Games like A (Partial) Day as a Platypus

Written and designed in the Narrascope 2025 Inform7 Boot Camp; my thanks to Judith and Ruber for all of their help and support! Solemo is an interactive fiction set in a middle-of-nowhere frontier town, in the not-so-distant future. Play as a contractor hired to fix a communications relay hidden somewhere in the town, and get ready to discover more than you bargained for. That is, if you can even… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Solemo (WIP).

Introduction For generations, your family have been the guardians of the Time Crystals of Cythii. It's a pretty cushy job. All you have to do is prevent the crystals from being stolen, but no one would be stupid enough to steal them or the stability of time would be torn to shreds. Unfortunately, the unthinkable has happened. While your parents were out doing the shopping, you were left in char… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Time Crystals of Cythii (TALP).

Introduction Woe is you! You've wagged school and spent all day at the carnival and you've run out of money. You were wandering around a quiet area behind all the main rides when you came across a sign over an entrance that said 'Administration'. The sign had been crossed out and replaced with 'Troll's Cave - Admission Free'. What a great gimmick! You couldn't resist the temptation of a free ride,… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Escape from the Troll's Cave.

Introduction Mr and Mrs Graham have gone out to a movie and left you to babysit their young daughter, Anna. What could be easier? Anna is in bed, so you settle down on the living room couch and fall asleep. In your sleep, you dream that Mr and Mrs Graham come home and find Anna missing. The police are called, a city-wide search is instigated and you are severely reprimanded...and rightly so. Amid … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Babysitter.

Coming Soon in 2026! This is the final installment in Legend Entertainment’s Spellcasting series, authored by Steve Meretzky. Spellcasting 401 is the continued story of one nerdy Ernie Eaglebeak, now in his senior year studying magic at Sorcerer University. He must overcome a fiendish curse, pass his final exams, win the hand of his lifelong crush, Lola Tigerbelly, and defeat his evil stepfather … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to SPELLCASTING 401: THE GRADUATION BALL.

77%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, grinding

84% User Score Based on 43 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 6 reviews

A game you can read. A book you can play.YOUR HOUSE is a text-driven mystery game where reading is not a break from the gameplay — reading is the gameplay. Every sentence, image, sound, object, and strange detail inside the house may hide a clue. To move forward, you’ll need to read carefully, connect ideas, interact with words, solve puzzles embedded in the text, and unlock the secrets of a mans… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to YOUR HOUSE.

Coming Soon in 2026! This is the final installment in Legend Entertainment’s Spellcasting series, authored by Steve Meretzky. Spellcasting 401 is the continued story of one nerdy Ernie Eaglebeak, now in his senior year studying magic at Sorcerer University. He must overcome a fiendish curse, pass his final exams, win the hand of his lifelong crush, Lola Tigerbelly, and defeat his evil stepfather … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to SPELLCASTING 401: THE GRADUATION BALL.

They came from the stars, determined to claim your world. You and your crew fought valiantly in your version of 2225, driving the invaders back. Victory seemed within reach-until the time-space continuum began to unravel. Your Intelligence Service confirmed your worst fears: the invaders are now traveling to the past, aiming to sabotage your current technology and leave your future defenseless. Wi… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tempus Fugit (TALP).

Introduction You were looking forward to a break from chess, and a holiday on Aunt Clarissa's farm was just what you needed. You may have been the county's youngest chess champion, but those long afternoons hanging around the Wigtown chess tables was not much fun for a ten-year-old. You would much rather be running around on your Aunt Clarissa's farm. Well, it used to be your Uncle Bill's farm, … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to A Taste of Terror.

When you graduated from the University of Tokyo you were so eager to start working and beginning your new life as a young adult that you delved into your job full-time. Now, after so much work without any rest, tired of living in such an overcrowded city like Tokyo, you decided to spend a few days back in the little village where you were raised. Despite now growing into a town, the village is sti… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to World of Monsters (TALP).

Introduction You feel your brain rattling around inside your head. Someone is shaking you. "Wake up! Wake up!" You rub your eyes and squint in the bright morning sunlight. You vaguely make out the silhouette of your next-door neighbour, Peter the pumpkin eater. "Mother Goose has been kidnapped!" That catches your attention. You spring out of bed. Mother Goose is your other next-door neighbour… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Who Kidnapped Mother Goose? (TALP).

Introduction You are currently serving aboard the USS Ibis, the first of the US Navy's top-secret Puny class submarines. The Puny class is an attack submarine that packs maximum firepower into a minimum-sized hull. It relies on speed and stealth to surprise the enemy. The USS Ibis is currently on a training exercise in the North Atlantic, just off the coast of Newfoundland. You were doing some rou… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Submarine Sabotage.

Introduction Every year, the king holds an extravagant ball where he invites all the local dignitaries and they lavish him with gifts. The king sells some of these gifts after the ball and uses the money to fund the ball the following year. More importantly, he also gifts some of the money to enterprising craftsmen, tradesmen and other small businesses to help them establish or improve their busin… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The King's Ball.

Introduction On 24 January 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill, Coloma. When news spread, thousands flocked to the area and the great Californian gold rush began. Mining camps popped up all over the place and some of these developed into townships. When the gold rush died down, some of these towns were abandoned just as quickly as they had appeared. You're a grizzled old prospect… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Hangman's Gulch.

Introduction The stories about the Ark of the Covenant are well known, but its current location is a mystery. According to French author Louis Charpentier, the Ark was taken to the Chartres Cathedral by the Knights Templar, but no one outside the cathedral has ever seen it. There may be a good reason for this. You were raised in a small village about 100 km from Chartres Cathedral. According to lo… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Search for the Lost Ark.

96%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, gameplay

96% User Score Based on 114 reviews

Once you step through the door to Zork, you leave the world of arcade games and trite fantasies behind and enter the dimension of your imagination. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Zork Anthology.

Introduction The weather is getting hotter and bushfire season is approaching. The animals have to stock up on food and prepare their bushfire survival plans. Every year, the animals appoint a bushfire warden. The bushfire warden has an important job to do, for he or she has to check on all the other animals and make sure that they have their bushfire survival plans in place. This year, it's Kenny… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Kenny Koala's Bushfire Survival Plan (TALP).

Introduction You wake up feeling groggy. Your head hurts. "Blimey. What happened?" You run your fingers through your hair and feel a nasty bump on the back of your head. The last thing you remember was sweeping the floor in the pub before the early morning patrons started arriving. You look around. "What the hell am I doing in the broom closet?" Goal Your first goal is to find out what you're doin… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Captain Cutter's Treasure.

Introduction Of all the forms of alchemy practised throughout the ages, the best known is the quest to turn base metals into gold. Of course, everyone knows this is impossible. Even so, there's a rumour that an alchemist in the forest has figured out how to do the impossible and has been building up quite a stash of the shiny yellow metal. After picking up a lead in the local tavern, you think y… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Alchemist's Gold.

Background This game is an adaptation of the Italian adventure Dimensione Sconosciuta by Bonaventura Di Bello. This was his first game. It was originally published on the cover tape of Load'n'Run, no. 37, April 1987 for the ZX Spectrum. It was later rewritten as Amos Newton: Incubo and published on the cover tape of Explorer, no. 8, June 1987 for the Commodore 64 and MSX. It has now been transla… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Unknown Dimension.

Background This game is an adaptation of the Italian adventure Ken Richards: L'Ira di Anubi by Bonaventura Di Bello. It was originally published on the cover tape of Viking, no. 9, October 1987 for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. It has now been translated to English and rewritten for a modern audience with the original author's permission. This new version includes many enhancements that were… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Wrath of Anubis.

Background This game is an adaptation of the Italian adventure Alan Simmons: Bucaneer by Bonaventura Di Bello. It was originally published on the cover tape of Viking, no. 8, September 1987 for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. It has now been translated to English and rewritten for a modern audience with the original author's permission. This new version includes many enhancements that weren't … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Caribbean Treasure.

Introduction In the years following the American Civil War, you lead a simple life as a cowboy. Despite the low wage, you scrimp and save and manage to buy a small ranch near Tucson, Arizona, where you live with your wife Sarah and daughter Betty. You dream of a bright future for your daughter and work hard every day to earn the money needed to provide her with a good education. Then, one day, y… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Wild West.

Introduction Ever since the Battle of Sekigahara and the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate, the samurai have gradually lost their military function to become courtiers, bureaucrats and administrators. This life was not for you, so you find yourself wandering from town to town looking for work where your sword skills are valued. There's always plenty of work escorting dignitaries, or seeking out weap… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Samurai and the Kappa (TALP).

88%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

94% User Score Based on 2,117 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 4 reviews

A puzzle box manor hidden in a maze of deceptions and memories. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Lorelei and the Laser Eyes.

Decode.  Disarm.  Survive. Bad day to start your new job -- Rookie on the Liberty City bomb squad.  The world's gone crazy.  Bombs are going off all over the city, and your Sergeant just informed you they are too short-handed to field a team.  Which means you're flying solo.  Better learn fast, newbie. Countdown City features 8 puzzles of increasing difficulty.  The first interactive fiction/par… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Countdown City.

Background You are Rowan of Bunglewood Downs, would-be thief and seeker of magic. There's known to be a Cave of Magic deep in the forest of Bunglewood. The cave is not hard to find, but no one goes there for fear of being eaten by a troll. As no one's been there, no one knows for sure what's in the cave. It's rumoured to contain treasure, but if it contains treasure, why isn't it called The Cave o… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Seeker of Magic.

Introduction There's a carnival in town and your young son has been pestering you to go. You know that if you do, you'll spend all your money on stupid frivolous things, like candy and fairy floss. The household budget can't afford that and you have a mortgage to pay off. On the flip side, if you don't go, your son will think you're the worst father in the world. So, you consult the missus. She… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Organ Grinder's Monkey.

Introduction In the days when the Wild West was roamed by bandits and murderers, lawmen had a lot to deal with. Honest sheriffs and brave rangers tracked outlaws over wild terrain, but very often they had to stop at the Mexican border, because they had no jurisdiction in Mexico. Countless gangs of bandits used this to their advantage. They would cross the border to rob and kill in the southern s… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Desperados.

Background It's 23 December 2020. It's been a really tough year for many people with bush fires, floods and other natural disasters and then the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people are doing it tough, so it's up to Santa Claus to bring a smile to their faces and make sure that all the nice children get a present on Christmas Day, even if their parents can't afford it. Today also happens to be your birt… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Santa's Trainee Elf.

Introduction Deep in the Carpathian Mountains, the Romanian villagers tell tales of the strigoi. The strigoi are said to be troubled spirits that have risen from the grave. They are attributed with the abilities to transform into an animal, become invisible and to gain vitality from the blood of their victims. There have been recent reports of peasant children dying mysteriously in the local villa… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Carpathian Vampire (TALP).

Introduction You were driving home from the Second National Conference on Acid Rain when you started getting tired. As it was late at night and you were in the middle of nowhere, you pulled over to the side of the road for a bit of shut-eye. When you wake up, you find that it's dark and dismal outside and raining heavily. You'd better get a move on and get the car under cover. Despite all the … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Acid Rain.

83%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:music, gameplay

93% User Score Based on 41 reviews

Stonewall Penitentiary is an indie murder mystery adventure that is presented in the visual style of graphic novels. It pays tribute to Agatha Christie's classic And Then There Were None and horror thrillers like Scream and Saw. Discover why you and six others were kidnapped by an unknown captor as you search an eerie prison and solve mind-bending puzzles to determine "whodunit!" Will you survive… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Stonewall Penitentiary.

49%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, gameplay

49% User Score Based on 86 reviews

You wake up in your cryo-pod. Other crew members are dead. Something is wrong with the spaceship and if you don't use all your wits, you will not leave this place alive... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Intrepid.

A z-machine interpreterfor the Pico-8 >play Zork on the Pico-8You can't do that. >say the magic word xyzzyOK, now you can play Zork on the Pico-8. >play ZorkWest of HouseYou are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door.There is a small mailbox here. Welcome to Status Line Status Line is a z-machine interpreter written on/for the Pico-8 (standalone executables also… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Status Line.

Background Your name is Susan. You are 14 years old and you have ambitions of becoming a witch. You have just completed two years of study at the Spooksville Academy of Witchcraft. You reckon you know all the theory and now it's time to put that theory into practice. As with all trades, you must start out as an apprentice. You've been allocated to Broomhilda, the old witch that lives in the spooky… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Witch's Apprentice.

71%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, emotional

Most mentioned negative aspects:music, stability

71% User Score Based on 182 reviews

Do you miss running your finger along the spines of all your game boxes, deciding what you might be in the mood to play? Do you long for instruction manuals, inlays, and that intoxicating plasticky smell when you crack open a new box and bury your nose inside. Ahhh. BOXROOM is a shrine to all of that; a little space to call your own, and a way to explore and interact with your game library in a mo… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to BOXROOM.

Background This game is an adaptation of the Italian adventure Murray Shannon: L'Orrore di Goldmine City by Bonaventura Di Bello. It was originally published on the cover tape of Explorer, no. 8, June 1987 for the Commodore 64 and MSX. It has now been translated to English and rewritten for a modern audience with the original author's permission. This new version includes many enhancements that … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Horror of Goldmine City.

Background This game is an adaptation of the semi-graphic Italian adventure 'Murray Shannon: L'Orrore di Goldmine City' by Bonaventura Di Bello. It was originally written using The Quill and Illustrator and published by Edizioni Hobby S.r.l. on the cover tape of 'Explorer', no. 8, June 1987 for the Commodore 64 and MSX. The data was extracted from the C64 version using UnQuill, translated to Eng… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to horror-of-goldmine-city.

85%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:graphics, gameplay

85% User Score Based on 73 reviews

Featured globally on Google Play, the game ranked No. 4 worldwide and No. 1 in China on the “Popular Upcoming” chart during Steam Detective Fest in January 2026. The Early Access version includes 90% of the full game's content. Only the ending is still in development and will be completed and added during Early Access. The game features full voice acting and subtitles, seven locations, and ten cin… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Detective Sherlock: Shadow Stalker.

87%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:monetization, stability

87% User Score Based on 1,340 reviews

In the escape game "Rime" escape from the world shrouded in mystery in a book. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Rime - Escape Room Game.

Introduction You're Danny Dipstick, the sociable single. The only trouble is that all the girls hate you because you're a dork. Every Saturday night you go to the local nightclub and every time you strike out and end up going home alone. Tonight is going to be different. After picking up some advice from your neighbour, you vow that tonight is the night that you will meet a nice girl and get her … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Danny Dipstick.

Introduction You wake suddenly. When you look out the porthole, you see that it's dark outside. It should be light. You must have overslept. Why didn't anyone wake you? Maybe they felt sorry for you after you got seasick during yesterday's storm. As you rub the sleep from your eyes and glance around the cramped crew's quarters, you realise that you're alone. Where are the guys from the day shift? … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Cargo Breach.

64%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:music, gameplay

64% User Score Based on 78 reviews

The Icarus.1 Abandoned for decades, crew M.I.A. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ICARUS.1.

96%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization

96% User Score Based on 813 reviews

High Entropy: Challenges is a free, action-adventure FPS consisting of a beginning, 15 levels, a default ending and a special ending if you finish with a 100% score in all levels. Use computers (via GUIs or the command line), unlock doors, crawl through vents, fight enemies head on or find other ways to neutralize or avoid them... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to High Entropy: Challenges.

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:atmosphere, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, gameplay

93% User Score Based on 46 reviews

Alchemy, puzzles, and a crashed starship. Old-style interactive fiction — a classic text adventure. No graphics! No dialogue trees! No point-and-click! You type your commands, and read what happens next. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Hadean Lands.

77%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

77% User Score Based on 930 reviews

Prepare to experience the original man-on-the-run thriller in a completely new way! There are secrets to be discovered, locations to be explored and - above all - an incredible tale to be told in this ground-breaking interactive novel. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The 39 Steps.

Solve the puzzles to get off the island before you are a permanent part of the eternal balance sheet. Pirates, ghosts, whiskey, and bureaucracy. You were the Ship's clerk. Now you’re a half-drunk, half-dead survivor trying to out-negotiate a spectral crew of backstabbing undead pirates. Welcome to the world’s most cursed accounting audit. Play through 7 twisted chapters of puzzles, dark humor, … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Last Audit of the Damned.

SlaveMR: The Mixed Reality Experience ⚠️ ADULTS ONLY (18+) - BDSM / Erotic Simulation FREE TO PLAY (with extra Toys to buy) Bring your deepest fantasies into your real world. SlaveMR isn't just another VR game. It is one of the world's first erotic simulations to fully support Mixed Reality (Passthrough) technology. Don't just enter a virtual world—bring the model directly into your own bed… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to SlaveMR: Part 1 - The Shoot.

TWO is a treasure-hunt style TEXT ADVENTURE game in which every location description, object description, incidental message & response message consists of a maximum of TWO words.  TWO was written using using the in-browser development tool, ADVENTURON CLASSROOM. A link to the source code of the game can be found at the bottom of that page. If you like two, please consider entering the #treasurehu… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to TWO.