Games Like Press Any Button

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: Experimental 28.7% ★, Philosophical 20.2%, Story Rich 19.2%, Emotional 17.1%, Narration 11%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply personal meta-narrative about game development and the relationship between a creator and their work.

OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist.

Why similar: Story Rich 31%, Pixel Graphics 23.7%, Choices Matter 19.6%, Cute 14.6%, 2D 7%

Why You'll Like It: A meta-fictional journey that acknowledges the player's presence and forces you to make difficult, emotional choices.

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 26% ★, Choices Matter 21%, Emotional 18.3%, Story Rich 11.1%, Narration 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: The definitive meta-narrative experience that constantly subverts player expectations and comments on game design.

In a creaky old tavern, in a forgotten corner of the video-game universe, a storm is raging. An anonymous caller suggests that there is a murder plot. Six video game protagonists are the only plausible suspects...

Why similar: Mystery 29.9%, Story Rich 26.9%, Pixel Graphics 16.3%, Choices Matter 8.2%, Dark 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: A meta-mystery that explores the history of game development through the eyes of various genre-specific characters.

Games can really show someone's personality, don't you think? By way of a simple exploration-based adventure, this data-science game analyzes your actions to estimate your personality.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 22.6%, Philosophical 20%, Emotional 19%, Story Rich 10.2%, Pixel Graphics 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: An experimental, short-form adventure that analyzes your choices to define your personality.

Thanks to next generation AI technology, BUDDY SIMULATOR 1984 simulates the experience of hanging out with a best buddy! Your buddy learns from you, constantly adapting to your interests and personality. But most importantly, your buddy can play games with you!

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 26.3%, Story Rich 25.7%, Pixel Graphics 21.1%, Cute 12.5%, 2D 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: An experimental game about an AI that learns to be your friend, blending nostalgia with psychological depth.

There is no game. So don't go messing things up by clicking everywhere. You don’t want to be kicked out of your video game world, do you? Of course not!

Why similar: Pixel Graphics 20.5%, Interactive Fiction 20%, Story Rich 19.9%, Romance 14%, Narration 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A hilarious and inventive meta-adventure that actively fights against the player to stop them from playing.

Pony Island is a suspense puzzle game in disguise. You are in limbo, trapped in a malevolent and malfunctioning arcade machine devised by the devil himself. It is not a game about ponies.

Why similar: Experimental 53.7% ★, Pixel Graphics 19.9%, Story Rich 9.2%, Dark 6.9%, 2D 4.6%

Why You'll Like It: A clever, genre-bending game that traps you inside a corrupted program you must dismantle from within.

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 25.8%, Interactive Fiction 18.9%, Drama 13.6%, Story Rich 10.5%, Pixel Graphics 10%

Why You'll Like It: A beautifully crafted, emotional narrative-driven game that captures the bittersweet nature of growing up.

The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.

Why similar: Romance 35.9%, Story Rich 25%, Cute 21.8%, Dark 13.5%, Casual 2.8%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological meta-narrative that uses the visual novel format to subvert expectations in unsettling ways.

No Longer Home is a game about letting go of the life you've built due to circumstances beyond your control. Immerse yourself in the lives of Bo and Ao and learn about their dreams, frustrations and fears. Welcome the magic of the everyday and somewhat extraordinary.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 21.4%, Emotional 21.4%, Philosophical 21.1%, Drama 11.3%, Story Rich 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: A minimalist, semi-autobiographical game about the transition into adulthood and the anxiety of leaving home.

Manipulate the world around you by editing source code in an adventure game about a burnt out indie game developer's quest to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Why similar: Game Development 53.6% ★, Emotional 16%, Story Rich 12.3%, Pixel Graphics 10.5%, 2D 3.6%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy game about the struggles of an indie developer trying to finish their passion project.

A short story about what sort of challenges everyday little things can be. Help the girl buy milk, be the first not to disappoint her.

Why similar: Experimental 37.9% ★, Interactive Fiction 17.1%, Philosophical 17.1%, Emotional 11.1%, Drama 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: A short, experimental, and deeply psychological experience that focuses on the internal struggle of its protagonist.

A short meta story about the struggles of procrastination, and never finishing the things you start. Help motivate me, and give me the confidence I need to finish something.

Why similar: Game Development 44.9% ★, Emotional 23.4%, Pixel Graphics 11.3%, Casual 7.2%, Choices Matter 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: A casual, meta-commentary on the process of creating a game and the choices developers face.

A pidgeon-doctor in a small town. A broken healthcare system. A heartfelt narrative game. Fall of Porcupine tells an emotional story about a young doctor who struggles to find his place. Accompany Finley in a lovingly illustrated world and uncover the darkest secrets of Porcupine.

Why similar: Emotional 24.4%, Interactive Fiction 23.1%, Story Rich 12.3%, Drama 11.1%, Choices Matter 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: A charming yet poignant story-rich game that addresses the burnout and emotional toll of the healthcare profession.

Stories Untold is a compilation tape of four experimental adventures, including a remaster of the original hit episode “The House Abandon”.

Why similar: Story Rich 67.2%, Mystery 23.9%, Indie 9%

Why You'll Like It: An experimental anthology of short, atmospheric stories that use unique interface mechanics to tell a cohesive, dark tale.

A short interactive story about love, depression and the corporation.

Why similar: Story Rich 47.9%, Dark 40.6%, Indie 11.5%

Why You'll Like It: A raw and unflinching look at depression that uses simple mechanics to deliver a powerful, story-rich experience.

"Same encounter, different world." Moon is a young woman who lives an ordinary city life as an office worker. However, because she suffers from depression, she reacts and deals with things in a way that is very different from regular city folk.

Why similar: Emotional 27.9%, Interactive Fiction 21.6%, Drama 17.9%, Story Rich 11.1%, Romance 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: A short, impactful game that uses simple mechanics to visualize the daily struggle of living with depression.

My dream is a Lost Memory is a short interactive story about having Déjà vu, realizing that this Déjà vu came to you because of a dream, and then wondering if that dream is actually a memory. It's a story about work, limitations and self-respect.

Why similar: Experimental 26.4% ★, Philosophical 21.1%, Interactive Fiction 18.8%, Drama 11.8%, Minimalist 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: A short, interactive fiction piece that focuses on emotional resonance and memory.

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: Emotional 35%, Philosophical 18%, Interactive Fiction 15.9%, Story Rich 13.4%, Drama 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: A unique, emotional narrative experience controlled by your actual blinks, making the story feel deeply personal.

Guilt Free is a visual novel crossed with a point and click made to offer perspective on mental health and eating disorders. Navigate a couple's rocky relationship and encounter "flaws" or "quirks" that may actually be symptomatic behaviors.

Why similar: Experimental 19.7% ★, Interactive Fiction 17.2%, Emotional 17.1%, Drama 11.9%, Choices Matter 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy visual novel that forces the player to confront the consequences of their choices.

Part interactive fiction, part Felis domesticus adventure, “Cats and the Other Lives” explores the reunion of a broken family from the perspective of their house cat, Aspen.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 21.2%, Emotional 18.4%, Drama 14.4%, Story Rich 10.6%, Investigation 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, narrative-focused game that explores family secrets through the eyes of a house cat.

A curated compilation of Deconstructeam's best efforts in seeking new narrative experiences in games. Explore 10 unique, offbeat tales including "De Tres al Cuarto," a brand new short experience exclusive to the compilation about a couple of two-bit comedians trying to make it big.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 34%, Emotional 23.2%, Drama 16.9%, Pixel Graphics 12.6%, 2D 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A collection of short, experimental narrative games that explore human connection and emotional complexity.

Classic Zork meets Existential Crisis. A modern text adventure that explores themes of control, isolation and mental health while levelling up the genre with beautiful pixel art.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 47%, Story Rich 24.4%, Pixel Graphics 15.6%, Choices Matter 7.8%, 2D 5%

Why You'll Like It: A meta-text adventure that plays with the limitations of the genre to create a surreal, psychological experience.

A short, emotional visual novel following a grieving man who relives memories of days long gone. An exploration of loss presented honestly and kinetically.

Why similar: Emotional 26.9%, Interactive Fiction 18.1%, Drama 17.7%, Mystery 13%, Story Rich 11%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused visual novel that uses its emotional narrative to explore themes of art and loss.

BatteryNote is a multi-ending sci-fi adventure visual novel game. You can recharge three robots with limited lifespans, bringing them back to life. Interact with them through conversations or experiment by applying high voltage. How they spend their final moments is entirely up to you.

Why similar: Emotional 32.4%, Philosophical 31.1%, Story Rich 13.3%, Pixel Graphics 11.9%, Choices Matter 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: A conversation-driven, emotional experience that uses a minimalist aesthetic to tell a story of connection.

A haiku platformer. It's short and vague.

Why similar: Experimental 36.1% ★, Emotional 19.7%, Interactive Fiction 15.2%, Mystery 9.4%, Story Rich 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: An experimental, surreal exploration game that focuses on the feeling of being stuck in life.

Late Bird is a short interactive story about birds, movies, suicidal thoughts and not growing up in time.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 34.6%, Experimental 25.3% ★, Drama 14.1%, Minimalist 7.7%, 2D 7%

Why You'll Like It: A simple, interactive fiction game that captures a quiet, reflective moment in time.

An algorithm decided to show you this. What now?

Why similar: Philosophical 33.7%, Experimental 27.3% ★, Interactive Fiction 17.5%, Mystery 12%, 2D 3.7%

Why You'll Like It: A philosophical visual novel that uses mystery and conversation to challenge the player's perspective.

A psychological interactive novel about a floppy disk with a mysterious program. Help Elliot cope with his mental issues and uncover the secret of the floppy disk.

Why similar: Philosophical 28.6%, Interactive Fiction 16.6%, Emotional 13.7%, Romance 11%, Choices Matter 9.1%

I have some memories of saying goodbye that I don't want to forget, so I turned them into 11 minigames and backed them up in this collection.

Why similar: Experimental 26.7% ★, Interactive Fiction 18.2%, Philosophical 17.2%, Emotional 15%, Story Rich 10.3%

Wake up, watch tv, make a cup of cofffee and try to bear your own meaningless existence.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 21.1%, Emotional 20.3%, Drama 15.3%, Mystery 13%, Minimalist 8.2%

Sadboy is a narrative video game...Telling a story about the sadboy's thoughts and challenges after his graduation. This is a game that could make you think about your life... Probably, you may have already been through what the sadboy was facing[/b]

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 76.7%, Casual 18.8%, Indie 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, indie interactive fiction game that explores themes of loneliness and emotional pain.

Escape a time loop as an overworked office employee by solving cryptic puzzles with alternate reality game elements.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 21.5%, Choices Matter 14.4%, Investigation 13%, Story Rich 12.7%, Pixel Graphics 10.8%

Alone in the forest glade he shared with his wife, a woodworker struggles to accept her passing. Help him hold on to cherished memories of their life together as he struggles to care for himself and his now empty home. Pine is a single-serving game focused on telling a beautiful, emotional tale.

Why similar: Emotional 31.5%, Interactive Fiction 21.4%, Romance 17%, Story Rich 12.6%, Cartoon 9.4%

TOMORROW DON'T COME is a contextual puzzle game about depression and how it feels to be stuck.

Why similar: Experimental 37% ★, Interactive Fiction 19.8%, Mystery 12.1%, Choices Matter 9.4%, Minimalist 6.6%

The world ends in 1 hour. It can't be saved. Wanna chat?

Why similar: Game Development 32.2% ★, Philosophical 17.1%, Emotional 16.3%, Interactive Fiction 12.8%, Drama 9.2%

In an AI-powered age where original authors have become largely redundant, play as a dejected writer on the brink of losing their creative drive forever.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 27.4%, Emotional 16.5%, Story Rich 13.6%, Drama 13.1%, Choices Matter 8.4%

A first-person, narrative-driven game featuring The Developer, who questions, taunts, and tests you at every turn. You shouldn’t press the button, but you’ll want to. You will have control, and you will have none. Power is in your hands... or is it? Inspired by classic narrative driven games.

Why similar: Emotional 34.4%, Choices Matter 21.9%, Mystery 16.3%, Narration 12.4%, Story Rich 11.4%

A short interactive essay on dreams, pressure, and expectations. Take part in an ancient ritual where one shot determines the fate of a generation.

Why similar: Philosophical 33.2%, Emotional 24.6%, Interactive Fiction 20.9%, Story Rich 10.8%, Pixel Graphics 6.7%

Snow, dullness, depression. Constant dissatisfaction with work and superiors and feeling like there is no escape. Is this what life will always be? Perhaps… but I can always hope for change to be just around the corner!…

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 22.6%, Emotional 20.6%, Romance 13.9%, Pixel Graphics 11.9%, Cartoon 10.1%

You've moved to a new house where the previous owner was murdered. They never found his head. But, it has found you.

Why similar: Experimental 30.3% ★, Philosophical 21.9%, Interactive Fiction 15%, Emotional 14.7%, Drama 10.5%

A short point & click narrative adventure inspired by the real life experience of a struggling solo indie game developer. A story about everything and hence nothing at all. Discover what truly matters to you.

Why similar: Philosophical 42.2%, Interactive Fiction 35.8%, 2D 8%, Dark 8%, Casual 5.9%

Home is where the stars are. An interactive bedtime story, for anyone who needs one. Take the bear and the little one on a deeply meaningful journey, as you experience stories of togetherness, of letting go and of finding a place you belong.

Why similar: Philosophical 28.5%, Interactive Fiction 26.8%, Emotional 14.4%, Story Rich 13.7%, Cute 6.2%

Cyberside Picnic is a eulogy for the cyberian commonplace that just eluded us. A love letter to a lost future of alternative video games, delete and overwrite.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 56.8%, Pixel Graphics 21.2%, 2D 12.6%, Casual 9.4%

It seems that there can be no more boring profession in the world than a pawnshop appraiser. But a meeting with a mysterious but pretty stranger changes Dan's idea of his job.

Why similar: Experimental 41.7% ★, Interactive Fiction 22.7%, Investigation 14.9%, Story Rich 10.9%, 2D 5%

Relive the days of the early internet and dive into this fictional video game era, where the 'Kinmoku Shark’ gaming system and its online social network 'Videoverse' were still popular…

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 22.8%, Emotional 19.2%, Drama 11.3%, Story Rich 11.3%, Choices Matter 9.4%

A visual novel about what it means to be human. A story about loneliness, self-identification, and the meaning of existence.

Why similar: Philosophical 42.6%, Emotional 27.9%, Interactive Fiction 20.1%, 2D 5.9%, Narration 3.5%

Every life has a story. Every story has regret. But what if you could change the past? LOVE is a puzzle game about finding the things we’ve lost in ourselves and the people who help us find them.

Why similar: Emotional 90.2%, Indie 9.8%

Disgraced knight-in-training Oren gets a second chance at life as an adventurer in this fantasy visual novel.

Why similar: Casual 35.5%, Story Rich 34.8%, 2D 26.6%, Indie 3.1%

Live the perfect day, break the cycle, and discover the truth about yourself in this short, quirky sci-fi mystery about freedom, choice, and loneliness.

Why similar: Philosophical 42%, Emotional 24.9%, Choices Matter 12.2%, Mystery 10.5%, Cute 6.1%

Anxiety Puppy is a 2D interactive narrative game that focuses on anxiety. In the game, anxiety is personified as a little puppy. Players will explore its story and try to coexist with it. Go find its traces and give it a hug.

Why similar: Emotional 26.7%, Interactive Fiction 25.6%, Drama 23.4%, Cute 9.3%, Cartoon 6.4%

An emotional dark comedy about robots doing therapy. In Robotherapy, you're a robot therapist in a dystopian society that killed all the humans, but is still not happy. Treat patients, meet weird robots and enter their minds. If killing all humans doesn't bring happiness, then what does?

Why similar: Emotional 23.6%, Philosophical 21.3%, Interactive Fiction 17.5%, Drama 12.8%, Story Rich 11.7%

A short game about an average white-collar worker who struggles to find meaning in a life full of constant overtime and isolation. After an accident lands him in the hospital, Mr. Saitou is spirited away to a strange fantasy world where an unexpected friend takes him on a life-changing adventure.

Why similar: Emotional 37.6%, Story Rich 19%, Pixel Graphics 15.6%, Interactive Fiction 11.8%, Cute 8.7%

The Novelist asks one central question: can you achieve your dreams without pushing away the people you love? The game focuses on Dan Kaplan, a novelist struggling to write the most important book of his career while trying to be the best husband and father he can be.

Why similar: Experimental 29.9% ★, Interactive Fiction 20.1%, Drama 12.9%, Story Rich 11.9%, Choices Matter 11.9%

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

Why similar: Emotional 32.7%, Interactive Fiction 26.7%, Story Rich 14.3%, Mystery 11%, Cute 6.3%

Enter the hauntingly beautiful shadow world of In His Time, a 2D puzzle-solving adventure game. There you will meet Olly and join him to solve puzzles throughout each step of his emotional journey of growth and self-discovery.

Why similar: Drama 33.4%, Story Rich 25%, 2D 13.8%, Dark 10.7%, Cute 9.5%

Make up for lost time with Once Again, If you could travel through time, who’s the first person you’d meet? An interactive story about a boy who spends his summers wandering between past and present... After meeting her, summer will never be the same again...Who is she, and what journey awaits you?

Why similar: Emotional 36.1%, Drama 22.4%, Story Rich 16.9%, Interactive Fiction 14%, Casual 6.3%

Join the investigation in Murder Is Game Over, a pixel art point-and-click game where you and Cleo try to solve the murder of a famous game designer. Can you uncover the clues and catch the killer before it's game over?

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 42.1%, Choices Matter 15.9%, Story Rich 15.5%, Pixel Graphics 12.9%, 2D 9.1%

A slow-paced life simulation and tidying up game about a cat, passion, transformation and growth. Categorizing cluttered everyday household items, navigating ever-changing life experiences, while gradually uncovering the joys and meaning of life through methodical space organization.

Why similar: Emotional 25.7%, Cartoon 20.4%, Cute 13.3%, Minimalist 10.9%, 2D 10.9%