Games Like The Occupation

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 28.5%, Mystery 15.2%, Investigation 10.1%, Thriller 10%, Story Rich 7%

Why You'll Like It: This game excels at the same style of open-ended investigation where you must explore a location to uncover the truth behind a cold case.

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 34.9%, Immersive Sim 23.6%, Stealth 22.4%, First-Person 6.2%, Puzzle 5.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game offers a deep, procedurally generated detective experience that mirrors the investigative freedom and immersive sim elements found in The Occupation.

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Why similar: Detective 47.1%, Mystery 21.3%, Puzzle 8.7%, Story Rich 8.4%, First-Person 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the core focus on deduction and piecing together a complex mystery through careful observation and environmental clues.

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: Detective 40.6%, Mystery 32.2%, Adventure 27.2%

Why You'll Like It: Like The Occupation, this title features a real-time narrative where you must observe characters and uncover secrets within a fixed-time window.

Dishonored is an immersive first-person action game that casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. With Dishonored’s flexible combat system, creatively eliminate your targets as you combine the supernatural abilities, weapons and unusual gadgets at your disposal.

Why similar: Stealth 60.2%, First-Person 12.4%, Immersive Sim 10%, Story Rich 7.7%, Atmospheric 3.9%

Why You'll Like It: As a premier immersive sim, it provides the same emphasis on stealth, player choice, and environmental interaction as The Occupation.

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

Why similar: Detective 28.5%, Thriller 16.8%, Mystery 13.4%, Female Protagonist 12.4%, First-Person 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game provides a focused, cinematic detective mystery that relies on visual storytelling rather than traditional combat.

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: Stealth 25.3%, Detective 25.1%, Alternate History 15.5%, Investigation 9.5%, Choices Matter 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game combines a gritty detective narrative with a strong sense of atmosphere and environmental investigation.

You play as Adam Jensen, an experienced covert operative operating in a world that despises his kind: augmented humans. Choose from an arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations to build your playstyle, and decide who you'll trust, to unravel a vast worldwide conspiracy.

Why similar: Stealth 48.9%, Immersive Sim 22.4%, Story Rich 11.3%, First-Person 8.6%, Atmospheric 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: This title offers a dense, systemic world where stealth and investigative choices significantly impact how you uncover a complex conspiracy.

Stalk your prey on the quest for stolen goods with your blackjack, sword, and an assortment of unique arrows. Steal for money and uncover the hidden agendas of your allies and enemies as you play through an unravelling story of deception and revenge.

Why similar: Stealth 60.6%, Immersive Sim 18.4%, First-Person 10%, Atmospheric 3.9%, Story Rich 2.7%

Why You'll Like It: It is the foundational experience for the stealth-based immersive sim gameplay that defines the movement and tension of The Occupation.

Barcelona, 1977. An ex-cop in a wheelchair witnesses a murder, and teams up with a young ambitious journalist to bring the truth to light. With camera, binoculars and transmitter in hand, uncover the town’s secrets from your balcony in this soul-searching detective mystery.

Why similar: Detective 22.1%, Stealth 14.1%, Thriller 13.3%, Mystery 9.5%, Adventure 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: A detective game that emphasizes observation and stealthy investigation from a fixed, vantage-point perspective.

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 35.5%, Political 21.3% ★, Choices Matter 18.5%, Story Rich 12.5%, Atmospheric 3.1%

Why You'll Like It: It offers the most sophisticated detective role-playing experience, focusing on dialogue, choice, and deep narrative investigation.

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 34.8%, Mystery 16.9%, Female Protagonist 13.2%, Choices Matter 13%, Investigation 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: A stylized detective game that focuses on interrogation and piecing together clues in a historical setting.

Paris, 1894. Class differences and pervasive racism finally lead to a tragedy. A year later you find yourself on trial, accused of a brutal murder. How far will you go to exonerate yourself? Will you lie? Manipulate the evidence? Frame others? Act insane? Confess? Your imagination is the limit.

Why similar: Detective 21.7%, Thriller 15.7%, Alternate History 12.1%, Mystery 10.4%, Choices Matter 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: It focuses on the detective process and the weight of your choices in a courtroom-drama style investigation.

Tacoma is a sci-fi narrative adventure from the creators of Gone Home. Set aboard a high-tech space station in the year 2088, explore every detail of how the station’s crew lived and worked, finding the clues that add up to a gripping story of trust, fear, and resolve in the face of disaster.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 21.5%, Story Rich 17.5%, Mystery 17.5%, First-Person 13%, Adventure 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: It utilizes a unique playback system to investigate past events, mirroring the investigative focus of The Occupation's time-sensitive gameplay.

Firewatch is a single-player first-person mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness, where your only emotional lifeline is the person on the other end of a handheld radio.

Why similar: Mystery 24.2%, Story Rich 17.4%, First-Person 13.7%, Thriller 12.7%, Adventure 10%

Why You'll Like It: This title captures the feeling of being an isolated investigator in a narrative-driven mystery where your observations dictate the flow of the story.

Become an investigator in Keyword, a narrative thriller where you’ll depend on skills of logical deduction, hacking, and social engineering to solve challenging puzzles as the only means of finding your missing daughter.

Why similar: Detective 27.2%, Immersive Sim 18.8%, Thriller 15.1%, Mystery 9.7%, Puzzle 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: It combines detective work with immersive sim-lite elements, requiring you to manipulate systems to uncover information.

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 35.4%, Female Protagonist 14.3%, Mystery 12.4%, Choices Matter 11.1%, Adventure 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused adventure game that offers multiple ways to solve problems through investigation and character interaction.

Trapped in a dark, Victorian city consumed by an ancient curse, you must plan your survival and daring escape using nothing but stealth, an arsenal of eccentric weapons, and your wit in this haunting adventure inspired by the immersive sims and survival horror greats of the late 90s and early 2000s.

Why similar: Stealth 37.8%, Immersive Sim 32.6%, First-Person 9.3%, Mystery 9.2%, Exploration 5.3%

Why You'll Like It: A modern immersive sim that emphasizes stealth and exploration in a dark, atmospheric world.

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 20.4%, Thriller 19.4%, Mystery 15.9%, Puzzle 11.9%, Adventure 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game delivers a compelling, story-rich mystery that rewards careful exploration and attention to detail.

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

Why similar: Thriller 28.7%, Mystery 18.6%, Female Protagonist 13.4%, Story Rich 9.6%, First-Person 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a tense, atmospheric mystery experience that relies on exploration and uncovering hidden truths.

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 27%, Mystery 20.5%, Female Protagonist 14.3%, Investigation 9.9%, Story Rich 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-heavy mystery that focuses on snooping and environmental storytelling in a 1950s setting.

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: Alternate History 20.2%, Mystery 18.6%, Female Protagonist 15.1%, Story Rich 10.7%, First-Person 10.2%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric, narrative-driven experience that emphasizes exploration and uncovering the secrets of a dystopian world.

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: Story Rich 37.2%, Exploration 19.5%, Adventure 16.2%, Atmospheric 13.7%, Indie 13.4%

Why You'll Like It: It features a time-pressured narrative system where your choices and resource management are critical to surviving a complex mystery.

Filcher is a first-person 2.5D noir stealth game. As Sporey the master thief, break into guarded buildings to steal from the wealthy and corrupt, using only your senses, your wits, and a handful of tools and gadgets.

Why similar: Stealth 38.6%, Immersive Sim 29.8%, First-Person 11.2%, Story Rich 6.8%, Mystery 3.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game leans heavily into the stealth and immersive sim mechanics, requiring careful planning to navigate restricted areas.

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

Why similar: Adventure 21.4%, Thriller 18.8%, Indie 15.9%, Mystery 10.2%, Story Rich 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: It forces you to investigate a mystery through the lens of a station's AI, providing a unique perspective on environmental storytelling.

Germany, 1956. The war is over, but justice is not served. Former Nazis walk free, while their victims lie in unmarked graves. As a prosecutor, you'll unearth long-buried evidence, confront witnesses and hunt down perpetrators. Will you have the courage to bring these "ordinary men" to court?

Why similar: Detective 30%, Immersive Sim 15.4%, Female Protagonist 12.1%, Mystery 7.3%, Puzzle 7.1%

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

Why similar: Adventure 20%, Mystery 18.4%, Thriller 18.1%, Story Rich 16.6%, Indie 12.7%

Why You'll Like It: A narrative-driven adventure that weaves together multiple character perspectives in a mystery-filled setting.

Innovative genre mashup (first-person immersive sim puzzler FPS RPG) with emphasis on problem-solving and creativity. Unique vibes and original mechanics that you won't have experienced before. One of the best games of 2022 according to various credible sources!

Why similar: Stealth 38.2%, Immersive Sim 36.9%, Puzzle 11.8%, First-Person 8.1%, Indie 3.4%

Why You'll Like It: A highly systemic immersive sim that encourages creative problem-solving and exploration of its environment.

Pick up your magnifying glass as writer-turned-detective Penelope Pendrick in this first-person point and click mystery adventure! Three people have suddenly vanished from the sleepy town of Carlisle. Follow the clues, interrogate suspects, and solve puzzles to end this case - before it ends you.

Why similar: Detective 25%, Mystery 22.8%, Story Rich 10.2%, Adventure 7.8%, Puzzle 7%

In Prey, you awaken aboard Talos I, a space station orbiting the moon in the year 2032. You are the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. The space station has been overrun by hostile aliens and you are now being hunted.

Why similar: Immersive Sim 36.8%, Stealth 22.3%, First-Person 11.7%, Story Rich 10.9%, Exploration 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: This title offers a masterclass in immersive sim design, providing multiple ways to investigate and navigate a hostile environment.

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 31.6%, Mystery 14.1%, Choices Matter 10.8%, Investigation 8.4%, Puzzle 7.5%

You're working overtime again in your dead-end job, whilst your boss is on vacation. However, strange things are happening throughout the office. Complete your daily work tasks, explore your office, report any anomalies you may find, and you may just find yourself getting a promotion...

Why similar: 1980s 22.3%, Immersive Sim 19.7%, Mystery 14%, Choices Matter 8.3%, Investigation 7.6%

A young woman died near the White Oak Inn. Now, her spirit is roaming around, and an employee is receiving strange letters. What dark secrets wait to be found? The clock is ticking and you, as Alex Hill, must uncover the truth before it’s too late.

Why similar: Detective 31.3%, Mystery 16.4%, Female Protagonist 10.6%, Story Rich 8%, First-Person 6.8%

A first-person interactive story inspired by real-world anxieties, The Assembly is a long-form game designed for VR. Explore a morally ambiguous organization as two individuals and face tough decisions from contrasting perspectives, that culminate in one of multiple thrilling conclusions.

Why similar: Mystery 17.5%, Female Protagonist 13.9%, Adventure 13.6%, Story Rich 12.2%, First-Person 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person adventure that focuses on moral choices and uncovering the secrets of a mysterious organization.

Child of Lothian is a historically-accurate 3rd person stealth-adventure game where you play as an Orphan who has been robbed of her childhood as her family is put to trial during the 18th century Witch Hunt trials. The game takes place in the old town of Edinburgh.

Why similar: Immersive Sim 33.9%, Stealth 28%, Female Protagonist 19.3%, Exploration 8.7%, Atmospheric 3.4%

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

Why similar: Mystery 25%, Story Rich 12.5%, Investigation 12.5%, Puzzle 12.1%, Detective 8.7%

Majestic Nights is an episodic action-adventure-thriller set in an alternate 1980s where all conspiracy theories, past and present are True. It’s the bright and brash 1980s; a world crammed with hidden intrigue and sinister plots, government cover-ups and alien sightings, CIA experiments and the Truth.

Why similar: 1980s 36.9%, Stealth 31%, Female Protagonist 11.2%, Adventure 9.8%, Story Rich 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: Set in the 1980s, this game captures the aesthetic and investigative themes that fans of The Occupation will appreciate.

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 35%, Mystery 15.5%, First-Person 9.7%, Story Rich 9%, Puzzle 8.8%

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

Why similar: Detective 26.8%, Immersive Sim 18.5%, Thriller 16.7%, Choices Matter 10.7%, Mystery 9.4%

The Occultist is a first-person narrative thriller. You play as Alan Rebels, a paranormal investigator who travels to an abandoned British island after his father's disappearance. Explore Godstone island, face supernatural entities, and uncover long-buried occult rituals.

Why similar: Detective 39.7%, Investigation 12.8%, Mystery 11.8%, Story Rich 7.3%, First-Person 7.2%

Ashwood Creek, 1985. A child disappears without a trace. A local policeman is drawn into a national park, seeking the truth. Mysterious radio signals beckon him further and further. Investigate, survive and face the unknown in Radiolight— an '80s thriller by solo dev Krystof Knesl.

Why similar: Detective 23%, Thriller 20%, 1980s 15.3%, Mystery 11.4%, Investigation 7.9%

Intruder In Antiquonia is a narrative mystery adventure that will immerse you in the Internet-hostile town of Antiquonia. Sarah does not remember who she is and how she got there. Help her solve the mysteries of her past while exploring beautiful hand-drawn environments.

Why similar: Detective 29.7%, Mystery 15.2%, Female Protagonist 11.7%, Story Rich 8.7%, Investigation 8.4%

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 28.3%, Thriller 18.5%, Immersive Sim 17.4%, Mystery 11.9%, Investigation 8.8%

It Happened At Night is a short horror game where the player must complete basic objectives to advance the story and immerse themselves through the eyes of the protagonist.

Why similar: Mystery 21.3%, Thriller 21.2%, Female Protagonist 17%, First-Person 11.4%, Story Rich 8.3%

Use a special video camera that can rewind time to explore memories of the past in TAPE: Unveil the Memories, a first-person narrative mystery adventure set in 1990s Northern Spain.

Why similar: Thriller 41%, Female Protagonist 23.9%, Story Rich 15%, Adventure 7.1%, Atmospheric 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 24.1%, Puzzle 21.4%, Female Protagonist 13.5%, Adventure 12.9%, Exploration 9.6%

Atmospheric first person adventure game focusing on immersion and exploration. Meet strange characters, discover secrets and try to unfold the mystery of the Fragmentation.

Why similar: Mystery 23%, Choices Matter 16.5%, First-Person 15.2%, Exploration 9.7%, Investigation 9.5%

NUTS is a single-player walking simulator surveillance mystery. Record the squirrels, report your findings, and piece together what’s really going on in Melmoth Forest.

Why similar: Detective 28.3%, Immersive Sim 20%, Mystery 13.3%, Female Protagonist 8.5%, Story Rich 8%

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 48.9%, Investigation 14.6%, Story Rich 11.9%, Mystery 9.6%, First-Person 8.1%

Ghost Town is a single player VR puzzle-adventure from the makers of The Room. London, 1983. Edith Penrose is a ghost hunter, busy exorcising her way through the city's restless spirits. But after her brother goes missing Edith must draw upon her wits & supernatural talents to unravel the mystery.

Why similar: 1980s 25.1%, Detective 14.3%, Mystery 12%, Female Protagonist 11.9%, Puzzle 8.3%

A narrative puzzle-thriller that blurs the lines between games and books, reality and fiction, puzzles and storytelling.

Why similar: Detective 29.3%, Thriller 23.3%, Mystery 10.4%, Female Protagonist 9.8%, Investigation 8.9%

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 25.6%, Stealth 18.9%, Mystery 12.5%, Choices Matter 10.7%, Investigation 7.7%

The Corruption Within is a psychological thriller first-person point & click adventure game set in the Victorian era, with an emphasis on strong narrative, intriguing characters and puzzle-solving.

Why similar: Thriller 26.9%, Mystery 18%, Story Rich 10.5%, Investigation 10%, Puzzle 7.4%

This is a terrorist decryption adventure game that took place in 1913.

Why similar: Detective 27.7%, Thriller 24.1%, Mystery 15.9%, Story Rich 8%, Puzzle 7.7%

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

Why similar: Detective 27%, Mystery 14.4%, Female Protagonist 12.1%, Story Rich 9%, Puzzle 8%

A twisted psychological thriller and an original story set in the SCP universe. As an employee of the SCP Foundation, test artificially created paranormal events, solve puzzles, interact with anomalies, and uncover the secrets of the Replication Division.

Why similar: Detective 23.7%, Alternate History 15.7%, Mystery 11.4%, Female Protagonist 10.6%, Investigation 7.6%

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 45.5%, Mystery 16.6%, Puzzle 10.1%, Female Protagonist 8.3%, Adventure 8.3%

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 32.4%, Mystery 12%, Female Protagonist 11%, Puzzle 10.9%, Investigation 9.6%

The Haunting of Joni Evers is a dark supernatural mystery about a broken family from small-town Oklahoma. Haunted by a specter that's hunted her family for generations, Joni must uncover the mysteries of the Cunningham House, dig through lost memories, and face the past to break the curse.

Why similar: Mystery 19%, Female Protagonist 15.7%, Investigation 11.2%, Story Rich 10.8%, First-Person 10.5%

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 28.1%, Mystery 13.4%, Choices Matter 12.3%, Female Protagonist 11.9%, Investigation 9.2%