- #1 Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
97% matchVery Positive93% of 126,799 reviews2019
Dev: ZA/UM
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 22.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is a groundbreaking role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.
Why similar: Detective 30.9%, Choices Matter 28.3%, RPG 16.9%, Story Rich 14.1%, Adventure 3.5%
Why You'll Like It: It offers the most sophisticated RPG-based dialogue and skill-check system that mirrors the social combat mechanics found in The Council.
- #2 The Wolf Among Us
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 39,110 reviews2013
Dev: Telltale
Windows
Median: 9.3 hrsMean: 11.9 hrs≥1hr: 89%
From the makers of the 2012 Game of the Year: The Walking Dead, comes a thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books. As Bigby Wolf you will discover that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come in a game series where your every decision can have enormous consequences.
Why similar: Detective 24%, Episodic 23.3% ★, Choices Matter 17.1%, Story Rich 8.6%, Choose Your Own Adventure 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: This title excels at the same style of gritty, choice-driven detective work and dark, mature storytelling found in The Council.
- #3 Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments
96% matchVery Positive89% of 7,813 reviews2014
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 89%
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 46.6%, Mystery 11.9%, Choices Matter 9.7%, Adventure 8.9%, Story Rich 7%
Why You'll Like It: It is the gold standard for detective investigation games, focusing on gathering clues and making logical deductions to solve crimes.
- #4 Pentiment
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 9,325 reviews2022
Dev: Obsidian EntertainmentPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows
Median: 5.2 hrsMean: 10.7 hrs≥1hr: 72%
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: Detective 21.4%, Historical 16.3%, Choices Matter 13.2%, Story Rich 10.7%, Mystery 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: Set in a historical period, this game focuses on investigation and the long-term social consequences of your choices.
- #5 Vampyr
95% matchMostly Positive77% of 24,431 reviews2018
Dev: DONTNOD EntertainmentPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 15.2 hrs≥1hr: 90%
London, 1918. You are newly-turned Vampyr Dr. Jonathan Reid. As a doctor, you must find a cure to save the city’s flu-ravaged citizens. As a Vampyr, you are cursed to feed on those you vowed to heal.
Why similar: Choices Matter 37.6%, RPG 22.3%, Story Rich 16.5%, Horror 4.9%, Atmospheric 4.9%
Why You'll Like It: This game masterfully blends historical atmosphere with RPG elements and difficult moral choices that directly impact the game world.
- #6 Call of Cthulhu®
94% matchMostly Positive79% of 13,561 reviews2018
Dev: Cyanide StudioPub: Focus Entertainment
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 7.2 hrs≥1hr: 87%
1924. Private Investigator Pierce is sent to look into the tragic death of the Hawkins family. Plunge into a world of creeping madness and cosmic horror. Cryptic clues, shadowy figures, and pure terror bar your way as you fight to retain your sanity and solve an otherworldly mystery.
Why similar: Detective 35.2%, Story Rich 11.8%, Choices Matter 10.6%, Mystery 10.1%, RPG 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: This game captures the same investigative, psychological, and supernatural mystery elements present in The Council's secret society plot.
- #7 Heavy Rain
93% matchVery Positive86% of 28,418 reviews2020
Dev: Quantic Dream
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Experience a gripping psychological thriller filled with innumerable twists and turns. The hunt is on for a murderer known only as the Origami Killer. Four characters, each following their own leads, must take part in a desperate attempt to prevent the killer from claiming a new victim.
Why similar: Choices Matter 35.9%, Detective 23.4%, Story Rich 13.8%, Multiple Endings 7.6%, Mystery 6.7%
Why You'll Like It: A classic narrative thriller that focuses on investigation and high-pressure decision-making that can lead to permanent character consequences.
- #8 The Case of the Golden Idol
92% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,351 reviews2022
Dev: Color Gray GamesPub: Playstack
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Why similar: Detective 29.1%, Choices Matter 14.5%, Mystery 12.1%, Historical 10.3%, Conspiracy 9.8% ★
Why You'll Like It: It provides a deep, complex mystery that requires careful observation and deduction, similar to the investigative puzzles in The Council.
- #9 Detroit: Become Human
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 244,033 reviews2020
Dev: Quantic Dream
Windows
Median: 11.4 hrsMean: 18.7 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Detroit: Become Human puts the destiny of both mankind and androids in your hands, taking you to a near future where machines have become more intelligent than humans. Every choice you make affects the outcome of the game, with one of the most intricately branching narratives ever created.
Why similar: Choices Matter 55.1%, Story Rich 21.2%, Multiple Endings 11.2%, Adventure 4.7%, Atmospheric 2.4%
Why You'll Like It: It features a highly reactive narrative where every decision significantly alters the fate of the characters and the world.
- #10 Batman - The Telltale Series
91% matchVery Positive88% of 17,779 reviews2016
Dev: Telltale
Windows
Median: 8.7 hrsMean: 9.8 hrs≥1hr: 87%
Enter the fractured psyche of Bruce Wayne and discover the powerful and far-reaching consequences of your choices as the Dark Knight.
Why similar: Episodic 28.8% ★, Choices Matter 28.4%, Story Rich 11.9%, Detective 11.6%, Adventure 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: It offers a strong focus on narrative-driven choices and political intrigue within a well-known setting.
- #11 The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
90% matchVery Positive90% of 9,604 reviews2021
Dev: SeverPub: 101XP
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 9.1 hrs≥1hr: 91%
A narrative-driven hardcore RPG set in a gritty world ruled by real but unrelenting gods. Set out on a challenging lifetime journey, where every choice has a price and entails consequences. Will you become an inquisitor, a judge, or conspire against the old order? Dare to decide!
Why similar: Choices Matter 47.8%, RPG 16.8%, Story Rich 15.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.4%, Adventure 4.7%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy RPG that forces you to navigate complex social and political hierarchies through difficult, life-altering decisions.
- #12 Blacksad: Under the Skin
89% matchVery Positive83% of 6,816 reviews2019
Dev: Pendulo StudiosPub: Microids
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 9.6 hrs≥1hr: 73%
BLACKSAD: Under the Skin - A dark corruption scandal in the heart of the New York City's underworld for charismatic detective John Blacksad!
Why similar: Detective 29.8%, Choices Matter 23.3%, Story Rich 10.7%, Mystery 10.7%, Adventure 6.2%
Why You'll Like It: A noir detective mystery that emphasizes character observation and dialogue-based investigation.
- #13 Gamedec - Definitive Edition
89% matchVery Positive80% of 1,700 reviews2021
Dev: Anshar StudiosPub: Anshar Publishing
Windows
Median: 5.3 hrsMean: 6.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Gamedec is a single-player cyberpunk isometric RPG. You are a game detective, who solves crimes inside virtual worlds. Use your wits to gather info from your witnesses and suspects, getting to the bottom of deceptive schemes. The game continually adapts to your decisions and never judges.
Why similar: Detective 27.2%, Choices Matter 22.3%, RPG 12%, Story Rich 10.8%, Mystery 10.4%
Why You'll Like It: A pure detective RPG that relies entirely on dialogue and investigation rather than combat, mirroring the core gameplay loop of The Council.
- #14 Life is Strange 2
88% matchVery Positive87% of 39,703 reviews2018
Dev: DONTNOD EntertainmentPub: Square Enix
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 27.4 hrs≥1hr: 83%
After a tragic incident, brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz run away from home. Fearing the police, and dealing with Daniel's new telekinetic power, the boys head to Mexico. Each stop on their journey brings new friends and new challenges.
Why similar: Choices Matter 38.8%, Episodic 20.6% ★, Story Rich 16.4%, Adventure 8.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 4.3%
Why You'll Like It: A story-rich adventure where your choices shape the development of the protagonist and the world around them.
- #15 As Dusk Falls
86% matchVery Positive91% of 4,224 reviews2022
Dev: INTERIOR/NIGHTPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows
Median: 7.1 hrsMean: 10.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Explore the entangled lives of two families across thirty years in an original interactive drama from INTERIOR/NIGHT. Starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong, the character's lives depend on the choices you make.
Why similar: Choices Matter 37.9%, Story Rich 15.7%, Mystery 13%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.2%, Adventure 9%
Why You'll Like It: A highly cinematic choice-driven game that focuses on the tension and consequences of interpersonal relationships.
- #16 Sherlock Holmes Chapter One
87% matchMostly Positive78% of 4,330 reviews2021
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 11.6 hrs≥1hr: 86%
In this story-driven detective thriller, a young Sherlock Holmes struggles to prove himself as he navigates an exotic, dangerous island in the Mediterranean to investigate the mystery of his mother’s death.
Why similar: Detective 36.1%, Choices Matter 21.4%, Mystery 11.9%, Story Rich 10.8%, Adventure 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: An open-world detective game that allows for more freedom in how you investigate and conclude your cases.
- #17 Citizen Sleeper
84% matchVery Positive93% of 10,020 reviews2022
Dev: Jump Over The AgePub: Fellow Traveller
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Roleplaying in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism. Live the life of an escaped worker, washed-up on a lawless station at the edge of an interstellar society. Inspired by the flexibility and freedom of TTRPGs, explore the station, choose your friends, escape your past and change your future.
Why similar: RPG 33.6%, Story Rich 28.4%, Adventure 15%, Multiple Endings 13.8%, Atmospheric 9.1%
Why You'll Like It: This game utilizes tabletop-inspired RPG mechanics to drive a deep, choice-heavy narrative about survival and social interaction.
- #18 Twin Mirror
85% matchMostly Positive77% of 1,651 reviews2021
Dev: DON'T NOD
Windows
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 80%
The small town of Basswood will be changed forever by ex-investigative journalist Sam Higgs in this thrilling narrative experience from award-winning studio DON'T NOD. Will you find the truth – no matter the cost?
Why similar: Detective 29.6%, Choices Matter 26.1%, Story Rich 11.4%, Mystery 10.3%, Choose Your Own Adventure 6.9%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological thriller that features a 'mind palace' mechanic for investigation, similar to the detective work in The Council.
- #19 We. The Revolution
86% matchMostly Positive75% of 2,413 reviews2019
Dev: PolyslashPub: Valkyrie Initiative
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 7.4 hrs≥1hr: 79%
As a judge of the Revolutionary Tribunal, preside over complicated cases of ordinary citizens, dangerous criminals, and enemies of the revolution in revolutionary Paris. Make judgments, plot political intrigue, and try to not lose your own head!
Why similar: Choices Matter 35.5%, Historical 25.7%, Story Rich 14.9%, Adventure 10.8%, Puzzle 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: A historical political simulation that requires careful social maneuvering and difficult moral choices.
- #20 Return of the Obra Dinn
84% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,856 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.4 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Detective 45.9%, Mystery 16.8%, Story Rich 10.6%, Historical 7.3%, Puzzle 6.4%
Why You'll Like It: An unparalleled deduction game that challenges players to piece together a complex historical mystery through observation.
- #21 Syberia: The World Before
83% matchVery Positive90% of 4,909 reviews2022
Dev: Microids Studio ParisPub: Microids
Windows
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 9.4 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Embark on a quest for identity through time, as you piece together the puzzle of two lives.
Why similar: Detective 27.8%, Mystery 12%, Story Rich 12%, Historical 11.6%, Choices Matter 11.2%
Why You'll Like It: A rich, story-driven adventure that emphasizes puzzle-solving and exploration in a detailed, historical-inspired world.
- #22 Unavowed
82% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 2,565 reviews2018
Dev: Wadjet Eye Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 92%
A demon has possessed you and used your body to tear a swath of bloodshed through New York. You are now free, but life as you knew it is over. Your only path forward is joining the Unavowed - an ancient society dedicated to stopping evil. No matter what the cost.
Why similar: Detective 25.7%, Choices Matter 20.8%, Story Rich 14.1%, Adventure 13.8%, Mystery 11.7%
Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven point-and-click adventure with RPG elements and meaningful choices that affect the story.
- #23 Beyond: Two Souls
81% matchVery Positive88% of 40,195 reviews2020
Dev: Quantic Dream
Windows
Median: 5.1 hrsMean: 10.4 hrs≥1hr: 87%
A unique psychological action thriller delivered by A-list Hollywood performances by Elliot Page and Willem Dafoe, Beyond: Two Souls takes you on a thrilling journey across the globe as you play out the remarkable life of Jodie Holmes.
Why similar: Choices Matter 52.2%, Story Rich 21.4%, Adventure 14.2%, Horror 3.9%, Atmospheric 2.4%
Why You'll Like It: A cinematic narrative experience that focuses on character growth and the impact of player decisions on the story's outcome.
- #24 Telling Lies
82% matchMixed63% of 1,297 reviews2019
Dev: Sam BarlowPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.3 hrs≥1hr: 83%
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 34.2%, Choices Matter 18.5%, Mystery 14.2%, Story Rich 12%, Adventure 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: An investigative game that requires you to piece together a narrative by analyzing video footage and finding hidden clues.
- #25 The Invisible Hours
81% matchVery Positive91% of 524 reviews2017
Dev: Tequila WorksPub: Game Trust
Windows
Median: 48 minMean: 4.3 hrs≥1hr: 49%
The Invisible Hours is a complex murder mystery in VR, in which players freely explore an intricate web of interwoven stories within a sprawling mansion. This is not a game. This is not a movie. This is a piece of immersive theatre with many tangled threads.
Why similar: Adventure 38.9%, Detective 37.3%, Mystery 23.8%
Why You'll Like It: A unique mystery game where you observe an ensemble cast to uncover secrets, much like the social manipulation in The Council.
- #26 Observer: System Redux
80% matchVery Positive85% of 2,923 reviews2020
Dev: Bloober TeamPub: Bloober Team SA
Windows
Median: 3.0 hrsMean: 8.4 hrs≥1hr: 69%
A first‑person cyberpunk horror detective story set in a decaying, neon‑scarred future. As an Observer who invades minds to hunt for clues, you will sift through corrupted memories to track down a mysterious killer and confront your own dark past.
Why similar: Detective 42.1%, Choices Matter 27.2%, Story Rich 15.8%, Horror 8.6%, Multiple Endings 6.3%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, atmospheric detective game that involves investigating crime scenes and delving into the minds of suspects.
- #27 Murdered: Soul Suspect
79% matchVery Positive86% of 17,211 reviews2014
Dev: Airtight GamesPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 8.2 hrs≥1hr: 91%
MURDERED: SOUL SUSPECT™ takes players into a whole new realm of mystery where the case is personal and the clues just out of reach, challenging gamers to solve the hardest case of all… their own murder.
Why similar: Detective 54.5%, Mystery 12%, Adventure 9%, Story Rich 7.1%, Horror 4.8%
Why You'll Like It: A supernatural detective game that tasks you with solving your own murder through investigation and clue gathering.
- #28 Erica
78% matchMostly Positive78% of 1,724 reviews2021
Dev: Flavourworks
Windows
Median: 2.1 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 74%
Erica is a live-action, FMV thriller that puts you directly at the heart of the mystery. Your choices, your consequences.
Why similar: Choices Matter 27.3%, Detective 24.7%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.2%, Story Rich 11%, Mystery 8%
Why You'll Like It: A live-action interactive thriller that relies on player choices to determine the path and outcome of the mystery.
- #29 The Shapeshifting Detective
79% matchMostly Positive77% of 1,689 reviews2018
Dev: D'Avekki Studios LtdPub: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.2 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 92%
The Shapeshifting Detective is a supernatural murder mystery FMV game where you play as a detective who can shapeshift into other characters, allowing you to unlock secret conversations and private encounters.
Why similar: Detective 40.4%, Choices Matter 26.5%, Adventure 12.5%, Mystery 9.6%, Story Rich 6.8%
Why You'll Like It: An FMV game that focuses on social deduction and gathering information from suspects to solve a mystery.
- #30 Tell Me Why
77% matchVery Positive82% of 15,432 reviews2020
Dev: DONTNOD EntertainmentPub: Xbox Game Studios
Windows
Median: 2.0 hrsMean: 16.1 hrs≥1hr: 60%
Tell Me Why is the multi-award winning episodic adventure game from Dontnod Entertainment in which twins use their supernatural bond to discover the truth of their troubled past.
Why similar: Choices Matter 30.9%, Episodic 30.1% ★, Story Rich 12%, Choose Your Own Adventure 6.6%, Mystery 5.9%
- #31 Sherlock Holmes The Awakened
76% matchVery Positive83% of 2,770 reviews2023
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 8.9 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Experience a nerve-racking Lovecraftian adventure, rebuilt from the ground up with modern graphics and gameplay. Become Sherlock Holmes, and find yourself at the heart of the terrifying Cthulhu Mythos as you investigate a series of mysterious disappearances in Europe and the US.
Why similar: Detective 35.9%, Choices Matter 22.8%, Mystery 13.2%, Story Rich 12.4%, Adventure 5.4%
- #32 The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
78% matchVery Positive88% of 8,955 reviews2014
Dev: The Astronauts
Windows
Median: 3.3 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
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: Detective 46.9%, Mystery 19.1%, Story Rich 9.8%, Adventure 7.3%, Atmospheric 6.6%
Why You'll Like It: A beautiful, atmospheric mystery game that focuses on environmental storytelling and investigative deduction.
- #33 The Thaumaturge
74% matchVery Positive83% of 5,600 reviews2024
Dev: Fool's TheoryPub: 11 bit studios
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 9.0 hrs≥1hr: 86%
The Thaumaturge is a character-driven RPG with a rich story, morally ambiguous choices, and turn-based combat. In a city on the brink of change, use your mystical powers to read emotions, uncover motives, and command folklore-inspired demons — while resisting the temptation of your own pride.
Why similar: Detective 27.9%, Choices Matter 21.5%, RPG 13.6%, Story Rich 10.7%, Mystery 9.1%
- #34 Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter
77% matchMostly Positive80% of 14,305 reviews2016
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 86%
Experience a fantastic adventure with unique gameplay that blends investigation, action and exploration in a breath-taking thriller that will test the limits of your nerves and intelligence. Play as the great detective and track down evil in the darkest corners of London and the human soul…
Why similar: Detective 35.4%, Choices Matter 17.2%, Mystery 12%, Story Rich 10.9%, Adventure 8.8%
- #35 SIMULACRA
75% matchVery Positive90% of 4,633 reviews2017
Dev: Kaigan Games OÜ
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.6 hrs≥1hr: 71%
An interactive horror experience of exploring a missing woman’s phone.
Why similar: Detective 31.4%, Choices Matter 22%, Story Rich 9.8%, Mystery 8.9%, Horror 5.6%
- #36 The Deed: Dynasty
76% matchVery Positive82% of 1,022 reviews2016
Dev: Pilgrim AdventuresPub: GrabTheGames
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Getting away with murder has never been easy. These three members of a proud and noble family are separated by five centuries, but have in common a vengeful and murderous intent. Plans must be formed, blood must be spilled and evidence must be planted ...
Why similar: Detective 23.3%, Choices Matter 19.1%, RPG 9.8%, Story Rich 9.2%, Historical 8.1%
- #37 The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
73% matchVery Positive93% of 14,906 reviews2018
Dev: DONTNOD EntertainmentPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 1.5 hrsMean: 10.3 hrs≥1hr: 66%
Have you ever dreamt of being a superhero? Meet Chris, a creative and imaginative 9 year old boy who escapes reality with fantastical adventures as his alter ego, the Awesome Captain Spirit! Captain Spirit is a free demo set in the Life is Strange universe. Contains links to Life is Strange 2
Why similar: Choices Matter 48.7%, Story Rich 24.5%, Adventure 15.4%, Atmospheric 6.3%, Singleplayer 2.2%
- #38 Draugen
75% matchMostly Positive74% of 2,125 reviews2019
Dev: Red Thread Games
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.3 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Draugen is a single-player, first-person Fjord Noir mystery set in 1920s Norway. Explore a forgotten coastal village in your search for your missing sister, accompanied by your independent and enigmatic young ward. Norwegian Game of the Year 2019.
Why similar: Detective 30.9%, Mystery 14.5%, Historical 13.9%, Story Rich 13.3%, Adventure 7.7%
- #39 The Séance of Blake Manor
69% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 3,226 reviews2025
Dev: Spooky DoorwayPub: Raw Fury
Windows · Linux
Median: 8.5 hrsMean: 11.3 hrs≥1hr: 80%
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 29.5%, Choices Matter 17.7%, Historical 12.9%, Mystery 10.6%, Story Rich 8.9%
- #40 Inspector Schmidt - The Ebbing
71% matchVery Positive90% of 91 reviews2025
Dev: Active Fungus Studios
Windows · Linux
In this detective RPG, you untangle a thick web of intrigues, lies, and secrets that surround a mysterious death. Find the origin of eerie telegraph signals, question the villagers, decipher the strange symbols that are suddenly appearing all over town - and hide from the danger lurking in the moor.
Why similar: Detective 26.9%, Choices Matter 19.7%, Historical 13.3%, Mystery 10.6%, Story Rich 9.3%
- #41 Batman: The Enemy Within - The Telltale Series
73% matchVery Positive92% of 10,383 reviews2017
Dev: Telltale
Windows
Median: 10.6 hrsMean: 12.2 hrs≥1hr: 90%
In this latest chapter from the award-winning studio behind Batman - The Telltale Series, both Bruce Wayne and Batman will be forced into precarious new roles. The Riddler has returned to terrorize Gotham City, but his gruesome puzzles merely foreshadow an even greater crisis.
Why similar: Choices Matter 31.9%, Episodic 19.5% ★, Story Rich 14.8%, Detective 13.5%, Adventure 9.7%
- #42 The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
74% matchVery Positive80% of 3,865 reviews2012
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Become the greatest detective of all time in The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, a twisting, turning investigation game set in a faithfully-reproduced London of 1898. As Sherlock Holmes, you must find clues, interrogate suspects and unveil a mystery in a story full of twists!
Why similar: Detective 54.3%, Adventure 15.6%, Mystery 12.4%, Puzzle 6.6%, Story Rich 4.1%
- #43 Late Shift
72% matchVery Positive86% of 9,157 reviews2017
Dev: CtrlMoviePub: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 4.1 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 95%
Late Shift is a high stakes FMV crime thriller. Forced into a brutal London heist, your choices matter in this interactive cinematic experience with adaptable storylines that lead to one of seven conclusions. Your decisions are you.
Why similar: Choices Matter 54.8%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.1%, Story Rich 11.9%, Multiple Endings 7.5%, Adventure 6.6%
- #44 Dreamfall Chapters
72% matchVery Positive82% of 4,513 reviews2017
Dev: Red Thread Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 5.6 hrsMean: 11.9 hrs≥1hr: 91%
The Final Cut is the ultimate collector's edition of Dreamfall Chapters, a story-driven 3D adventure about choice and consequence, set in parallel worlds: a cyberpunk vision of the future and a magical fantasy realm.
Why similar: Choices Matter 32.7%, Story Rich 19.9%, Adventure 14.3%, Mystery 8.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 7%
- #45 The Descendant
71% matchVery Positive89% of 7,313 reviews2016
Dev: Gaming Corps ABPub: Microids Indie
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 10.6 hrs≥1hr: 90%
In THE DESCENDANT, the end of the world is only the start. With what remains of humanity protected in underground Ark facilities, your mission is to keep survivors alive, while discovering a far greater conspiracy buried within Ark-01.
Why similar: Adventure 92.3%, Episodic 4% ★, Choices Matter 1.6%, Story Rich 1.6%, Point & Click 0.6%
- #46 The Isle Tide Hotel
71% matchMixed65% of 264 reviews2023
Dev: Wales Interactive
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 5.2 hrs≥1hr: 83%
Explore a mysterious hotel and infiltrate a cult in this FMV detective game, featuring a cast from GoT, The Witcher, and more. Every decision counts as you gather clues and question guests. Can you unearth the ominous secrets at The Isle Tide Hotel before it's too late to save your missing daughter?
Why similar: Detective 25.6%, Choices Matter 23.7%, Mystery 11.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.3%, Story Rich 9.4%
- #47 The Quarry
69% matchVery Positive82% of 22,702 reviews2022
Dev: Supermassive GamesPub: 2K Games
Windows
Median: 9.1 hrsMean: 20.6 hrs≥1hr: 82%
When the sun goes down on the last night of summer camp, nine teenage counselors are plunged into an unpredictable night of horror. The only thing worse than the blood-drenched locals and creatures hunting them are the unimaginable choices you must make to help them survive.
Why similar: Choices Matter 61.7%, Multiple Endings 10.9%, Story Rich 10.5%, Horror 8.6%, Adventure 3.5%
- #48 Life is Strange: Before the Storm
70% matchVery Positive93% of 37,748 reviews2017
Dev: Deck NinePub: Square Enix
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 10.3 hrsMean: 26.8 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a new three part standalone story adventure set three years before the events of the first game. This time play as Chloe Price, a rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber in a dramatic new story in the BAFTA award winning franchise.
Why similar: Choices Matter 31.3%, Episodic 26.9% ★, Story Rich 16.2%, Choose Your Own Adventure 5.7%, Adventure 4.9%
- #49 The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan
70% matchMostly Positive77% of 13,527 reviews2019
Dev: Supermassive GamesPub: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 91%
The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of stand-alone, branching cinematic horror games that can also be played online with a friend. In Man of Medan, five friends set sail on a holiday diving trip that soon changes into something much more sinister.
Why similar: Choices Matter 59.4%, Story Rich 11.8%, Adventure 10.9%, Horror 9.1%, Violent 2.9%
- #50 The Deed
70% matchVery Positive90% of 3,717 reviews2015
Dev: Pilgrim AdventuresPub: GrabTheGames
Windows
Median: 3.1 hrsMean: 6.6 hrs≥1hr: 78%
A keenly dark twist on the traditional murder mystery setting, The Deed is an Adventure/RPG game about getting away with murder. Arran Bruce, the rightful heir to Dunshiel House, returns home to settle a score with his estranged family.
Why similar: Detective 29.6%, Choices Matter 13.6%, RPG 13.2%, Story Rich 10.4%, Mystery 10%
- #51 The Sixth Sorrow
66% matchVery Positive86% of 63 reviews2025
Dev: Nezumirra
Windows
The Sixth Sorrow is a short, narrative-driven horror game where your choices impact the story. To what lengths can a mother's love drive her?
Why similar: Choices Matter 36.9%, Mystery 14.9%, Story Rich 14.5%, Multiple Endings 8.9%, Adventure 8.5%
- #52 The Red Strings Club
67% matchVery Positive94% of 13,919 reviews2018
Dev: DeconstructeamPub: Devolver Digital
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 5.0 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The Red Strings Club is a cyberpunk narrative experience about fate and happiness featuring the extensive use of pottery, bartending and impersonating people on the phone to take down a corporate conspiracy.
Why similar: Choices Matter 46.9%, Story Rich 25.4%, Adventure 8.8%, Atmospheric 6.8%, Point & Click 3.8%
- #53 The Centennial Case : A Shijima Story
67% matchMostly Positive80% of 1,112 reviews2022
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.2 hrsMean: 15.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Unravel the mysteries of death, and find the answers to life.A unique Mystery-Adventure Game:The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
Why similar: Choices Matter 19.9%, Detective 19.4%, Historical 17.2%, Mystery 12.1%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.3%
- #54 This Bed We Made
64% matchVery Positive91% of 3,051 reviews2023
Dev: Lowbirth Games
Windows
Median: 4.7 hrsMean: 5.4 hrs≥1hr: 88%
This Bed We Made is a third-person mystery game in which you play as a maid in a 1950s hotel and snoop around strangers' rooms to uncover their deadly secrets. Discover what links guests together in this tale of love, heartbreak and murder!
Why similar: Detective 28.1%, Mystery 17.2%, Story Rich 13.3%, Historical 11.1%, Choices Matter 10.7%
- #55 Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered
68% matchMostly Positive79% of 8,382 reviews2015
Dev: Quantic Dream
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 3.8 hrsMean: 6.4 hrs≥1hr: 88%
Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in North America) was a breakthrough in interactive narrative. This newly remastered edition features updated textures in HD, expanded controller support, and is based on the uncut and uncensored international version of the game.
Why similar: Choices Matter 23.8%, Detective 20.9%, Story Rich 19.9%, Mystery 11.8%, Adventure 9%
- #56 The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me
67% matchMixed55% of 5,946 reviews2022
Dev: Supermassive GamesPub: Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe
Windows
Median: 6.3 hrsMean: 8.7 hrs≥1hr: 92%
A group of documentary film makers receive a mysterious call inviting them to a modern-day replica of serial killer H.H. Holmes ‘Murder Castle’. But on arrival they soon discover they’re being watched, and even manipulated, and suddenly there is much more at stake than just their ratings…
Why similar: Choices Matter 42%, Story Rich 14.5%, Mystery 11%, Multiple Endings 9.9%, Horror 7.7%
- #57 Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper
69% matchVery Positive81% of 1,336 reviews2009
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Recognized as one of the best licenses in gaming and lauded by the press, Sherlock Holmes is back with an investigation that is sure to be the most horrifying of the series. The famous detective stands against the most dangerous serial killer England has ever known - Jack the Ripper.
Why similar: Detective 32.8%, RPG 21.5%, Adventure 18%, Historical 9.2%, Mystery 8.8%
- #58 The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante — Chapter 1&2
65% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 2,034 reviews2020
Dev: SeverPub: 101XP
Windows
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 5.7 hrs≥1hr: 74%
A narrative-driven hardcore RPG set in a gritty world where the gods are real. Set out on a challenging lifetime journey, where every choice you make has a price to pay and consequence to it. Will you become an inquisitor, a judge, or conspire against the old order? Dare to decide!
Why similar: Choices Matter 32.3%, RPG 18%, Choose Your Own Adventure 16.6%, Story Rich 14.6%, Multiple Endings 8%
- #59 The Sinking City Remastered
66% matchMostly Positive76% of 5,279 reviews2021
Dev: Frogwares
Windows
Median: 3.4 hrsMean: 9.6 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, The Sinking City Remastered brings the eerie, atmospheric world of Oakmont back to life with enhanced gameplay and fully relit environments, perfect for both newcomers and returning players.
Why similar: Detective 34.2%, Choices Matter 22.8%, RPG 12.7%, Story Rich 12.2%, Adventure 5.9%
