Games Like Under The Waves

Beyond Blue is a single-player narrative adventure that takes you deep into our planet’s beating blue heart. Explore the awesome wonder and unbounded mystery that exists within the world’s ocean.

Why similar: Underwater 72.8% ★, Exploration 9.8%, Adventure 7.2%, Story Rich 3.5%, Indie 2.8%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a similar focus on deep-sea exploration and marine life observation with a strong narrative core.

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: Underwater 39.4% ★, Exploration 12.3%, Story Rich 11.9%, Sci-fi 11.5%, Atmospheric 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: This title perfectly mirrors the psychological tension and existential themes of being trapped in a deep-sea facility.

From the art director of Journey®, ABZÛ is a beautiful underwater adventure that evokes the dream of diving. Immerse yourself in a vibrant hidden world bursting with color and life as you descend into the heart of the ocean. But beware as you swim deeper as dangers lurk in the depths.

Why similar: Underwater 63.1% ★, Exploration 10.9%, Atmospheric 10.1%, Adventure 6.1%, Third Person 2.6%

Why You'll Like It: It provides an unparalleled, meditative underwater exploration experience that focuses on beauty and atmosphere.

Uncover the mystery of Thalassa, a first-person psychological drama set under the sea. Ill-fate has fallen on your former crew and friends and it’s up to you to find answers onboard the wreckage. Experience the melancholic underwater journey of human stories facing life and loss.

Why similar: Underwater 40.1% ★, Adventure 16.8%, Atmospheric 11.3%, Story Rich 10.3%, Exploration 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: It is a narrative-heavy underwater adventure that focuses on uncovering the mysteries of a sunken vessel.

An atmospheric vehicle adventure that follows the emotional journey of a boy and his ship as he embarks on a voyage to find a new home.

Why similar: Underwater 65.2% ★, Atmospheric 17.8%, Adventure 14.1%, Singleplayer 1.7%, Indie 1.2%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the same feeling of a solitary, emotional journey while managing a vehicle through a vast, atmospheric world.

Play as an Artificial Intelligence guiding a stranded xenobiologist through a beautiful and mysterious alien ocean. A non-violent sci-fi story, enter a world of wonder, fear and vulnerability, unraveling the history and ecology of an impossible planet. What will you discover together?

Why similar: Underwater 46.8% ★, Adventure 12%, Exploration 11.4%, Story Rich 9.1%, Atmospheric 8%

Why You'll Like It: This game emphasizes the scientific and contemplative side of underwater exploration through a unique, minimalist interface.

Deliver Us The Moon is a Sci-Fi thriller set in an apocalyptic near future where Earth's natural resources are depleted. In an effort to solve the energy crisis, global powers created the World Space Agency and secured a promising new source of energy on the moon.

Why similar: Adventure 28.6%, Sci-fi 17.8%, Story Rich 13.3%, Atmospheric 12.3%, Indie 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the sci-fi, isolated, and narrative-driven structure of a lone protagonist dealing with a high-stakes mission.

1975. Disaster strikes the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Navigate the collapsing rig to save your crew from an otherworldly horror on the edge of all logic and reality in this 3x BAFTA Games Award-winning narrative horror experience.

Why similar: Underwater 42.1% ★, Cinematic 9.4%, Story Rich 9.2%, Narrative 8.1% ★, Exploration 8%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a high-tension, narrative-focused experience set on an isolated rig, echoing the industrial underwater setting.

Survival, horror at the sunless depths of the Pacific Ocean: Stranded on the seafloor with low light and few tools, an industrial diver takes desperate steps to surface before his oxygen — and sanity — give out.

Why similar: Underwater 76.1% ★, Adventure 10.7%, Atmospheric 9%, Indie 4.1%

Why You'll Like It: It leans into the survival and psychological horror aspects of being stranded in the deep ocean.

Dive into a surreal ocean abyss in an atmospheric puzzle-adventure. Explore dangerous waters, possess sea creatures and solve environmental puzzles to discover what lies deep below the surface…

Why similar: Underwater 53.3% ★, Cinematic 10.7%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Exploration 8.8%, Adventure 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game uses a striking, dark art style to create an atmospheric and mysterious underwater puzzle-adventure.

Deliver Us Mars is an atmospheric sci-fi adventure taking you on a suspense-fuelled, high-stakes mission to recover the ARK colony ships stolen by the mysterious Outward.

Why similar: Cinematic 24.1%, Story Rich 19.7%, Sci-fi 19.2%, Third Person 17.7%, Atmospheric 14.1%

Why You'll Like It: Like the seed game, it focuses on a personal, emotional journey set against a backdrop of sci-fi isolation and exploration.

Boat, climb, interact and explore in the beautiful ruins of a sunken world.

Why similar: Exploration 33.7%, Atmospheric 20.3%, Adventure 15.2%, 3D 10%, Third Person 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a relaxing, exploration-focused experience in a post-apocalyptic, water-covered world.

Descend into the depths of an alien underwater world filled with wonder and peril. Craft equipment, pilot submarines and out-smart wildlife to explore lush coral reefs, volcanoes, cave systems, and more - all while trying to survive.

Why similar: Underwater 65.3% ★, Exploration 11.4%, Sci-fi 6%, Adventure 5.6%, Atmospheric 4.3%

Why You'll Like It: While more survival-oriented, it remains the definitive game for feeling the scale and wonder of an alien ocean.

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: Sci-fi 27.2%, Adventure 25.2%, Story Rich 22.3%, Exploration 19.4%, Singleplayer 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: It excels at building a sense of wonder and isolation on an alien world, mirroring the atmospheric storytelling of the seed game.

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: Story Rich 25.3%, Atmospheric 21.3%, Adventure 20.1%, Exploration 19.5%, Singleplayer 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: While not underwater, it is the gold standard for narrative-driven games about isolation, grief, and communication.

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: Story Rich 37.3%, Atmospheric 22.2%, Exploration 19.8%, Adventure 12.3%, Indie 4.4%

Why You'll Like It: It is a masterclass in interactive storytelling that explores themes of loss and memory in a way that resonates with the seed game's emotional tone.

DREDGE is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

Why similar: Exploration 35%, Adventure 17.9%, Atmospheric 15.7%, Story Rich 11.5%, Open World 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: It combines underwater exploration with a compelling, eerie narrative that keeps the player engaged with the sea's mysteries.

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

Why similar: Adventure 38.2%, Sci-fi 20.1%, Indie 17%, Story Rich 12%, Atmospheric 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: This sci-fi thriller captures the claustrophobic and lonely feeling of being trapped in a high-tech, isolated environment.

Explore the ruins of the human race and discover the thriving wildlife that blossomed after our extinction in this underwater action/adventure. Encounter monstrous creatures and let curiosity guide you through an inevitable voyage of extinction.

Why similar: Underwater 78.1% ★, Adventure 11.5%, Indie 4.8%, Exploration 4.4%, Singleplayer 1.2%

Why You'll Like It: It blends underwater exploration with a melancholic story about the end of humanity.

A mysterious signal. A missing crew. And the one man trying to piece it all together. As Abe Douglas, dive deep into a fully underwater metroidvania to explore massive oceanic biomes, battle monstrous bosses, and piece together a mystery that threatens not only your crew, but your own sanity.

Why similar: Underwater 43.2% ★, Submarine 32.8% ★, Exploration 7.4%, Story Rich 6.1%, Adventure 4.6%

Why You'll Like It: This metroidvania captures the feeling of navigating a submarine through dangerous, dark, and mysterious waters.

Linear underwater horror game about a search dive that quickly turns into fight for survival after an encounter with hellish creature.

Why similar: Underwater 66% ★, Cinematic 10.4%, Atmospheric 7.1%, Exploration 7%, Adventure 6.2%

Why You'll Like It: It is a focused, linear experience that emphasizes the psychological toll of deep-sea diving.

Pilot a remotely operated submarine and explore the oceans! Defy the darkness and crushing pressure of the deeps as you chart unknown regions and study new species of ocean life.

Why similar: Underwater 45.3% ★, Submarine 31.6% ★, Exploration 7.9%, Atmospheric 5.9%, Third Person 4.6%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a realistic simulation of operating a remote vehicle to explore the ocean floor.

Plunge into VR on a capsizing research ship, the Triton, where survival means outmaneuvering the water's lethal surge. Freedive through a sinking ship, overcome underwater chaos, and unlock your path to the surface, all while protecting your most precious resource: the breath in your lungs.

Why similar: Underwater 56.7% ★, Cinematic 10.5%, Exploration 10%, Story Rich 7.5%, Adventure 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a visceral, physics-based underwater escape experience that highlights the dangers of the deep.

Diluvion is a 3D deep sea, Jules Verne inspired, exploration game with RPG elements and thrilling submarine combat. As the Captain of your own vessel, you must grow and manage your crew as you search for the secrets of the past in a hauntingly beautiful flooded world.

Why similar: Underwater 68.9% ★, Submarine 18.3% ★, Adventure 8.2%, Indie 3.2%, Singleplayer 0.7%

Why You'll Like It: It features a unique, submarine-focused RPG experience in a flooded, post-apocalyptic world.

Subnautica 2 is an underwater survival adventure set on an all-new alien world, developed by Unknown Worlds. Play alone or with friends in 4-player co-op. Adapt to survive by building custom bases and crafting tools. Explore the unknown to uncover the mysteries hidden within the depths.

Why similar: Underwater 66.7% ★, Exploration 11.8%, Atmospheric 5.3%, Adventure 5.1%, Sci-fi 5%

Moons of Madness is a first-person, story-driven cosmic horror game where the scientific exploration of Mars meets the supernatural dread of Lovecraft.

Why similar: Adventure 33.3%, Sci-fi 25.7%, Exploration 19.9%, Atmospheric 13%, Singleplayer 4.6%

Why You'll Like It: It combines psychological horror with sci-fi exploration, creating a sense of unease similar to the seed game's stranger moments.

Dive into a freezing underwater adventure on an alien planet. Below Zero is set two years after the original Subnautica. Return to Planet 4546B to uncover the truth behind a deadly cover-up. Survive by building habitats, crafting tools, & diving deeper into the world of Subnautica.

Why similar: Underwater 60.9% ★, Exploration 9.5%, Adventure 5.9%, Sci-fi 5.6%, Story Rich 5.4%

As Jack Argyle, you are tasked with restoring communication at the underwater ex-Aegis facility known as Phorcys Station. Be careful, or risk joining the spirits trapped inside.

Why similar: Underwater 57.5% ★, Sci-fi 10.4%, Exploration 10%, Story Rich 8.2%, Adventure 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: It explores the intersection of sci-fi, horror, and underwater exploration in a narrative-driven format.

CRUSH DEPTH is first-person sci-fi horror game set at the bottom of the ocean. A salvage operation that would set you up for life goes sideways when you realize you're not alone down there. You'll solve puzzles and run from danger as you uncover the mysterious fate of Eclipse Station.

Why similar: Underwater 43.6% ★, Submarine 29.7% ★, Exploration 7.1%, Sci-fi 6.8%, Story Rich 5.4%

Biolum is a 30min VR sci-fi narrative experience. Dive to uncharted depths of the ocean and discover a beautiful world of bioluminescent creatures. But all is not what it seems. What lies beneath the surface?

Why similar: Underwater 38.8% ★, Submarine 27.8% ★, Exploration 7.9%, Sci-fi 7.6%, Cinematic 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: This VR experience focuses on the beauty and mystery of deep-sea bioluminescence in an isolated setting.

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: Story Rich 21%, Sci-fi 20.3%, Exploration 16.6%, Adventure 16.2%, Atmospheric 10.4%

Why You'll Like It: This narrative game focuses on uncovering the personal stories of a crew in an isolated, sci-fi setting.

There's Nothing Down There is a short undersea horror exploration game. Descend into a sinkhole at the bottom of the ocean and discover the remains of a lost, yet not dead, civilization.

Why similar: Submarine 50.2% ★, Underwater 22.8% ★, Exploration 10%, Adventure 7.5%, Atmospheric 3.3%

You're a Stardiver on a mission. Descend into the depths of an underwater world filled with wonder, mysteries, and peril. Discover the story behind the abandoned base. Explore this submerged planet and learn its history.

Why similar: Underwater 52.4% ★, Sci-fi 9.1%, Story Rich 8.4%, Exploration 8.1%, Atmospheric 7.3%

Operate an oil-drilling submarine while taking instructions from a mysterious voice. Fail your quota, and they’ll cut your oxygen. This is deep-sea horror. Obey or drown.

Why similar: Underwater 42.5% ★, Submarine 40.5% ★, Atmospheric 7.1%, Exploration 4.7%, 3D 2.1%

As captain of the Pandora sub, you must explore the Trench and retrieve data from the Neptune wreckage. But beware - the trench is home to unimaginable horrors that will test your courage. Can you survive the terrors of the deep and complete your mission, or will you become the next victim?

Why similar: Underwater 45.7% ★, Submarine 37.3% ★, Atmospheric 5.7%, Sci-fi 4.8%, Adventure 4.7%

Solitude Underwater is a short horror adventure game. Two treasure-hunting brothers are searching for sunken riches off the coast of South Africa, only to find themselves immersed in catastrophe after one of them gets trapped in a cage, deep inside shark-infested waters.

Why similar: Underwater 54.3% ★, Adventure 15.5%, Cinematic 15.2%, Atmospheric 5.6%, 3D 5%

Explore abandoned biospheres at the bottom of the ocean, alone or with up to 4 friends.

Why similar: Underwater 49.6% ★, Submarine 35.9% ★, Adventure 6.1%, Atmospheric 5.4%, Indie 1.6%

In Aphotic Descent, you play as a diver whose submarine crashed at the bottom of the ocean. With no other option for survival, you must make your way to a nearby underwater research facility facing terrifying creatures, all while descending deeper and deeper...

Why similar: Underwater 69.1% ★, Exploration 10.8%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Adventure 8.6%, Singleplayer 2.4%

The Sirena Expedition is a short PSX-style horror-platformer in which you explore a mysterious underwater facility.

Why similar: Underwater 54.1% ★, Submarine 20.4% ★, Atmospheric 7.4%, Exploration 6%, Adventure 5.9%

A short first-person horror game. An accident cripples your submarine while trying to find the wreck of the Titanic. In the darkness, you must restore life-support systems through tense puzzles, only to discover that you are not alone.

Why similar: Underwater 39.7% ★, Submarine 35.4% ★, Atmospheric 7.9%, Story Rich 5.6%, Exploration 4.6%

Dive into a world of despair in the world of Underwater. Take the role of an unknown inmate entering the a deep sea prison where mutants roam and barely any traces of human life remain. You will have to use all your ingenuity to escape and avoid becoming the meal of the hideous denizens.

Why similar: Story Rich 26.9%, Atmospheric 21.7%, Adventure 21.3%, Exploration 16.9%, Indie 7.2%

Subside is an immersive aquatic VR experience with multiple areas to explore and lifelike aquatic creatures to interact with. Crafted with unparalleled realism, it aims to replicate the nuances of real-life swimming and diving in shallow waters

Why similar: Underwater 76.9% ★, Exploration 10.7%, Atmospheric 6%, Sci-fi 4.8%, Singleplayer 1.6%

A short horror game where you pilot a tiny submarine through an ocean of blood on an alien moon.

Why similar: Underwater 42.1% ★, Submarine 35% ★, Atmospheric 6.3%, Sci-fi 4.5%, Exploration 4.2%

When humans get too lonely, they turn into monsters… Set sail across a beautiful and evolving world of darkness and light, and discover what it means to be human.

Why similar: Adventure 52.9%, Atmospheric 34.3%, Singleplayer 12.8%

Teach the gods to create a better universe - or mess it all up in Mythic Ocean, a narrative exploration game where your choices shape the fate of the cosmos.

Why similar: Underwater 62.7% ★, Adventure 16.1%, Exploration 7.8%, Indie 7.2%, Atmospheric 6.3%

In the wake of catastrophe find the means to make your family whole again.

Why similar: Cinematic 19.5%, Narrative 17.2% ★, Story Rich 15.3%, Atmospheric 14.8%, Adventure 12.2%

A first-person narrative adventure set in the unforgiving Arctic. Your plane crashed in a storm, leaving only your court-mandated therapy bot for company as you journey to find your co-pilot and uncover the mysteries buried beneath the ice.

Why similar: Narrative 19.9% ★, Exploration 14.7%, Story Rich 13.7%, Sci-fi 13.2%, Atmospheric 11.4%

THE SHORE is a first person story driven game with an atmospheric environment and narrations, You will encounter mysterious creatures and unravel the secrets behind them. Strong elements of horror, struggle to survive an unknown world that will make you question your own sanity.

Why similar: Underwater 64.4% ★, Exploration 17.3%, Story Rich 10.8%, Atmospheric 7.5%

Join Norah, a woman plagued by a mysterious illness, in her search for her missing husband in this adventure puzzle game set on a lush island paradise. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and unlock forbidden secrets in a moving tale of mystery and love.

Why similar: Story Rich 25.2%, Adventure 22.8%, Exploration 19.7%, Atmospheric 16.7%, Indie 6.7%

Become a fearless underwater explorer and reach the bottom of The Mariana Trench to win 20,000* REAL DOLLARS!

Why similar: Underwater 51.7% ★, Submarine 40.9% ★, Atmospheric 3.2%, 3D 2.1%, Indie 1.3%

Surf the waters of a submerged city! Unravel the past, save the islanders from mysterious sea monsters and discover secrets hidden under the surface.

Why similar: Cinematic 27.8%, Adventure 22.4%, Third Person 19.3%, Atmospheric 14.3%, 3D 8.7%

Get ready for a thrilling underwater adventure with classic point-and-click gameplay. Explore with three characters simultaneously. Featuring atmospheric isometric graphics, rendered video, and a soundtrack by Mark Morgan, BONE TOTEM takes you on a journey to hidden places deep below the waves...

Why similar: Submarine 43% ★, Exploration 10.2%, Cinematic 10.2%, Story Rich 9.9%, Sci-fi 9.6%

DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, singleplayer adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole.

Why similar: Underwater 64.7% ★, Exploration 12.5%, Adventure 9.7%, Story Rich 8.1%, Singleplayer 3.1%

Dive into a realistic, single-player, first-person journey through the harsh northern latitudes as you sail endless waters, searching for a way back to your loved ones. Will you follow the light?

Why similar: Story Rich 24.4%, Adventure 21.5%, Exploration 21.3%, Atmospheric 21.2%, Singleplayer 6.3%

SAMUDRA is an award-winning hand-illustrated deep sea journey.

Why similar: Underwater 71.5% ★, Atmospheric 9.3%, Adventure 8.9%, Story Rich 4.9%, Indie 4.2%

A lovecraftian roguelike. Dive into procedurally generated undersea caves. Collect gold, upgrade your equipment, and Feed the Deep.

Why similar: Underwater 64% ★, Exploration 12.8%, Atmospheric 6.9%, Sci-fi 6.2%, Indie 4.1%

Submerge yourself in one of the most immersive diving simulators to date. Gather your gear, choose your diving spot and discover what lies beneath the surface as you venture deep into the unknown.

Why similar: Underwater 73.8% ★, Exploration 12.3%, Adventure 8.2%, Indie 2.9%, Singleplayer 1.5%

The Station is a first-person sci-fi mystery set on a space station sent to study a sentient alien civilization. Assuming the role of a recon specialist, players must unravel a mystery which will decide the fate of two civilizations.

Why similar: Adventure 24.7%, Story Rich 24.3%, Sci-fi 22.4%, Atmospheric 17.5%, Indie 11.2%