Games Like When the Darkness comes

A dark/sad/weird/funny first person exploration game. You play a man on his last night alive as he obsesses over a mysterious painting. More of a story game in that it emphasizes mood and character over gameplay. Takes ten minutes to play and has "next-gen" features like a shrimp tank.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 38.6%, Walking Simulator 20.5%, Horror 14%, Dark 10.5%, First-Person 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: A deeply unsettling and short psychological experience that mirrors the surreal, narrative-heavy approach of the seed game.

The Beginner's Guide is a narrative video game from Davey Wreden, the creator of The Stanley Parable. It lasts about an hour and a half and has no traditional mechanics, no goals or objectives. Instead, it tells the story of a person struggling to deal with something they do not understand.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 33.2%, Narration 21.1%, First-Person 8.4%, Psychological 6.1%, Story Rich 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: This meta-narrative walking simulator explores the psyche of a developer, offering a similar introspective and emotional journey.

You're stranded at a cathedral-like train station in the near future, searching for a ticket out of town. Explore the secret passageways, interact with strangers, dig for records, and get hypnotized by the soundtrack – a batch of original music courtesy of the band, Archie Pelago.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 53.1%, First-Person 12.8%, Horror 12.4%, Indie 9%, Adventure 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal, first-person walking simulator that prioritizes atmosphere and strange, dreamlike environments over traditional gameplay.

Marie's Room is a short story exploration game about an unconventional friendship between two classmates. You play as Kelsey, remembering Marie's room as it was twenty years ago. But something’s off. What happened to Marie?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 45.3%, First-Person 11.6%, Story Rich 10.8%, Atmospheric 10.5%, Indie 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, narrative-driven walking simulator that focuses on emotional storytelling and environmental discovery.

‘goth gf’s iPhone’ airdrops you - accept or decline? A love/horror story about life, death, & memes.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 41.7%, Psychological 13.5%, Emotional 11.9%, Choices Matter 9.6%, Horror 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: A short, impactful visual novel that tackles themes of mental health and suicide with a raw, personal touch.

Experience true psychological horror as you explore nightmares inspired by the creator's struggles with depression and OCD. The defenseless protagonist must avoid monstrous manifestations of what haunts his subconscious in his quest to wake up into reality.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 40.6%, Walking Simulator 21.6%, Horror 20.1%, Atmospheric 5.6%, Indie 4.2%

Why You'll Like It: A game explicitly designed to convey the harrowing experience of mental illness through dark, atmospheric exploration.

Smuggle contraband VHS tapes across the border. Discover the remnants of illicit industry. Prepare for an assassination. This is Paratopic, an atmospheric retro-3D horror adventure through a cursed fever dream.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 28.7%, Horror 21.4%, Walking Simulator 17.1%, Atmospheric 8%, Indie 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: Its low-poly, surreal aesthetic and disjointed narrative create a dreamlike atmosphere that feels very similar to the seed game.

Explore a mysterious abandoned bunker and find notes that paint a disturbing picture.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 29.6%, Walking Simulator 24%, Horror 12.6%, First-Person 9.8%, Dark 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, free-to-play psychological experience that relies on atmosphere and environmental storytelling.

This is a game in which you traverse the extremely dark world inside a dream.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 32.7%, Walking Simulator 24.5%, Horror 11.3%, Psychological 10.2%, Dark 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: A classic surreal exploration game that delves into the subconscious mind through dreamlike, abstract environments.

Caligo is the darkness everyone descends into one way or another, and to each of us it's something different. For some it's a short but exciting adventure, some will see it as a place to relax. Yet others will be reminded of their worst nightmare, while for a few, it might come as a revelation.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 31.9%, Psychological Horror 17.2%, Horror 8.7%, Psychological 7.8%, First-Person 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A short, atmospheric walking simulator that focuses on abstract visuals and a haunting, introspective tone.

A reverse-detective adventure, where you control your character's face

Why similar: Psychological Horror 48.8%, Horror 20.9%, First-Person 13.8%, Choices Matter 7.4%, Story Rich 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: An experimental psychological horror game that uses unique mechanics to explore identity and surrealism.

Play as a farmer who struggles to manage a failing farm. You come to a point where there is no more hope, and you must do something.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 28.5%, Horror 22.8%, Dark 16.4%, Atmospheric 8.8%, First-Person 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play psychological horror game that uses a unique art style to convey a bleak and introspective narrative.

Pleh! is a short psychological horror walking simulator that tells the story of a depressed game developer, his intrusive thoughts and his dark mysterious secrets.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 25%, Walking Simulator 20.1%, Narration 13.9%, Psychological 7.7%, Dark 7%

Why You'll Like It: A dark, psychological walking simulator that uses narration to guide the player through a disturbing story.

Fragments of Dread is an episodic psychological horror series. Each episode tells a self-contained story of dread, fear, and survival.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 30.6%, Walking Simulator 26.1%, Horror 12.3%, First-Person 7.8%, Dark 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological walking simulator that uses atmospheric horror to explore internal fears.

First Person Psychological Horror. Addicted to virtual ecstasy, trapped in digital hell. Navigate glitchy dreamscapes and a city that never sleeps. Every mission brings you closer to your next dose, but will you follow your protective AI, or the man behind a liberating new drug?

Why similar: Psychological Horror 28.7%, Walking Simulator 20.7%, Horror 11.6%, Psychological 10.1%, Dark 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror game that centers on a therapy session, directly exploring themes of trauma and mental health.

Cry of Fear is a psychological single-player and co-op horror game set in a deserted town filled with horrific creatures and nightmarish delusions. You play as a young man desperately searching for answers in the cold Scandinavian night, finding his way through the city as he slowly descends into madness.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 39.9%, Horror 33.3%, Psychological 9%, First-Person 7.5%, Atmospheric 4.7%

Why You'll Like It: A free-to-play psychological horror game that uses its environment to represent the protagonist's deteriorating mental state.

An atmospheric horror journey between reality and madness. Three paths lie ahead only one is free of anomalies. Observe closely. Choose wisely. Save the lost souls.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 33.4%, Walking Simulator 26.8%, Horror 12.6%, Dark 6.9%, First-Person 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror walking simulator that focuses on narrative and atmospheric tension.

The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 60.8%, Horror 16%, Dark 10.9%, Story Rich 4.4%, First-Person 4.1%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror game that subverts expectations to explore dark themes beneath a seemingly innocent exterior.

From the darkness is a psychological horror game with a scary atmosphere, the game takes place in an old Soviet abandoned apartment.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 34.6%, Horror 20.4%, Walking Simulator 19%, Dark 9.1%, First-Person 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: A short, indie psychological horror game that focuses on building an oppressive atmosphere through exploration.

Luto is a psychological horror experience where you take on the role of someone unable to leave their home. Every attempt to escape will lead you deeper into the unknown, where nothing is as it seems and everything will test your senses.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 25.8%, Walking Simulator 22.5%, Narration 13.2%, Psychological 8.3%, Dark 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror game that focuses on the experience of grief and loss through atmospheric exploration.

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: Psychological Horror 31.5%, Walking Simulator 16.1%, Horror 13.1%, First-Person 10%, Dark 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A classic psychological walking simulator that uses shifting environments to represent the protagonist's fractured mind.

God's Basement is a first-person, narrative-driven, single player horror game. Uncover the secrets of an afterlife shrouded in mystery, as an entity known as "The Operator" leads you deeper into the fringes of a seemingly eternal purgatory.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 25.2%, Walking Simulator 21.8%, Horror 11.2%, Dark 8.4%, Psychological 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person psychological horror game that uses atmospheric exploration to build tension and tell a dark story.

A tense, atmospheric descent into psychological horror—trapped in a place where reality fades and fear takes hold.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 38.8%, Walking Simulator 29.3%, Horror 15%, First-Person 4%, Psychological 3.9%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal, psychological horror game that emphasizes exploration and puzzle-solving in a disorienting environment.

A short and mysterious free point and click adventure game, inspired by the feeling of oddness in an everyday situation.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 28.4%, Walking Simulator 27.5%, Horror 13.1%, Psychological 9.4%, Emotional 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric walking simulator that uses a grounded setting to build a sense of unease and mystery.

Dark Fracture is a psychological horror experience in which you explore an ever-changing world where reality and nightmares collide. Walk on the edge of madness in the shoes of a tormented soul as you descend into the darkest depths of the human psyche, and question everything you see.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 25.4%, Walking Simulator 21.6%, Horror 13.5%, First-Person 9.9%, Psychological 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror experience that emphasizes exploration and a tense, unsettling atmosphere.

NIGHTGHAST is a first-person horror game about wicked witches and sinister widows...

Why similar: Psychological Horror 31.2%, Walking Simulator 26.8%, Horror 15.1%, Narration 10.6%, First-Person 6.9%

Why You'll Like It: A psychological horror game that uses walking simulator mechanics to explore dark, surreal environments.

Explore a cold, abandoned, and dreary facility to piece together its mysteries and find a means for escape from the horror that lurks within.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 33.8%, Psychological Horror 24.6%, Horror 16.2%, First-Person 10.4%, Atmospheric 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: A first-person walking simulator that focuses on atmospheric horror and environmental storytelling.

Walking simulator. Explore, admire and listen. Uncanny. Relaxing. Unnerving. Eerie. Immersive. No monsters chasing you or jumping at your screen, but can feel oppressive at times by invoking fears of getting lost, the dark, tight spaces and liminal space architecture. Inspired by backrooms.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 39.2%, Walking Simulator 34.7%, First-Person 10.3%, Atmospheric 7.2%, Dark 3.6%

Face unspeakable horrors. Succumb to madness. Welcome to a free daemonic narrative experience inspired by H. P. Lovecraft.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 22.8%, Horror 16%, Walking Simulator 15.7%, Narration 12.7%, First-Person 8.1%

They may be awkward dimensions, but they're my dreams...

Why similar: Walking Simulator 42%, Horror 17.4%, First-Person 13.7%, Psychological Horror 7.3%, Adventure 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: A surreal, free-to-play walking simulator that focuses on abstract, dreamlike exploration.

A small "horror" narrative game about isolation and depression.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 29.5%, Psychological Horror 19.3%, Horror 9.4%, First-Person 9.3%, Psychological 9.3%

Blameless is a mysterious first-person adventure with primary focus on puzzle solving and short story. The player will appear in a role of an architect trying to investigate strange happenings, after discovering evidence of an act of violence.

Why similar: Horror 49.2%, First-Person 16.4%, Psychological Horror 9.6%, Adventure 7.3%, Indie 6.9%

Deep Sorrow is a horror/adventure game which leads you to a bunker and makes you feel desperate to get out.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 23.9%, Walking Simulator 22.2%, Horror 12.6%, First-Person 9.2%, Indie 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: A short, indie psychological horror game that focuses on atmosphere and first-person exploration.

Devolverland Expo is a first-person 'marketing simulator' set within an abandoned convention center after the annual Devolver Digital game expo was mysteriously canceled.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 30.5%, Psychological Horror 18.1%, Horror 16.7%, First-Person 14.8%, Indie 7%

Depression The Game is an interactive game simulating major depression. You are joining a young man on one of his really bad days trying to handle his thoughts and survive that day... Will he?

Why similar: Psychological Horror 22.6%, Walking Simulator 18.1%, Dynamic Narration 17.8% ★, Psychological 9.6%, Horror 7.5%

A 15 minute heist game by Crows Crows Crows & Directed by William Pugh (The Stanley Parable). Slip into the soft-soled shoes of the mastermind responsible for the greatest heist- oh god I can’t do this any more, i’m joining the strike. good luck writing the steam description. -tina

Why similar: Walking Simulator 39.1%, Narration 29.2%, First-Person 17.5%, Indie 5.7%, Atmospheric 2.6%

Chorus of Carcosa is a first-person psychological horror game about an anxious sculptor who is trapped in a dark and ever-changing building. Stay silent, survive its twisted labyrinths and escape the monsters. Just don’t lose your way in the shadows or within your own mind.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 28.3%, Walking Simulator 25.5%, Horror 11.3%, Dark 9.3%, First-Person 8.1%

The Lies We Tell Ourselves is an episodic first person psychological action-adventure game with introspective/horror elements and a focus on subtle storytelling and atmosphere. Explore, solve puzzles, survive and uncover truths buried deep within a castle of lies.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 27.8%, Walking Simulator 22.2%, Horror 9.5%, Dark 7.8%, Psychological 7.5%

Fears to Fathom is an episodic psychological horror game where each episode unveils a short story narrated by the ones who survived.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 36.1%, Horror 23.1%, Walking Simulator 12%, First-Person 9.8%, Psychological 8.1%

Can you survive 1000 rooms of cute terror? Or will you break once the cuteness starts to fade off and you're running for your life from the unspeakable hideous beings that shake and writhe in bowels of this house? They wait for you, they wait and hunger for meeting you.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 28.3%, Horror 27.8%, Walking Simulator 12%, First-Person 11.3%, Dark 6.9%

An uncanny liminal space themed walking-simulator.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 40%, Narration 15.1%, Psychological 13.8%, Emotional 10.4%, Atmospheric 7.2%

A game about never-ending problem of loading screens. We've all experienced it while playing games, while downloading something, while installing an operating system ect. And now you can experience it once again in Loading Screen Simulator: Steam edition

Why similar: Indie 65.5%, Singleplayer 19.6%, Atmospheric 15%

A psychological first-person horror game where you enter a memory-erasing protocol and relive a trauma. Uncover dark secrets, and experience fear through immersive atmosphere.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 29.9%, Walking Simulator 26.2%, Horror 13.4%, Dark 8.6%, First-Person 7.7%

Can you think twice in under a second?

Why similar: Psychological Horror 53.1%, Indie 25.8%, Atmospheric 9%, Singleplayer 6.8%, Puzzle 5.2%

A little game that’s not a game, winner of an old game jam that nobody’s ever heard of. So DON'T INSTALL IT!

Why similar: Indie 34.2%, Adventure 24.3%, Narration 19.1%, Psychological Horror 14%, Puzzle 5.6%

TOMORROW DON'T COME is a contextual puzzle game about depression and how it feels to be stuck.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 37.6%, Psychological 17%, Dark 14%, Indie 8.1%, Atmospheric 7.8%

Sector 404 is a first-person anomaly horror game set in a crumbling Soviet housing block. After taking your medicine, your world begins to fracture. Climb from floor to floor, uncovering distorted anomalies and your own unraveling mind. Miss too much, and reality resets. Will you ever make it home?

Why similar: Psychological Horror 28.4%, Walking Simulator 24.6%, Horror 10.8%, First-Person 8.4%, Psychological 8.4%

If hell is a state of the soul, these are the steps that will lead you to its gates. Dark Atlas: Infernum is a disturbing first-person story where an esoteric end of the world meets psychological survival horror with a strong narrative component.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 25.6%, Narration 13.5%, Walking Simulator 13.2%, Horror 12.3%, Psychological 10%

Emily is Away is an interactive story. Create a screenname and choose your path through the branching narrative.

Why similar: Choices Matter 34.2%, Story Rich 31.2%, Indie 21.8%, Singleplayer 7.7%, Adventure 5.1%

Imagine waking up on a small dock with no recollection of who you are or how you got there. The first person you find is a grumpy, old man who enlists you to work on his ferry boat which seems to have materialized behind you.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 27.6%, Horror 21.8%, Indie 14.3%, First-Person 13.8%, Adventure 11.9%

You wake up, alone, on a strangely familiar island full of puzzles that will frustrate and annoy you.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 54.8%, First-Person 22.8%, Atmospheric 10.7%, Puzzle 6.6%, Singleplayer 2.6%

Implements of Hell is a first-person psychological horror game. Explore the mysteries, unlock the secrets, and change the outcome in a slow-paced atmospheric, and extremely horrifying experience.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 25.8%, Walking Simulator 25.2%, Horror 10.6%, Psychological 9.6%, Dark 7.6%

A Victorian mansion. A cult worshipping an otherworldly erotic deity. Among all that - you. Explore a world inspired with the works of Lovecraft, Giger and Beksiński. See for yourself that there are no limits to the dark ecstasy.

Why similar: Horror 55.7%, Psychological Horror 31.8%, Adventure 12.5%

The Hotel is a psychological horror thriller in which the player will have to face the evil living within the walls of a lonely hotel. But more importantly, the player will have to decide what this evil is to him. Maybe the nature of this evil is deeper than it seems at first glance.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 27.1%, Walking Simulator 23.6%, Horror 12%, First-Person 8.8%, Dark 7.3%

Step into a liminal, cosmic horror experience set in an abandoned amusement park. Uncover the haunting narrative behind its twisted rides and empty tunnels to discover what lurks within a reality that shouldn't exist…

Why similar: Psychological Horror 29%, Walking Simulator 24.3%, Horror 12.9%, Dark 9.6%, First-Person 7.1%

You woke up in a mysterious room you have never seen before. Can you find another way out? Samsara Room is a remake of the praised predecessor of the Rusty Lake & Cube Escape series.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 39.7%, Indie 15.3%, Horror 13.1%, Adventure 11.4%, Puzzle 7.6%

A few months have passed since the death of my son, Simon. Ever since that tragic day, I find myself falling into the darkest emotions I could ever imagine. I am haunted everyday with what I have done; But sometimes, I am haunted by more than just my emotions...

Why similar: Psychological Horror 34.2%, Walking Simulator 25.4%, Horror 15.5%, Dark 10.9%, Story Rich 5.3%

A first person horror game. Fred is stuck in a dead-end job, haunted by hallucinations. A voice on the radio speaks of a green light. It promises peace and freedom. A tale of self-discovery where Fred is willing to find freedom, even at the cost of his life.

Why similar: Psychological Horror 26.1%, Walking Simulator 19.6%, Horror 11.5%, Psychological 9.2%, First-Person 7.1%

Face the fears lurking in the dark. Obscula is a psychological horror experience that tells the story of someone seeking the truth but finding themselves trapped in a nightmare. There's no escape, only answers… but are you ready for the truth?

Why similar: Psychological Horror 34%, Walking Simulator 26%, Horror 14.8%, Dark 11.8%, First-Person 5.3%

Explore Mandagon, a world inspired by Tibetan theology and philosophy. With a focus on life and death, discover what it means to make a true sacrifice . . .

Why similar: Atmospheric 23.9%, Indie 23%, Walking Simulator 19.6%, Adventure 18.1%, Story Rich 10.9%