Games Like Portal 2 - The Final Hours

THE FINAL HOURS OF HALF-LIFE: ALYX is an interactive storybook, written by Geoff Keighley, that takes fans inside Valve Software to chronicle the company’s past decade of game development, including the return of Half-Life.

Why similar: Documentary 96.3% ★, Action 2.1%, Adventure 1.1%, Singleplayer 0.6%

Why You'll Like It: Created by the same author, this interactive documentary provides a deep dive into the development of Valve's return to the Half-Life universe.

Written over the past four years, journalist Geoff Keighley ("The Final Hours of Portal 2") chronicles the making of TITANFALL from Respawn Entertainment. This longform app features never-before-seen photos, video and concept art from early development versions of the game.

Why similar: Documentary 90% ★, Feature Film 8.2% ★, Action 1%, Story Rich 0.8%

Why You'll Like It: This is a direct companion piece to the seed game, offering an in-depth look at the development of another iconic title.

The emotional journey of four developers as they sacrifice money, health and sanity to realize their lifelong dreams of sharing their games with the world.

Why similar: Documentary 70.1% ★, Movie 23.9% ★, Feature Film 2.6% ★, Game Development 1.7% ★, Linear 0.8%

Why You'll Like It: A quintessential documentary that captures the emotional and creative struggles of independent game developers.

Play the history. Go behind the scenes of Jordan Mechner's landmark game Karateka in this interactive documentary from Digital Eclipse, with archival materials, video features, and more. Experience pixel-perfect versions of this legendary game, with all-new features.

Why similar: Documentary 80.4% ★, Game Development 13.4% ★, Linear 2.1%, Action 1.9%, Story Rich 1.8%

Why You'll Like It: An interactive documentary that explores the history and development of Jordan Mechner's classic game.

How did Crystal Dynamics reinvent Tomb Raider? The Final Hours of Tomb Raider is a digital book that takes you inside the studio during the four year development of this franchise reboot. Journalist Geoff Keighley chronicles the team’s journey, illustrating this 11,000 word story with never-before-seen art and videos from parts of the...

Why similar: Documentary 98% ★, Action 2%

Why You'll Like It: This interactive documentary captures the development journey of the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot with a similar format to the seed.

The "Perpetual Testing Initiative" has been expanded to allow you to design co-op puzzles for you and your friends!

Why similar: Story Rich 38.8%, Puzzle 38.1%, Action 16%, Singleplayer 7%

Why You'll Like It: The core experience that the seed game documents, featuring unparalleled puzzle design and dark humor.

Celebrate 40 years of Tetris® with 15+ games, a new game, and documentary videos

Why similar: Puzzle 97.1%, Singleplayer 2.9%

Why You'll Like It: This interactive experience serves as a historical documentary on the creation and legacy of one of the most important games ever made.

Portal™ is a new single player game from Valve. Set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories, Portal has been called one of the most innovative new games on the horizon and will offer gamers hours of unique gameplay.

Why similar: Puzzle 65.3%, Story Rich 15.5%, Action 8%, Singleplayer 6.1%, Adventure 5%

Why You'll Like It: The original masterpiece that established the unique physics-based puzzle mechanics and narrative style of the series.

Introducing Aperture Desk Job — a free playable short made for the Steam Deck, set in the universe of the modestly popular Portal games.

Why similar: Story Rich 43.4%, Action 29.8%, Singleplayer 15%, Adventure 11.8%

Why You'll Like It: A short, funny, and interactive experience set within the Portal universe that highlights Valve's signature style.

The Talos Principle 2 is a thought-provoking first-person puzzle experience that greatly expands on the first game's philosophical themes and stunning environments with increasingly mind-bending challenges.

Why similar: Puzzle 37.1%, Story Rich 34.6%, Linear 28.3%

Why You'll Like It: A philosophical, first-person puzzle game that matches the depth and intellectual challenge found in the Portal series.

Enter the Aperture Science Enrichment Center and experience Bridge Constructor Portal – the unique merging of the classic Portal™ and Bridge Constructor™ games.

Why similar: Puzzle 89.2%, Singleplayer 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: A clever spin-off that combines the physics-based building of Bridge Constructor with the iconic mechanics of the Portal series.

Perception is reality. In this mind-bending first-person puzzler, you escape a surreal dream world through solving impossible puzzles using the ambiguity of depth and perspective.

Why similar: Puzzle 48.9%, Story Rich 32.2%, Adventure 13%, Singleplayer 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: A mind-bending puzzle game that uses perspective-based mechanics similar to the creative problem-solving found in Portal.

Reawakened from stasis in the occupied metropolis of City 17, Gordon Freeman is joined by Alyx Vance as he leads a desperate human resistance. Experience the landmark first-person shooter packed with immersive world-building, boundary-pushing physics, and exhilarating combat.

Why similar: Story Rich 39.5%, Action 25%, Puzzle 15.5%, Adventure 12.6%, Singleplayer 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: A foundational Valve title that shares the same engine, physics-based gameplay, and storytelling DNA as Portal.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded re-imagining of 2013's The Stanley Parable. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will make a choice, and you will become powerless. You are not here to win. The Stanley Parable is a game that plays you.

Why similar: Game Development 48.3% ★, Emotional 22.4%, Story Rich 17.8%, Adventure 7.2%, Singleplayer 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: A meta-narrative game that shares the same dry, cynical humor and Valve-adjacent sensibilities.

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

Why similar: Story Rich 43.4%, Emotional 41.2%, Adventure 7.4%, Linear 5.4%, Singleplayer 2.6%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply emotional, story-driven experience that focuses on narrative over complex mechanics, much like the emotional beats of Portal 2.

Challenge perception, redefine reality, and reshape the world around you with an instant camera. Viewfinder is a new single player game offering gamers hours of interesting and fun experiences while uncovering the mysteries left behind.

Why similar: Puzzle 44.7%, Story Rich 29.4%, Adventure 18.3%, Singleplayer 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: An innovative puzzle game that challenges players to manipulate their environment through photography, echoing Portal's creative mechanics.

Relive Half-Life.

Why similar: Story Rich 45.7%, Action 28.2%, Adventure 17.2%, Singleplayer 9%

Why You'll Like It: A fan-made reimagining of the original Half-Life that demonstrates the passion and technical skill often found in the Valve community.

A completely self-contained portable version of one of the highest user-rated games. Built on an entirely new engine with new UI, support for Steam Deck, & more. Features world-bending puzzles, intriguing denizens, surreal environments, and a captivating story about the truth of the game's reality.

Why similar: Story Rich 33.7%, Puzzle 33.6%, Emotional 19.4%, Adventure 10.2%, Singleplayer 3%

Why You'll Like It: A meta-fictional puzzle game that breaks the fourth wall and creates a unique connection between the player and the game world.

Combining quirky missions and mysterious conspiracies, Psychonauts 2 is a platform-adventure game with cinematic style and tons of customizable psychic powers.

Why similar: Story Rich 55.2%, Adventure 20.2%, Action 16.4%, Singleplayer 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A story-rich platformer from Double Fine that features imaginative level design and a strong focus on narrative.

An immersive, narrative videogame that retells Joel Green’s 4-year fight against cancer through about two hours of poetic, imaginative gameplay that explores themes of faith, hope and love.

Why similar: Documentary 82.6% ★, Emotional 9%, Story Rich 5.8%, Adventure 2%, Singleplayer 0.6%

Why You'll Like It: An intensely emotional and autobiographical game that highlights the power of the medium to tell personal stories.

Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale journey from visionary Swedish film director, Josef Fares and top-tier developer Starbreeze Studios. Control both brothers at once as you experience co-op play in single player mode, like never before.

Why similar: Beautiful 36.3% ★, Emotional 22.5%, Story Rich 15.6%, Puzzle 11.2%, Adventure 11.1%

Why You'll Like It: A poignant, story-rich adventure that uses unique control mechanics to convey its emotional narrative.

Gorogoa is an elegant evolution of the puzzle genre, told through a beautifully hand-drawn story designed and illustrated by Jason Roberts. Winner of Debut Game at the 2018 BAFTA Games Awards, as well as Best Mobile Game and the Innovation Award at the GDC 2018 Choice Awards.

Why similar: Beautiful 61.3% ★, Puzzle 25.5%, Story Rich 7.4%, Adventure 4%, Singleplayer 1.9%

Why You'll Like It: A visually stunning and unique puzzle game that uses perspective and layering to tell a silent, emotional story.

You wake up, alone, on a strange island full of puzzles that will challenge and surprise you.

Why similar: Puzzle 63.1%, Beautiful 19.2% ★, Adventure 8.6%, Singleplayer 5.2%, Story Rich 3.8%

Why You'll Like It: A challenging, atmospheric puzzle game that rewards observation and logical deduction in a beautiful, isolated setting.

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: Story Rich 63.4%, Adventure 28.9%, Singleplayer 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy adventure game that excels at building atmosphere and character through dialogue and exploration.

What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she's the last one in her family left alive.

Why similar: Story Rich 60.9%, Emotional 13.3%, Adventure 11.6%, Puzzle 10.2%, Singleplayer 4%

Why You'll Like It: A masterclass in environmental storytelling that provides a deeply personal and unique narrative experience.

Baba Is You is a puzzle game where the rules you have to follow are present as blocks you can interact with. By manipulating them, you can change how the game works, repurpose things you find in the levels and cause surprising interactions!

Why similar: Puzzle 92.2%, Singleplayer 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: A brilliant puzzle game that forces players to rethink the rules of logic, appealing to the same analytical mindset as Portal.

Experience the critically acclaimed and award-winning Portal™ reimagined with full ray tracing and DLSS 4 in this free DLC for Portal owners. Start thinking with portals, with RTX on.

Why similar: Beautiful 63.7% ★, Puzzle 16.1%, Story Rich 9.8%, Action 8.3%, Singleplayer 2.1%

This prologue was created to present an overall concept of the main game through a pair of gameplay hours to introduce you to some of the game’s mechanics, creatures, and ideas.

Why similar: Linear 34%, Story Rich 28.5%, Action 18.9%, Adventure 16.3%, Singleplayer 2.1%

Build bridges, grow towers, terraform terrain, and fuel flying machines in the stunning followup to the multi-award winning World of Goo. The world is beautiful, dangerous, and evolving.

Why similar: Puzzle 73%, Adventure 24.6%, Singleplayer 2.4%

Hue is a vibrant, award-winning puzzle-adventure, where you alter the world by changing its background colour.

Why similar: Puzzle 58.4%, Adventure 26.5%, Story Rich 10.2%, Singleplayer 5%

World of Goo is a multiple award winning physics based puzzle / construction game made entirely by two guys.

Why similar: Puzzle 81.9%, Story Rich 10%, Singleplayer 8.2%

Valiant Hearts: Coming Home continues the story started with the award-winning Valiant Hearts: The Great War. This sequel continues and concludes the story of these ordinary people thrust into the extraordinary circumstances of World War I.

Why similar: Emotional 36.6%, Puzzle 29.8%, Adventure 21%, Story Rich 6.4%, Singleplayer 3.7%

Embark on the sci-fi epic that started it all at the dawn of modern VR, setting standards for roomscale movement and interaction for years to come. Winner of over 30 awards including "VR Game of the Year", The Gallery is VR's premier adventure series.

Why similar: Adventure 41.6%, Story Rich 31.3%, Puzzle 27.1%

From gameplay to visuals to music and imagination, BIT.TRIP BEAT is inspired by classic games in every way. Get sucked into a whole new world of sight and sound as you juggle beats and ride the vibe in this modern look at the beginning of it all. BIT.

Why similar: Action 92.4%, Singleplayer 7.6%

Uniquely presented as an hour long documentary film, The Mind of Marlo is a narrative driven adventure game focusing on love, loss and silly heads. Laugh and cry with Marlo as he gets to the bottom of his life changing condition, known as Spontaneous Silly Head Syndrome.

Why similar: Documentary 91.9% ★, Story Rich 3.6%, Adventure 2.4%, Puzzle 1.8%, Singleplayer 0.3%

Element4l is an immersive and experimental indie platform game, with a strong focus on flow and smooth gameplay, wrapped in an exceptional soundtrack by Mind Tree.

Why similar: Puzzle 57.5%, Action 38.5%, Singleplayer 4.1%

From the twisted puzzle minds behind the award winning Toki Tori comes a new game, simply called RUSH. Fortunately for fans of high quality puzzle games, RUSH is anything but simple. In the game's fully three dimensional levels, players need to guide cubes to color coded exit points using Conveyor belts, Warps, Stops Signs, Splits and...

Why similar: Puzzle 93.1%, Singleplayer 6.9%

Named Game of the Year by over 50 publications, Valve's debut title blends action and adventure with award-winning technology to create a frighteningly realistic world where players must think to survive. Also includes an exciting multiplayer mode that allows you to play against friends and enemies around the world.

Why similar: Story Rich 48.7%, Action 22.1%, Adventure 20.8%, Singleplayer 8.4%

Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets.

Why similar: Beautiful 87.4% ★, Adventure 6.8%, Story Rich 5.1%, Singleplayer 0.6%

The Beggar’s Ride is a unique and innovative Platform Puzzle Adventure Game where the player can manipulate the environment to solve puzzles in a deep and intriguing story of discovery.

Why similar: Beautiful 51.7% ★, Emotional 14.2%, Story Rich 11.6%, Puzzle 11.5%, Adventure 8.4%

A Zoë Mode production for the video game charity initiative OneBigGame, Chime pits gamers against the melody in this acclaimed puzzle experience.

Why similar: Puzzle 95.8%, Singleplayer 4.2%

The BAFTA award winning handmade puzzle adventure game made entirely by hand. Explore the city and use your ingenuity to piece together puzzling mechanisms and bring back power to this unique world. Three years in the making, it's handmade entirely out of paper, card, miniature lights and motors.

Why similar: Puzzle 50.9%, Adventure 30.1%, Story Rich 14.4%, Singleplayer 4.6%

Ride your music in more ways than ever before. Audiosurf 2 is the music game for your entire music collection. Hundreds of mods/skins on Workshop. Free demo available.

Why similar: Puzzle 65.5%, Singleplayer 23.3%, Action 11.2%

The Beginner's Guide is a narrative video game from Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable. It lasts about an hour and a half and has no traditional mechanics, no goals or objectives. Instead, it tells the story of a person struggling to deal with something they do not understand.

Why similar: Story Rich 49.1%, Emotional 33.4%, Adventure 10%, Singleplayer 4.8%, Puzzle 2.7%

Fast multiplayer action set in the Half-Life 2 universe! HL2's physics adds a new dimension to deathmatch play. Play straight deathmatch or try Combine vs. Resistance teamplay. Toss a toilet at your friend today!

Why similar: Action 95.1%, Adventure 3.8%, Singleplayer 1.1%

Behind every brilliant invention, hides a magical story. Guide a troop of tin soldiers through a magical toy-filled world, in this immersive narrative puzzle adventure game from members of the team that brought you Fable.

Why similar: Emotional 46.1%, Puzzle 19.8%, Story Rich 18.9%, Adventure 11.5%, Singleplayer 3.7%

Welcome to a breathtaking storyline full of portals, solving puzzles with an energy-absorbing weapon, and other adventures in a sci-fi atmosphere! Can you travel through parallel dimensions and uncover the secrets of your past?

Why similar: Story Rich 33.8%, Puzzle 33.2%, Action 15.2%, Adventure 13%, Singleplayer 4.8%

Half-Life: Alyx is Valve’s VR return to the Half-Life series. It’s the story of an impossible fight against a vicious alien race known as the Combine, set between the events of Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Playing as Alyx Vance, you are humanity’s only chance for survival.

Why similar: Beautiful 70.5% ★, Story Rich 15%, Action 6.3%, Adventure 5.8%, Singleplayer 2.4%

The Stanley Parable is a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have no choice. The game will end, the game will never end.

Why similar: Story Rich 38.7%, Adventure 28.7%, Puzzle 23.2%, Singleplayer 9.4%

A New Beginning is a cinematic adventure-thriller done graphic novel-style.

Why similar: Adventure 66.2%, Puzzle 26.8%, Singleplayer 7.1%

Released in 1997 as the original sequel to Myst, one of the best-selling puzzle adventure games of all time. Prepare to enter a world "torn asunder" by timeless, unresolved conflicts -- a world of incomparable beauty, intrigue, and betrayal.

Why similar: Beautiful 46.8% ★, Puzzle 24.1%, Story Rich 14.2%, Adventure 14%, Singleplayer 0.9%

Spectraball combines elements of platforming, puzzle solving, addictive gameplay, and stunning visuals to deliver an experience that sets a new standard for the genre. In addition, Spectraball utilizes Steamworks, offering full support for achievements and stat tracking.

Why similar: Puzzle 100%

Solve puzzles by creating portals and manipulating time. Inspired by Valve's Portal and Portal 2.

Why similar: Puzzle 60.9%, Action 30.9%, Singleplayer 8.2%

Journey through an epic storyline, collecting creatures to aid you in turn-based battles, avoiding traps and solving puzzles, completing thrilling quests, and uncovering the darker history of Pyli Kingdom in this RPG with a unique modern take on a classic beloved genre.

Why similar: Story Rich 59.4%, Adventure 31%, Singleplayer 9.6%

A Fisherman's Tale 2, sequel to the award-winning A Fisherman's Tale, is a new mind-bending VR puzzle-adventure. A poetic story with unique VR puzzle mechanics. Detach, Replace and Control your hands, solve puzzles, explore new locations and discover the truth.

Why similar: Linear 34.6%, Puzzle 29.9%, Story Rich 26%, Adventure 7.7%, Singleplayer 1.8%