Games Like Tacoma

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: Walking Simulator 54.6%, LGBTQ+ 6.2%, Female Protagonist 6%, Story Rich 6%, Narrative 5.7% ★

Why You'll Like It: Created by the same developers, this game shares the intimate, environmental storytelling style that defines Tacoma.

The Station is a first-person sci-fi mystery set on a space station sent to study a sentient alien civilization. Assuming the role of a recon specialist, players must unravel a mystery which will decide the fate of two civilizations.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.4%, Space 17.8%, Sci-fi 15.6%, Story Rich 11.9%, Adventure 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: Shares the exact premise of exploring a deserted space station to uncover what happened to the crew through environmental clues.

Observation is a sci-fi thriller uncovering what happened to Dr. Emma Fisher, and the crew of her mission, through the lens of the station’s artificial intelligence S.A.M.

Why similar: Space 24.5%, Sci-fi 18.5%, Adventure 15.6%, Indie 9.8%, Story Rich 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: You play as the station's AI, providing a unique perspective on a sci-fi disaster that mirrors the investigative feel of Tacoma.

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Why similar: Mystery 28.8%, Story Rich 21.6%, Walking Simulator 12.1%, Atmospheric 10.8%, First-Person 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: Features a core mechanic of observing past events to piece together a mystery, which is the perfect evolution of Tacoma's AR playback system.

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: Walking Simulator 33.7%, Story Rich 18.6%, Female Protagonist 9.1%, Mystery 8.5%, First-Person 7%

Why You'll Like It: A benchmark in narrative exploration games that uses unique vignettes to tell the stories of a family's history.

Answer the call from a mining base on Mars as engineer Jack Leary and search for the missing crew. Fort Solis will immerse you with cinematic visuals powered by UE 5 and voice acting of Roger Clark and Troy Baker. Explore the mining complex and reach climax of this narrative thriller experience.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.2%, Space 17.1%, Sci-fi 11.8%, Story Rich 9.4%, Narrative 9.3% ★

Why You'll Like It: A cinematic sci-fi thriller set on a remote space station that emphasizes narrative discovery and atmospheric tension.

Deliver Us The Moon is a Sci-Fi thriller set in an apocalyptic near future where Earth's natural resources are depleted. In an effort to solve the energy crisis, global powers created the World Space Agency and secured a promising new source of energy on the moon.

Why similar: Space 28.3%, Sci-fi 16.8%, Adventure 12.2%, Walking Simulator 10.3%, Story Rich 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: A grounded sci-fi adventure that captures the isolation and mystery of space exploration perfectly.

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: Walking Simulator 38.1%, Story Rich 14.3%, Mystery 10.4%, First-Person 8.1%, Atmospheric 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: Masterfully balances a personal, character-driven story with the exploration of a secluded, atmospheric environment.

Rethink human’s dominion in The Invincible: a story-driven adventure set in a hard sci-fi world by Stanisław Lem. Discover planet Regis III as scientist Yasna, use atompunk tools looking for a missing crew and face unforeseen threats. Make choices in a philosophical story that’s driven by science.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 26.4%, Space 13.6%, Sci-fi 12.5%, Female Protagonist 10.3%, Futuristic 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: A retro-futuristic sci-fi adventure that focuses on narrative, conversation, and the mystery of an alien planet.

The Turing Test is a challenging first-person puzzle game set on Jupiter’s moon, Europa. You are Ava Turing, an engineer for the International Space Agency (ISA) sent to discover the cause behind the disappearance of the ground crew stationed there.

Why similar: Space 25.1%, Sci-fi 21.9%, Female Protagonist 18.2%, First-Person 11.7%, Story Rich 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person sci-fi puzzle game featuring a female protagonist that explores themes of human consciousness and artificial intelligence.

Deliver Us Mars is an atmospheric sci-fi adventure taking you on a suspense-fuelled, high-stakes mission to recover the ARK colony ships stolen by the mysterious Outward.

Why similar: Space 25.6%, Sci-fi 21.3%, Female Protagonist 18.8%, Story Rich 15.3%, First-Person 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: Features a compelling female protagonist and a high-stakes sci-fi narrative that builds on the themes of its predecessor.

Named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer, and The Guardian, Outer Wilds is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop.

Why similar: Space 26.1%, Story Rich 12.7%, Mystery 12.1%, Exploration 11.6%, Sci-fi 11.5%

Why You'll Like It: An unparalleled space mystery game that rewards curiosity and piecing together the history of a lost civilization.

Event[0] is a sci-fi narrative exploration game where you build a relationship with a lonely spaceship computer to get home to Earth.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.6%, Space 19.6%, Sci-fi 9.5%, Mystery 9.2%, First-Person 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A unique sci-fi narrative game where you must communicate with a lonely AI to survive on a derelict space station.

An archaeologist uncovers a lost history in an ancient space Nebula. Award-winning narrative adventure game with hieroglyphic language puzzles, from the creators of 80 DAYS.

Why similar: Sci-fi 17.2%, Female Protagonist 15.7%, Narrative 13% ★, Mystery 12%, Space 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: An archaeological adventure with a strong female lead that focuses on deciphering a lost language to uncover historical truths.

Featuring a beautiful, detailed open-world and a haunting soundtrack, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is non-linear storytelling at its best.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 54.3%, Story Rich 8%, Atmospheric 6.4%, First-Person 4.8%, Great Soundtrack 4.7%

Why You'll Like It: A quintessential walking simulator that uses environmental storytelling to reveal the final moments of a small town.

From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent comes SOMA, a sci-fi horror game set below the waves of the Atlantic ocean. Struggle to survive a hostile world that will make you question your very existence.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 29.2%, Sci-fi 17.1%, Story Rich 12.4%, First-Person 8.7%, Exploration 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: Set in an underwater research facility, this game delivers a deep, philosophical sci-fi narrative that explores the nature of consciousness.

ADR1FT is the story of an astronaut who wakes up floating silently in space amongst the debris of destroyed space station…the only survivor of a catastrophic event, left with no memory, a critically damaged EVA suit leaking oxygen and no way home.

Why similar: Space 32.6%, Walking Simulator 27.8%, First-Person 8.7%, Adventure 8.3%, Sci-fi 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the isolation and beauty of space, tasking the player with exploring a destroyed station to survive.

A new sci-fi adventure from Cyan, the creators of Myst. Abducted far across the universe, you find yourself on a broken alien landscape with odd pieces of Earth. Explore, uncover, solve, and find a way to make it home.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.6%, Adventure 13.5%, Mystery 12.7%, Exploration 12.5%, First-Person 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: A puzzle-heavy exploration game from the creators of Myst that excels at building a sense of wonder and mystery.

Join Norah, a woman plagued by a mysterious illness, in her search for her missing husband in this adventure puzzle game set on a lush island paradise. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and unlock forbidden secrets in a moving tale of mystery and love.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.1%, Female Protagonist 17.3%, Story Rich 13.9%, First-Person 10.4%, Mystery 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: A beautiful narrative mystery game featuring a female protagonist searching for her missing husband in a strange, atmospheric setting.

Virginia is a single-player first-person thriller set in a small town with a secret. Experience a missing person investigation through the eyes of graduate FBI agent Anne Tarver.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 33%, Female Protagonist 15.9%, Mystery 10.6%, Story Rich 10.1%, First-Person 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: A stylistic, non-verbal narrative mystery that relies on visual storytelling and atmosphere to guide the player.

Far into the future, in the year 1999: David, a systems operator, runs from his troubles by taking a job on a space station. After arriving, his mundane work turns into a struggle for his very life as he makes a shocking discovery.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 36.8%, Sci-fi 17%, Story Rich 12.6%, Mystery 11.9%, First-Person 6%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven sci-fi mystery that focuses on conversation and uncovering secrets on a remote space station.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery. Purchase this game to get both the original and the Unreal Engine 4 remaster called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 40.9%, Mystery 14.8%, Story Rich 9%, First-Person 8.6%, Atmospheric 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on investigative exploration and piecing together a tragic story through environmental clues and supernatural visions.

Deep in international waters, Tesla’s Helios stands still. An unbound utopia for scientific research, Rose Archer steps aboard in search of her sister, quickly to discover not all is as it seems. A single word covers the entrance… QUARANTINE!

Why similar: Walking Simulator 45.6%, Female Protagonist 20.6%, Adventure 13.1%, First-Person 9.9%, Indie 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric horror-adventure set on a massive, mysterious ship that emphasizes exploration and narrative discovery.

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

Why similar: Sci-fi 24.7%, Story Rich 17.9%, Atmospheric 17.5%, Adventure 17.3%, Indie 10%

Why You'll Like It: A collection of experimental sci-fi horror stories that use retro technology to build a gripping, mysterious atmosphere.

Cradle is a sci-fi first-person-view quest designed for the player to explore the surrounding world. The story is built around the relations of the protagonist and a mechanical girl who by quirk of fate found themselves amidst the desert.

Why similar: Sci-fi 21.9%, Walking Simulator 19.8%, Adventure 10.7%, First-Person 9.9%, Story Rich 9%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal sci-fi adventure that relies on exploration and environmental storytelling to explain its bizarre, futuristic world.

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. You are Alex, and you’ve just brought your new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight island party gone horribly wrong.

Why similar: Story Rich 23.9%, Female Protagonist 19.9%, Walking Simulator 15.7%, Mystery 13.6%, Atmospheric 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: A supernatural narrative game that uses a dynamic dialogue system to explore character relationships and a haunting mystery.

STARDROP is an interactive sci-fi cinematic experience.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 17.9%, Space 17.8%, Sci-fi 11.7%, Female Protagonist 11.3%, Story Rich 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-focused space adventure that emphasizes exploration and the relationship between its characters.

What if someone knew your mind better than you did? The Swapper is an award-winning, narrative driven puzzle game set in the furthest reaches of space.

Why similar: Sci-fi 32.5%, Space 31.5%, Atmospheric 10.5%, Indie 5.3%, Adventure 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: A thoughtful sci-fi puzzle game that uses a unique cloning mechanic to explore deep themes of identity and existence.

Marie's Room is a short story exploration game about an unconventional friendship between two classmates. You play as Kelsey, remembering Marie's room as it was twenty years ago. But something’s off. What happened to Marie?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 32.4%, Story Rich 16.9%, Female Protagonist 11.2%, Exploration 6.6%, Atmospheric 6.6%

The Fall of Lazarus is first person exploration and puzzle game. A deeply narrative scifi mystery game based on the exploration of an abandoned cargo spaceship about redemption and second chances.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.2%, Space 16.2%, Sci-fi 14.2%, Female Protagonist 10.5%, Mystery 7.9%

Experience the surreal story of Elea. In this first-person Sci-Fi adventure you play as a space scientist recovering your lost husband. Venture out on a curious interstellar journey, full of devastating memories and startling secrets.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 16.8%, Sci-fi 13.2%, Female Protagonist 12.7%, Space 12.4%, Adventure 10%

INFRA puts you into the boots of a structural analyst on a routine mission. Quickly though, your task turns into a fight for survival, all caused by deep-rooted schemes of the past. Your tools are simple: your camera and the wits to navigate a labyrinth of debris.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 35.5%, Exploration 11.3%, Story Rich 10.4%, Mystery 10.2%, First-Person 10.1%

De-Void is a first-person adventure game, where the player unravels the mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a remote space colony crew.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 28.4%, Space 14.9%, Sci-fi 14.2%, Female Protagonist 10.1%, Story Rich 9.6%

Explore an abandoned building, encountering puzzles and clues to discover what happened, as you try to escape in both your nightmares and the waking world. Be immersed in the hauntingly beautiful 3D atmosphere in this puzzle exploration mystery game.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 35.6%, Mystery 11.4%, Exploration 11.3%, First-Person 11%, Atmospheric 10.6%

A story-based exploration game about the very far future. With the help of two Artificial Intelligences, explore a universe conquered by humanity, uncover your purpose in it, and try to stop it from falling apart.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 40.3%, Sci-fi 22.8%, Exploration 12.1%, Adventure 6.5%, First-Person 6.5%

Home is Where One Starts... is a short, first-person exploration game in the same vein as Dear Esther or Gone Home. It’s a story about childhood, hope, and the miracle of memory. You play as a little girl from a broken home somewhere in the American South.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 38.7%, Female Protagonist 12.8%, Adventure 9.6%, First-Person 9%, Story Rich 6.1%

Play as an Artificial Intelligence guiding a stranded xenobiologist through a beautiful and mysterious alien ocean. A non-violent sci-fi story, enter a world of wonder, fear and vulnerability, unraveling the history and ecology of an impossible planet. What will you discover together?

Why similar: Space 16.2%, Sci-fi 14.2%, Female Protagonist 13.2%, Story Rich 10.6%, Mystery 9.5%

A daring space archaeologist has just unearthed the ancient resting place of a long lost A.I. god known as Grace. Adventure with various fractured A.I. personalities as you uncover the great mystery of why she was shut down all those years ago.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 36.5%, Space 14.6%, Sci-fi 12.8%, Story Rich 9.7%, First-Person 9.6%

Last Stop is a single-player third-person adventure set in present day London, where you play as three separate characters whose worlds collide in the midst of a supernatural crisis.

Why similar: Sci-fi 23%, Adventure 18.1%, Story Rich 16.8%, Mystery 9.8%, Indie 9.6%

Destination Primus Vita is a narrative, first-person and episodic puzzle game set in a science-fiction universe. Follow the adventures of our main six characters: Austin, Hayao, Artemis, BrX, Geny and Coby as they travel across the cosmos to Primus Vita to complete their vital mission… to save life on Earth!

Why similar: Sci-fi 23.7%, Space 15.8%, Adventure 11.4%, Female Protagonist 11.1%, Story Rich 8.7%

Unveil the truth in a genre-blending sci-fi mystery. Awaken from cryogenic slumber you find your shelter damaged by unknown circumstances. Scavenge your surroundings, repair the shelter and explore the ruins in hopes of uncovering – or perhaps avoiding – the uncomfortable truth of what has transpired.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 37.2%, Sci-fi 19.5%, Adventure 13.3%, Mystery 11%, Story Rich 10.9%

Experience an immersive sci-fi adventure. Walk in the footsteps of the ill-fated crew members of the Miranda station. Explore a world cloaked in mystery and danger, solve clever puzzles to help discover the questions that...

Why similar: Space 30.7%, Sci-fi 19%, Adventure 11.9%, First-Person 10.7%, Exploration 10.1%

Enter an abandoned Cold War base on a moon of Saturn in this atmospheric VR puzzle adventure. Scan evidence, translate Volgravian messages, manipulate strange machinery, and uncover a sci-fi mystery that grows more surreal with every discovery.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.2%, Sci-fi 17.3%, Story Rich 11.2%, Mystery 10.8%, Exploration 8.3%

A minimal point and click adventure, designed to take the player on a short but memorable journey.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 47.1%, Space 14.3%, Adventure 12.7%, Sci-fi 11.9%, Indie 7.5%

An exploration game about emotional ties that transcend even death. Riley is faced with a headstrong ghost, urging her on an adventure across atmospheric shores, uncovering the island's tragic secret. Choices in dialogue shape the bond between the two, ultimately deciding Riley's fate.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 32.7%, Story Rich 13.3%, Female Protagonist 11.9%, Exploration 9.6%, Mystery 9.4%

Empathy: Path of Whispers is an atmospheric and story-driven adventure game where you explore a seemingly abandoned world through the emotions and memories of the people who once inhabited it, trying to restore the world’s lost balance by journeying through its past.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 38.9%, Story Rich 17.1%, Adventure 14.4%, Atmospheric 8.2%, Great Soundtrack 6.3%

The Old City: Leviathan is an experiment in first person exploration that focuses entirely on story. All that exists is you and the world. Set in a decaying city from a civilization long past, The Old City: Leviathan puts the player in the shoes of a sewer dwelling isolationist.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 48.9%, Exploration 10.8%, Story Rich 8.7%, Atmospheric 8.6%, Adventure 8.6%

You left. Now they’re dead. Ambrosia Sky is an immersive sim about exploring an asteroid colony devastated by an unknown contamination. Survive and harvest strains of hostile alien fungi, explore treacherous environments, and find meaning and beauty in so much death.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.7%, Space 15%, Sci-fi 12.5%, Female Protagonist 10.7%, LGBTQ+ 9.2%

A story-driven, first-person adventure game offering a cinematic experience. Embark on a journey to HaustVille, an abandoned settlement in a post-apocalyptic world. Explore your surroundings and uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of the last survivors.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 35.1%, Story Rich 13.1%, Mystery 12.9%, Exploration 8.4%, First-Person 7.7%

Northern Canada, 1970. A strange blizzard ravages Atamipek Lake. Step into the shoes of a detective to explore the eerie village, investigate surreal events, and battle the elements to survive. Kona is a chilly interactive tale you won't soon forget.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 33.1%, Story Rich 13.1%, First-Person 12.5%, Exploration 10.3%, Adventure 9.3%

Satellite Odyssey: Prologue is a short first-person story-driven adventure with horror elements. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of classic science fiction and retro-futurism inspired by Soviet sci-fi films. Your partner is Zarya, the artificial intelligence.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.8%, Space 19.3%, Sci-fi 14.1%, Female Protagonist 11.2%, Story Rich 9.2%

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: Walking Simulator 50.3%, Story Rich 18.8%, First-Person 9.5%, Atmospheric 7.3%, Indie 4.9%

The Fidelio Incident is a single-player, first-person thriller set off the coast of Iceland. Inspired by Beethoven's only opera Fidelio. After a violent plane crash, Stanley must search a desolate frozen island in search of his wife Leonore while covering up any traces of their bloody Irish past.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 50.6%, Story Rich 8.9%, Adventure 8.1%, Mystery 7.8%, First-Person 7.2%

A first-person Walking Simulator exploring the deeper meaning of family, life goals, and personal choices (with a bit of humor and old-school sci-fi homage mixed in) – set on beautiful and lonely alien worlds.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 55.3%, Adventure 21.4%, Exploration 11.9%, Indie 11.4%

The Flux is not keen on giving away its secrets, and you’re one of them. Sail a vast planet under a blanket of stars and use your tools and wits to remind yourself of what was lost and what could come next. An open world mystery about understanding the end of the world.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 30.5%, Space 14.4%, Sci-fi 13.5%, Story Rich 10.7%, Mystery 10.3%

Time is relative. Sometimes 10 seconds can feel like an eternity... In TIMEframe you will discover a world in slow motion. Explore the remnants of a mysterious civilization on the brink of destruction.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 52.5%, First-Person 10.2%, Exploration 9.7%, Atmospheric 8.1%, Indie 6.8%

Coming back to the family hotel after years, a young woman finds herself trapped with the ghosts from her past and an old cellular telephone as the only way to unveil a terrible truth.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 32.2%, Female Protagonist 12.8%, Mystery 11%, Story Rich 10.9%, Exploration 7.6%

A cyberpunk adventure game from the studio that brought you Gemini Rue and Blackwell! The year is 2087. Genetic engineering is the norm, and an omnipresent AI powers the city. Take control of three citizens of this world as they struggle to understand a deadly conspiracy.

Why similar: Sci-fi 22.9%, Cyberpunk 21.1%, Adventure 13.3%, Story Rich 12.4%, Female Protagonist 11.8%