Games Like The Case of the Golden Idol

The Award-winning detective saga returns in this standalone sequel to The Case of the Golden Idol. Uncover the truth behind 20 strange cases of crime, death and depravity in the 1970s. The world has changed dramatically - the sins of humanity have not.

Why similar: Conspiracy 17.5% ★, Detective 14.6%, Investigation 13.7%, Mystery 8.9%, Crime 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: As the direct sequel, it perfectly replicates the unique deduction mechanics and surreal atmosphere of the original.

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Why similar: Detective 43.7%, Mystery 23%, Puzzle 9.3%, Historical 8%, Story Rich 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the same core philosophy of using observation and logical deduction to solve a series of gruesome deaths.

A genealogical mystery straight out of 1998. Scour the early Internet for clues, uncover hidden connections, and piece together the family tree behind the secretive Roottree Corporation.

Why similar: Detective 28.8%, Investigation 18.5%, Mystery 15.8%, Point & Click 11%, Puzzle 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A deep, non-linear investigation game that requires you to cross-reference clues and build a comprehensive theory just like the seed game.

Twelve years after Senior Inspector Jeon Gyeong's retirement, she is visited by a young police officer: a woman who pleads with her to reexamine Seowon's case. But with each uncovered memory, only one thing becomes clear: everyone in Seowon's vicinity was lying.

Why similar: Investigation 25.3%, Detective 19%, Interactive Fiction 14.9%, Point & Click 13.5%, Puzzle 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: This game features a remarkably similar 'fill-in-the-blank' deduction system that forces you to synthesize information to solve cold cases.

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 48.4%, Mystery 17.1%, Puzzle 9.9%, Investigation 7.3%, Story Rich 6%

Why You'll Like It: It shifts the deduction to an audio-spatial format, requiring you to track movements and conversations to solve crimes.

Step into a living illustrated world in a time when Europe is at a crossroads of great religious and political change. Walk in the footsteps of Andreas Maler, a master artist who finds himself in the middle of murders, scandals, and intrigue in the Bavarian Alps.

Why similar: Investigation 15.6%, Conspiracy 13.8% ★, Detective 13.2%, Historical 11.6%, Interactive Fiction 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: This historical mystery emphasizes piecing together motives and evidence through dialogue and careful observation of a changing world.

Take on the role of a private investigator in this immersive detective simulator. Solve murders and other crimes in a procedurally generated and persistent city where every NPC lives and breathes their own independent lives. Find the killer quickly… or they will kill again!

Why similar: Detective 69.3%, Puzzle 11.8%, Pixel Graphics 7.2%, Atmospheric 5.3%, Adventure 3.7%

Why You'll Like It: This procedural detective simulator rewards player intuition and investigative legwork in a fully simulated city.

Investigate an infamous cold case in the eerie, abandoned town of Painscreek. Search for evidence, connect the dots and uncover who killed Vivian Roberts. Can you expose the truth behind this town’s dark secrets?

Why similar: Investigation 26.3%, Detective 25.9%, Mystery 16%, Thriller 7.9%, Puzzle 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: A pure investigation game that provides no quest markers, forcing you to rely entirely on your own notes and observations.

Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game in which you play as the proprietor of a local plant store. Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries.

Why similar: Detective 20.6%, Investigation 18.1%, Mystery 12.4%, Point & Click 10.7%, Dark 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: It captures a similar dark, atmospheric puzzle-solving feel where you must deduce the correct plant for the right situation.

Welcome to the FDI. As our newest Operator, your role is to use your detective skills to assist our field agents and investigate mysterious crimes. Use cutting-edge FDI software to dig for clues, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth.

Why similar: Conspiracy 18.2% ★, Detective 15.8%, Investigation 14.1%, Thriller 9%, Crime 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, terminal-based mystery that requires you to analyze data and piece together a conspiracy in real-time.

A hardcore deductive reasoning game for fans of the “true crime” genre. Only by unraveling the logic and grasping at the motivations behind each case can the crimes be completely solved. Perfect as a social-style mystery fiction.

Why similar: Investigation 25.9%, Detective 23.9%, Crime 16.9%, Mystery 13.7%, Puzzle 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: A hardcore deduction game that focuses on analyzing crime scenes to reconstruct events through logic and evidence.

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 29.1%, Point & Click 13.9%, Crime 12.8%, Mystery 10.8%, Investigation 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: A charming detective game that focuses on connecting clues and contradictions through character interviews and environment exploration.

Paradise Island, a world outside reality. There’s been a murder that only "investigation freak" Lady Love Dies can solve. Gather evidence and interrogate suspects in this open world adventure. You can accuse anyone, but you’ll have to prove your case in trial. It’s up to you to decide who’s guilty.

Why similar: Detective 21.2%, Investigation 19.8%, Crime 15.5%, Mystery 11.8%, Point & Click 11%

Why You'll Like It: An open-world investigation game that gives you total freedom to gather evidence and build your own case against suspects.

A woman is interviewed seven times by the police. Search the video database and explore hundreds of authentic clips to discover her story in this groundbreaking and award winning narrative game.

Why similar: Investigation 22.5%, Detective 22.4%, Crime 16.2%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Point & Click 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: It pioneered the non-linear narrative reconstruction style, where you must piece together a story from fragmented database clips.

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: Mystery 36.3%, Story Rich 16.7%, Puzzle 14.9%, Exploration 12.7%, Atmospheric 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: While a different genre, it is the ultimate game of 'knowledge-based progression,' where your understanding of the world is the only tool that matters.

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 32.3%, Crime 16.9%, Mystery 14.7%, Thriller 12.5%, Story Rich 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: A deduction-heavy mystery that uses a similar interface to organize clues and solve supernatural crimes.

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 33%, Investigation 15.9%, Crime 12.7%, Mystery 12.1%, Point & Click 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: It features a robust deduction board system that allows you to connect clues to form theories, mirroring the seed game's logic puzzles.

Delouse your room with sage and pack up your travel-sized ouija board, it’s time to re-enter Twin Lakes - America’s 34th most haunted city. Join Detective McQueen as he puzzles his way through 9 chilling cases, risking life and pixelated limb to solve the macabre mysteries that plague the poor town.

Why similar: Detective 23.1%, Investigation 15%, Mystery 12.4%, Point & Click 12.3%, Interactive Fiction 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A point-and-click investigation game that relies on clever narrative clues and environmental puzzles.

A reverse-detective adventure, where you control your character's face

Why similar: Detective 33.7%, Interactive Fiction 17.9%, Point & Click 17.7%, Puzzle 9.3%, Choices Matter 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal, logic-heavy mystery that uses unique mechanics to force you to investigate and interpret character behavior.

Spot the lie and beat the liars in 'Contradiction' - the all-video murder mystery adventure!

Why similar: Detective 18.1%, Investigation 15.4%, Conspiracy 14.8% ★, Crime 13.3%, Mystery 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: An FMV-based detective game that requires you to identify inconsistencies in testimonies to uncover the truth.

A murder. A hack. A bombing. All it takes to plunge the solar system into war – unless you do something about it. Help CDI agent Neil Conrad make a string of increasingly difficult decisions in this modern dialog-driven adventure set in a gorgeous 2D sci-fi noir universe.

Why similar: Detective 21.7%, Investigation 15.9%, Crime 15.5%, Thriller 13.7%, Interactive Fiction 11.5%

Why You'll Like It: A detective game that emphasizes dialogue-based investigation and deduction to solve a high-stakes political mystery.

A thrilling point-and-click adventure game where you play as Di Renjie, ancient China's most famous and gifted investigator, as he tracks a serial killer in the heart of the Tang Dynasty's capital city.

Why similar: Detective 15.7%, Investigation 13.4%, Narrative 11.3% ★, Historical 10.4%, Point & Click 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A historical point-and-click mystery that incorporates deduction mechanics to solve complex cases.

Play as a sharp-witted detective in late 19th-century Leipzig, Germany, in this retro pixel-art point & click adventure. Search for clues, question suspects, and piece together evidence on your deduction board to solve four gripping murder cases.

Why similar: Detective 20.6%, Investigation 17.4%, Crime 13.6%, Point & Click 12.8%, Historical 11.8%

Why You'll Like It: An old-school investigation game that focuses on historical detail and careful evidence gathering.

Four private lives. One big lie. Search through secretly recorded video conversations to discover the truth. The successor to the acclaimed Her Story.

Why similar: Detective 16.9%, Investigation 14.1%, Thriller 12.1%, Crime 11.5%, Mystery 10.1%

Why You'll Like It: A non-linear investigation game where you must search through video archives to reconstruct a complex web of secrets.

There's been a murder aboard the Reuss Express, and you're the suspects! Prove your innocence in this comedy 'point n' click' murder mystery - packed with twists, laughs, and larger-than-life characters!

Why similar: Detective 18.4%, Investigation 17.2%, Narrative 14.7% ★, Crime 12.8%, Mystery 11.1%

Why You'll Like It: A point-and-click mystery that focuses on character interactions and logical deduction to solve a crime on a train.

GET AWAY WITH MURDER. Highly replayable detective game where you're the one whodunnit. From the creators of 80 Days and Heaven's Vault.

Why similar: Detective 28.1%, Interactive Fiction 15.3%, Historical 13.7%, Investigation 10.9%, Mystery 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: A deduction-based puzzle game that forces you to manipulate events and gather evidence to prove your innocence.

The Séance of Blake Manor is a supernatural detective mystery, set in 1897 Ireland, where you investigate the disappearance of Evelyn Deane in a remote hotel full of secrets and other-worldly occurrences.

Why similar: Detective 20.9%, Investigation 16%, Narrative 12.8% ★, Mystery 10.8%, Historical 10.5%

Greetings Enforcer, and thank you for enlisting in the Hypnospace Patrol Department! As the world falls into its slumber, Hypnospace becomes a bustling global village. These virtual streets aren't going to police themselves!

Why similar: Detective 29.9%, Point & Click 22.9%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Mystery 11.7%, Story Rich 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: An investigation game that tasks you with piecing together clues from a fictional 90s internet, rewarding careful observation.

The Gnosia lie. Pretending to be human, they’ll get in close, trick and deceive, and then eliminate one victim at a time...

Why similar: Detective 39.6%, Mystery 28.9%, Story Rich 14.8%, Atmospheric 8.5%, Adventure 4.9%

Why You'll Like It: A social deduction game that requires intense logical reasoning to identify the culprit among a group of characters.

A Pulp Adventure Thriller - A murdered drifter awakens. Alive again, seconds before his death. Hunted and haunted, help him untangle a mad web of conspiracy in this fast-paced point 'n click thrill-ride.

Why similar: Investigation 20.2%, Thriller 15.2%, Conspiracy 15% ★, Mystery 12.3%, Point & Click 12.3%

A series of murders is shocking Hollywood! Use your detective skills: search the crime scene, find clues, solve the mystery. Who is pulling the strings behind these Confidential Killings?

Why similar: Conspiracy 25.8% ★, Detective 17.6%, Investigation 15.4%, Mystery 9.5%, Point & Click 8.8%

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 45.8%, Mystery 25.8%, Story Rich 10.4%, Point & Click 7.8%, Puzzle 4.9%

Why You'll Like It: A logic-based murder mystery that features intense trial segments where you must refute lies with evidence.

In this point-and-click urban thriller, down-and-out private eye Kathy Rain will embark on her most dangerous case yet — the pursuit of the notorious serial killer known as the Soothsayer. Find clues, gather evidence, connect the dots, and confront the murderer before the hunter becomes the hunted…

Why similar: Conspiracy 16.2% ★, Detective 15.2%, Investigation 14.6%, Mystery 9%, Point & Click 8.2%

Become the custodian of a store dealing in occult antiquities. Explore the quaint and gloomy town of Undermere, where strange goings-on and dark mysteries abound. Find and identify arcane artefacts, use your collection to aid the townsfolk with their unusual problems — and remember to pet your cat!

Why similar: Detective 20.3%, Investigation 18.1%, Mystery 11.9%, Point & Click 10.7%, Dark 8%

A murdered priest. A secret list. Hunt Nazi fugitives across the globe in this gritty 1971 detective thriller. Analyze evidence, follow leads, and make sharp deductions before the trail goes cold. From the creators of Family, Rivals, Conspiracy, Echo Beach and Riley & Rochelle.

Why similar: Detective 23.5%, Investigation 20.3%, Conspiracy 16.7% ★, Mystery 10.9%, Narrative 5.2% ★

A short non-linear detective adventure where every clue is hidden in plain sight. Carefully read and cross-reference documents to unravel a CEO’s disappearance and expose a case of fraud.

Why similar: Detective 23.2%, Investigation 19.6%, Crime 12.7%, Mystery 11.6%, Conspiracy 9.9% ★

"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 34.6%, Investigation 17.1%, Mystery 12.5%, Historical 10.5%, Puzzle 9.3%

Investigate a broken mind to unravel a twisted case. Deduce the truth. Restore lost memories. Listen to private conversations. Draw your own conclusions. Mind Diver is a murder mystery, where the victim is love.

Why similar: Detective 17.9%, Investigation 16%, Crime 12%, Thriller 11.6%, Mystery 10.5%

You are the one and only Duck Detective, a depressed and recently divorced duck who must quack the case. Inspect evidence, make de-duck-tions, and solve this no-murder mystery!

Why similar: Detective 29.4%, Investigation 25.4%, Mystery 12.8%, Point & Click 10.2%, Interactive Fiction 9%

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 24.6%, Investigation 15.6%, Crime 13.7%, Point & Click 13.4%, Mystery 10.2%

In this award-winning puzzle adventure game, play as the Traveler on a quest to reunite the Peoples of the Tower. Observe, listen, and decipher ancient languages in a fascinating universe inspired by the Myth of Babel.

Why similar: Detective 24.5%, Puzzle 24.3%, Point & Click 20.4%, Mystery 8.1%, Atmospheric 5.9%

Welcome to Mt. Holly, where every dawn unveils a new mystery. Navigate through shifting corridors and ever-changing chambers in this genre-defying strategy puzzle adventure. But will your unpredictable path lead you to the rumored Room 46?

Why similar: Investigation 35.6%, Mystery 23.7%, Puzzle 15.1%, Story Rich 8.8%, Exploration 6.5%

Solving crime is no walk in the pond. You are a down-on-his-luck detective who also happens to be a duck. Use your powers of de-duck-tion to inspect evidence, fill in the blanks, and bust the case wide open! This is a short but twisty detective case.

Why similar: Detective 33.2%, Investigation 24.7%, Mystery 11.8%, Point & Click 9.9%, Interactive Fiction 8%

Uncover high drama in this whodunnit set in a small-town community theater. Gather clues by investigating the sets, casts and backstage crews of 10 theatrical productions, and piece together the story of each deadly crime.

Why similar: Detective 15.9%, Conspiracy 15.1% ★, Investigation 12.9%, Point & Click 11.2%, Mystery 10.8%

It's a mystery game that reveals the truth through an autopsy. Be a forensic doctor and find out why the dead died.

Why similar: Detective 25.2%, Crime 16.5%, Mystery 14%, Point & Click 12.5%, Investigation 10.8%

Explore a wikipedia-like database and solve a small town mystery in Eastern Europe. Step into the shoes of a journalist in the 90s as you sprawl through articles and uncover the secrets that have been laid in front of you.

Why similar: Conspiracy 21.2% ★, Detective 19.2%, Investigation 16.5%, Mystery 12.5%, Thriller 8.5%

NORCO is a dialogue-focused point & click adventure that immerses the player in the sinking suburbs and industrial swamplands of an increasingly surreal and distorted South Louisiana.

Why similar: Conspiracy 22.5% ★, Investigation 19.3%, Mystery 13.9%, Point & Click 13.3%, Dark 7.9%

The award-winning point-and-click adventure returns in the Director's Cut with an extended story, additional puzzles, and new areas to explore. Witness the rise of an iconic detective as you uncover a dark and sinister truth hiding behind the calm exterior of a small rural town.

Why similar: Detective 20.7%, Investigation 17.3%, Point & Click 11.9%, Mystery 11%, Narrative 8.3% ★

Investigate. Interrogate. Descend into a world of intrigue to untangle the Mystery of the Malign.

Why similar: Investigation 24.4%, Mystery 19.7%, Conspiracy 13% ★, Puzzle 9.5%, Story Rich 8.3%

Connected Clue is a quarter-view detective adventure game inspired by the atmosphere of 19th-century mystery novels. Gather clues, see through lies, and uncover the identity of the culprit shrouded in secrecy!

Why similar: Detective 22%, Investigation 17.5%, Crime 16.4%, Point & Click 10.8%, Mystery 10.6%

The stage is set. Imagine an old baroque manor, perhaps a hotel or a museum, somewhere in central Europe. A woman wanders in search of answers.

Why similar: Mystery 34.7%, Puzzle 30.5%, Story Rich 11.1%, Adventure 10.6%, Exploration 10.6%

An anime-inspired supernatural detective game. Uncover the identities and powers of your adversaries using a conspiracy board full of evidence.

Why similar: Detective 23.6%, Conspiracy 21.6% ★, Investigation 20.4%, Mystery 12.2%, Point & Click 10.1%

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 33.8%, Point & Click 18.6%, Mystery 16.7%, Story Rich 8.5%, Pixel Graphics 8.1%

The classic multi-award winning adventure "Broken Sword - the Shadow of the Templars" returns with glorious 4K visuals and iconic remastered audio, pitching intrepid tourist George Stobbart and fearless journalist Nico Collard into a journey of perilous adventures and ancient conspiracies.

Why similar: Conspiracy 18.9% ★, Detective 16.2%, Investigation 14.7%, Narrative 13.3% ★, Mystery 9.4%

Step into the mind of John Morley, a 1940s detective on his final case. Explore shadowed places long forgotten by time, and piece together crime scenes in a narrative adventure steeped in mystery, unexpected twists, and a truth buried for decades.

Why similar: Detective 23.9%, Narrative 17.9% ★, Mystery 12.2%, Interactive Fiction 12.1%, Dark 7.6%

Abscission is a Lovecraftian, story-driven horror point-and-click investigation game. It involves searching crime scenes for evidence, combining clues and questioning suspects. Puzzles can have multiple solutions as you guide the protagonist - Detective Will Stanhope - through the story.

Why similar: Detective 25.5%, Point & Click 16.4%, Investigation 13.3%, Crime 12%, Choices Matter 8.2%

A steampunk-ish detective adventure from the creator of A Golden Wake and Shardlight! Can you help private investigator Miles Fordham find justice for his clients and track down his partner's killer before his entire world comes apart?

Why similar: Detective 26.9%, Mystery 15.1%, Point & Click 15.1%, Dark 10.1%, Interactive Fiction 9.1%

Card Shark is an adventure game full of cunning, intrigue, and delectable deceit. Enter a world where you’ll need to play your opponents better than you play your cards.

Why similar: Historical 22.3%, Mystery 19.7%, Interactive Fiction 18.3%, Point & Click 13.5%, Story Rich 9.7%

In Thimbleweed Park, a dead body is the least of your problems. Switch between five playable characters to uncover the surreal secrets of this strange town in a modern mystery adventure game from the creators of Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion. The deeper you go, the weirder it gets.

Why similar: Point & Click 37.3%, Detective 14.3%, Pixel Graphics 9.9%, Mystery 9.2%, Puzzle 8.9%

A narrative detective game blended with supernatural elements. Play as a rookie investigator, discover vital clues in every case, dive into unscripted interrogations and uncover truths that break minds. But with each revelation, the world feels... less human.

Why similar: Detective 39.2%, Mystery 18.3%, Story Rich 13%, Puzzle 12.7%, Exploration 4.7%