Holmes! Use your impressive talents as a detective to solve six thrilling and varied cases: murders, missing persons, spectacular thefts and numerous investigations that sometimes lead you into the realms of the fantastic.
Why similar: Detective 49.8%, Crime 16%, Mystery 13.4%, Story Rich 5.7%, Point & Click 4.6%
Why You'll Like It: It offers structured investigations, evidence interpretation, and case conclusions that scratch the same detective-work itch from a more grounded angle.
- #22 Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus
82% matchVery Positive81% of 1,984 reviews2024
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 13.2 hrsMean: 22.8 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Yuma, an amnesiac detective-in-training, and Shinigami, the spirit haunting him, tackle unsolved mysteries.
Why similar: Detective 43.2%, Anime 14.1%, Mystery 13.1%, Visual Novel 11.8%, Story Rich 10.7%
Why You'll Like It: It leans more action-adventure, but its anime mystery presentation, eccentric cast, and logic-driven murder cases make it an easy recommendation.
- #23 Little Locked Rooms
81% matchVery Positive89% of 132 reviews2024
Dev: riolucci
Windows · Linux
Grab your magnifying glass and peek inside a series of tiny dioramas filled with crimes and carefully crafted mysteries! Think outside the box and solve them all in this new brand of detective game!
Why similar: Detective 31.2%, Visual Novel 15.7%, Mystery 12.9%, Anime 10.6%, Crime 10.5%
Why You'll Like It: This indie mystery VN shares Ace Attorney's anime presentation, case-solving focus, and emphasis on unraveling compact whodunits through dialogue and logic.
- #24 The Case of the Golden Idol
80% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,171 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 39%, Mystery 17.2%, Crime 15.2%, Point & Click 9.4%, Story Rich 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: This is one of the best pure deduction games on Steam, rewarding the same kind of careful observation and logical reconstruction that Ace Attorney fans enjoy.
- #25 Detective Grimoire
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 2,328 reviews2014
Dev: SFB Games
Windows
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 4.4 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Detective Grimoire has been called to investigate a murder. The owner of a small tourist attraction, seemingly killed by the mythical creature his attraction is based around... Explore the area, inspect the crime scene, grill suspects, solve puzzles, hunt for clues & uncover the secret of the swamp!
Why similar: Detective 26.3%, Visual Novel 13.1%, Crime 12.4%, Point & Click 8%, Mystery 8%
Why You'll Like It: Its lighthearted humor, colorful characters, and clue-combining investigations give it a very approachable overlap with Ace Attorney's tone and structure.
- #26 Return of the Obra Dinn
81% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,398 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 49.8%, Mystery 19.3%, Great Soundtrack 13.6%, Story Rich 8.7%, Puzzle 6%
Why You'll Like It: It is less character-driven and more austere, but few games match its satisfaction of using tiny clues to definitively solve intertwined mysteries.
- #27 Persona 5 Royal
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 125,442 reviews2022
Dev: ATLUSPub: SEGA
Windows
Median: 32.0 hrsMean: 65.7 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Don the mask and join the Phantom Thieves of Hearts as they stage grand heists, infiltrate the minds of the corrupt, and make them change their ways!
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 39%, Anime 16.2%, Story Rich 14.9%, Visual Novel 14%, Detective 12.2%
- #28 AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative
79% matchVery Positive86% of 3,598 reviews2022
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 5.5 hrsMean: 16.3 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Special Agents Mizuki and Ryuki, along with their AI partners Aiba and Tama, are tasked to solve the bizarre Half Body serial killings in this sequel to the critically acclaimed AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES.
Why similar: Detective 35.2%, Visual Novel 19.4%, Mystery 16.2%, Crime 14.4%, Anime 11.8%
Why You'll Like It: This sequel continues the first game's blend of detective work, puzzle-like reasoning, and flamboyant mystery storytelling for players who want more of that style.
- #29 Persona 4 Golden
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 83,940 reviews2020
Dev: ATLUSPub: SEGA
Windows
Median: 12.9 hrsMean: 44.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A coming of age story that sets the protagonist and his friends on a journey kickstarted by a chain of serial murders.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 33.6%, Detective 20.3%, Anime 13.5%, Mystery 12.5%, Story Rich 12.1%
- #30 The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
77% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 24,770 reviews2023
Dev: SEGA
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.9 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 66%
Sonic the Hedgehog...was murdered!? Get to the bottom of the mystery in this brand-new adventure!
Why similar: Detective 30.7%, Visual Novel 20.2%, Mystery 14.4%, Point & Click 10.1%, Great Soundtrack 9.9%
- #31 The Centennial Case : A Shijima Story
78% matchMostly Positive80% of 1,102 reviews2022
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 11.0 hrsMean: 15.9 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Unravel the mysteries of death, and find the answers to life.A unique Mystery-Adventure Game:The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
Why similar: Detective 46%, Mystery 30.5%, Story Rich 16%, Adventure 5.7%, Singleplayer 1.7%
Why You'll Like It: If you want intricate murder mysteries and constant theory-building more than courtroom theatrics, this delivers an excellent case-solving narrative.
- #32 Detective Butler: Maiden Voyage Murder
79% matchVery Positive82% of 307 reviews2017
Dev: Goldbar Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 30 minMean: 10.4 hrs≥1hr: 28%
Follow Detective Butler and his sidekick Gilligan as they solve a locked-room murder during a haunted cruise ship's maiden voyage. Can you solve the mystery before Detective Butler reveals the answer?
Why similar: Detective 29.9%, Crime 15.3%, Visual Novel 15.1%, Mystery 13.4%, Anime 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: It is a smaller-scale but solid fit for players who mainly want a classic visual-novel murder mystery with interrogations and deduction.
- #33 STEINS;GATE
76% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 25,378 reviews2016
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 66.2 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus, STEINS;GATE was awarded Famitsu magazine's coveted annual Game of Excellence award and was voted one of the most emotionally charged “tear-inducing games” ever made, in a Famitsu poll. It is a gripping and moving Visual Novel, which has already spawned manga and anime adaptations.
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.1%, Great Soundtrack 24.8%, Anime 15.9%, Story Rich 14.6%, Mystery 7.3%
- #34 Staffer Case: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure
73% matchVery Positive94% of 3,907 reviews2023
Dev: Team Tetrapod
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.6 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Staffer Case is a new sort of mystery game, asking players to find clues, arrange them into documents, and point out the contradictions between them to solve a series of murders. Each mystery unraveled leads you closer to the truth lying at the heart of each case!
Why similar: Detective 36.1%, Crime 15.9%, Visual Novel 13.6%, Mystery 12.1%, Anime 8.5%
- #35 The Real Face of a VTuber
72% matchVery Positive93% of 276 reviews2026
Dev: 莉莉恩工作室Pub: WhisperGames
Windows
A narrative courtroom adventure all about VTubers! Players will take the role of prosecutor Justin Truth and investigate a murder at a VTuber agency, doing their best to uncover the identity of both the killer and VTuber's real face.
Why similar: Detective 26.4%, Crime 12.7%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Mystery 10%, Story Rich 6.8%
- #36 Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
76% matchVery Positive82% of 4,723 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 11.5 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Nine participants awaken, trapped in an underground facility. To escape, they must play a game with deadly consequences. Who will live, and who will die? The choice is yours. Let the Decision Game begin…
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.5%, Mystery 19%, Great Soundtrack 15.4%, Story Rich 13.3%, Anime 10%
- #37 STEINS;GATE: Linear Bounded Phenogram
74% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 1,225 reviews2019
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 129.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
A story for every lab member. Discover a new side of each STEINS;GATE character and get a glimpse of their inner thoughts through 10 new stories.
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.9%, Great Soundtrack 20.8%, Anime 16.9%, Story Rich 14.5%, Adventure 9.3%
- #38 Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
75% matchVery Positive83% of 6,923 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 17.1 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Komaru Naegi has been imprisoned inside a mysterious apartment for over a year. Her rescue is derailed when hundreds of Monokumas suddenly attack. She teams up with Toko Fukawa to survive the rampaging Monokumas, escape the crafty Monokuma Kids, and uncover the secrets of the city.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 23.5%, Anime 21.9%, Detective 16.9%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Story Rich 11.1%
- #39 STEINS;GATE 0
74% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 7,939 reviews2018
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 124.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
If you can't save the one you love… How can you save humanity? Sequel to the visual novel cult classic. Experience an alternate worldline of STEINS;GATE.
Why similar: Visual Novel 32.3%, Great Soundtrack 27.1%, Story Rich 16.1%, Anime 15.9%, Mystery 3.9%
- #40 Nancy Drew®: Alibi in Ashes
75% matchVery Positive90% of 269 reviews2011
Dev: HeR Interactive
Windows · Mac
Escape the Smoky Intrigue of a Hometown Inferno!
Why similar: Detective 30.8%, Great Soundtrack 17.6%, Classic 14.4% ★, Point & Click 12.5%, Story Rich 7.6%
- #41 Sam & Max Hit the Road
73% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 1,011 reviews2018
Dev: Lucasfilm
Windows · Mac
Median: 1.0 hrsMean: 3.3 hrs≥1hr: 49%
Grab your nightstick, squeal like a siren, and Hit the Road with Sam & Max, Freelance Police, as they attempt to crack their toughest case.
Why similar: Cult Classic 24.3% ★, Great Soundtrack 17.4%, Point & Click 13.2%, Classic 9.7% ★, Detective 9.3%
- #42 Nancy Drew®: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
73% matchVery Positive96% of 393 reviews2009
Dev: HeR Interactive
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 5.5 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Catch this train — it’s your ticket to solving a century-old mystery!
Why similar: Detective 28.8%, Great Soundtrack 18.5%, Classic 15.1% ★, Point & Click 11.9%, Story Rich 7.9%
- #43 Persona® 5 Strikers
71% matchVery Positive88% of 17,598 reviews2021
Dev: ATLUSPub: SEGA
Windows
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 22.7 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Join the Phantom Thieves and strike back against the corruption overtaking cities across Japan. A summer vacation with close friends takes a sudden turn as a distorted reality emerges; reveal the truth and redeem the hearts of those imprisoned at the center of the crisis!
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 49.1%, Anime 25.3%, Story Rich 15%, Adventure 4.5%, Funny 3%
- #44 The Darkside Detective
71% matchVery Positive94% of 5,075 reviews2017
Dev: Spooky DoorwayPub: Akupara Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 4.8 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Grab your trench coat, tune your sixth sense and join the Darkside Division as they investigate the outright bizarre, the downright dangerous and the confusing cases of Twin Lakes. Flesh-hungry tentacles, mafian zombies, and the occasional missing sock are no match for The Darkside Detective.
Why similar: Detective 40.4%, Mystery 14.7%, Point & Click 12.3%, Story Rich 10.3%, Funny 5.9%
- #45 Tokyo Detectives
72% matchMixed70% of 57 reviews2021
Dev: Rincho Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Detective Game. Murder Investigation. Interrogate witnesses. Rebut with evidence.
Why similar: Detective 33.8%, Crime 16.8%, Visual Novel 15.2%, Mystery 11.8%, Anime 9.8%
- #46 Nancy Drew®: Sea of Darkness
71% matchVery Positive93% of 222 reviews2017
Dev: HeR Interactive
Windows
Set a Course for Danger and Discovery!
Why similar: Detective 31.9%, Great Soundtrack 14.5%, Mystery 13%, Classic 11.1% ★, Point & Click 9.5%
- #47 Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.1 Onikakushi
69% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 6,215 reviews2015
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 21.9 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Higurashi When They Cry is a sound novel. The music, backgrounds and characters work together to create a world that is the stage of a novel for the user to read. They laugh and cry and get angry. The user takes the point of view of the protagonist to experience the story.
Why similar: Visual Novel 27.1%, Mystery 17.2%, Cult Classic 14.5% ★, Anime 12.4%, Great Soundtrack 10.7%
- #48 LumineNight
66% matchVery Positive90% of 479 reviews2024
Dev: Spickasoft
Windows
LumineNight is a story-driven detective adventure. Play as Detective Foster and his daughter to solve a series of murders spanning a decade. Interrogate suspects, infiltrate locations, solve puzzles, and gather evidence from crime scenes. Uncover the dark truth behind these killings.
Why similar: Detective 35.6%, Visual Novel 15.3%, Mystery 14.4%, Story Rich 9.6%, Anime 9.5%
- #49 Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot: The First Cases
69% matchMostly Positive76% of 1,367 reviews2021
Dev: Blazing GriffinPub: Microids
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.1 hrsMean: 10.1 hrs≥1hr: 75%
Discover an untold crime story from the mysterious youth of the famous detective Hercule Poirot.
Why similar: Detective 42%, Mystery 15.2%, Visual Novel 9.3%, Story Rich 8.9%, Crime 8.6%
- #50 Raging Loop
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 9,674 reviews2017
Dev: KEMCO
Windows
Median: 23.9 hrsMean: 58.6 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The feast has begun, can you escape the village alive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 33.5%, Detective 24.3%, Mystery 19.8%, Story Rich 11.2%, Anime 6.1%
- #51 Umineko When They Cry - Answer Arcs
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 1,457 reviews2017
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 24.7 hrsMean: 46.6 hrs≥1hr: 87%
This is the 2nd half of the Umineko When They Cry sound novel series, featuring episodes 5 through 8. This steam version features multi-language options, swap-able renewed character sprites, as well as the original BGMs and un-cut content.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 27%, Visual Novel 17.5%, Mystery 14.1%, Detective 13.1%, Cult Classic 12.5% ★
- #52 Nancy Drew®: Secret of the Scarlet Hand
70% matchVery Positive89% of 195 reviews2009
Dev: HeR Interactive
Windows
Expose Buried Secrets and Catch a Thief Red-handed!
Why similar: Detective 31.5%, Great Soundtrack 20.2%, Classic 15.5% ★, Point & Click 11.4%, Story Rich 7.2%
- #53 Persona 3 Reload
64% matchVery Positive94% of 54,437 reviews2024
Dev: ATLUSPub: SEGA
Windows
Median: 42.5 hrsMean: 58.1 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Dive into the Dark Hour and awaken the depths of your heart. Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era with cutting-edge graphics and gameplay.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 25.8%, Detective 19.9%, Visual Novel 15.8%, Anime 14.9%, Story Rich 11.1%
- #54 Nancy Drew®: Danger on Deception Island
70% matchVery Positive92% of 285 reviews2009
Dev: HeR Interactive
Windows
Plunge into Danger to Bring a Mysterious Island’s Secrets to the Surface!
Why similar: Detective 29.1%, Great Soundtrack 21%, Classic 15.2% ★, Point & Click 13.4%, Story Rich 8.9%
- #55 Nancy Drew®: Danger by Design
70% matchVery Positive83% of 175 reviews2009
Dev: HeR Interactive
Windows
Go Undercover in Paris and Unravel a Case in Style!
Why similar: Detective 31.2%, Great Soundtrack 19%, Classic 14.6% ★, Point & Click 12.2%, Story Rich 7.7%
- #56 Mohism: Battle of Words
67% matchMostly Positive78% of 606 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 29.3%, Visual Novel 16.9%, Crime 13%, Mystery 11%, Anime 7.9%
- #57 Umineko When They Cry - Question Arcs
67% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 2,634 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 13.9 hrsMean: 40.4 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Umineko When They Cry is the 2nd series of Sound Novel released by 07th Expansion. The steam version features renewed character sprites which is swappable from the classic art.
Why similar: Great Soundtrack 25.8%, Visual Novel 16.7%, Mystery 13.9%, Detective 13.7%, Cult Classic 13.6% ★
- #58 I Am The Prosecutor: No Evidence? No Problem!
68% matchMostly Positive76% of 50 reviews2021
Dev: Sigyaad Team
Windows
I Am The Prosecutor is a non-linear Visual Novel about defending a cute Tomboy named Sophie where you're given just 30 seconds to make the right choice each time. Help make Sophie's case against her abusive mother and give her much needed closure.
Why similar: Detective 41.9%, Visual Novel 21.9%, Anime 11.4%, Story Rich 11.2%, Puzzle 4.4%
- #59 Sam & Max Save the World
65% matchVery Positive94% of 1,934 reviews2020
Dev: Skunkape Games
Windows
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 7.0 hrs≥1hr: 75%
An open-and-shut case of petty vandalism balloons into a far-flung mind-control conspiracy involving former child stars, the media, the mafia, the government, the internet, and the bright side of the moon. Telltale's episodic classic, lovingly remastered by members of the original development team.
Why similar: Detective 30.8%, Point & Click 17.8%, Story Rich 9.9%, Comedy 8.6%, Puzzle 8.3%
- #60 誰是犯案者 Who is the Criminal
65% matchVery Positive95% of 58 reviews2021
Dev: 莉莉恩工作室
Windows
Set in school life, “Who is the Criminal” is a text-based adventure game featuring comedian and inference elements. With inquiring suspects and debating with “evildoers”, he gathers pieces of puzzles and reveals what truly happens in every incident.
Why similar: Detective 26.6%, Crime 13.6%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Mystery 10.1%, Anime 7.3%
