Games Like The Darkest Files

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 31.4%, Historical 19.3%, Investigation 18.2%, Mystery 8.7%, Puzzle 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a masterclass in deduction and evidence-based investigation that mirrors the analytical gameplay of a prosecutor.

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: Detective 31.4%, Investigation 19.1%, Historical 16.6%, Mystery 8.9%, Puzzle 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: Continues the excellent deduction-based gameplay of its predecessor with a focus on piecing together complex historical narratives.

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Why similar: Detective 45.9%, Historical 12.7%, Mystery 11.2%, Puzzle 10.4%, Atmospheric 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: A definitive investigative experience that requires players to piece together the truth from fragmented evidence.

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: Detective 33.1%, Investigation 21.7%, Mystery 9.5%, Puzzle 9.1%, Atmospheric 6.6%

Why You'll Like It: A pure investigative experience that relies on exploration and document analysis to solve a cold case.

Big Brother has arrived - and it’s you. Investigate the lives of citizens to find those responsible for a series of terror attacks. Information from the internet, personal communications and private files are all accessible to you. But, be warned, the information you supply will have consequences.

Why similar: Investigation 42.7%, Simulation 18.5%, Political Sim 17.3% ★, Choices Matter 11.7%, Detective 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the moral weight of surveillance and document analysis within a politically charged environment.

The Occupation is a fixed-time, investigative thriller set in North West England on Saturday 24th October, 1987.

Why similar: Detective 30.1%, Immersive Sim 15.3%, Female Protagonist 12.2%, Mystery 7.2%, Puzzle 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: An immersive-sim detective game that emphasizes the importance of time and evidence in a political thriller setting.

Congratulations. The October labor lottery is complete. Your name was pulled. For immediate placement, report to the Ministry of Admission at Grestin Border Checkpoint. An apartment will be provided for you and your family in East Grestin. Expect a Class-8 dwelling.

Why similar: Simulation 39.1%, Puzzle 24.7%, Atmospheric 15.8%, Adventure 7.2%, Story Rich 3.8%

Why You'll Like It: Captures the bureaucratic tension and moral dilemmas inherent in managing sensitive information in a post-war setting.

In his fight to climb the ranks and do what's right, LAPD detective Cole Phelps must unravel the truth behind a string of arson attacks, conspiracies, and brutal murders, battling the L.A. underworld and even members of his own department.

Why similar: Detective 46.5%, Noir 23.8%, Investigation 11.9%, Mystery 5.7%, Adventure 5%

Why You'll Like It: Provides a deep historical detective experience with a strong focus on interrogation and evidence gathering.

Berlin 1933. “Adolf Hitler is chancellor!” We all know the consequences this message bore. Unspeakable horrors and suffering would sweep across the world. Few would stand and fight the monstrosity that was the German Reich. Will you? Lead an underground resistance group Through the Darkest of Times.

Why similar: Historical 40.4%, Simulation 21.1%, Adventure 14.2%, Atmospheric 8.3%, Choices Matter 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: A historical strategy game that focuses on the resistance and the moral struggle during the WWII era.

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 51.1%, Noir 21.4%, Choices Matter 9.6%, Atmospheric 9%, Adventure 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: Features a deeply political narrative and investigative gameplay that forces players to confront complex moral choices.

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: Historical 34.8%, Detective 26.1%, Investigation 19.7%, Mystery 7.7%, Adventure 6%

Why You'll Like It: A historical mystery that excels at uncovering long-buried secrets through dialogue and investigation.

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: Political Sim 35.2% ★, Historical 26.4%, Investigation 14.4%, Simulation 6.6%, Puzzle 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: A political simulation that forces players to make difficult judicial decisions in a historical context.

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 38.2%, Noir 23.5%, Immersive Sim 17.8%, Puzzle 6.9%, First-Person 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: An immersive-sim detective game that allows for procedural investigation in a gritty, atmospheric city.

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 46.4%, Investigation 14.4%, Historical 9.3%, Mystery 7.9%, Adventure 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: Classic detective gameplay that focuses on evidence deduction and moral judgment.

Unravel a real conspiracy from deep within the CIA’s archives. Search classified documents and follow new leads in this non-linear investigative thriller.

Why similar: Historical 33.5%, Investigation 28.4%, Detective 17.6%, Mystery 10.3%, Adventure 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: An investigation game that tasks players with uncovering historical conspiracies through document analysis.

Whispers of a Machine is a Sci-Fi Nordic Noir that tells the story of Vera, a cybernetically augmented detective in a post-AI world, who investigates a string of murders and unravels a dark conflict over forbidden technology.

Why similar: Detective 34.2%, Female Protagonist 16.4%, Noir 15.6%, Adventure 10.6%, Puzzle 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: A detective adventure featuring a female protagonist and a strong focus on narrative investigation.

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: Detective 33.3%, Investigation 21.7%, Female Protagonist 14.7%, Nonlinear 11.8%, Puzzle 10.1%

Why You'll Like It: A non-linear investigation game that relies on the player's ability to piece together truth from video archives.

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 31.5%, Noir 23.4%, Puzzle 9.7%, Mystery 7.5%, First-Person 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric detective mystery that focuses on exploration and puzzle-solving.

Unravel the mysteries of death, and find the answers to life.A unique Mystery-Adventure Game:The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story

Why similar: Historical 38.7%, Detective 24.9%, Mystery 10.4%, Adventure 7.1%, Female Protagonist 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: A historical mystery that challenges players to piece together clues to solve a multi-generational puzzle.

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 20.7%, Noir 18.3%, Investigation 14.5%, Historical 14.4%, Female Protagonist 13.2%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-solving game with a female protagonist set in a period-accurate environment.

Disembodied souls linger in this old estate. To each one, utter their name.

Why similar: Detective 26.9%, Historical 17.7%, Investigation 14.2%, Female Protagonist 11.1%, Puzzle 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: A challenging detective game that requires careful investigation and puzzle-solving.

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 33.6%, Historical 29.3%, Investigation 18.4%, Adventure 7.4%, Choices Matter 4.4%

Why You'll Like It: A historical detective adventure that emphasizes period-appropriate investigation methods.

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 26.6%, Historical 23%, Investigation 14.7%, Nonlinear 9%, Mystery 7%

Why You'll Like It: A focused detective investigation that prioritizes mystery and exploration.

As a detective tasked with bringing down a dangerous terrorist group, you fight on two fronts: interrogating suspects & managing your team and its reputation. With time running out, how far will you go to stop these criminals? Manipulation, threats or even torture? Does the end justify the means?

Why similar: Political Sim 33.9% ★, Detective 30.1%, Noir 22.8%, Atmospheric 6.5%, Choices Matter 4.7%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses heavily on the mechanics of interrogation and the pressure of dealing with political suspects.

Hauma is a deduction visual novel set in Munich. Discover a conspiracy amongst the upper echelons of society alongside former detective Judith, while visiting real locations in a comic-inspired look.

Why similar: Detective 26.6%, Noir 19.8%, Investigation 14.7%, Female Protagonist 13.3%, Puzzle 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: A detective narrative featuring a strong female lead and a focus on uncovering secrets in a noir setting.

The Forgotten City is a narrative-driven time loop adventure in ancient Rome. Discover the ruins of an ancient underground city, travel 2000 years into the past, and unravel the mystery of who destroyed it by cleverly exploiting the power to wind back time. The fate of the city is in your hands.

Why similar: Investigation 33.7%, Mystery 16.8%, First-Person 12.8%, Adventure 12.6%, Atmospheric 11.1%

Why You'll Like It: A historical mystery that blends investigation with moral dilemmas and time-loop mechanics.

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 23.9%, Historical 17.9%, Noir 15.4%, Investigation 11.8%, Puzzle 6.9%

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: Puzzle 30.5%, Female Protagonist 18.4%, Adventure 17.3%, Mystery 14.7%, Noir 10%

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: Atmospheric 49.7%, Adventure 35.6%, Story Rich 11.8%, Indie 2.8%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy game that explores deep moral choices and atmospheric storytelling in a complex world.

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: Detective 31.4%, Investigation 22%, Immersive Sim 11.6%, Puzzle 9.6%, Mystery 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: A hardcore deduction game that requires meticulous evidence analysis to solve complex crime scenes.

Rummage through the abandoned profiles of an old PC to unravel an inherited mystery. What secrets hide in this eerie adventure of cryptic games and outdated software? Who was using this computer? And what happened to them?

Why similar: Detective 29.7%, Investigation 18.1%, Immersive Sim 12.9%, Puzzle 9.7%, Mystery 7.5%

A first-person exploration game based on the actual memories of a 92-year-old grandmother, told to players in her own voice. Take pictures of what remains of her abandoned childhood home to uncover the dark, traumatic events that she had to fight through as a teenage girl.

Why similar: Historical 44.3%, Female Protagonist 21.1%, First-Person 9.6%, Atmospheric 8.9%, Adventure 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: A documentary-style historical game that explores the past through personal accounts and atmospheric exploration.

Join the District Crime Agency in this isometric, modern noir deduction thriller. Explore crime scenes in complex dioramas, organize your evidence effectively, and blur the lines between right and wrong to present your case. Do you have what it takes to be a real detective?

Why similar: Detective 37.9%, Noir 23.7%, Puzzle 10%, Adventure 8%, Female Protagonist 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: A detective game that focuses on connecting clues and building a case board to solve crimes.

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 42.5%, Investigation 16.9%, Puzzle 12.7%, Mystery 10.6%, Atmospheric 6.1%

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 36%, Investigation 20%, Noir 13.9%, Puzzle 8.1%, Mystery 7.8%

Profession Investigator is an immersive simulator with a text-based interface in which you have to deal with real criminal cases. The game uses materials from court archives and specialized literature.

Why similar: Detective 38.3%, Simulation 14.8%, Immersive Sim 12.3%, Adventure 11.9%, Puzzle 11.5%

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 30.5%, Investigation 15.8%, Noir 15.7%, Female Protagonist 11%, Puzzle 9.2%

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 34.6%, Adventure 13.9%, Female Protagonist 13.2%, Noir 11.1%, Mystery 10.5%

In 1936, something terrible happened at Galley House. Decades later, with a strange contraption that reveals echoes of the past, you must uncover the truth behind this grisly mystery.

Why similar: Detective 40.3%, Puzzle 14.6%, Mystery 14.2%, Nonlinear 10.2%, Atmospheric 6.3%

The Excavation of Hob's Barrow is a folk horror narrative-driven adventure. Explore the isolated moors of rural Victorian England as you uncover the mysteries of Hob's Barrow. The answers lie in the soil...

Why similar: Female Protagonist 29.3%, Puzzle 17.5%, Investigation 15.4%, Atmospheric 12.5%, Adventure 11.7%

An interactive horror experience of exploring a missing woman’s phone.

Why similar: Detective 38.4%, Immersive Sim 18%, Puzzle 9.9%, Simulation 7.9%, Mystery 7.2%

A detective noir puzzle deduction game. Explore a non-linear timeline as a clairvoyant investigator in 1941 Borneo. Jump between time and locations to uncover motives and discover what truly happened in the Goodwill tobacco plantation that fateful night on the eve of the WW2 Japanese invasion.

Why similar: Detective 40.4%, Historical 16.9%, Puzzle 13.5%, Adventure 8.5%, Nonlinear 7%

You're a detective. Investigate the haunting events surrounding the murder of Ann Peterson and her boyfriend. Explore an old safehouse for clues, deduce keywords and reveal redacted words as you search Ann's digital journal, and piece together your case report as this unfortunate story unfolds.

Why similar: Detective 49.9%, Investigation 27.6%, First-Person 6.9%, Atmospheric 5.9%, Mystery 5.3%

You're hired to dig up graves at a local church, looting valuables while demonic activity escalates. You must find and return all the burnt bones to stop the demonic activity. Each night you will dig for valuables to find bones, fend off growing corruption, and survive to solve the mystery.

Why similar: Immersive Sim 30.2%, Nonlinear 18.8%, Mystery 15.9%, First-Person 15.8%, Simulation 7.5%

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: Detective 33.3%, Investigation 19.1%, Immersive Sim 13.9%, Puzzle 9.1%, Mystery 7.5%

Embark on a quest for identity through time, as you piece together the puzzle of two lives.

Why similar: Detective 24.2%, Historical 17.6%, Female Protagonist 13%, Investigation 12.3%, Puzzle 8.8%

Some stories are better left in the dark. But some will find you. In Riese, echoes don’t always answer the same. A narrative FPP/VR experience about a past that refuses to stay silent.

Why similar: Detective 27.8%, Investigation 22.2%, Puzzle 11.9%, Immersive Sim 10.3%, Mystery 10%

Lead the Police investigation in the afterlife!

Why similar: Adventure 29.5%, Female Protagonist 24.3%, Puzzle 19.3%, Mystery 13%, Atmospheric 10.4%

Search, dig deeper, and search again. Can you reach the end of the truth?

Why similar: Investigation 41.8%, Immersive Sim 27.2%, Simulation 11.1%, First-Person 8.3%, 3D 5.2%

A mysterious woman is sitting in front of you. Who is she? And who are you? And why are you both there? Case #1472 is mystery information digging interrogation thriller game where there are more things going on than what meets the eye, but are you able to unravel what has happened?

Why similar: Detective 31.7%, Investigation 17.3%, Puzzle 13.1%, Female Protagonist 12.8%, Adventure 8.5%

Subversive Memories is a story driven survival horror set in Brazil during the last military dictatorship. Explore the backrooms of an oppressive regime, escape ominous presences and scavenge every corner of this land in search of your ██████.

Why similar: Historical 36.5%, Female Protagonist 23%, Puzzle 14.6%, Mystery 11.4%, Atmospheric 11.3%

Open the doors between your everyday reality and a dark unholy world to unveil the mystery of the disappearance of your child. Explore both worlds to find clues, solve puzzles, decide whether you infiltrate or fight brutal enemies and stand up to an aberrant establishment.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 29.8%, Puzzle 17.4%, Atmospheric 14.1%, First-Person 13.3%, Mystery 12.7%

The Derailed is a first-person psychological horror game. Beneath the dusty arches of a nearly forgotten depot, shadows of the past tremble. Whether you want to or not, you will have to uncover the dark secrets of this place.

Why similar: Adventure 57.5%, 3D 30%, Story Rich 5.1%, Singleplayer 5%, Indie 2.4%

Can this last case of Oliver, all be just a small part of a bigger picture? Gather clues, unravel the mystery behind the case and uncover the truth.

Why similar: First-Person 29.1%, Adventure 27.5%, Atmospheric 26.6%, 3D 7.8%, Story Rich 4.5%

The Wellmonts Case is a first-person psychological horror game set in 1993, Northern Maine. As a private detective, you explore the abandoned Wellmont farm, search for clues, photograph unsettling evidence, and uncover the truth behind a family's unexplained disappearance.

Why similar: Investigation 30.2%, Atmospheric 17.6%, Mystery 17%, Adventure 16.8%, 3D 9.8%

Embark on a gripping journey in INDUSTRIA, an atmospheric FPS set in Cold War-era East Berlin. Unravel the secrets of a mysterious parallel dimension while searching for a missing colleague. Explore a haunting reality where the truth awaits. Discover the dark past that lies beyond.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 26.8%, Puzzle 16.2%, Mystery 14.9%, Atmospheric 14.5%, First-Person 12.7%

A Case of Distrust is a narrative mystery from 1924 San Francisco. Play as private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone in this historical 2D adventure game.

Why similar: Detective 24.3%, Historical 19.5%, Noir 16.7%, Investigation 13.5%, Female Protagonist 10.9%

Play a third-person, story-driven game set in alternative Russia at the turn of the XIX century where religious visions clash with harsh reality. INDIKA tells the story of a young nun who sets off on a journey of self-discovery with the most unusual companion by her side, the devil himself.

Why similar: Puzzle 25%, Female Protagonist 24.4%, Mystery 14.1%, Noir 13.4%, Atmospheric 9.4%

An FMV murder mystery, police interrogation, detective experience.

Why similar: Detective 37.8%, Investigation 20.6%, Immersive Sim 11.4%, Mystery 9.6%, Simulation 6.9%