- #1 Murders on the Yangtze River
97% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 20,548 reviews2024
Dev: OMEGAMES STUDIO
Windows · Mac
Median: 11.7 hrsMean: 14.0 hrs≥1hr: 87%
"Murders on Yangtze River" is an Ace Attorney-like detective game that takes you on a journey through early 20th century China as you solve a series of intriguing cases. Use your logical reasoning and deduction skills to uncover clues, interrogate suspects, and solve the mysteries.
Why similar: Detective 46.3%, Puzzle 15.7%, Story Rich 10.1%, Historical 9.1%, Adventure 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: It shares the historical detective theme and puzzle-rich gameplay set in a specific, atmospheric period of the early 20th century.
- #2 The Case of the Golden Idol
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 10,338 reviews2022
Dev: Color Gray GamesPub: Playstack
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 8.0 hrs≥1hr: 90%
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
Why similar: Detective 37.8%, Interactive Fiction 19%, Puzzle 12.1%, Historical 9.9%, Story Rich 8%
Why You'll Like It: Like the seed game, this title excels at complex, non-linear deduction within a distinct historical setting.
- #3 The Roottrees are Dead
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 8,337 reviews2025
Dev: Evil Trout Inc.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.9 hrsMean: 9.8 hrs≥1hr: 89%
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 47%, Puzzle 16.5%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Story Rich 7.6%, Atmospheric 5.8%
Why You'll Like It: This game offers a deep, text-based investigative experience that rewards careful attention to detail and logical deduction.
- #4 Return of the Obra Dinn
95% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,801 reviews2018
Dev: Lucas PopePub: 3909
Windows · Mac
Median: 6.7 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 81%
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Why similar: Detective 54.9%, Puzzle 14.6%, Story Rich 9.2%, Atmospheric 6.6%, Historical 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: It features a supernatural investigator piecing together a tragedy through non-linear observation, mirroring the clairvoyant mechanics of the seed game.
- #5 Detective Di: The Silk Rose Murders
94% matchVery Positive89% of 1,276 reviews2019
Dev: Nupixo Games
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 96%
A thrilling point-and-click adventure game where you play as Di Renjie, ancient China's most famous and gifted investigator, as he tracks a serial killer in the heart of the Tang Dynasty's capital city.
Why similar: Detective 29.5%, Interactive Fiction 20.2%, Historical 12.6%, Dialogue Heavy 8.5%, Story Rich 7.6%
Why You'll Like It: This title combines historical mystery with point-and-click adventure mechanics, much like the investigative flow of the seed game.
- #6 Attentat 1942
94% matchVery Positive93% of 487 reviews2017
Dev: Charles Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.9 hrsMean: 3.5 hrs≥1hr: 78%
Attentat 1942 is a historically-accurate adventure about World War 2. Face moral dilemmas and existential struggles as you uncover the troubled past of your family.
Why similar: World War II 24.1% ★, Interactive Fiction 16.8%, Historical 15.6%, Visual Novel 11.3%, Story Rich 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: Set during the same era, this game uses historical accuracy and narrative-driven investigation to explore the impact of war.
- #7 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
91% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 8,058 reviews2023
Dev: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 8.3 hrs≥1hr: 84%
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, the classic puzzle-solving mystery adventure directed by Ace Attorney creator Shu Takumi, is back! This long-awaited HD remaster features upgraded visuals and sound and new gallery content.
Why similar: Detective 45.6%, Puzzle 21.2%, Story Rich 12.8%, Adventure 10.4%, Visual Novel 8.9%
Why You'll Like It: The supernatural detective premise and puzzle-solving mechanics align perfectly with the clairvoyant investigator theme.
- #8 Chinatown Detective Agency
93% matchMostly Positive72% of 156 reviews2022
Dev: General Interactive Co.Pub: Balor Games
Windows · Mac
Chinatown Detective Agency is a cybernoir point and click adventure blending stunning retro design with innovative mechanics. Play as Amira Darma, an ex-cop who has just opened her own detective agency. Choose your clients, travel around the world and solve dangerous cases using real world research.
Why similar: Detective 47.3%, Dialogue Heavy 12.4%, Story Rich 11.5%, Adventure 7.1%, Retro 6.7%
Why You'll Like It: It provides a rigorous investigative experience that requires players to synthesize information and explore non-linear leads.
- #9 The Wild Case
92% matchVery Positive87% of 252 reviews2021
Dev: Specialbit Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 2.7 hrsMean: 4.1 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The Wild Case is a 2D first-person point-and-click adventure. In this story-focused adventure, players meet a cast of colorful characters, experience mysterious encounters, and solve puzzles to progress through the game.
Why similar: Detective 36.3%, Text-Based 16.4%, Puzzle 13.8%, Story Rich 9.1%, Hand-drawn 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: A strong point-and-click detective game that emphasizes atmospheric storytelling and puzzle-based investigation.
- #10 Intruder In Antiquonia
91% matchVery Positive90% of 113 reviews2022
Dev: Aruma Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
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 29.8%, Interactive Fiction 16.9%, Puzzle 11.4%, Hand-drawn 8.5%, Story Rich 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: A classic-style adventure game that focuses on mystery, puzzle-solving, and a rich, story-driven narrative.
- #11 Burn Me Twice
90% matchVery Positive82% of 266 reviews2020
Dev: Null Reference Studio
Windows
A narrative adventure that combines the exploration and investigation of the enigmatic town of Düstenburg and its people, with trials that test your knowledge about the case.
Why similar: Detective 33.9%, Interactive Fiction 22.3%, Puzzle 13.1%, Dialogue Heavy 9.3%, Story Rich 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: This title features a strong narrative focus on detective work and puzzle-solving within a mysterious, isolated setting.
- #12 Her Story
89% matchVery Positive89% of 10,289 reviews2015
Dev: Sam Barlow
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 4.2 hrs≥1hr: 87%
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 29.8%, Interactive Fiction 20.3%, Nonlinear 11.6%, Puzzle 10.7%, Visual Novel 9.5%
Why You'll Like It: It utilizes a non-linear, database-driven investigation style that forces the player to piece together a fragmented timeline.
- #13 Paradise Killer
88% matchVery Positive93% of 4,416 reviews2020
Dev: Kaizen Game WorksPub: Fellow Traveller
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 7.3 hrs≥1hr: 86%
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 50.5%, Story Rich 13.6%, Stylized 10.4%, Atmospheric 9.5%, Female Protagonist 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: This game features an open-ended, atmospheric investigation where the player must uncover motives in a surreal, stylized world.
- #14 Town of Dusk
89% matchVery Positive87% of 71 reviews2023
Dev: 酱爆(Sauce Bomb)
Windows · Mac · Linux
Players will enter the Town of Dusk, built on the eve of Empire of Japan's defeat in World War II, along with other characters. Avoid being killed by other characters! Find the mastermind behind the scenes, unravel all the conspiracies, and uncover the truth! Ultimately escape the Town of Dusk!
Why similar: Detective 28.5%, Interactive Fiction 18.9%, Text-Based 13.6%, Puzzle 12%, Visual Novel 9.2%
Why You'll Like It: This mystery-thriller offers a tense, atmospheric investigation with multiple endings based on player choices.
- #15 The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
87% matchVery Positive94% of 9,173 reviews2021
Dev: CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 11.2 hrsMean: 34.6 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Immerse yourself in a dramatic yet charming and witty world of evidence-gathering, deduction and courtroom battles with this double-pack of the adventures of rookie lawyer Ryunosuke.
Why similar: Detective 34%, Text-Based 16.7%, Visual Novel 13.6%, Historical 8.9%, Adventure 7.3%
Why You'll Like It: This series offers a rich, historical detective narrative with strong visual novel elements and intricate case-solving.
- #16 Methods: The Illusion Murders
86% matchVery Positive88% of 95 reviews2024
Dev: LockedOn GamesPub: Erabit
Windows · Mac · Linux
Detective Red July must stop a serial killer who patterns his murders after optical illusions in this mystery visual novel set in the world of Methods.
Why similar: Detective 27.3%, Interactive Fiction 20.9%, Text-Based 14.3%, Puzzle 10.8%, Visual Novel 10.1%
Why You'll Like It: A puzzle-heavy visual novel that emphasizes logical deduction and interactive-fiction elements.
- #17 The Crimson Diamond
85% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 661 reviews2024
Dev: Julia Minamata
Windows · Mac
Follow amateur geologist and reluctant detective Nancy Maple to the ghost town of Crimson, Ontario to investigate the discovery of a massive diamond in this retro-inspired, EGA text parser mystery adventure!
Why similar: Text-Based 19.9%, Interactive Fiction 19.2%, Detective 15.9%, Historical 13.5%, Retro 8.1%
Why You'll Like It: A retro-styled mystery game that emphasizes investigation and character interaction in a cozy, atmospheric environment.
- #18 Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
84% matchVery Positive93% of 126,515 reviews2019
Dev: ZA/UM
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.3 hrsMean: 22.5 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is a groundbreaking role playing game. You’re a detective with a unique skill system at your disposal and a whole city to carve your path across. Interrogate unforgettable characters, crack murders or take bribes. Become a hero or an absolute disaster of a human being.
Why similar: Detective 56.8%, Story Rich 18.8%, Visual Novel 9.9%, Atmospheric 8%, Adventure 5.2%
Why You'll Like It: It is the gold standard for narrative-heavy, atmospheric detective games that focus on internal monologue and complex character motives.
- #19 Overboard!
86% matchVery Positive90% of 650 reviews2021
Dev: inkle Ltd
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.0 hrsMean: 3.0 hrs≥1hr: 66%
GET AWAY WITH MURDER. Highly replayable detective game where you're the one whodunnit. From the creators of 80 Days and Heaven's Vault.
Why similar: Detective 25.1%, Interactive Fiction 17.1%, Text-Based 10%, Puzzle 9%, Historical 7.9%
Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on a time-loop murder mystery where the player must manipulate events to uncover the truth.
- #20 Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved
82% matchVery Positive94% of 407 reviews2025
Dev: Armonica LLC
Windows
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: Detective 47.8%, Interactive Fiction 16%, Visual Novel 15.3%, Adventure 13.4%, Story Rich 7.6%
Why You'll Like It: It combines classic detective tropes with visual novel storytelling to create a compelling, mystery-focused experience.
- #21 Long Knives
82% matchVery Positive99% of 368 reviews2025
Dev: Jade Hex
Windows · Mac
An oriental narrative mystery. The story branches upon your choices. The dice lies.
Why similar: Detective 33.4%, Text-Based 12.7%, Historical 11.9%, Interactive Fiction 11.8%, Story Rich 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: This historical detective game emphasizes choices and story-rich investigation in a tense, martial-arts-infused setting.
- #22 Aviary Attorney
83% matchVery Positive95% of 2,260 reviews2015
Dev: Sketchy Logic
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.7 hrsMean: 4.5 hrs≥1hr: 89%
The hottest bird lawyering game to come out of 1840s France! Join Jayjay Falcon and his witty apprentice, Sparrowson, as the two take on clients, interview witnesses, collect evidence, and deliver justice to the guilty.
Why similar: Detective 47%, Visual Novel 19.3%, Story Rich 9.4%, Adventure 9%, Hand-drawn 4.9%
Why You'll Like It: Set in 19th-century France, this visual novel blends historical charm with detective work and branching narrative paths.
- #23 Trials of Innocence
78% matchVery Positive92% of 1,648 reviews2025
Dev: 猫龙游戏
Windows
Median: 19.1 hrsMean: 21.9 hrs≥1hr: 79%
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: Detective 33.4%, Interactive Fiction 21.3%, Visual Novel 10.9%, Puzzle 9.1%, Story Rich 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: A lore-rich interactive fiction game that centers on detective work and complex character relationships.
- #24 YOUR HOUSE
80% matchVery Positive87% of 68 reviews2025
Dev: PATRONES & ESCONDITES
Windows · Mac
A narrative puzzle-thriller that blurs the lines between games and books, reality and fiction, puzzles and storytelling.
Why similar: Detective 28.4%, Interactive Fiction 15.6%, Text-Based 11.5%, Puzzle 10.1%, Hand-drawn 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: A hand-drawn detective thriller that focuses on investigation and puzzle-solving within a confined, mysterious space.
- #25 Tails Noir
81% matchMixed67% of 3,405 reviews2021
Dev: EggnutPub: Raw Fury
Windows · Mac
Median: 2.5 hrsMean: 6.2 hrs≥1hr: 62%
Tails Noir is a post-noir narrative adventure. Become raccoon private eye Howard Lotor and explore dystopian Vancouver inhabited by animals as you uncover a deeply personal story of change and transformation.
Why similar: Detective 35.2%, Interactive Fiction 22%, Visual Novel 11.6%, Dialogue Heavy 10%, Story Rich 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: It captures the gritty, noir-inspired atmosphere and investigative focus found in the seed game.
- #26 Tokyo Detectives
81% matchMixed69% of 57 reviews2021
Dev: Rincho Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Detective Game. Murder Investigation. Interrogate witnesses. Rebut with evidence.
Why similar: Detective 50.1%, Visual Novel 15.4%, Text-Based 14.3%, Adventure 7.3%, Story Rich 6.6%
Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on the procedural aspects of investigation within a stylized, narrative-heavy visual novel format.
- #27 GNOSIA
78% matchVery Positive94% of 4,844 reviews2022
Dev: Petit DepottoPub: PLAYISM
Windows
Median: 7.2 hrsMean: 15.3 hrs≥1hr: 90%
The Gnosia lie. Pretending to be human, they’ll get in close, trick and deceive, and then eliminate one victim at a time...
Why similar: Detective 42.9%, Visual Novel 21.7%, Story Rich 15.6%, Adventure 9.9%, Atmospheric 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: This game uses a time-loop mechanic to facilitate a complex, deduction-based mystery that evolves with every playthrough.
- #28 Murder by Numbers
79% matchVery Positive84% of 1,662 reviews2020
Dev: MediatonicPub: The Irregular Corporation
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 12.7 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Solve Pixel Puzzles to find clues. Use those clues to interrogate witnesses. Work your way to the truth... ...and uncover the mystery of Murder by Numbers!
Why similar: Detective 27.9%, Interactive Fiction 19%, Dialogue Heavy 13.8%, Puzzle 10.8%, Visual Novel 10.2%
Why You'll Like It: It blends investigation with logic-based puzzles, offering a unique take on the detective genre.
- #29 Sinking The Boats
77% matchVery Positive97% of 63 reviews2025
Dev: 孟夏MengxiaPub: 糕薯科技
Windows
It's a choice-oriented story game. Play as a group of underground workers who fight in the dark, and stage a treacherous spy war story in Nanjing during World War II. How will you respond to identity crises, betrayals, and collapsed beliefs? Loyalty or betrayal, abandon others or be abandoned...
Why similar: Detective 18.5%, World War II 15.6% ★, Puzzle 10%, Visual Novel 9.9%, Hand-drawn 9.2%
- #30 [Redacted] The Safehouse
76% matchVery Positive100% of 82 reviews2026
Dev: Heartbeast
Windows · Linux
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 38.3%, Interactive Fiction 29.4%, Text-Based 16.6%, Story Rich 8.8%, Atmospheric 3.6%
- #31 Miss Fisher and the Deathly Maze
79% matchVery Positive81% of 72 reviews2018
Dev: Tin Man Games
Windows · Mac
Episode 1 and 2 of the award winning murder mystery, visual novel adventure in which you become the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher, the glamorous and stylish detective!
Why similar: Detective 39.4%, Visual Novel 20.6%, Adventure 17.5%, Story Rich 13.2%, Female Protagonist 5.4%
Why You'll Like It: An adventure-focused detective game that captures the spirit of classic mystery novels through visual storytelling.
- #32 Tails Noir Preludes
75% matchVery Positive92% of 300 reviews2023
Dev: EggnutPub: Raw Fury
Windows
Tails Noir Preludes is a post-noir narrative adventure with branching choices. It is an intertwined series of vignettes about change, circumstance, and consequence. Guide four characters through formative moments in their lives in a dystopian Vancouver inhabited by anthropomorphic animals.
Why similar: Detective 25.8%, Interactive Fiction 20.1%, Visual Novel 14.8%, Dialogue Heavy 13.1%, Story Rich 7.6%
- #33 The Occult Detective
75% matchMostly Positive71% of 326 reviews2025
Dev: Battlecry Studio
Windows
A narrative detective game blended with supernatural elements. Play as a rookie investigator, discover vital clues in every case, dive into unscripted interrogations and uncover truths that break minds. But with each revelation, the world feels... less human.
Why similar: Detective 41.7%, Puzzle 17%, Visual Novel 16.3%, Story Rich 13.4%, Adventure 7%
- #34 Noir Punk
77% matchVery Positive89% of 70 reviews2021
Dev: Milpitians
Windows
2D sidescrolling adventure narrative game with puzzle solving and platforming elements.
Why similar: Detective 30.8%, Interactive Fiction 18%, World War II 15% ★, Puzzle 10.7%, Visual Novel 8.1%
- #35 Gerda: A Flame in Winter
74% matchVery Positive95% of 526 reviews2022
Dev: BirdIsland/PortaPlayPub: DON'T NOD
Windows
Median: 2.2 hrsMean: 8.7 hrs≥1hr: 59%
You have five days to save your husband, who has just been arrested by the Gestapo. Investigate, explore and form allegiances in this story-rich RPG-lite. Who will you trust?
Why similar: World War II 22.5% ★, Interactive Fiction 16.5%, Historical 14.1%, Dialogue Heavy 8.3%, Hand-drawn 8.2%
- #36 Insects Awaken
72% matchVery Positive90% of 458 reviews2025
Dev: HelloMeow
Windows · Mac
Insects Awaken is a puzzle visual novel set in the 1940s. It follows the story of Chen Shan, a young man entangled in espionage while defending his family and homeland. He embarks on a journey between the isolated cities of Chongqing and Shanghai, braving the chaos of war with his passion and youth.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 22.6%, Detective 18.2%, Historical 13.6%, Visual Novel 12.6%, Story Rich 11.8%
- #37 Dragon Maiden: Blossoms of the Past
73% matchMostly Positive80% of 64 reviews2025
Dev: 不兼容性工作室Pub: 2P Games
Windows
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: Detective 33.3%, Puzzle 17.7%, Adventure 15.3%, Text-Based 12%, Story Rich 6.2%
- #38 Miss Peacock
71% matchVery Positive100% of 85 reviews2026
Dev: Otter Club
Windows · Mac
Between 1930 and 1933, Lieutenant Chen, an ambitious Asian officer, travels to a remote mine in the mountains of French Indochina to investigate a decrease in mineral production. Various forces become entangled in the power play, revealing the truth amid diplomatic mediation and supernatural events.
Why similar: Detective 29.4%, Visual Novel 15.3%, Hand-drawn 13.8%, Story Rich 10.8%, Historical 9.7%
- #39 江华号
74% matchMostly Positive77% of 178 reviews2023
Dev: 知音动漫Pub: IndieArk
Windows
《江华号》是一款国风水墨横版卷轴叙事游戏。1928年,武汉的大街小巷流传着一则“头七夜死者还魂”的诡异消息,引发各界关注。《楚城时报》新人记者虞慧龄奉命前去采访,却误打误撞,被种种谜团指引着登上了一艘名为“江华号”的豪华客轮。在那里,一段不为人知的隐秘往事渐渐浮出水面……
Why similar: Detective 24.7%, Interactive Fiction 22.4%, Puzzle 10.8%, Historical 10.5%, Story Rich 7.5%
- #40 Red Line
72% matchVery Positive97% of 185 reviews2023
Dev: Rolling Cat StudioPub: indienova
Windows · Mac
Moving into a shabby apartment, a saturnine girl with hidden secrets finds a notebook that allows her to communicate with another world. A thrilling adventure taking place across multiple timelines ensues.
Why similar: Detective 33.4%, Puzzle 22.2%, Interactive Fiction 13.8%, Story Rich 8.1%, Visual Novel 6.5%
- #41 Confidential Killings - A Detective Game
71% matchMostly Positive79% of 652 reviews2026
Dev: BRANEPub: Surefire.Games
Windows · Mac
A series of murders is shocking Hollywood! Use your detective skills: search the crime scene, find clues, solve the mystery. Who is pulling the strings behind these Confidential Killings?
Why similar: Detective 29.4%, Interactive Fiction 18.3%, Puzzle 10.3%, Text-Based 10%, Adventure 7.5%
- #42 Fayburrow
73% matchVery Positive81% of 481 reviews2022
Dev: The Fayburrow TroupePub: The Animation Workshop VIA
Windows
In a world of fairies, a childhood friend suddenly calls Beatrice back to her old hometown. Yet when she arrives, her friend is mysteriously missing.
Why similar: Detective 34.4%, Dialogue Heavy 13.2%, Interactive Fiction 12.2%, Visual Novel 12%, Story Rich 8.2%
- #43 Gensokyo:Presumption of Guilt~Pansies Before Dawn
70% matchVery Positive93% of 331 reviews2026
Dev: 戏壤游戏(Xirang Games)
Windows
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: Detective 41.1%, Text-Based 18.6%, Interactive Fiction 15.9%, Visual Novel 15.6%, Story Rich 5.4%
- #44 Hauma - A Detective Noir Story
73% matchMostly Positive71% of 129 reviews2023
Dev: SenAm GamesPub: Assemble Entertainment
Windows
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 30.8%, Interactive Fiction 17.2%, Visual Novel 10.5%, Puzzle 9.9%, Story Rich 6.8%
- #45 Paper Perjury
70% matchVery Positive89% of 196 reviews2024
Dev: Paper Cat Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
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: Detective 43.9%, Puzzle 14.8%, Visual Novel 14.3%, Story Rich 8.6%, Adventure 7.2%
- #46 The Darkest Files
68% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 651 reviews2025
Dev: Paintbucket Games
Windows · Mac
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 40.2%, Historical 16%, Puzzle 13.7%, Adventure 8.7%, Nonlinear 7.1%
- #47 Mystery of the Malign
68% matchVery Positive94% of 80 reviews2025
Dev: Gameplay Supremacy
Windows
Investigate. Interrogate. Descend into a world of intrigue to untangle the Mystery of the Malign.
Why similar: Puzzle 27.2%, Story Rich 18.4%, Detective 13.6%, Atmospheric 13.4%, Nonlinear 11.3%
- #48 Casebook 1899 - The Leipzig Murders
69% matchVery Positive86% of 103 reviews2025
Dev: Homo Narrans Studio
Windows · Mac · Linux
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 45.3%, Historical 16.7%, Adventure 10.5%, Story Rich 8.4%, 2D 5.9%
- #49 Case #1472
71% matchMixed57% of 68 reviews2025
Dev: Broken at Release Game Studio
Windows
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 25.4%, Interactive Fiction 23.7%, Dialogue Heavy 12.4%, Puzzle 12.3%, Visual Novel 10.7%
- #50 The Last Case of John Morley
67% matchVery Positive85% of 285 reviews2025
Dev: Indigo Studios - Interactive StoriesPub: JanduSoft
Windows
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 37.8%, Interactive Fiction 24.1%, Puzzle 13.7%, Story Rich 9.2%, Adventure 8.4%
- #51 Mohism: Battle of Words
69% matchMostly Positive78% of 607 reviews2023
Dev: 玄镜工作室Pub: Yooreka Studio
Windows
Mohism: Battle of Words is a detective game set in the world of wuxia. The game follows Zhang Xiaochen, investigates unsolved cases and comes into his own as a hero. He must rely on his wits and razor-sharp tongue to best his opponents, find the culprit and ensure justice prevails!
Why similar: Detective 37.2%, Visual Novel 14.6%, Puzzle 13.9%, Dialogue Heavy 11%, Story Rich 9.3%
- #52 A Case of Distrust
70% matchVery Positive82% of 607 reviews2018
Dev: An Open Ben
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 3.8 hrs≥1hr: 88%
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 34.1%, Interactive Fiction 23.8%, Visual Novel 11.7%, Historical 11.6%, Story Rich 7%
- #53 Connected Clue
66% matchVery Positive88% of 112 reviews2026
Dev: Alpheratz Games Pub: CFK Co., Ltd.
Windows · Mac
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 46.4%, Text-Based 18.6%, Puzzle 16.4%, Adventure 9.2%, Female Protagonist 5%
- #54 Syberia: The World Before
66% matchVery Positive90% of 4,903 reviews2022
Dev: Microids Studio ParisPub: Microids
Windows
Median: 6.2 hrsMean: 9.5 hrs≥1hr: 91%
Embark on a quest for identity through time, as you piece together the puzzle of two lives.
Why similar: Detective 38%, Puzzle 16.2%, Story Rich 11.9%, Historical 11.7%, Adventure 9.2%
- #55 The Sundew
69% matchVery Positive87% of 100 reviews2021
Dev: 2054
Windows · Linux
You are Anna Isobe, a cyborg cop abandoned by progress and thrust into the midst of a global conspiracy. Experience classic point and click gameplay as you travel across the dark future, and make choices that will seal the fate of the world.
Why similar: Puzzle 21%, Story Rich 17.4%, Adventure 13.4%, Retro 11.9%, Atmospheric 11.4%
- #56 Deluge: Threnody of Crashing Waves
68% matchVery Positive86% of 257 reviews2022
Dev: leavesPub: socah
Windows · Mac · Linux
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 45.8%, Story Rich 21.8%, Female Protagonist 15.4%, 2D 9.5%, Dialogue Heavy 7.5%
- #57 Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
64% matchVery Positive94% of 3,011 reviews2024
Dev: SimogoPub: Annapurna Interactive
Windows
Median: 8.2 hrsMean: 12.6 hrs≥1hr: 82%
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 42.9%, Adventure 22.5%, Stylized 13%, Story Rich 12.1%, Female Protagonist 6.8%
- #58 The Diary
67% matchMixed68% of 200 reviews2025
Dev: HuCang StudioPub: IndieArk
Windows · Mac
Several diaries gradually reveal the thrilling story of a missing case; after multiple deductions, are the answers in the past or present? With frequent plot twists, you never know which is the truth and which is the unexpected; in a dense fog, time buries the past, but the marks remain.
Why similar: Interactive Fiction 27.4%, Puzzle 16.6%, Visual Novel 15.7%, Story Rich 14.8%, Female Protagonist 8.4%