Games Like Retention

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: Interactive Fiction 19.2%, Drama 15.3%, Visual Novel 14.3%, Point & Click 12.7%, Casual 9%

Why You'll Like It: A short, deeply emotional interactive story that mirrors the highs and lows of a life journey through simple, evocative mechanics.

A woman alone in a house. A mystery and a love story. Explore the present to uncover the past, in a short story of love and loss and a life well-lived. A narrative exploration game that examines a world where memories are constantly fading and jumbled.

Why similar: Exploration 29.2%, Atmospheric 21.7%, Adventure 16.6%, Indie 14.6%, Casual 10.2%

Why You'll Like It: A short, powerful exploration of memory loss that forces the player to piece together a life story through fragmented objects.

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

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 46.6%, Indie 21.5%, Adventure 14.2%, Singleplayer 7.8%, 2D 6.6%

Why You'll Like It: This narrative-heavy masterpiece explores the concept of reliving a person's memories to fulfill their final wishes, matching the introspective tone of the seed game.

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: Interactive Fiction 26.3%, Cinematic 22.6%, Visual Novel 13.7%, Drama 11.6%, Minimalist 10.6%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven game that captures the struggle of creativity and the bittersweet nature of looking back at one's own life.

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: Drama 24.1%, Cinematic 22%, Atmospheric 17%, Adventure 12.8%, Indie 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: A beautiful, melancholic puzzle game about reliving memories to prevent a tragic loss, echoing the theme of reflecting on the past.

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: Point & Click 23.3%, Puzzle 12.3%, Adventure 9.8%, Atmospheric 9.3%, Interactive Fiction 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on reflecting on a lifetime of choices and regrets through a series of beautiful, interactive vignettes.

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: Interactive Fiction 32.6%, Point & Click 26.8%, Puzzle 13.5%, Atmospheric 8.8%, 2D 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: A point-and-click adventure that uses surreal imagery and puzzles to tell a poignant story about love and moving on from memories.

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: Visual Novel 31.5%, Interactive Fiction 30.1%, Drama 22.4%, 2D 6%, Adventure 4.9%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy experience that deals with the emotional weight of memory and the passage of time in a grounded, relatable way.

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

Why similar: Visual Novel 32.6%, Interactive Fiction 24.8%, Casual 12.2%, Indie 11.6%, Atmospheric 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: An intimate, diary-based narrative that explores memory and personal identity through the act of erasing and uncovering the past.

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: Visual Novel 23.8%, Drama 22.3%, Interactive Fiction 22%, Minimalist 14.5%, Simulation 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: A short, atmospheric visual novel that focuses on mystery and emotional drama, similar to the contemplative pacing of the seed game.

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

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 24.8%, Point & Click 20%, Visual Novel 16.8%, Minimalist 12.6%, Drama 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: A casual, interactive fiction title that captures the quiet, reflective moments of daily life.

7th Chance is a short (20-30 minute) story-based exploration adventure game. Waking up from a night of heavy drinking ... something isn't right.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 31.4%, Exploration 14.1%, Puzzle 13.8%, Point & Click 12.1%, Drama 10.1%

Why You'll Like It: An exploration-focused interactive fiction game that encourages players to piece together a narrative through environmental clues.

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: Cinematic 20.1%, Point & Click 18.6%, Interactive Fiction 12.4%, Drama 11.6%, Visual Novel 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: A game centered on exploring objects from the past to uncover the memories and emotions tied to a specific life story.

Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking.

Why similar: Life Sim 25.1%, Point & Click 17.5%, Puzzle 13.1%, Simulation 9.8%, Family Friendly 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: Tells a life story through the subtle, emotional act of organizing personal belongings across different stages of a character's life.

Coming home after visiting your doctor for the last time, you are told that you only have three more days to live. A sequence of short memory fragments flashing through as you try to run away from what you have done.

Why similar: Indie 57.9%, Adventure 42.1%

Why You'll Like It: A short, atmospheric walking simulator that emphasizes mood and personal reflection over complex mechanics.

An emotional and immersive game about a man named Will and the people close to him. Experience his life through a story about love, memories and hope.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 22.7%, Visual Novel 20.1%, Point & Click 19.8%, Drama 14%, Atmospheric 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: An emotional, interactive experience that explores the impact of a person's life on those they left behind.

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 20.2%, Point & Click 17%, Minimalist 14.6%, Visual Novel 12.4%, Drama 11%

Why You'll Like It: A semi-autobiographical game about the anxiety of transition and the bittersweet feeling of leaving a place that holds your memories.

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: Interactive Fiction 41.8%, Adventure 16.6%, Casual 14.8%, Atmospheric 10.1%, 2D 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: A highly emotional, interactive poem that uses memory and visual storytelling to explore the relationship between a mother and daughter.

Childhood friends reunite after spending a long time apart, revisiting old memories and rekindling their friendship. However, something beyond their control will ruin this reunion.

Why similar: Drama 20%, Visual Novel 16.9%, Realistic 15.4%, Minimalist 12.9%, Point & Click 12.8%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply emotional story about friendship and the difficulty of letting go of the past as life moves forward.

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: Interactive Fiction 21.1%, Point & Click 18.8%, Visual Novel 15.9%, Minimalist 14.4%, Drama 13.7%

Why You'll Like It: A casual, point-and-click visual novel that explores themes of memory and dreams through a short, focused story.

What if you lost all your memories? An emotional family drama seen through the eyes of a woman with Alzheimer's disease. As Annie’s life slowly unravels, uncover memories of her deceased brother as her past bleeds into the present.

Why similar: Drama 46.1%, Exploration 18.8%, Adventure 16.5%, Atmospheric 7.4%, Indie 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person narrative game that focuses on emotional drama and the importance of human connection.

Bottle is a very short game in which you play as an alcoholic man of solitude.

Why similar: Drama 25.7%, Exploration 24.5%, Atmospheric 16.9%, Realistic 15.2%, Adventure 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, linear exploration game that uses its setting to evoke a sense of loneliness and reflection.

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 54.7%, Indie 45.3%

Why You'll Like It: A minimalist indie adventure that focuses on delivering a concise, emotional narrative experience.

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: Interactive Fiction 28.4%, Point & Click 25%, Visual Novel 21.5%, Adventure 7.2%, 2D 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: A short, hand-drawn narrative experience that deals directly with the emotional weight of grief and memory.

June 7th, 1995. 1:15 AM. You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is empty. Something's not right. Where is everyone? And what's happened here? Unravel the mystery for yourself in Gone Home, a story exploration game from The Fullbright Company.

Why similar: Exploration 30.4%, Atmospheric 21.9%, Interactive Fiction 14.7%, Indie 14%, Adventure 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A quintessential exploration game that focuses on uncovering the personal history and hidden stories of a family through their belongings.

This is a puzzle game that combines text and images. Players use visual illusions to piece together fragments of memories from Alzheimer's patients, in order to reconstruct the truth of the story and witness the passage of time for three generations.

Why similar: Life Sim 18.2%, Interactive Fiction 17.3%, Point & Click 15.1%, Drama 14.9%, Puzzle 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A puzzle-adventure game that blends atmospheric exploration with a dramatic, personal narrative.

Don't Let Me Fade is an interactive adventure about memory, identity, and loss. Piece together fragments of a life - even if a simple teddy bear is the last symbol of connection to oneself in a world without time.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 28.8%, Point & Click 23.5%, Visual Novel 19.2%, Adventure 11.5%, Atmospheric 5.9%

A chronic illness simulator. You think you have a chronic illness, but you don't know what. All you know is you are always in some state of pain. You've been to too many doctors to count... but you still have to live your life.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 25.7%, Life Sim 24.4%, Visual Novel 18.1%, Minimalist 10.2%, Simulation 9.8%

Short visual novel about a guy and his cracks down relations. Help him decide what is best for him - his work or his girlfriend.

Why similar: Choose Your Own Adventure 34.9%, Visual Novel 32.6%, Casual 32.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, relaxing visual novel that prioritizes emotional storytelling and character reflection.

Life on the Hook - is a short story about the life of a lonely fisherman named Hrafn, who lives his life in a small house on a lake with a dock and an old boat.

Why similar: Drama 31%, Exploration 19.9%, Family Friendly 17.5%, Atmospheric 17.2%, Adventure 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric walking simulator that uses its environment to tell a story about personal history and reflection.

A small game about letting go. Stay up late. Smoke cigarettes. Talk to strangers. Think about what you've lost. Someone you used to love? Or someone you used to be?

Why similar: Point & Click 39.9%, Exploration 19.8%, Atmospheric 16.5%, Casual 12.5%, Adventure 11.4%

Why You'll Like It: A short, first-person exploration game that focuses on atmosphere and the quiet contemplation of one's surroundings.

A game about the short journey of a boy who left home. Experience a dense story in around 2 hours, along with rhythm gameplay and music puzzles. Enjoy live acoustic sounds and a story that feels like a musical film!

Why similar: Visual Novel 36.5%, Drama 26%, Puzzle 16.4%, Adventure 8.6%, Indie 6.3%

This small Narrative Point & Click (Puzzle) game is about the mental health struggles of a adolescent high school dropout who's lost at life. Find out what they're struggling with, you might even recognize some things from your own life.

Why similar: Point & Click 31.8%, Visual Novel 22.1%, Puzzle 13.8%, Atmospheric 11.1%, Simulation 10.6%

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: Interactive Fiction 17.1%, Point & Click 16.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.3%, Visual Novel 13.9%, Drama 12%

Driven by a rare neurological affliction plaguing his family, Joshua has to recover his memories by exploring parallel realities through déjà vu. Facing the innermost depths of his past – moments both joyous and painful – seems to be the only way to get his life and family back together.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 26.9%, Cinematic 25%, Drama 18.5%, Puzzle 11.1%, Exploration 10.3%

"Hold Me Still" is a point-and-click puzzle mystery game where you investigate your friend's disappearance by exploring their house, collecting clues, solving puzzles, and uncovering the truth.

Why similar: Point & Click 29.5%, Puzzle 14.2%, Drama 13.6%, Casual 12.4%, Exploration 10.1%

On a cold November night in a desolate estate deep in the mountains an innocent life has prematurely perished and its up to the player to find out who did it.

Why similar: Indie 43.8%, Visual Novel 35.9%, Adventure 20.3%

What do you do when you lose someone you love? A Taste of the Past is an emotional sidescroller about reconnecting with your Chinese culture while navigating a train to the afterlife. Featuring a wholesome story, cooking minigames, and hope.

Why similar: Life Sim 20.5%, Interactive Fiction 18%, Point & Click 16%, Visual Novel 13.9%, Drama 10.8%

An old farmer lives with his wife - However, he hasn't quite been himself lately. His mind wanders off, he forgets his daily routine and he often brings up things from the past. Forgotten, Not Lost comes from the creators of A More Beautiful World and is a kinetic novel that tackles the theme of dementia and is a visual novel that hopes...

Why similar: Casual 48.4%, Visual Novel 29.1%, Simulation 12%, Indie 7%, Singleplayer 3.5%

Plunge into the silence with Stephan, young musician that lost his hearing and, at the same time, the meaning of life.

Why similar: Visual Novel 41.9%, Drama 27.3%, Atmospheric 12.5%, Adventure 10.6%, Indie 4.4%

The End of You is a short, emotional narrative game about love lost, the ghosts of the past, and the painful crawl towards closure.

Why similar: Life Sim 34.9%, Drama 25.6%, Cinematic 19.4%, Atmospheric 11.1%, Realistic 9%

Depression The Game is an interactive game simulating major depression. You are joining a young man on one of his really bad days trying to handle his thoughts and survive that day... Will he?

Why similar: Life Sim 31.8%, Interactive Fiction 26.7%, Visual Novel 19%, Simulation 9.6%, Atmospheric 9.5%

Time is the only thing we can't resist. Some people and things will never be found once they are lost. In the dark, a man was walking alone. The moment when you turn back, don't forget the place where came from!

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 27.7%, Drama 19.2%, Visual Novel 16.6%, Atmospheric 9.4%, Exploration 8%

It’s 2035 in Buenos Aires, or where Buenos Aires used to be. You’ve just woken up in a hospital, and you can’t remember anything. All you know is you have to escape and find out what happened to the city. And how to save it.

Why similar: Adventure 78%, Point & Click 12.2%, Puzzle 3.2%, Indie 3.1%, Casual 1.9%

A short memoir of first love.

Why similar: Visual Novel 30.4%, Drama 27.2%, Puzzle 13.8%, Casual 9.8%, 2D 8.7%

After a series of events now shrouded in mystery, our protagonist - a young man - fell into a coma, losing all recollection of the person he used to be. He is given a clean slate. All that’s left to do now is to carefully and thoroughly investigate every facet of your former self.

Why similar: Visual Novel 25.3%, Cinematic 21.9%, Realistic 15.3%, Choose Your Own Adventure 14.9%, Drama 7.6%

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: Interactive Fiction 19.1%, Point & Click 17.2%, Cinematic 15.2%, Visual Novel 11.9%, Realistic 8.7%

The story of a soldier left alone in a bunker.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 34.2%, Realistic 17.2%, Drama 15.9%, Atmospheric 8.2%, 2D 7.9%

A short sci-fi visual novel about four scientists trapped in an underground lab. Explore their chat records to uncover the mysteries of Inturg Technologies. How can they escape their doom?

Why similar: Visual Novel 38.1%, Interactive Fiction 33%, Adventure 8.6%, Casual 7.9%, 2D 5%

Man I Just Wanna Go Home is an "MSPaint-noir" visual novel with 13 endings, a unique visual style and a killer 80s inspired soundtrack. The story revolves around a delivery person stranded in an unfamiliar part of the city under the devastating rain. All he wants is to get home. Help him!

Why similar: Choose Your Own Adventure 28.8%, Interactive Fiction 28.3%, Visual Novel 22%, 2D 6.5%, Casual 5.2%

Summer days and no one around. Routine feat. The agony of isolation and abandonment. No violence, no haste, no conflict, except fighting your doubts. Swifts, butterflies, sunset rays on the leaves of trees; radio, notebook and pencil; typewriter; bus; overwhelming loneliness.

Why similar: Life Sim 59.6%, Simulation 19.3%, Atmospheric 17.3%, Adventure 2.8%, Singleplayer 0.9%

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: Visual Novel 26.7%, Drama 21.1%, Interactive Fiction 12.7%, Adventure 9.5%, Casual 9.1%

As a young soldier returning to an eerily deserted home, you'll explore enigmatic rooms and uncover a haunting, tragic story. Experience an atmospheric journey filled with suspense, mysterious encounters, and a deep narrative.

Why similar: Drama 22.3%, Interactive Fiction 18.3%, Exploration 15.1%, Atmospheric 13.2%, Adventure 8%

Hitchhiker is a mystery game set along lost highways, where your goal is to solve the puzzle of your own backstory.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 24%, Drama 23%, Visual Novel 15.6%, Atmospheric 15.3%, Adventure 10.2%

W!LiB! is an interactive psychological thriller about suicide, based on personal experience. This is a story about a void in the soul, about search and loss of the life purpose in trying to save oneself and others. This is a life that can be lived your own way. For any life is beautiful... isn’t it?

Why similar: Point & Click 32.8%, Puzzle 13.9%, Simulation 13.7%, Atmospheric 9.9%, 2D 7.2%

This is a short story in a sci-fi setting with a top-down view, telling the story of a nameless man lost in routine in the middle of a cold world and soulless machines. But what if it could be different?

Why similar: Exploration 29.3%, Atmospheric 23.4%, Simulation 20.2%, Adventure 19.2%, Family Friendly 7.9%

An emotional point-and-click hard sci-fi adventure game about exploring an abandoned space station. Follow messages left by the long-gone staff to learn the outcome of the research team and the secrets they left behind.

Why similar: Point & Click 27%, Visual Novel 15.7%, Puzzle 15%, Exploration 14%, Atmospheric 8.7%

A short story point-and-click visual novel about the afterlife.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 31.5%, Visual Novel 26.3%, Adventure 12.7%, Drama 10.8%, 2D 7.1%

You woke up in some basement and don't remember who you are or how you ended up here... But what you do know is that you need to get out of here...

Why similar: Realistic 44.5%, Atmospheric 25%, Adventure 12.5%, Singleplayer 6.5%, Exploration 5.1%

"The Lost Valley" is a small game where you will play as a cyclist who will get in an accident. The protagonist finds himself in a great valley called "The Lost Valley". The bicycle is broken as a result of cliff falling and the protagonist has to move further on foot.

Why similar: Indie 41%, Simulation 25.3%, Adventure 17.4%, Casual 16.3%