Games Like The Painscreek Killings

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

Why similar: Investigation 28.5%, Detective 23.4%, Mystery 13.8%, Puzzle 6.7%, Realistic 6.3%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses heavily on meticulous crime scene analysis and logical deduction without hand-holding, just like the seed game.

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Why similar: Detective 42.6%, Mystery 22.9%, Puzzle 9.1%, Story Rich 7.9%, Atmospheric 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: Shares the same uncompromising, deduction-heavy investigation style where you must piece together the truth entirely through your own observation.

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: Investigation 26.3%, Detective 26.2%, Mystery 16.1%, Thriller 7.8%, Puzzle 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: Offers the same pure, unguided puzzle-solving satisfaction where you connect clues and names to solve complex mysteries.

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 40%, Investigation 21.6%, Mystery 15.1%, Puzzle 5.3%, Story Rich 4.9%

Why You'll Like It: Features deep, evidence-based investigations where you connect clues to deduce the culprits yourself.

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 57.1%, Open World 15.4%, Puzzle 9.7%, First-Person 7.6%, Atmospheric 5%

Why You'll Like It: Emulates the open-world investigative freedom of Painscreek, letting you explore environments and follow leads at your own pace.

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 25.4%, Mystery 15.3%, Walking Simulator 14.8%, Supernatural 7.7%, Atmospheric 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: Presents a similar atmospheric, exploration-driven mystery where piecing together paranormal and tragic events unfolds a grim story.

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: Investigation 24.3%, Detective 23.2%, Mystery 13.2%, Open World 9.7%, Exploration 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: Combines an open-world setting with non-linear investigative freedom, letting you accuse whoever you want based on your own gathered evidence.

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 21.6%, Investigation 15.8%, Mystery 11.6%, Supernatural 8.2%, Open World 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: Combines classic detective investigation with dark, atmospheric horror and Lovecraftian mystery.

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: Walking Simulator 16.9%, Mystery 16.5%, Thriller 10.5%, Open World 8.8%, Exploration 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: Delivers a deeply atmospheric, story-driven walking simulator experience inside an isolated, creepy building.

Northern Canada, 1970. A strange blizzard ravages Atamipek Lake. Step into the shoes of a detective to explore the eerie village, investigate surreal events, and battle the elements to survive. Kona is a chilly interactive tale you won't soon forget.

Why similar: Detective 31%, Walking Simulator 12.2%, Open World 10.8%, Horror 8.4%, Exploration 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: Blends atmospheric exploration, survival, and detective work in a remote, eerie Canadian village.

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

Why similar: Investigation 31.4%, Detective 27.9%, Exploration 8.2%, Puzzle 8%, Realistic 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: Challenges your investigative instincts as you comb through video archives to uncover a dark narrative entirely at your own pace.

Killer Frequency is a first-person horror puzzle game set in 1987, that puts you in the role of a late-night radio talk show host in small town America whose callers are being stalked by a mysterious killer.

Why similar: Investigation 27.3%, Walking Simulator 17%, Horror 11.9%, Puzzle 9.4%, Exploration 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: Puts your puzzle-solving and investigative logic to the test as you piece together clues to save callers from a killer.

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 42.1%, Supernatural 14.5%, Mystery 13.7%, Horror 8.2%, Atmospheric 4.6%

Why You'll Like It: Allows you to play as a ghost detective investigating your own murder by searching crime scenes and gathering clues.

What if you could hear every word spoken at the scene of a crime? “Acoustic Detectives” wanted for testing our new device! Return aurally to crime scenes and use the voices you hear to identify potential suspects and solve the mysteries. What is it that’s connecting these seemingly unrelated cases?

Why similar: Detective 23.4%, Investigation 18.8%, Mystery 13.8%, Thriller 9.5%, Horror 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: Tests your detective skills by letting you eavesdrop on audio crime scenes to solve mysteries independently.

Named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer, and The Guardian, Outer Wilds is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop.

Why similar: Mystery 22.3%, Exploration 14.8%, Open World 11.7%, Story Rich 10.8%, Puzzle 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: Shares that core Painscreek philosophy of pure knowledge-based progression, where your own understanding of the world unlocks new areas.

Marissa Marcel was a film star. She made three movies. But none of the movies were ever released. And Marissa Marcel disappeared. An interactive trilogy from Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story.

Why similar: Detective 30.9%, Horror 12.4%, Open World 12.3%, Realistic 11.7%, Story Rich 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: Invites you to meticulously comb through cinematic footage like an investigator searching for hidden clues and dark secrets.

This story-driven adventure follows a mystery of death and despair from reality into the surreal realms of objective memories and subjective experiences. Search the mind, solve puzzles, and unravel the dark truth in this psychological thriller.

Why similar: Investigation 28.6%, Walking Simulator 14.6%, Mystery 12.9%, Thriller 11.3%, Story Rich 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: Merges a gripping psychological thriller with investigative data-diving and memory reconstruction.

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

Why similar: Detective 32.6%, Mystery 13.6%, Horror 12.9%, Thriller 9.9%, Story Rich 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: Presents a modern, phone-based investigation where you dig through files and media to uncover a chilling disappearance.

A psychological horror short story. Explore the untouched wilderness of rural Wales as you uncover the forgotten remains of a mysterious facility and find the truth behind the missing villagers of Hearth.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 16.9%, Supernatural 15.3%, Mystery 13.4%, Horror 10.9%, Exploration 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: Provides an eerie, audio-driven exploration experience focused on uncovering dark local mysteries.

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 25.5%, Walking Simulator 15.6%, Mystery 14.4%, Thriller 7.5%, Story Rich 6.3%

Why You'll Like It: Features a surreal, cinematic mystery focusing heavily on environmental storytelling and investigation.

Dead Secret is a first-person horror mystery set in rural Kansas in 1965. A reclusive professor is dead and it’s up to you to crack the case before you become the next victim. Investigate the murder and explore the story Time Magazine called “captivating” and “deeply creepy” .

Why similar: Mystery 23.7%, Horror 15.1%, Story Rich 12.6%, Psychological Horror 9.7%, Puzzle 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Offers a moody, first-person mystery where you search a creepy house for clues about a murder.

Discover the truth about Quern’s past, unfold the mysteries of its present, and be the explorer who shapes its future. Quern introduces reusable puzzle mechanics to the classic genre, making the player think about the game as a whole, and not just as a series of individual challenges.

Why similar: Investigation 22%, Mystery 15.7%, Walking Simulator 14%, Puzzle 8.7%, Open World 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: Engages your brain with intricate environmental puzzles and isolated exploration reminiscent of Painscreek's quieter moments.

A first-person, story-driven psychological horror game based on the cinematic lore of the Blair Witch. Explore the haunted grounds of the Black Hills Forest in a harrowing investigation that forces you to confront the evil that resides deep in the woods.

Why similar: Horror 22%, Investigation 21.7%, Walking Simulator 16.7%, Psychological Horror 10.9%, First-Person 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: Delivers a tense, story-driven woodland exploration filled with psychological dread and investigative elements.

Become Mia, a paranormal detective searching for her missing father inside the Perimeter - a place that doesn't exist. Investigate clues like a real detective and unravel the mysteries behind the Enigma of Fear, defeating the terrible monsters who'll try to stop you.

Why similar: Investigation 22.9%, Detective 20.8%, Mystery 13.7%, Supernatural 13.7%, Open World 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: Combines a surreal mystery with investigative mechanics as you explore a creepy, atmospheric location.

Set in 1944 Italy, Martha Is Dead is an award-winning dark psychological thriller where the lines between truth, superstition, and tragedy blur. Explore a haunting countryside, uncover disturbing memories, and peel back layers of mystery. Every choice shapes the nightmare…are you ready to face it?

Why similar: Mystery 18.4%, Horror 14.1%, Thriller 13.3%, Story Rich 11.7%, Psychological Horror 9%

Why You'll Like It: Presents a dark, psychological horror mystery set in a historically grounded, atmospheric European countryside.

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 21.5%, Mystery 15%, Investigation 13.4%, Story Rich 7.5%, Horror 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: Offers a story-rich, atmospheric investigation into a deserted Norwegian coastal town.

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 22.1%, Investigation 18.7%, Supernatural 15.2%, Mystery 11.7%, Puzzle 6%

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: Horror 17.7%, Adventure 14.5%, Mystery 11.7%, Story Rich 9.7%, Puzzle 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: Tasks you with monitoring a distressed space station and piecing together a mystery through environmental control systems.

True Fear: Forsaken Souls takes the best of the psychological thriller, blending in fun and intuitive gameplay mechanics. Episode 1, the first in a trilogy, will long be remembered.

Why similar: Detective 22.2%, Horror 12.4%, Exploration 11%, Puzzle 9.6%, Mystery 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: Blends atmospheric horror with classic room exploration and investigative deduction.

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 16.9%, Walking Simulator 15.1%, Mystery 12.2%, Thriller 10.4%, Horror 10.3%

Enter a house where every clue feels wrong. Investigate a brutal crime scene, uncover hidden evidence, and use your detective tools to piece together a disturbing truth buried beneath the silence.

Why similar: Investigation 18%, Detective 17.7%, Supernatural 11.1%, Mystery 10.3%, Walking Simulator 10%

Embark on a terrifying adventure of a priest accused of murdering an altar boy. Gray Dawn is a psychological thriller infused with religious elements and combines story-driven quests with an artistic experience.

Why similar: Thriller 13.7%, Walking Simulator 13%, Horror 11.5%, Story Rich 10.4%, Mystery 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: Explores a dark, story-driven psychological mystery filled with haunting imagery and puzzles.

INFRA puts you into the boots of a structural analyst on a routine mission. Quickly though, your task turns into a fight for survival, all caused by deep-rooted schemes of the past. Your tools are simple: your camera and the wits to navigate a labyrinth of debris.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.2%, Mystery 15.9%, Exploration 12.2%, Puzzle 11.7%, Atmospheric 9%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on detailed, observational exploration of abandoned, decaying infrastructure filled with environmental puzzles.

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: Investigation 21.4%, Supernatural 13.7%, Mystery 13.4%, Walking Simulator 12.8%, Story Rich 6.7%

Armed with nothing but your camera, investigate the abandoned Gretlow House in this short, atmospheric horror game. Uncover a chilling mystery through a realistic found-footage lens.

Why similar: Investigation 17.9%, Supernatural 15%, Walking Simulator 12.5%, Horror 9.7%, Mystery 9.4%

Explore a beautiful and Enigmatic Victorian Manor with a dark secret, In this gothic horror story first person exploration puzzle game filled with fine art, secret passages and mysterious mechanical puzzles playing as the executor of the last will from the enigmatic Railroad Magnate Hadley Strange.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 15.8%, Mystery 14.9%, Investigation 14%, Horror 9.2%, Exploration 8.9%

Investigate an abandoned island and its haunted estate in this first-person psychological horror game. Recover paranormal equipment, unlock new areas, follow environmental clues, and uncover the history behind an escalating supernatural presence.

Why similar: Investigation 19.6%, Detective 16.5%, Supernatural 10.5%, Mystery 9.9%, Horror 7.2%

A third‑person psychological horror game where you explore both the real world and the spirit realm. As a medium drawn to a deserted resort, you’ll uncover dark secrets, confront echoes of trauma, and face the consequences of seeing more than one truth.

Why similar: Horror 23.1%, Walking Simulator 14.6%, Story Rich 11.5%, Atmospheric 11.1%, Female Protagonist 10.9%

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 31.5%, Horror 14.5%, Mystery 13.4%, Story Rich 8.5%, Walking Simulator 7.3%

A psychological horror game where a police officer investigates a cold case in a decaying house, uncovering a strange and haunting tape recorder that reveals a terrible secret.

Why similar: Investigation 18.9%, Walking Simulator 17.9%, Mystery 10.7%, Exploration 8.8%, Realistic 7.9%

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 24%, Walking Simulator 13.4%, Mystery 12.6%, Exploration 7.4%, Puzzle 7%

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 27.7%, Mystery 17.3%, Investigation 14.8%, Exploration 9.5%, Story Rich 7.4%

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. A new puzzle from the creators of The Roottrees are Dead.

Why similar: Detective 32.3%, Mystery 25.9%, Puzzle 11.1%, Story Rich 8.7%, Horror 6.5%

Uncover the mysteries of Whitehaven Orphanage in this first-person psychological horror game. Explore the place, collect clues and put the pieces together to find out what happened years ago as you delve deep into your mind.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 18.1%, Horror 15.1%, Thriller 13.1%, Exploration 8.9%, Psychological Horror 8.2%

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 27.8%, Investigation 26.7%, Walking Simulator 11.5%, Supernatural 11.3%, Story Rich 7.1%

Something strange appears in the woods. Lost in a dark and unknown place, survive an unrelenting enemy, solve puzzles, and uncover the ancient mystery that’s befallen this land in this Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror adventure.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 18.4%, Mystery 17.2%, Supernatural 12.6%, Horror 12.1%, Exploration 9.6%

A cinematic point-and-click adventure where you step into the shoes of photographer Charlotte Gray as she explores the abandoned camp of Deer Creek and uncovers the tragedy that befell the camp and its people.

Why similar: Investigation 23.7%, Supernatural 20.3%, Mystery 19.6%, Atmospheric 7.7%, Puzzle 7.5%

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

Why similar: Investigation 27.7%, Mystery 20.5%, Puzzle 9.7%, Story Rich 9%, Exploration 8.5%

12 March 1938, Renée, 16, was ripped out of her world, her only fault was that of not knowing her place in the world.

Why similar: Mystery 15.6%, Horror 14.2%, Walking Simulator 14.1%, Exploration 13.1%, Female Protagonist 7.7%

An award-winning narrative thriller about a blind woman’s journey to uncover the truth about the mansion from her nightmares, or else become one of its victims.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 28%, Horror 27%, Atmospheric 10%, Female Protagonist 9.6%, Story Rich 8.7%

In Rise of Insanity, as a doctor of psychology you will explore the darkest recesses of the human mind. Overcome your fear to find the truth behind the tragedy that has befallen your family.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.2%, Horror 19%, Puzzle 10.3%, Psychological Horror 9.4%, Exploration 9.3%

Through the Woods is a third-person Norse horror adventure set in a forest on the western shores of Norway that tells the story of a mother and her missing son.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 19.6%, Horror 17.8%, Mystery 12.7%, Atmospheric 8.1%, Story Rich 7.8%

Silver Chains is a first-person horror game with a strong emphasis on story and exploration. Search for clues within an old abandoned manor to unravel the truth about the terrible events which have happened.

Why similar: Horror 31.4%, Psychological Horror 12.2%, Mystery 9.9%, First-Person 8%, Walking Simulator 7.9%

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: Investigation 23.8%, Detective 19.8%, Mystery 18%, Walking Simulator 11%, Story Rich 7.7%

Lured to a remote island, you find yourself confined within the rooms of an ominous mansion. You must draw upon all your puzzle-solving ability to navigate a series of trials devised by a mysterious figure known only as “The Craftsman”. Do you have what it takes to escape?

Why similar: Mystery 38.8%, Puzzle 31.8%, Atmospheric 6.9%, Horror 6.2%, Story Rich 4.5%

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: Walking Simulator 23.4%, Story Rich 17%, Mystery 16.9%, Atmospheric 9.7%, Exploration 8.6%

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: Walking Simulator 17.1%, Mystery 16.4%, Horror 11.6%, Exploration 9%, Atmospheric 7.2%

Remothered: Tormented Fathers is the pure and realistic survival horror videogame

Why similar: Horror 41.7%, Psychological Horror 15.4%, Female Protagonist 14.4%, Story Rich 9.5%, Atmospheric 9.1%

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

Why similar: Detective 24.4%, Investigation 22.3%, Mystery 13.8%, Supernatural 12.3%, Puzzle 6.3%

„The Lion's Song: Episode 1 – Silence" draws the player into the life of a talented young composer, Wilma, preparing for her breakthrough concert, the defining moment of her career. Searching for inspiration she escapes from the pressure for success to the solitude of the Austrian Alps.

Why similar: Story Rich 42.4%, Adventure 19.9%, Female Protagonist 17.6%, Atmospheric 16.9%, Singleplayer 3.2%