- #1 The Shell Part II: Purgatorio
97% matchVery Positive95% of 681 reviews2024
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 18.6 hrsMean: 173.5 hrs≥1hr: 80%
Detective Reiji Tokisaka is back to face down a mystery that spans decades, if not centuries. With the aftermath of his last case weighing on his soul and a long-silent cult resurgent, can he solve the crime—or will it become his curse?
Why similar: Cult 35.8% ★, Detective 15.9%, Romance 9.5%, Visual Novel 9.5%, Mystery 7.2%
Why You'll Like It: This direct sequel continues the dark, investigative narrative and psychological depth established in the first installment.
- #2 The Shell Part III: Paradiso
96% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 683 reviews2025
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: Shiravune
Windows
Median: 13.4 hrsMean: 205.6 hrs≥1hr: 76%
The coiling chains of obsession that began with The Shell now threaten to strangle Detective Reiji Tokisaka in the third and final entry in the trilogy. As old friends and foes rise up for one last confrontation, can anyone break the cycle—and can Reiji's heart ever be set free?
Why similar: Cult 38.3% ★, Detective 17.2%, Visual Novel 11%, Mystery 9.8%, Dark 5.1%
Why You'll Like It: The conclusion of the trilogy provides essential closure to the overarching mystery and character arcs of the series.
- #3 CARTAGRA
95% matchVery Positive92% of 92 reviews2026
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Set in Ueno, Tokyo, where the wounds of the Pacific War have not yet healed, detective Takashiro Shugo becomes involved in a series of gruesome murders. A visual novel of love and hatred leading to obsession and madness…
Why similar: Detective 27.3%, Visual Novel 19.1%, Dark 8.2%, Gore 8%, Mystery 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: This prequel to Kara no Shojo offers the same dark, atmospheric mystery and period-accurate investigative gameplay.
- #4 Kara no Shojo
96% matchVery Positive92% of 455 reviews2018
Dev: Innocent GreyPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.1 hrsMean: 154.7 hrs≥1hr: 62%
Play as a detective tasked with catching a serial killer in this visual novel set in post-war Japan. Investigate key locations, question many complex characters, piece together clues, and try to stop the culprit before they end yet another young girl's smile.
Why similar: Detective 21.7%, Visual Novel 13.9%, Mystery 11.5%, Psychological Horror 10.7%, Choices Matter 8.6%
Why You'll Like It: Sharing the same developer and a similar gritty detective aesthetic, this title is a fundamental pillar of the genre.
- #5 Tokyo Dark
94% matchVery Positive84% of 1,344 reviews2017
Dev: CherrymochiPub: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 4.5 hrsMean: 5.6 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Legend tells of a door deep below Tokyo's sewers. All who enter are lost forever. Detective Ito's partner is missing. Explore Tokyo & uncover the darkness that lays beneath the streets in this Point & Click - meets Visual Novel - narrative adventure that questions the very core of Ito's sanity.
Why similar: Detective 26.5%, Visual Novel 17.7%, Psychological Horror 11.8%, Mystery 11.6%, Anime 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: This game mirrors the seed's focus on a detective unraveling a dark, occult-adjacent mystery within the streets of Tokyo.
- #6 Raging Loop
94% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 10,913 reviews2017
Dev: KEMCO
Windows
Median: 24.0 hrsMean: 60.1 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The feast has begun, can you escape the village alive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 27.8%, Detective 17.3%, Mystery 17.1%, Psychological Horror 15.4%, Gore 6.5%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror visual novel that excels at building tension through a repeating cycle of tragedy and mystery.
- #7 PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
92% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 7,183 reviews2023
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 8.8 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 87%
How far would you go to bring someone back from the dead? Discover the depths that some will go to in this horror-adventure game.
Why similar: Visual Novel 23.3%, Mystery 15.6%, Text-Based 11.7%, Multiple Endings 9.9%, Retro 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: It masterfully blends supernatural horror with a compelling investigative mystery set in a modern Japanese urban environment.
- #8 The Silver Case
93% matchVery Positive89% of 1,192 reviews2016
Dev: GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 8.5 hrs≥1hr: 84%
The Silver Case – the debut title from world-renowned developer SUDA51 has been fully remastered and localized to English for the first time ever!
Why similar: Detective 22.9%, Visual Novel 15.2%, Mystery 13.6%, Psychological Horror 9.5%, Text-Based 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: This noir-inspired detective thriller captures a similar sense of urban decay and psychological unease as the seed game.
- #9 AI: The Somnium Files
91% matchVery Positive92% of 9,378 reviews2019
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.6 hrsMean: 15.2 hrs≥1hr: 85%
Play as detective Kaname Date on the case of an elusive serial killer in this thrilling, sci-fi murder mystery.
Why similar: Detective 27.5%, Visual Novel 20.5%, Mystery 15.2%, Gore 8.1%, Anime 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: This title features a complex murder mystery with deep psychological elements and a strong focus on investigative detective work.
- #10 The House in Fata Morgana
91% matchVery Positive95% of 6,643 reviews2016
Dev: NOVECTPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 6.4 hrsMean: 27.2 hrs≥1hr: 83%
A gothic suspense tale set in a cursed mansion. "The House in Fata Morgana" is a full-length visual novel spanning nearly a millennium that deals in tragedy, human nature, and insanity.
Why similar: Visual Novel 17.8%, Romance 15.1%, Mystery 12.8%, Psychological Horror 12.3%, Dark 8.8%
Why You'll Like It: While more gothic in nature, its focus on tragic, dark storytelling and atmospheric mystery makes it a strong thematic companion.
- #11 Return to Shironagasu Island
90% matchVery Positive94% of 4,204 reviews2020
Dev: ONIMUSHI HyogoPub: TABINOMICHI
Windows · Mac
Median: 5.6 hrsMean: 14.0 hrs≥1hr: 92%
A mystery adventure game and visual novel set on solitary Shironagasu Island. Discover its secrets, solve its mysteries, and escape from the ominous island!
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.6%, Mystery 19.4%, Detective 19%, Psychological Horror 10.3%, Choices Matter 7.7%
Why You'll Like It: This mystery-adventure visual novel features a classic detective-style investigation into a series of strange occurrences on an isolated island.
- #12 Higurashi When They Cry Hou+
89% matchVery Positive86% of 196 reviews2023
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 9.7 hrs≥1hr: 72%
The tragedy of Hinamizawa is over. Those held captive within its grip are free from the fate that bound them to June 1983. Yet the tale of Hinamizawa is not truly complete. There are many worlds not yet explored.
Why similar: Visual Novel 37.4%, Gore 16.2%, Anime 13.8%, Psychological Horror 9.2%, Mystery 7.8%
Why You'll Like It: A seminal work in psychological horror that uses a small-town setting to explore dark, cult-like mysteries and cycles of violence.
- #13 Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
89% matchVery Positive93% of 7,340 reviews2017
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 6.5 hrsMean: 21.7 hrs≥1hr: 90%
Kidnapped and taken to an unfamiliar location, nine people find themselves forced to participate in a diabolical Nonary Game by an enigmatic mastermind called Zero. Why were they there? Why were they chosen to put their lives on the line? And more importantly, who can be trusted?
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.9%, Mystery 15.8%, Choices Matter 12.5%, Psychological Horror 12%, Multiple Endings 9.7%
Why You'll Like It: A masterclass in mystery and psychological tension, featuring branching paths and high-stakes choices that impact the narrative outcome.
- #14 Urban Myth Dissolution Center
86% matchVery Positive88% of 6,230 reviews2025
Dev: HakababunkoPub: SHUEISHA GAMES
Windows
Median: 7.0 hrsMean: 9.7 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Join forces with the psychic Director of the Urban Myth Dissolution Center and solve a variety of cases involving cursed relics, rental properties with shady histories, and dimensional anomalies. Monstrous oddities and otherworldly planes abound in this occult mystery adventure game!
Why similar: Visual Novel 21.4%, Detective 19.1%, Psychological Horror 15.6%, Mystery 15.3%, Text-Based 8.3%
Why You'll Like It: It focuses on investigating supernatural urban myths, providing a similar investigative loop to the seed game's detective work.
- #15 Umineko When They Cry - Question Arcs
87% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 2,837 reviews2016
Dev: 07th ExpansionPub: MangaGamer
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 14.4 hrsMean: 45.5 hrs≥1hr: 82%
Umineko When They Cry is the 2nd series of Sound Novel released by 07th Expansion. The steam version features renewed character sprites which is swappable from the classic art.
Why similar: Visual Novel 27.3%, Mystery 23%, Detective 17.7%, Psychological Horror 11%, Anime 5.7%
Why You'll Like It: This intricate mystery visual novel challenges the player to solve complex crimes while navigating heavy psychological and supernatural themes.
- #16 Spirit Hunter: Death Mark
88% matchVery Positive83% of 524 reviews2019
Dev: EXPERIENCEPub: Aksys Games
Windows
Median: 3.5 hrsMean: 13.2 hrs≥1hr: 71%
A strange rumor is spreading through the shadows of Tokyo's H City: a mysterious disfigurement has been appearing on the bodies of certain individuals. Anyone who receives the Mark will rapidly die of unknown, horrifying causes. The countdown to death has already begun...
Why similar: Visual Novel 53.3%, Detective 25.1%, Adventure 11.3%, Anime 10.3%
Why You'll Like It: This horror-mystery title focuses on investigating supernatural urban legends, echoing the dark and investigative tone of the seed game.
- #17 Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
86% matchOverwhelmingly Positive96% of 38,237 reviews2016
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.9 hrsMean: 22.9 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Investigate murders, search for clues and talk to your classmates to prepare for trial. There, you'll engage in deadly wordplay, going back and forth with suspects. Dissect their statements and fire their words back at them to expose their lies! There's only one way to survive—pull the trigger.
Why similar: Detective 33.3%, Visual Novel 22.5%, Mystery 17.8%, Psychological Horror 11.6%, Anime 9.3%
Why You'll Like It: It combines high-stakes murder mystery investigations with a dark, claustrophobic atmosphere that keeps players constantly on edge.
- #18 CHAOS;HEAD NOAH
85% matchVery Positive88% of 2,029 reviews2022
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 54.1 hrs≥1hr: 84%
CHAOS;HEAD NOAH is now available on Steam!
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.5%, Mystery 16.7%, Gore 16.1%, Psychological Horror 15%, Anime 8.2%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological thriller that explores the breakdown of reality, perfect for fans of the seed game's darker narrative elements.
- #19 The Murder Hotel
84% matchVery Positive93% of 73 reviews2025
Dev: Wegenbartho Games
Windows
Interrogate suspects, search for clues, & uncover a dastardly plot, as you solve a string of mystifying murders to help reluctant detective Ilmarinen escape the foreboding Fafnir Hotel.
Why similar: Detective 27.4%, Visual Novel 18.4%, Mystery 15.4%, Psychological Horror 10.9%, Romance 8.4%
Why You'll Like It: A straightforward mystery-detective visual novel that leans heavily into the tropes of classic murder investigations.
- #20 Geminism
83% matchVery Positive89% of 133 reviews2025
Dev: CRAFTWORKPub: Shiravune
Windows
Two pairs of twins war for love, life, and limb beneath the curtain of a dark Tokyo night. From the artisans at CRAFTWORK comes a visual novel lush with art, action, and mystery; a story of GEMINISM—deformity and divinity.
Why similar: Visual Novel 20.7%, Psychological Horror 16.3%, Romance 11.5%, Dark 11.1%, Mystery 8.7%
Why You'll Like It: A dark fantasy visual novel that incorporates psychological horror elements and a grim, atmospheric narrative.
- #21 Sunlight Scream
84% matchVery Positive84% of 81 reviews2023
Dev: Faithy Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
The hero moves to a new city. However, along with him comes a masked killer who begins to kill his friends one by one... Make decisions to build your adventure. Can you stop him before it's too late?
Why similar: Detective 22.9%, Visual Novel 14.9%, Mystery 11.5%, Psychological Horror 10.4%, Romance 9%
Why You'll Like It: This title provides a focused detective experience with an anime aesthetic that mirrors the seed game's visual style.
- #22 HAPPY SAIN† SHEOL
82% matchVery Positive84% of 253 reviews2024
Dev: HUNGRYCULTPub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Two thousand years ago, the Pestis Disaster swept through the land, corrupting all living things and making it to difficult to live on the land. Having touched the darkest darkness the world has seen, one must now face the dazzling light. Thus I pose this question. Whose wings did I see that day?
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.5%, Romance 13.9%, Dark 13.3%, Gore 11.9%, Anime 9.6%
Why You'll Like It: A dark, horror-themed visual novel that explores disturbing themes through a compelling, choice-driven narrative.
- #23 Suhoshin
82% matchVery Positive90% of 175 reviews2022
Dev: No More 500
Windows
Median: 4.8 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 98%
Suhoshin is a 2D Visual Novel set in the medieval Joseon period of Korea. While investigating a series of mysterious murders, you will have to make choices that will lead you down different paths toward different endings.
Why similar: Visual Novel 16.9%, Detective 15.4%, Mystery 13%, Psychological Horror 11.9%, Choices Matter 8.1%
Why You'll Like It: This historical mystery visual novel offers a unique setting while maintaining the core investigative and psychological tension of the genre.
- #24 Memory Girl +
81% matchVery Positive97% of 71 reviews2025
Dev: cream△Pub: Champloo Games
Windows
A tragic love story following Memori and her search for the missing "him."
Why similar: Visual Novel 20.2%, Romance 15%, Psychological Horror 14.1%, Mystery 10.8%, Choices Matter 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: This title blends psychological horror with a story-rich visual novel format, focusing on a dark and mysterious character-driven plot.
- #25 Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut
78% matchOverwhelmingly Positive97% of 33,680 reviews2023
Dev: Black Tabby Games
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 4.0 hrsMean: 7.0 hrs≥1hr: 88%
You're here to slay the princess. Don't believe her lies.
Why similar: Visual Novel 26.8%, Psychological Horror 20%, Choices Matter 19.2%, Romance 16.9%, Choose Your Own Adventure 10.6%
Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror visual novel that uses branching choices to explore dark, existential themes in a highly atmospheric way.
- #26 428: Shibuya Scramble
80% matchVery Positive95% of 3,939 reviews2018
Dev: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.4 hrsMean: 12.2 hrs≥1hr: 83%
A kidnapping on the streets of Shibuya brings together a hot-blooded detective, hard-hitting journalist, former gang leader, the head researcher of a big pharma manufacturer and a part-timer stuck in cat costume for a series of events each more unexpected and outrageous than the last.
Why similar: Visual Novel 40.2%, Mystery 24.1%, Detective 17%, Choices Matter 9.4%, Adventure 5%
Why You'll Like It: A gripping mystery that weaves together multiple perspectives in Tokyo, capturing a similar sense of urgency and investigative depth.
- #27 Root Double -Before Crime * After Days- Xtend Edition
81% matchVery Positive91% of 615 reviews2016
Dev: YetiPub: Sekai Project
Windows
Median: 8.9 hrsMean: 14.2 hrs≥1hr: 94%
Rescue squad captain Watase Kasasagi wakes up without his memories in the middle of his most critical mission yet-- a nuclear meltdown at a research facility. In an unfamiliar place and without his years of training, he must rescue the survivors and escape...
Why similar: Visual Novel 37.5%, Mystery 15.9%, Multiple Endings 11.6%, Anime 10.1%, Gore 8%
Why You'll Like It: This thriller offers a complex, multi-perspective mystery that rewards players for making careful, logical choices.
- #28 Lachesis or Atropos
79% matchVery Positive86% of 73 reviews2023
Dev: 4nokiPub: Quill Yuri
Windows · Mac · Linux
This world is woven of strings, of fate and of hate. What do you see, detective? A horror-mystery yuri visual novel peering into the maddening darkness of love and death.
Why similar: Detective 23.4%, Visual Novel 15.4%, Mystery 11.2%, Romance 10.6%, Choices Matter 9.8%
Why You'll Like It: A detective-focused visual novel with horror elements that emphasizes the consequences of player choices in a dark, atmospheric world.
- #29 Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo
78% matchMostly Positive80% of 139 reviews2025
Dev: DankHeartsPub: WhisperGames
Windows
Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo is a multi-ending mystery adventure game. A group of boys and girls who have lost their memories gather in a “Tokyo” that is both familiar and unfamiliar. They must trace their lost memories to escape the bizarre labyrinths. Are they prepared to confront their “true selves”?
Why similar: Detective 26.8%, Visual Novel 19.5%, Mystery 10.4%, Multiple Endings 9.3%, Psychological Horror 8.9%
- #30 Fatal Twelve
79% matchVery Positive92% of 1,043 reviews2018
Dev: LYCORISPub: Sekai Project
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 7.1 hrsMean: 10.3 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Shishimai Rinka was a high schooler who ran a small café named Lion House in place of her grandmother. She lived her life much like any other person her age, but one day, she was caught up in an explosion while returning home on the train alongside her friend, Hitsuji Naomi.
Why similar: Visual Novel 36.3%, Mystery 19.8%, Multiple Endings 15.6%, Anime 10.8%, Choices Matter 7.4%
Why You'll Like It: This title features a high-stakes mystery involving a death game, blending psychological drama with a dark, supernatural premise.
- #31 The Kuon Island Nursery Rhyme Murders: Case Notes
77% matchMixed60% of 82 reviews2026
Dev: RenkaPub: Renka BH1
Windows
A storm-lashed island, a nursery rhyme that foretells death, seven prodigies, serial murders, modern locked-room mysteries, classic locked-room mysteries, astrology, a jigsaw of flesh and blood, a survivor—and one lie told only so you would see this story.
Why similar: Detective 30.2%, Visual Novel 20.8%, Mystery 15.5%, Cinematic 13.8%, Text-Based 6.5%
- #32 春はあけぼの、我はバケモノ。 - Spring at Dawn, I Am a Monster.
77% matchMixed66% of 56 reviews2026
Dev: CHARON
Windows
“You were only trying to do the right thing—so why is everything falling apart?” A Japanese language teacher’s choices to save three girls who have stopped attending school will change their fates. A psychological horror visual novel with 16 endings.
Why similar: Visual Novel 14.2%, Psychological Horror 11.2%, Mystery 10.5%, Choices Matter 9%, Cinematic 8.1%
- #33 Kugayama Shiori's Death Diary
74% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 992 reviews2026
Dev: Laplacian
Windows
Median: 7.2 hrsMean: 7.1 hrs≥1hr: 82%
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 27%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12%, Cinematic 11.9%, Mystery 11.8%, Text-Based 10.1%
- #34 The Occult Detective
76% matchMostly Positive71% of 332 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 34.9%, Visual Novel 25%, Mystery 15.4%, Anime 9.6%, Story Rich 4.9%
- #35 Five Stages of Pink
76% matchVery Positive98% of 94 reviews2022
Dev: Kaffein
Windows · Mac · Linux
Psychological horror and mystery game about a boy who desperately wants a Normal life in the most abnormal city in the world. Help Timor understand his cruel life in this supernatural city and investigate murders while trying to escape Death. This is a visual novel and point and click game.
Why similar: Detective 27.6%, Visual Novel 18.6%, Mystery 15.5%, Psychological Horror 14.8%, Choices Matter 9.1%
- #36 Rail of Möbius
75% matchVery Positive95% of 493 reviews2021
Dev: PHOSEPO
Windows
It is an adventure game with multiple endings. An original script written by a well-known light novelist with a total of 400,000 words. With reasoning, suspense, love, and science fiction elements, it allows players to embark on a highly immersive journey of salvation on the submarine train.
Why similar: Detective 20.9%, Visual Novel 14.7%, Romance 13.5%, Psychological Horror 11.9%, Mystery 10%
- #37 DIGITAL EXORCIST case_(0);
73% matchVery Positive94% of 167 reviews2023
Dev: COOL BEANS PRODUCTIONSPub: HYPER REAL
Windows
Step into a dark world where cyberdemons haunt humankind. When mutilated bodies start appearing all over this sleepy town in the Mississippi inaka, Sawyer, ex-AGENCY operative; now unemployed shut-in, must exorcise the demon perpetrator in this story-rich, PC-98 style adventure game.
Why similar: Detective 32.3%, Visual Novel 22.3%, Dark 9.5%, Choose Your Own Adventure 7.9%, Anime 7.3%
- #38 The Chrono Jotter
72% matchVery Positive94% of 2,261 reviews2021
Dev: Orca LayoutPub: 2P Games
Windows
Median: 5.4 hrsMean: 9.1 hrs≥1hr: 87%
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: Detective 28.7%, Visual Novel 19.6%, Mystery 14.5%, Psychological Horror 10.6%, Gore 8.3%
- #39 The Incident at Galley House
68% matchVery Positive94% of 3,745 reviews2026
Dev: William RousPub: Evil Trout Inc.
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 8.4 hrsMean: 8.9 hrs≥1hr: 92%
In 1936, something terrible happened at Galley House. Decades later, with a strange contraption that reveals echoes of the past, you must uncover the truth behind this grisly mystery.
Why similar: Detective 37.4%, Mystery 26.8%, Visual Novel 21.3%, Atmospheric 5.7%, Story Rich 3.8%
- #40 PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid's Curse
69% matchVery Positive95% of 2,591 reviews2026
Dev: Square Enix
Windows
Median: 13.6 hrsMean: 15.1 hrs≥1hr: 93%
Will you survive the curse together this summer? A new supernatural mystery adventure begins, telling a bittersweet story of the passions of youth featuring new locations, new legends and a new cast of characters.
Why similar: Visual Novel 24.8%, Mystery 19.4%, Gore 14.7%, Multiple Endings 10%, Choose Your Own Adventure 5.7%
- #41 12 Hours to Die
75% matchMostly Positive73% of 226 reviews2020
Dev: Wesley ReitsmaPub: Westeford
Windows · Mac · Linux
A mystery visual novel about six students forced to play a 12-hour long killing game.
Why similar: Detective 32.5%, Visual Novel 25.5%, Mystery 16.3%, Dark 8.5%, Gore 6.4%
- #42 Pink Noise
70% matchVery Positive86% of 133 reviews2026
Dev: Somber GamesPub: Caspianborn Publishing
Windows
Pink Noise is a nonlinear visual novel in the psychological horror genre, immersing you in the retro atmosphere of the '90s. It tells the tale of a group of teenagers who unknowingly set off a chain of terrifying events. What secrets lie within the mysterious VHS tape they should’ve never played?
Why similar: Visual Novel 17%, Psychological Horror 14.1%, Choices Matter 13%, Mystery 12.1%, Multiple Endings 9%
- #43 √Letter - Root Letter -
74% matchMostly Positive79% of 579 reviews2017
Dev: DRAGAMI GAMES, LTD.
Windows
Median: 5.0 hrsMean: 11.5 hrs≥1hr: 91%
When a letter is delivered 15 years late - you discover an old pen-friend was involved in a murder, before she disappeared. Travelling to her hometown, you must investigate the murder, using her past letters as clues to uncover the disturbing truth.
Why similar: Detective 23.7%, Visual Novel 15.3%, Romance 13.9%, Mystery 12.5%, Multiple Endings 8.1%
- #44 Lucid9: Inciting Incident
73% matchVery Positive90% of 1,041 reviews2016
Dev: Fallen Snow Studios
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 1.8 hrsMean: 12.1 hrs≥1hr: 71%
Lucid9 is a visual novel focused on a web of intricate mysteries set in the fictional 2018 metropolis of Isamu. Lucid9: Inciting Incident is the first part of the story, focused on a string of disappearances that occur at a prestigious, uppity boarding academy.
Why similar: Visual Novel 35.6%, Mystery 20.9%, Anime 11.9%, Psychological Horror 8.7%, Choices Matter 7%
- #45 One Eleven
72% matchVery Positive82% of 114 reviews2023
Dev: Kitten Purradise Studios
Windows
One eleven is a dark detective story about twelve lonely people who, by chance, find themselves in the same house with a mad maniac. Who will be the victim and who will be the killer? Be attentive and courageous, and solve the riddles of One Eleven.
Why similar: Detective 20.5%, Visual Novel 14.2%, Romance 12.9%, Psychological Horror 10.7%, Choices Matter 9%
- #46 SIMULACRA
71% matchVery Positive90% of 4,678 reviews2017
Dev: Kaigan Games OÜ
Windows · Mac
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 7.6 hrs≥1hr: 71%
An interactive horror experience of exploring a missing woman’s phone.
Why similar: Detective 26.6%, Visual Novel 15.7%, Psychological Horror 12.9%, Choices Matter 10.8%, Mystery 10.2%
- #47 YOU and ME and HER: A Love Story
70% matchOverwhelmingly Positive95% of 6,981 reviews2020
Dev: NitroplusPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 7.7 hrsMean: 133.7 hrs≥1hr: 86%
YOU and ME and HER: A Love Story is the visual novel medium in its purest form. Will Shinichi choose Miyuki, the beautiful queen bee of the school, or the endearingly awkward misfit Aoi? With art by Tsuji Santa, these beautifully rendered romances will stay with you forever.
Why similar: Visual Novel 29.6%, Psychological Horror 22.1%, Romance 17.1%, Anime 7%, Multiple Endings 5.8%
- #48 It was a human.
70% matchMostly Positive76% of 489 reviews2024
Dev: Loser/sPub: GAMER Plan
Windows
A short SF psychedelic interrogation ADV game that focuses on the interrogation of a suspect in a dismemberment murder case. The protagonist is a lieutenant colonel, tasked with interrogating the suspect. The protagonist needs to find out why she killed the two men and how she committed the crime.
Why similar: Visual Novel 22.4%, Detective 18%, Choose Your Own Adventure 12.8%, Mystery 11.2%, Dark 10.4%
- #49 ef - the first tale. (All Ages)
71% matchVery Positive95% of 207 reviews2019
Dev: minoriPub: MangaGamer
Windows
Median: 5.8 hrsMean: 273.2 hrs≥1hr: 69%
What starts with a conversation between two long lost friends spills out into a captivating visual novel about four youths struggling to pursue their dreams and find their place in the world as love complicates everything.
Why similar: Visual Novel 20.8%, Romance 19.2%, Cinematic 12.7%, Choices Matter 9.5%, Multiple Endings 7.7%
- #50 The Letter - Horror Visual Novel
71% matchVery Positive86% of 1,527 reviews2017
Dev: Yangyang MobilePub: Neon Doctrine
Windows · Mac · Linux
Median: 6.6 hrsMean: 11.0 hrs≥1hr: 89%
When seven people fall prey to a vicious curse, they will discover that horror rests not from the shadows lurking about, but within themselves. To what ends will one go in order to survive?
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.3%, Choices Matter 14%, Psychological Horror 12%, Mystery 11%, Gore 10.6%
- #51 CHAOS;CHILD
69% matchVery Positive93% of 4,074 reviews2019
Dev: MAGES. Inc.Pub: Spike Chunsoft Co., Ltd.
Windows
Median: 4.2 hrsMean: 80.8 hrs≥1hr: 82%
From the creators of the critically acclaimed STEINS;GATE comes a sensational new visual novel: CHAOS;CHILD. Set in Shibuya in 2015, a group of high school students who survived an earthquake six years ago find themselves at the center of a new series of bizarre murders in the city.
Why similar: Visual Novel 30.1%, Mystery 18.3%, Gore 13.9%, Psychological Horror 13.5%, Anime 8%
- #52 The Island: Into The Mist
73% matchMixed66% of 225 reviews2019
Dev: BADA Games
Windows
Median: 3.2 hrsMean: 4.0 hrs≥1hr: 86%
'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: Detective 20.4%, Visual Novel 11.8%, Mystery 11.6%, Psychological Horror 10.4%, Choices Matter 10.3%
- #53 再见断刀
65% matchVery Positive93% of 2,718 reviews2025
Dev: 非侠游戏Pub: LoveStoryProject
Windows
Median: 12.7 hrsMean: 13.3 hrs≥1hr: 87%
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: Detective 21.5%, Visual Novel 14.4%, Romance 11.3%, Mystery 10.3%, Choices Matter 9.2%
- #54 Staffer Case: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure
66% matchVery Positive94% of 4,260 reviews2023
Dev: Team Tetrapod
Windows · Mac
Median: 7.5 hrsMean: 8.8 hrs≥1hr: 92%
Staffer Case is a new sort of mystery game, asking players to find clues, arrange them into documents, and point out the contradictions between them to solve a series of murders. Each mystery unraveled leads you closer to the truth lying at the heart of each case!
Why similar: Detective 34.2%, Visual Novel 16.1%, Mystery 14.9%, Text-Based 9.1%, Multiple Endings 7.5%
- #55 Siberian Way
68% matchVery Positive82% of 70 reviews2025
Dev: ROOT GAMES
Windows
Siberian Way is a detective thriller novel. Follow the dark non-linear story and decide how it can end! For all fans of snowy Siberia, Murder on the Orient Express and twisted plots, seasoned with mysticism.
Why similar: Detective 22.4%, Visual Novel 18%, Psychological Horror 14.3%, Dark 11.2%, Choices Matter 10.7%
- #56 Demonheart: The Cursed Trial
67% matchVery Positive91% of 133 reviews2025
Dev: Rolling Crown
Windows · Mac
You are a girl with a demonic heart, trapped with a group of suspicious individuals. A demonspawn arrives, setting off a chain of mysterious murders. Can you trust any of your fellow captives and find love in the chaos? Or will you fight for your life alone?
Why similar: Detective 21.7%, Visual Novel 15.1%, Romance 14.7%, Mystery 12.9%, Psychological Horror 11.1%
- #57 Mojika - Truth Rears Its Ugly Head
67% matchMostly Positive77% of 521 reviews2025
Dev: NITRO ORIGINPub: JAST
Windows
Median: 7.7 hrsMean: 10.2 hrs≥1hr: 89%
Haunted by the ability to read minds, Suteru embarks on a journey of revenge against those who wronged him. Uncovering the secrets of his tormentors, he must confront his demons in a story that explores the depths and darkness of the human mind.
Why similar: Visual Novel 14.8%, Mystery 12.4%, Psychological Horror 11.4%, Choices Matter 10.7%, Cinematic 10.6%
- #58 Kindaichi Mystery Series: The Honjin Murders
68% matchMostly Positive72% of 184 reviews2025
Dev: coly Inc.
Windows · Mac
Famous detective Kosuke Kindaichi's first case, the Honjin Murder Mystery. Honjin descendant Kenzo Ichiyanagi and his new wife Katsuko Kubo lay dead in a bed of blood on the night of their wedding. Kosuke Kindaichi searches for the truth about this locked room murder mystery. However...
Why similar: Detective 28.5%, Visual Novel 19.3%, Mystery 17.8%, Choose Your Own Adventure 9.2%, Text-Based 8.5%
- #59 Graces: Posthumous Wish
66% matchVery Positive95% of 205 reviews2024
Dev: TomoToro
Windows
Aki is haunted by a curse. In search of salvation, she travels into the memories of a dead classmate, where she must witness three eerie mystical stories and figure out how to break the shackles of misfortune.
Why similar: Detective 22.9%, Visual Novel 16.9%, Psychological Horror 13.6%, Mystery 11.8%, Dark 9.9%
- #60 Firework
65% matchOverwhelmingly Positive98% of 44,394 reviews2021
Dev: Shiying StudioPub: Gamirror Games
Windows
Median: 3.6 hrsMean: 6.6 hrs≥1hr: 85%
An accidental fire at a funeral forces the police to re-investigate a closed case of massacre. Lin Lixun participates the re-investigation by chances. As the investigation goes deeper, the past of the victims gradually emerges. However, the case becomes more bewildering.
Why similar: Mystery 23.3%, Visual Novel 20%, Psychological Horror 20%, Detective 8.9%, Atmospheric 8.8%
