Games Like The Diary

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: Interactive Fiction 16.4%, Visual Novel 13.8%, Female Protagonist 13.7%, Immersive Sim 12%, Point & Click 12%

Why You'll Like It: This game perfectly mirrors the deduction-heavy, mystery-solving gameplay of piecing together fragmented stories from the past.

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: Female Protagonist 30.4%, Story Rich 25%, Indie 11.7%, Interactive Fiction 10.7%, Romance 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: Like the seed game, this title relies on exploring a space and reading personal documents to uncover a deep, emotional family mystery.

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: Story Rich 37.9%, Female Protagonist 22%, Mystery 18.4%, Visual Novel 8.4%, Puzzle 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the essence of exploring a home to reveal the tragic and mysterious stories of those who lived there before.

JENNY LECLUE is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet, mysteries and puzzles to solve across a vibrant, atmospheric world.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 21.3%, Visual Novel 15.1%, Mystery 13.9%, Story Rich 13.4%, Puzzle 10.9%

Why You'll Like It: Features a strong female protagonist solving mysteries through deduction and observation in a charming, story-rich environment.

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: Interactive Fiction 21.1%, Female Protagonist 18.1%, Visual Novel 17%, Point & Click 15.1%, Story Rich 11.2%

Why You'll Like It: A quintessential deduction game that requires you to piece together a narrative by searching through a database of fragmented video clips.

一组侦探小队受章鱼岛主人之邀，对六年前的海妖悬案发起挑战。她们需要在二十四小时内完成调查，并各自提交一份答案。最后，出现了七种截然不同的解答……

Why similar: Word Game 25.3%, Visual Novel 18.1%, Anime 12.1%, Mystery 11.5%, Female Protagonist 10.9%

Why You'll Like It: A high-stakes mystery visual novel that emphasizes character interaction and logical deduction to solve a series of crimes.

When the Past was Around is an adventure point-and-click puzzle game about love, moving on, letting go, and the joy and pain of everything in between.

Why similar: Romance 17.2%, Female Protagonist 14.7%, Interactive Fiction 14%, Point & Click 10.1%, Cute 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: A beautiful, wordless narrative game that uses puzzles and hidden-object mechanics to tell a poignant story about love and memory.

Welcome to a small detective agency in old Seoul. Lady in Mystery is a Yuri mystery visual novel set in 18th-century Joseon. Choose one of four women to grow closest to Heesoo, the disguised detective. Your choices may lead to love, revenge, or darker paths than you imagined.

Why similar: Romance 24.2%, Female Protagonist 17.4%, Visual Novel 16%, Choices Matter 12.4%, Mystery 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on a female protagonist navigating romance and mystery, aligning well with the thematic priorities of the seed game.

It all started with a simple robbery. When that thread was pulled, a tapestry of mysteries was revealed. Solve cases and outsmart criminals in a detective story full of lies, confessions, and maybe even a murder or two.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 19.3%, Visual Novel 17.4%, Point & Click 13.2%, Mystery 11.9%, Story Rich 10%

Why You'll Like It: A detective-themed visual novel that focuses on gathering evidence and solving mysteries with a female protagonist.

Beacon Pines is a cute and creepy adventure set within a mysterious book. Sneak out late, make new friends, uncover hidden truths, and collect words that will change the course of fate!

Why similar: Visual Novel 21.4%, Interactive Fiction 18.9%, Story Rich 13.4%, Point & Click 10%, Cute 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: A story-rich adventure where you use a 'word-game' mechanic to change the outcome of events and uncover a town's dark secrets.

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: Choices Matter 22.7%, Point & Click 20.3%, Mystery 17.2%, Story Rich 15.9%, Puzzle 13.8%

Why You'll Like It: Combines a cozy, atmospheric aesthetic with deep mystery-solving and deduction mechanics as you manage a shop and uncover secrets.

A narrative puzzle game with themes of love, fate and time. Follow the life stories of the two main characters and influence their destinies through interactions and choices. The game combines hand-drawn style and an immersive interactive experience to explore a profound journey of love and choice.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 19.1%, Romance 19%, Visual Novel 16.5%, Puzzle 9.7%, Story Rich 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy, hand-drawn visual novel that incorporates puzzle elements and a focus on character-driven mystery.

Your Diary + is a visual novel game that explores the seven ways humans experience happiness in the stories of its seven heroines. What does it mean to be useful to someone? To be loved? To trust someone with your heart? Rediscover the importance of these everyday joys.

Why similar: Romance 24%, Visual Novel 17.6%, Choices Matter 15.4%, Anime 13.3%, Cute 11.5%

Why You'll Like It: Directly shares the diary-themed narrative structure and cute, visual-novel aesthetic.

A magical adventure about two high school sweethearts set at the end of their school days - and the end of the world. Explore a crumbling town and help friends face their inner demons, which could be the key to stopping reality itself disintegrating. And don’t forget to pet the cats.

Why similar: Story Rich 29.2%, Anime 21.8%, Mystery 19.1%, Puzzle 17.3%, 2D 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply emotional, story-rich adventure that blends supernatural mystery with personal growth and character-driven drama.

A mysterious woman comes back from the dead, and the dusty past surfaces. Between a gloomy student girl and a glamorous ex-girlfriend, the clues are intertwined, who is the mastermind behind the scene? Play as a detective heroine in 1935 London, embark on a journey of love and growth.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 17.3%, Choices Matter 15.4%, Visual Novel 14.3%, Anime 11.5%, Point & Click 11.5%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-themed visual novel that fits the aesthetic and thematic profile of the seed game.

Spring is here and love awaits, an oasis just over the horizon, a beautiful story waiting to be told. Join Takumi and Alice in a tale of fleeting cherry blossoms and forgotten first love.

Why similar: Visual Novel 20.6%, Female Protagonist 16.8%, Choices Matter 16.2%, Anime 14.8%, Romance 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: A visual novel that centers on the intersection of romance and personal history, mirroring the seed game's core themes.

Perhaps it was the curse of a black lily that bloomed too early in the winter...Before graduation, a girl falls in love with another girl... But her pure feelings are torn apart by a "loop of tragedy."By [interrupting choices] and [typing in words], you will weave her feelings into the story.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 19.7%, Visual Novel 18.6%, Immersive Sim 17.8%, Mystery 11.1%, Story Rich 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: A mystery-focused visual novel featuring a female protagonist and a focus on uncovering hidden truths.

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 33.7%, Story Rich 24.7%, Point & Click 15.1%, Visual Novel 12.8%, Indie 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy experience that focuses on dialogue choices and uncovering a corporate conspiracy through intimate conversations.

Trials of Innocence is an indie courtroom detective game. Step into the shoes of the main character, rookie lawyer Luna Ray, and navigate her journey through the legal world. Unravel a shocking conspiracy that changes the fate of many, including herself, and confront her inner choices.

Why similar: Interactive Fiction 19.7%, Visual Novel 17.5%, Story Rich 12.5%, Anime 12.2%, Point & Click 11.7%

Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused visual novel that emphasizes story-rich investigation and lore-heavy narrative.

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

Why similar: Word Game 35.3%, Interactive Fiction 16.6%, Point & Click 12.8%, Puzzle 10%, Romance 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric puzzle-adventure that uses hand-drawn art to tell a compelling, drama-filled story.

Coffee Talk is a coffee brewing and heart-to-heart talking simulator about listening to fantasy-inspired modern peoples’ problems, and helping them by serving up a warm drink or two.

Why similar: Visual Novel 22.1%, Interactive Fiction 20.6%, Choices Matter 19.3%, Story Rich 14.4%, Anime 11.6%

Why You'll Like It: While more relaxed, it shares the cozy, character-focused narrative style where you learn about people's lives through their stories.

Florence Yeoh feels a little... stuck. Her life is an endless routine of work, sleep, and spending too much time on social media. Then one day, she meets a cello player named Krish who changes everything about how she sees the world and herself.

Why similar: Romance 20.2%, Female Protagonist 11.3%, Interactive Fiction 10.2%, Story Rich 8.8%, Visual Novel 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, impactful narrative game that uses interactive vignettes to tell a story of romance and personal change.

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

Why similar: Cute 17.7%, Female Protagonist 13.8%, Story Rich 12.7%, Point & Click 12.3%, Puzzle 11.7%

Why You'll Like It: Uses environmental storytelling to reveal the life story of a character through the objects they keep, similar to the diary-based discovery.

Pat the alligator, a (mostly) harmless and (probably) innocent reptile is at the center of a conspiracy that could bring down the biggest, scariest family in Alligator New York City: his own! Explore the city, meet the Family, and try to save Pat before the clock runs out.

Why similar: Point & Click 23.4%, Cute 18.7%, Mystery 15.5%, Indie 10.8%, Puzzle 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A cute, narrative-driven mystery game that emphasizes humor and character interaction over complex mechanics.

NIGHT IN THE WOODS is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet and lots to do across a lush, vibrant world.

Why similar: Choices Matter 23.8%, Visual Novel 18.8%, Story Rich 18.8%, Stylized 14%, Mystery 14%

Why You'll Like It: A character-driven mystery that explores themes of past trauma and secrets within a small, atmospheric town.

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: Interactive Fiction 18.5%, Mystery 16.3%, Choices Matter 16.3%, Point & Click 16.2%, Story Rich 12.9%

Why You'll Like It: A brilliant deduction game that tasks you with piecing together the truth behind a series of mysterious deaths across different time periods.

Enter the pages of the hand painted world of Journal. A journey through the life of a young and troubled girl as she tries to face up to the choices and responsibilities that come with childhood. An experience that questions the reliability of how we choose to remember events and explores the truths hidden within our dreams.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 37%, Interactive Fiction 25.2%, Visual Novel 15.5%, Indie 13.7%, Casual 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven indie game that uses a journal-like format to explore the protagonist's journey.

In the not so distant past, the Isle of Abbot underwent a mysterious evacuation event. Delve into the secrets of this unsettling place and elicit the girls' tragic fate. An interactive visual novel with psychological and lovecraftian undertones.

Why similar: Visual Novel 19%, Immersive Sim 16.6%, Female Protagonist 16.1%, Anime 15.3%, Mystery 11.4%

Why You'll Like It: A visual novel that combines dating-sim elements with a darker, philosophical mystery plot.

Discover 'Departed Away,' a captivating visual novel where friendship intertwines with mystery. Uncover secrets, engage in verbal duels, and make choices that shape your story. Delve into emotional depth and intricate connections in this unique story.

Why similar: Romance 17.2%, Visual Novel 13.8%, Interactive Fiction 11.9%, Choices Matter 10.9%, Immersive Sim 10.3%

This is a suspense reasoning interactive work with real people. You will play the protagonist "Qi Yi", find evidence in a series of murders, piece together the truth, and find the ultimate murderer, all of which will lead you to an unpredictable future.

Why similar: Word Game 26%, Interactive Fiction 18%, Immersive Sim 15.2%, Visual Novel 13.6%, Mystery 9.8%

A horror-meets-cute puzzle game with a twist-filled Yuri romance story.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 16.6%, Visual Novel 14.8%, Interactive Fiction 14.4%, Anime 11.6%, Story Rich 9.5%

《恋爱绮谭~不存在的真相~》是一款文字冒险游戏。 初到江城的顾唯，意外成为了一起社会新闻的主人公。凶险的都市中，他需要在混乱的舆论和虚假的情报中找到唯一的真相，也需要在两名各有千秋的少女间完成自我的抉择。秋去冬来，覆盖城市的厚厚积雪下，究竟掩藏着什么样的秘密......

Why similar: Word Game 30.2%, Romance 15.3%, Interactive Fiction 13.7%, Visual Novel 11.7%, Cute 7.2%

The fog city detective with exceptional intelligence and keen insight, Mei Qu, one day encounters a snow country girl with snow-colored long hair and witch-like beauty, Snell, at a crime scene. From this moment, their fates begin to intertwine, and an adventurous story unfolds.

Why similar: Word Game 23.5%, Romance 15.2%, Female Protagonist 13.7%, Visual Novel 9.6%, Story Rich 8.1%

A lesbian / yuri romance story with mild horror elements set in the rainy English seaside town of Scarborough. Our heroine, Aspen, meets the mysterious, beautiful Althea in the dead of night, but who is Althea really...?

Why similar: Romance 21.6%, Female Protagonist 13.9%, Visual Novel 13.7%, Anime 10.2%, Cute 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A casual visual novel that blends romance and mystery elements in a way that complements the seed game's tone.

Explore the intertwined fates of humans and youkai in this interactive fiction. As an unwitting protagonist, enter the sealed realm of Gensokyo to investigate a series of bizarre murders. Unearth ancient secrets and witness a gripping saga hidden for millennia.

Why similar: Word Game 26.7%, Romance 20.7%, Visual Novel 17.8%, Mystery 12.5%, Interactive Fiction 10.5%

Dragon Maiden is a 2D pixel-art mystery adventure. As Wang Xie, you’re trapped in a time loop on the day of the Mountain God Ceremony. Relive the 22 hours before midnight, uncover the truth behind the village’s destruction, and break free from the cycle.

Why similar: Word Game 35.3%, Mystery 14.2%, Female Protagonist 12.4%, Puzzle 10.3%, Choices Matter 8%

"How should I face my past in my ever-changing life? "Collaborating with the shadow of the past to unravel allegorical puzzles, confront inner struggles, and explore the path of self-growth.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 41.8%, Puzzle 20.4%, Cute 15.7%, Story Rich 11.3%, 2D 8.7%

Deciding to break protocol to lend a helping wing, Rain, a flighty little courier takes a skittish girl by the name of Mila on an adventure through the inner workings of a mysterious post office. Together, they search for a letter containing the last words of someone who seemingly never existed.

Why similar: Visual Novel 13.1%, Interactive Fiction 12.7%, Family Friendly 10.9%, Point & Click 9.6%, Anime 9.5%

A mystery visual novel where horror meets occult comedy. Follow Kugayama Shiori, a ghost who casually dies over and over as she searches for her cause of death and the regrets that bind her to this world. Her investigation will eventually lead to a single incident—and the truth behind her demise.

Why similar: Visual Novel 35.2%, Casual 17.2%, Choices Matter 15.5%, Mystery 11.6%, Story Rich 10.1%

Shanghai Summer is an adventure game set in the millennium. Our protagonist, Baichuan, goes through a series of "anomalies" over the length of twelve days. In his pursuit of the truth, he found that his hopes and regrets from the past finally seem to converge. Will he be able to "fix" it for good?

Why similar: Word Game 24.6%, Romance 14%, Visual Novel 11%, Interactive Fiction 10.5%, Anime 8.8%

这是个普通的故事，因为主角是个普通的阿宅，而情节是我们视而不见的日常；这是个值得怀念的故事，那是我们不会再有的时光。当平静到暗淡的大学生活因她们而掀起波澜，生活开始发生了变化。这是个氤氲着青涩懵懂的秋天，被时间和她们推着成长的你，会不会在多年以后感叹那些日子因为她们而灿烂。

Why similar: Word Game 31.1%, Immersive Sim 14.4%, Visual Novel 11.6%, Anime 8.4%, Female Protagonist 7.3%

A short tale, a long journey. With a beautiful watercolor touch, it depicts the life of a woman. In her ordinary and modest life...experience her joys, her sorrows, her growth. Witness the story she spins in a life woven by those around her.

Why similar: Romance 23.7%, Visual Novel 23.6%, Casual 9.1%, Female Protagonist 8.5%, 2D 7.7%

Your girlfriend seems to be hiding something. Will you respect her privacy or pry into her secrets? Don't worry, though. This is a horror dating sim with a time loop, so you can try again...and again...and again...

Why similar: Visual Novel 18.8%, Romance 18.2%, Interactive Fiction 16%, Mystery 15.3%, Story Rich 11.4%

Rumors surrounding the history of stately Ravenhearst Manor have circulated for decades. The recently acquired diary of Emma Ravenhearst may hold the key to unraveling the tale behind this unsettling place, yet the pages are missing.

Why similar: Romance 28.9%, Point & Click 21.6%, Puzzle 14.4%, Story Rich 12.8%, Mystery 9.1%

First loves. Family issues. Yokai. 'Last Time I Saw You' is a coming-of-age adventure set in 1980s Japan. Explore a haunted forest hiding a terrible secret, and interact with a vast cast of friendly and deceitful characters in this beautifully hand-drawn story with some light action elements.

Why similar: Romance 30.6%, Anime 18.2%, Story Rich 15.7%, Stylized 11.7%, Mystery 11.5%

Unravel a mystery: A game you can read, a book you can play.

Why similar: Romance 19.9%, Interactive Fiction 15.8%, Mystery 14.4%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Point & Click 11.9%

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: Interactive Fiction 27.5%, Puzzle 16.6%, Visual Novel 15.7%, Story Rich 14.8%, Female Protagonist 8.4%

A woman vanishes without a trace on a cross-country train. The catch? Nobody on board remembers her ever existing in the first place - nobody, except for you. Uncover the story in this mystery adventure game!

Why similar: Visual Novel 28.5%, Mystery 18.4%, Interactive Fiction 17.2%, Story Rich 13.6%, Anime 13.1%

——这是由阴阳两面的夹缝中，诞生的深刻羁绊。世人只言开封繁华，歌舞升平，却难以看到那，被隐藏起来的黑暗背面。粉饰的美好，残酷的真相。生者的思念，亡者的祝福。所以，你要止步当前，还是深究一切？

Why similar: Word Game 27.1%, Female Protagonist 14.4%, Romance 13.3%, Interactive Fiction 11.6%, Visual Novel 11.1%

Explore a lively oasis city filled with charming characters, forgotten ruins and ominous conspiracies in the second chapter of NAIRI, a narrative puzzle adventure about Nairi's perilous quest to save her family.

Why similar: Visual Novel 14.2%, Point & Click 12.7%, Female Protagonist 11.1%, Story Rich 10.1%, Cute 9.4%

In 1927, Lu Yanhe, a daughter of a royal family of the Qing dynasty decided, to run away from home. Under the changing times and the subtle influence of new thoughts, she began to seek possibilities beyond her destiny......

Why similar: Word Game 31.5%, Romance 17.3%, Female Protagonist 16%, Visual Novel 14.4%, Interactive Fiction 11.4%

Ethani lost her way and ended up at the Lighthouse. Where did she come from and where should she go? Explore this fantasy Visual Novel to reveal her past and set sail once more...

Why similar: Visual Novel 22.2%, Female Protagonist 16.7%, Anime 15.2%, Story Rich 13.1%, Mystery 11.8%

'Lingua Fleur: Lily' is focused on friendship, love, troubles, efforts, and confusions between girls. Made with illustrations, animations, and original music, this story tells of the protagonist Yuyi Wu's secret, one very different from an 'ordinary' girl. Told in a gentle and ordinary style.

Why similar: Word Game 24%, Female Protagonist 14.2%, Visual Novel 12.7%, Romance 10.9%, Interactive Fiction 9%

「Sometimes what the eye can't tell, the heart can.」 《Blind》 is a light fantasy game for girls set in a modern city. After a childhood accident that left me with a strange face blindness, I was introduced to a profession called "watchman" and since then, the world has taken on a whole new dimension.

Why similar: Word Game 25.5%, Female Protagonist 17.5%, Romance 14.6%, Visual Novel 13.6%, Anime 9.7%

Rewind time to save your girlfriend in a twisted high school death game. A gripping yuri visual novel: Investigate brutal murders, unravel psychological horrors, and fight for a forbidden love that defies death itself.

Why similar: Word Game 27.1%, Female Protagonist 14.7%, Visual Novel 13.2%, Interactive Fiction 12.5%, Story Rich 9.4%

Detective Ridelle is a cozy murder mystery game featuring escape room style puzzles. Find clues, interrogate suspects, solve the mystery - before it's too late.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 23.4%, Visual Novel 22.9%, Mystery 16.4%, Story Rich 15.7%, Puzzle 11.8%

古风悬疑推理AVG《再见断刀》——在与世隔绝的山庄之中，接二连三地发生了骇人命案。只有通过细致入微的调查，抽丝剥茧的推理，才能定一个是非清白，还一个天理公道。 然而，在逐渐浮出水面的真相之下，似乎还有暗流涌动……

Why similar: Romance 19.2%, Choices Matter 16.2%, Visual Novel 15.6%, Anime 12.3%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%

'The Island: In To The Mist' is an adventure game. It includes basic features of adventure genre and add some new systems to interest you. You have been given a chance to experience a group of university students, who confined in the island. There is a terrific but interesting story you will see.

Why similar: Choices Matter 16.5%, Anime 11.8%, Female Protagonist 11.7%, Visual Novel 11.5%, Interactive Fiction 11.3%

A tragic love story following Memori and her search for the missing "him."

Why similar: Romance 20.6%, Visual Novel 17.9%, Choices Matter 14.1%, Cute 11.5%, Story Rich 11.4%