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Games like CTRL+YOU – Hack Your Mind Like a Game (And Win in Real Life) The retro-style mental upgrade manual.

Games like CTRL+YOU – Hack Your Mind Like a Game (And Win in Real Life) The retro-style mental upgrade manual.

Games like CTRL+YOU – Hack Your Mind Like a Game (And Win in Real Life) The retro-style mental upgrade manual.

Looking for games like CTRL+YOU – Hack Your Mind Like a Game (And Win in Real Life) The retro-style mental upgrade manual.? Here are top action recommendations, selected from player-similarity data — start with The Greenening, Book Bound or Starstruck Vagabond.

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  1. 98%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, emotional
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding
    98% User Score Based on 284 reviews

    The Greenening is a short and wholesome incremental journey about exploring and reawakening a forgotten world. Wash away the ashes to discover the secrets hidden beneath, upgrade your versatile watering abilities, and grow your own cozy space garden. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Greenening.

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  2. 80%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story
    Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding
    80% User Score Based on 220 reviews

    Book Bound is a cozy bookshop simulation game. Use a range of items to decorate your shop and make it truly yours. Pick the books you would like to sell. Help customers find books they want most. Sell books in different genres. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Book Bound.

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  4. 86%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, atmosphere
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding
    86% User Score Based on 316 reviews

    Crawl to the top of the Tower of Kalemonvo, a hardcore isometric ARPG experience with randomly generated levels meant for fans of slower paced action games. Fight cultists, scavenge for magical items, use powerful spells and customize your stats and skills! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tower of Kalemonvo.

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  5. View Game
    64%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, story
    Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, music
    64% User Score Based on 85 reviews

    You awaken to the dawn of a new world. It's streams are clean, the forests lush and the local wildlife is hungry. You're cold and in need of shelter as you hear other voices on the wind. You are not alone. Your quest: Establish civilization and secure their safety in this new world. Your Quest is a casual 2D Strategy/RPG with progressive gameplay where you gather resources to construct a vill… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Your Quest.

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  6. 82%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, monetization
    84% User Score Based on 922 reviews
    Critic Score 79%Based on 5 reviews

    Mind Scanners is a retro-futuristic management game in which you diagnose the citizens of a dystopian metropolis. Locate a host of other-worldly characters and use arcade-style treatment devices to help them. Manage your time and resources to keep The Structure in balance. Remember, you take full responsibility for your patients. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Mind Scanners.

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  7. 80%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, monetization
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, graphics
    80% User Score Based on 69 reviews

    You crash-landed on an alien world. The ship is scrap, the planet is hostile, and progress doesn't stop when you step away. Lost Vessel is a sci-fi idle RPG with real combat, deep crafting, and a slow climb back toward the stars - playable in thirty-second bursts or five-hour grinds. Free to play, no pay-to-win, ever. Five skills pull you back from zero: salvage the wreckage, mine the planet, h… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Lost Vessel.

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  8. 95%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding
    95% User Score Based on 162 reviews

    Isometric card battler RPG with a touch of virtual creatures, set in a futuristic, digital world, with over-the-top villains and a very shadowy plot. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Anode Heart: Layer Null.

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  9. 98%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding
    98% User Score Based on 53 reviews

    Music meets mayhem in this twin-stick shooter action-RPG! Craft synthesizer modules to gain new weapons and experiment with the original music of Look Mum No Computer. Meet quirky NPCs, complete quests and battle huge bosses. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Look Mum No Computer.

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  10. 39%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:atmosphere
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, gameplay
    48% User Score Based on 31 reviews

    Chaotic Era is an intense and brutal strategy game inspired by classic science fiction, following a stranded human crew on an alien planet. Scavenge for resources and fight back against mysterious alien terrors in this frantic real-time strategy nightmare. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to CHAOTIC ERA.

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  11. 86%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    95% User Score Based on 3,139 reviews
    Critic Score 73%Based on 7 reviews

    Skald: Against the Black Priory is a classic, turn-based RPG. It's set in a dark and gritty fantasy universe: full of tragic heroes, violent deaths and eldritch, Lovecraftian horror. With a dark, immersive plot and inspired by legendary titles such as Ultima and the gold box series, this is my love letter to classic roleplaying. It is a tile and turn based roleplaying game where you lead a party… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to SKALD: Against the Black Priory.

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  12. 82%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    84% User Score Based on 711 reviews
    Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

    In WrestleQuest, players assume the role of a young wrestling hopeful, on his quest to become one of the all-time greats while he powerbombs, slams, and suplexes his way to the top. Inspired by icons like the legendary "Macho Man" Randy Savage, our hero must immerse himself in the world of professional wrestling, which will not only test his athleticism but his will and conscience too. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to WrestleQuest.

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  13. View Game
    96%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, character development
    96% User Score Based on 1,678 reviews

    Cogmind is a sci-fi roguelike epic in which you play a robot building yourself from components found or salvaged from other robots. Explore a living, breathing world through turn-based tactical combat, or sneak, hack, and fly your way to victory. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Cogmind.

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  14. 73%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, music
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, gameplay
    96% User Score Based on 27 reviews

    A little game about defending your castle from night attacks of the skull masked troops and creatures. Collect coins, interact with the elements of the game, discover, explore, learn and survive for 30 days. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Castle Formers.

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  15. 79%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability
    83% User Score Based on 740 reviews
    Critic Score 75%Based on 11 reviews

    Jack Move is a unique blend of gritty cyberpunk story telling, turn based battles and beautiful modern pixel art. Take on the role of Noa, a vigilante hacker who is thrust into a world of murder, kidnapping and dark research after her father goes missing. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Jack Move.

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  16. 96%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, character development
    96% User Score Based on 52 reviews

    Prepare yourself for a journey to a world of fantasy and adventure! A land fallen into chaos needs stalwart heroes to save it from a sinister and powerful force of evil... Enter a massive sprawling world of wild forests, frozen plains, misty mountains, scorched deserts, and endless oceans. Explore cities, towns and villages to rest and recover as well as buy equipment. Talk to sages, warriors, p… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Realms of Antiquity: The Shattered Crown.

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  17. View Game
    95%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, music
    95% User Score Based on 474 reviews

    Retro Gadgets is a gadget creation station where you invent, build, solder, code and customise your own electrifying gadgets then share them with the world. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Retro Gadgets.

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  18. Battle through color soaked and mayhem paced arcade shooting action! Defend the Planetary Defense Shield (PDS) from the invading alien onslaught. Choose between charging the PDS and buying power ups to stay alive. You are the galaxy's final hope. Recharge, shoot, win! Will you save the galaxy? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Quaxum Color Mayhem.

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  19. Survive, Grow Strong, Get Rematched! Afterschool: Reel Danger is a partially narrative, continuously playable 2D roguelite action game. In this adventure that begins after school, choose one of three playable characters and try to survive endless waves of enemies. Use the coins you earn from defeating enemies to purchase new abilities and upgrades from the Merchant and Enchanter. Overcome cha… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Afterschool: Reel Danger.

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  20. You’re not a machine. You’re mostly water. Start acting like it. This isn’t a self-help book. It’s a system. A rhythm. A soft rebellion against the pressure cult. Inside this 28-page digital manual, you’ll learn: Why your rest days are strategic, not weak How to build a river-like workflow that never burns out What it means to be fluid in a friction world How to create impact witho… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Flow Like the 70% Water You Are - A Quiet System for Creators Who Forgot How to Bend.

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  21. No face. No followers. No noise. The Lurker Method is a 5-chapter deep guide on how to build digital leverage, asset stacks, and quiet profit systems—without ever posting, branding, or “growing an audience.” Inside, you’ll learn: Why silence is power in a saturated world How lurking beats loudness on every platform The 7 best faceless asset types for 2025 How to build fadeproof wea… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Lurker Method - How I Built 6 Income Streams Without Ever Being Seen..

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  22. Messy Hearts is a pixel-art visual novel about a complicated coworker friendship. Through journal-style narration, Florence unpacks romance, trauma, and some messy boundaries in a deeply personal story of mental health and heartbreak. No choices; this is a linear narrative. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Messy Hearts.

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  23. Highly Strung by Libby Harris Controls  WASD to walk Space to move through text at bottom of screen Left Mouse Click to click OK on pink instruction text boxes Inspiration & Goals I was drawn to make this game because, as a highly sensitive person, I often feel overwhelmed by very ordinary tasks throughout the day and becoming stressed by minor things going slightly wrong can lead me to overthin… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Highly Strung.

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  24. Can you survive the Pixelated Apocalypse? GBC Survival: Red Moon Edition is a retro top-down survival game inspired by the classic aesthetic of 90s handheld consoles. Experience a world where peaceful farming meets brutal combat under the shadow of a terrifying Red Moon. ️ Key Features: Dynamic Survival System: Carefully manage your health (HP) and hunger levels. Eat berries, meat, or bake br… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to GBC Survival: Red Moon Edition.

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  25. View Game
    51%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned negative aspects:graphics, music
    83% User Score Based on 12 reviews

    Build your base, train your army and destroy your enemy in this fast paced RTS! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Age of Pixels.

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  26. View Game
    68%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, stability
    74% User Score Based on 43 reviews

    A New Adventure in Classic Metroidvania Style Beholgar II is a pixel-art Metroidvania platformer inspired by the spirit of the '90s. Explore a vast interconnected world — from shadowy dungeons and cursed forests to forgotten temples and the very edge of hell. Key Features: Ancient Powers & Magic: Unlock powerful abilities and spells to grow stronger. Mysterious, Layered Levels: Every corne… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Beholgar 2.

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  27. View Game
    57%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, optimization
    84% User Score Based on 19 reviews

    Build, expand, defend and chill... A minimalist twist on tower defence games, with nice clean visuals, simple controls, relaxing tunes and fractal like possibilities to expand your bases. The ghost in the machine is running amok, and you are here to defend against this mechievious piece of code. A unique layered tower defence puzzle game. Build your citadels to keep the base safe. Use d… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to HEXADEL.

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  28. 55%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability
    70% User Score Based on 30 reviews

    Cast out of your rightful farm, you’ll scrape, scheme, and rebuild your way to power in this short, satirical farming sim about ambition and payback. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Bitter Harvest.

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  29. 88%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    98% User Score Based on 247 reviews
    Critic Score 74%Based on 6 reviews

    Embark on an epic adventure in Under the Island! A 2D action-adventure steeped in ‘90s charm, step into the shoes of Nia, and battle fierce monsters, solve clever puzzles, and explore a world alive with mystery as you race to save your new home before it’s too late. Discover the legend of what's UNDER THE ISLAND! Uncover a Sinking Mystery Step into the role of Nia, a newcomer to Seashell Island … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Under The Island.

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  30. 94%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    94% User Score Based on 152 reviews

    Arkanya is a 2D adventure RPG about an aspiring young treasure hunter named Marisa and her capybara companion! Explore deep within the jungles of Amazonia, discover a deep alternate world history, and amass your fortune as you strive to become the world's greatest treasure hunter! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Girl from Arkanya.

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  31. 95%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding
    95% User Score Based on 57 reviews

    Dungeon Mori is a game inspired by the classic Dungeon Crawlers and Old School RPGs. With a simple, yet addicting gameplay, it features a turn based battle system combined with a choice based dungeon exploration. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Dungeon Mori.

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  32. 61%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, humor
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, graphics
    89% User Score Based on 19 reviews

    Embrace cooking techniques like never beforeAfter being fired from a previous job as a line cook, a young chef is hungry for new work. One morning a mysterious job offer appears that beckons you towards a mysterious, magical restaurant. Culinary Wizard is a traditional 2D action-platformer made in a cozy 32-bit pixel art style. Bring ingredients to life and travel between unique worlds, battlin… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Culinary Wizard.

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  33. 99%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, stability
    99% User Score Based on 137 reviews

    BioMenace is back! Experience the classic 2D run & gun action platformer by solo developer James Norwood - originally released for MS-DOS in 1993 via Apogee Software - now with enhanced graphics, refined gameplay, and many quality of life improvements. Explore the original 3 episodes (36+ levels) plus a brand new 4th episode (15+ levels), spanning a range of diverse environments including cit… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to BioMenace Remastered.

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  34. 80%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, atmosphere
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    80% User Score Based on 573 reviews

    Lunacid: Tears of the Moon is a First Person Dungeon Crawler made with the Sword of Moonlight - King’s Field making tool from 2000. Explore various dungeons for powerful weapons and spells to forestall the previsioned end of the world. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Lunacid: Tears of the Moon.

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  35. View Game
    87%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music
    Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, graphics
    87% User Score Based on 208 reviews

    Combat Programming RoguelikeAutoRogue is a roguelike where you combine skills with conditions to automate battles. you can sit back, enjoy your coffee, and watch your carefully crafted automated battles unfold. Condensing the Best of Auto-BattlesIn this game, everything is decided before the battle begins. Your available items, build direction, and the unique traits of enemies change every t… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Auto Rogue.

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  37. 82%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding
    82% User Score Based on 215 reviews

    From a world in ruins to a world in bloom. This serene management game lets you explore an alien planet where things have gone amiss. Harness the power of plants to restore the environment and build a flourishing community with your crewmates. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Distant Bloom.

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  38. 97%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    97% User Score Based on 72 reviews

    Re-write your legend through verse and blood, and bring respite to the tragic youth of Kalevala by besting mythical creatures, monsters, spirits - and even Life and Death themselves - in battle. Perform rituals, navigate treacherous lands, and learn from every misstep to become stronger. Get roused by: - Arming up with different weapons, artifacts and poems to craft the perfect build; - Learning… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Versebound.

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  40. 83%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding
    83% User Score Based on 256 reviews

    Train gladiators. Manage a ludus. Fight in the arenas. Conquer the tower. Gods of Sand is a gladiator manager with intense turn-based combat, inspired by the Swords and Sandals series, in a dark and unforgiving setting. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Gods of Sand.

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  41. 95%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    98% User Score Based on 4,013 reviews
    Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

    Loddlenaut is an ocean cleanup adventure set on a vibrant alien planet. Play as an interstellar custodian sent to clean up a polluted ocean planet. Repurpose marine debris and take care of axolotl-like alien creatures! As you clean up the planet, you’ll run into axolotl-like aliens known as “loddles.” Protect them from the polluted waters and feed them aquatic fruits while you make their planet h… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Loddlenaut.

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  42. 94%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, character development
    94% User Score Based on 3,791 reviews

    Manage your team of adventurers as you raid the local dungeon for treasure! Upgrade your tavern, purchase sodas, and attract new party members. Gold, legendary items, and more await you! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Soda Dungeon.

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  43. 83%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    85% User Score Based on 1,308 reviews
    Critic Score 75%Based on 2 reviews

    Join Gail, a simple villager, who must heed the call for adventure when a great starship appears in the night sky and abducts all the adults. As the new oldest member of her fragmented community, she must set out to solve this great mystery. Little does she know of the grand adventure before her, the evil lurking in the shadows, and the role she will play in the fight for Earth’s very existence! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Phoenotopia: Awakening.

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  44. 91%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, story
    Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
    91% User Score Based on 9,388 reviews

    System Shock Digital Goodie Pack contains: Pixel Art images High-resolution images TriOptimum New Employee Technical Manual Sparq Beam Gun renders System Shock toys concept images Videos If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to System Shock.

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  45. View Game
    92%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability
    92% User Score Based on 1,860 reviews

    The Citadel is a brutal first person shooter, and a love letter to classic games such as Marathon, Doom and Wolfenstein 3D. Descend into the depths of a dark citadel, and fight through 6 Episodes and 30 levels of action packed with 6 challenging bosses. Go forth, Martyr. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Citadel.

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  46. View Game
    83%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
    Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, story
    83% User Score Based on 334 reviews

    Evospace is sandbox game with fully dynamic, procedurally generated world. Game about digging, exploring, building and technologies. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Evospace.

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  47. 76%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, music
    Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding
    76% User Score Based on 127 reviews

    FIGHT IN EVER CHANGING SPACE BATTLES! Run through the universe, discover the numerous perks/consumables and their synergistic effects. Explore the randomly-generated galaxy to find merchants,... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Stellar Interface.

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  48. View Game
    67%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story
    Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding
    63% User Score Based on 329 reviews
    Critic Score 76%Based on 4 reviews

    Tower 57 is a fast-paced neo-retro shooter where cooperation is as important as your ammo capacity. As a member of an extraordinary task force fight your way through a dieselpunk megatower and uncover its hidden secrets. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tower 57.

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  49. View Game
    96%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:music, gameplay
    Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding
    99% User Score Based on 9,314 reviews
    Critic Score 81%Based on 1 reviews

    You died? So what? Tuck your guts back in and gear up to fight your way through the ranks of a mysterious and twisted cult. You, your guns, and your dynamite will have to shoot, slide, blast, duck, dodge, and maybe throw a gib or two to survive in this old-school-inspired shooter. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to CULTIC.

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  50. View Game
    100%Game Brain Score
    Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, music
    Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization
    100% User Score Based on 102 reviews

    80s/90s arcade cabinet meets modern horde-survival roguelike. Create unique builds, master 20+ weapons, and kill ever-growing hordes of contestants in the retro-futuristic gladiator gameshow BloodDome99. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to BloodDome99.

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