Games Like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

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 29.9%, Mystery 15.9%, Atmospheric 12.5%, Story Rich 11%, First-Person 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the same focus on environmental storytelling and uncovering the tragic history of a specific location through interactive vignettes.

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: Walking Simulator 29.8%, Mystery 17%, Atmospheric 11.8%, First-Person 7.5%, Story Rich 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: Like Ethan Carter, this game excels at building a deep sense of place and isolation through its atmospheric first-person exploration.

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Why similar: Detective 42.2%, Mystery 21.9%, Atmospheric 7.9%, Story Rich 5.2%, Great Soundtrack 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: It features a unique detective mechanic that requires players to reconstruct past events, mirroring the supernatural investigation style of the seed game.

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 25.4%, Mystery 15.6%, Walking Simulator 14.8%, Supernatural 8.2%, Atmospheric 6.3%

Why You'll Like It: This game offers a pure, non-linear detective experience that rewards careful observation and exploration of a deserted town.

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 32.5%, Walking Simulator 16.7%, Atmospheric 9.1%, First-Person 7.5%, Horror 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game blends survival elements with detective work in a snowy, atmospheric setting that feels very similar to the exploration in Ethan Carter.

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 28.7%, Mystery 19.1%, Atmospheric 10.2%, First-Person 8.5%, Horror 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: Set in a beautiful, isolated Norwegian landscape, this game focuses on narrative-driven mystery and character-led exploration.

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 30.5%, Mystery 21.8%, Atmospheric 11.4%, Exploration 8.5%, First-Person 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: It captures a similar tone of atmospheric mystery set within a secluded, haunting environment where the player must uncover dark family secrets.

Featuring a beautiful, detailed open-world and a haunting soundtrack, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is non-linear storytelling at its best.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 49%, Atmospheric 11.6%, Great Soundtrack 10.4%, Mystery 5.8%, First-Person 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: This game is a quintessential walking simulator that relies on atmospheric storytelling to reveal the fate of a deserted community.

From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent comes SOMA, a sci-fi horror game set below the waves of the Atlantic ocean. Struggle to survive a hostile world that will make you question your very existence.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 20.8%, Lovecraftian 14.5%, Horror 10.9%, Mystery 10.5%, Atmospheric 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: While more horror-focused, it shares the high-quality narrative depth and environmental storytelling found in the best walking simulators.

June 7th, 1995. 1:15 AM. You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is empty. Something's not right. Where is everyone? And what's happened here? Unravel the mystery for yourself in Gone Home, a story exploration game from The Fullbright Company.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 62.5%, Atmospheric 8.4%, Exploration 7.5%, First-Person 6.2%, Story Rich 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: It is a foundational narrative-exploration game that focuses on piecing together a story through the objects left behind in a house.

The Beast Inside is a unique, gripping twist on thriller and survival horror. Immerse in the story of long-buried secrets, personal tragedies, and madness. Play as two protagonists bounded by dark heritage. Combat the enemies, solve riddles and experience real terror in the 3D-scanned environment.

Why similar: Horror 26.2%, Walking Simulator 18.9%, First-Person 11.5%, Atmospheric 8.5%, Story Rich 6.6%

Why You'll Like It: It combines first-person exploration with supernatural horror and investigation, creating a tense atmosphere of discovery.

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 25.2%, Horror 15.7%, Atmospheric 15.1%, Story Rich 11%, First-Person 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply atmospheric psychological thriller that uses photorealistic environments to tell a dark, mystery-filled story.

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 54.8%, Mystery 19.8%, Atmospheric 5.9%, Adventure 4.6%, Story Rich 4.4%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a more structured detective experience that focuses on the mechanics of deduction and evidence gathering.

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 46.1%, Mystery 14.4%, Supernatural 11.7%, Horror 7.1%, Atmospheric 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: It allows players to explore a supernatural version of a town while using detective skills to solve their own murder.

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 25.5%, Lovecraftian 22.3%, Mystery 10.5%, Horror 9.1%, Walking Simulator 8%

Why You'll Like It: It leans into the supernatural and Lovecraftian mystery elements, offering a dark detective investigation in a first-person perspective.

Stories Untold is a compilation tape of four experimental adventures, including a remaster of the original hit episode “The House Abandon”.

Why similar: Horror 23.8%, Atmospheric 23.6%, Psychological Horror 10.2%, Adventure 8.6%, Story Rich 8%

Why You'll Like It: This game uses a unique, experimental approach to mystery and horror that feels as surreal and engaging as the narrative in Ethan Carter.

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: Detective 35.1%, Walking Simulator 30.6%, Horror 12.5%, First-Person 10%, Story Rich 7%

Why You'll Like It: It features a detective protagonist exploring a dark, atmospheric world with a heavy emphasis on uncovering clues through environmental interaction.

Rethink human’s dominion in The Invincible: a story-driven adventure set in a hard sci-fi world by Stanisław Lem. Discover planet Regis III as scientist Yasna, use atompunk tools looking for a missing crew and face unforeseen threats. Make choices in a philosophical story that’s driven by science.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 47.1%, Mystery 25.3%, First-Person 10.3%, Story Rich 8.4%, Adventure 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game offers a slow-paced, atmospheric exploration experience on a mysterious planet that emphasizes discovery and narrative.

Dear Esther immerses you in a stunningly realised world, a remote and desolate island somewhere in the outer Hebrides. As you step forwards, a voice begins to read fragments of a letter: 'Dear Esther...' - and so begins a journey through one of the most original first-person games of recent years.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 32.2%, Mystery 11.9%, Exploration 9.7%, First-Person 8.3%, Horror 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A classic of the genre, it focuses entirely on atmospheric exploration and poetic narrative delivery.

The era-defining first-person psychological horror in all its terrifying glory. All of the game’s chapters collected into one convenient package that allows you to plumb the depths of madness in pursuit of artistic revelation.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 16.7%, Mystery 15.8%, Horror 11.1%, Supernatural 9.9%, Atmospheric 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: It excels at using environmental changes and psychological tension to guide the player through a mysterious, unfolding story.

Ether One is a first person adventure that deals with the fragility of the human mind. There are two paths in the world you can choose from. At its core is a story exploration path free from puzzles where you can unfold the story at your own pace.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 38.9%, First-Person 13.2%, Exploration 11.7%, Adventure 7.7%, Atmospheric 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: It combines exploration with puzzle-solving in a way that encourages players to piece together fragments of a fractured memory.

Set in a creepy amusement park hiding a dark and sinister secret, The Park is a first-person psychological horror experience focused on exploration and storytelling.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 31.7%, Horror 14.6%, Mystery 11.7%, First-Person 10%, Atmospheric 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, intense, and atmospheric horror experience that focuses on narrative discovery within a single, unsettling location.

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 28.3%, Walking Simulator 22.7%, Mystery 15.3%, Atmospheric 7.6%, First-Person 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: A stylistic, non-verbal mystery that uses cinematic editing to tell a compelling detective story.

Conarium is a chilling Lovecraftian game, which follows a gripping story involving four scientists and their endeavor to challenge what we normally consider to be the ‘absolute’ limits of nature. Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s novella "At the Mountains of Madness", but largely set after the original story.

Why similar: Lovecraftian 27.8%, Walking Simulator 25.7%, Horror 11.7%, First-Person 7.7%, Atmospheric 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game captures the Lovecraftian dread and exploration-based puzzle solving that fans of the supernatural mystery genre will appreciate.

You wake up, alone, on a strange island full of puzzles that will challenge and surprise you.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.3%, Exploration 13.2%, First-Person 12.9%, Puzzle 12.6%, Atmospheric 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: While more puzzle-heavy, it shares the same philosophy of rewarding the player for exploring a beautiful, silent, and mysterious open world.

Among the Sleep: Enhanced Edition is a new and improved version of the award winning first person horror adventure. In the game you play as a small child trapped in a weird nightmare where you go looking for your mom.

Why similar: Horror 34.4%, Walking Simulator 18.3%, Atmospheric 14.7%, First-Person 11.5%, Adventure 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a unique perspective on atmospheric horror and exploration, focusing on narrative immersion.

MIND: Path to Thalamus is a First Person Puzzler that throws you into a fantastic and surreal environment. You will bend the natural elements to your will in order to progress in this emotive, mindbending tale. Now also in Virtual Reality!

Why similar: Walking Simulator 43.6%, Atmospheric 15%, First-Person 10.6%, Puzzle 8.3%, Adventure 7%

Why You'll Like It: It features surreal, atmospheric environments and puzzle-solving that mirror the dreamlike quality of the seed game.

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: Walking Simulator 40.8%, Mystery 14.9%, Story Rich 9%, First-Person 8.6%, Atmospheric 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: It features a brilliant system for replaying past events to uncover a mystery, which is a core mechanic of the seed game.

KENTUCKY ROUTE ZERO is a magical realist adventure game about a secret highway running through the caves beneath Kentucky, and the mysterious folks who travel it.

Why similar: Atmospheric 29.6%, Mystery 17.1%, Great Soundtrack 11.6%, Adventure 11.4%, Story Rich 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a surreal, atmospheric narrative journey that prioritizes tone and storytelling over traditional gameplay mechanics.

The Occupation is a fixed-time, investigative thriller set in North West England on Saturday 24th October, 1987.

Why similar: Detective 41.4%, Mystery 20.9%, First-Person 8.8%, Story Rich 6.6%, Exploration 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person investigative thriller that requires players to manage time and gather evidence to solve a complex mystery.

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. You are Alex, and you’ve just brought your new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight island party gone horribly wrong.

Why similar: Mystery 19.3%, Supernatural 18.7%, Atmospheric 12.4%, Walking Simulator 10.7%, Story Rich 10.7%

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 25.3%, Mystery 15%, Atmospheric 11.4%, Exploration 9.4%, First-Person 8.3%

Unique events transport you to the halls of a long-forgotten crypt. The only means of escape lies locked within a stone pedestal, along with a note from your mysterious ally. His words promise assistance, but only serve to entice you into a compelling world of mystery and exploration.

Why similar: Mystery 33.8%, Puzzle 14.3%, Atmospheric 13.7%, Horror 10.8%, Lovecraftian 8.9%

Explore an abandoned building, encountering puzzles and clues to discover what happened, as you try to escape in both your nightmares and the waking world. Be immersed in the hauntingly beautiful 3D atmosphere in this puzzle exploration mystery game.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.4%, Mystery 15.7%, Atmospheric 13.9%, Exploration 8.9%, First-Person 8.5%

A first-person psychological horror with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and storytelling. Explore an ever-shifting Victorian mansion as a painter seeking to complete his masterpiece, even at the cost of his own sanity.

Why similar: Horror 46.8%, Walking Simulator 17.3%, Atmospheric 7.1%, First-Person 4.8%, Psychological Horror 4.7%

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 27.8%, Mystery 14.5%, Lovecraftian 14.4%, Supernatural 7.9%, Horror 7.3%

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: Walking Simulator 26.3%, Mystery 21.5%, Atmospheric 10.8%, First-Person 8.6%, Exploration 8.3%

Can you solve the mystery of the Beast of Gozdary?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.3%, Detective 21%, Mystery 11%, Atmospheric 9.8%, Horror 9.3%

The Old City: Leviathan is an experiment in first person exploration that focuses entirely on story. All that exists is you and the world. Set in a decaying city from a civilization long past, The Old City: Leviathan puts the player in the shoes of a sewer dwelling isolationist.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 43.6%, Atmospheric 15.4%, Exploration 11.5%, First-Person 9%, Adventure 5.6%

Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale journey from visionary Swedish film director, Josef Fares and top-tier developer Starbreeze Studios. Control both brothers at once as you experience co-op play in single player mode, like never before.

Why similar: Atmospheric 30.6%, Story Rich 16.4%, Adventure 14.4%, Great Soundtrack 10.1%, Puzzle 8.8%

Explore disturbing corners of the human psyche. Delve into a dimension of nightmares, the occult and a tense psychological world created in classic Lovecraftian style. As police detective Howard E. Loreid, you are tasked to solve the murder of Clark Field, a wealthy man involved in the occult.

Why similar: Detective 26.3%, Lovecraftian 24.5%, Horror 14.4%, Atmospheric 8.1%, Adventure 5.9%

'The Guest' is a gloomy adventure full of enigmas where the exploration of your surroundings comes to prominence; puzzles, secrets and riddles will help you discover who has locked you in this somber hotel room and most importantly, why.

Why similar: Mystery 25.7%, Walking Simulator 18.3%, Horror 14.3%, Atmospheric 11.5%, Puzzle 9.1%

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: Walking Simulator 24.7%, Supernatural 16.4%, Mystery 13.4%, Horror 11.4%, Atmospheric 11.4%

CRYNEGINE Indie Game of 2017. Featuring an incredibly detailed ancient world and a breathtaking soundtrack, Aporia: Beyond the Valley takes open world storytelling to new heights of adventure.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 24.7%, Atmospheric 11.8%, Adventure 10%, Mystery 9.3%, First-Person 9.2%

CONTRAST is a puzzle/platform game where you can move between a fantastic 3D world and a mysterious shadowy universe in 2D in the blink of an eye. Delve into a dreamlike and surreal 1920s world, inspired by the performance art world of vaudeville and film noir, and cradled by a smooth and sultry jazz ambiance.

Why similar: Detective 20.9%, Atmospheric 17.8%, Great Soundtrack 16%, Mystery 13%, Puzzle 11.2%

Experience the epic journey of Nuna and Fox as they search for the source of an eternal blizzard that threatens the survival of everything they have ever known.

Why similar: Atmospheric 37.8%, Story Rich 17.3%, Great Soundtrack 14.5%, Adventure 11.1%, Puzzle 9.7%

Dream is an exploration game that takes place within the subconscious mind of Howard Phillips, a young man whose waking hours are tedious and dull, but whose dreams are lucid and powerful.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 35.7%, Exploration 12.5%, Atmospheric 11%, First-Person 8.6%, Adventure 6.5%

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 29.1%, Mystery 20.1%, Horror 10.3%, Exploration 9.9%, First-Person 9.3%

The most terrifying journey of your life set in the beautiful winter scenery of the Ural Mountains. Uncover the horrific mystery behind the Dyatlov Pass Incident. Narrated by the famous Sean Bean.

Why similar: Horror 66.9%, Walking Simulator 10.1%, Mystery 5.6%, Atmospheric 4.4%, First-Person 3.1%

From the creators of What Remains of Edith Finch. Enter the surreal world of The Unfinished Swan and explore a mysterious, hidden kingdom by splatting paint to reveal the world around you.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.6%, Mystery 18.2%, Exploration 14.3%, First-Person 8.7%, Puzzle 8.1%

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 58.1%, Exploration 13.7%, Story Rich 9.4%, Puzzle 7.6%, Psychological Horror 6.9%

Released in 2014, experience one of the first 3D adaptations of the renowned puzzle-adventure game Myst! Each discovery you make, every puzzle you solve, will bring you closer to reversing a wrong that has gone unchecked for ages.

Why similar: Mystery 26%, Exploration 13.3%, First-Person 10.7%, Walking Simulator 10.6%, Puzzle 10.4%

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 27.9%, Walking Simulator 20.5%, Mystery 14.1%, Atmospheric 7.4%, First-Person 6.9%

A first-person horror adventure game that will take you on a journey through an ancient castle and that lies beneath. Dangers and forgotten horrors await in the dark...

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.9%, Mystery 16.3%, Horror 12%, Atmospheric 8.8%, Exploration 7.8%

The Fidelio Incident is a single-player, first-person thriller set off the coast of Iceland. Inspired by Beethoven's only opera Fidelio. After a violent plane crash, Stanley must search a desolate frozen island in search of his wife Leonore while covering up any traces of their bloody Irish past.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 44.1%, Mystery 14.2%, Great Soundtrack 9.9%, First-Person 7.4%, Exploration 6.8%

The Final Cut is the ultimate collector's edition of Dreamfall Chapters, a story-driven 3D adventure about choice and consequence, set in parallel worlds: a cyberpunk vision of the future and a magical fantasy realm.

Why similar: Atmospheric 30.3%, Story Rich 25.7%, Adventure 15%, Exploration 12.9%, Puzzle 7.5%

Explore the vast and beautiful world of Valley using the power of the L.E.A.F. suit: a fierce exoskeleton that grants exceptional speed and agility along with the phenomenal ability to manipulate the life and death of all living things.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 20.2%, First-Person 15.7%, Exploration 12.2%, Atmospheric 11.5%, Great Soundtrack 11.1%

A new sci-fi adventure from Cyan, the creators of Myst. Abducted far across the universe, you find yourself on a broken alien landscape with odd pieces of Earth. Explore, uncover, solve, and find a way to make it home.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 23.3%, Mystery 21.4%, Exploration 11.9%, First-Person 10%, Adventure 8%