Games like ESSENCE

53%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

56% User Score Based on 379 reviews

Critic Score 51%Based on 30 reviews

Vane is an atmospheric adventure about unraveling the secrets of an unknown land, finding your place in it, and pulling at the threads of the world to make a change. The shifting sands glimmer with meaning, ancient ruins resonate with power, but in the distance a billowing threat looms. Find your way. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Vane.

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

94% User Score Based on 3,060 reviews

Critic Score 78%Based on 4 reviews

The 1997 Riven: The Sequel to Myst remade from the ground up. The remake features a fully traversable 3D space in both Standard First-Person or in VR. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Riven.

69%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

73% User Score Based on 2,174 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 4 reviews

Lifeless Planet was inspired by Cold War era science fiction stories, posing questions about humankind's desire for space travel. What if you journeyed across the galaxy to another planet, only to find humans had already been there? What kind of person would sign up for a one-way mission, leaving behind planet Earth and everyone they've ever known and love... to go in search of an Earth-like plane… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Lifeless Planet.

76%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

87% User Score Based on 1,194 reviews

Critic Score 64%Based on 22 reviews

Spirit of the North is a single-player 3rd-person adventure game inspired by the breathtaking and mysterious landscapes of Iceland. The story takes root from various pieces of Nordic folklore. The game is unique in that it purposefully has no dialog or narrative. Players must breathe in their surroundings to solve various puzzles and speculate the meaning of a lost ancient civilization. Play as an… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Spirit of the North.

77%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

76% User Score Based on 2,013 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 7 reviews

A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a young couple dealing with a tragedy in their own. Uncover artifacts from the young couple’s life as they too become intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The First Tree.

54%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

54% User Score Based on 1,172 reviews

Dream’s gameplay is strongly based around exploration with games such as Yume Nikki and LSD being the initial inspiration for the concept. On top of this we have been inspired by the narrative elements in Dear Esther and Deus Ex’s non-linear story telling and environments, the resulting gameplay maintains aspects of all 4 games. There will be many puzzles to solve, horror sections and some more na… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Dream.

75%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:atmosphere, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

75% User Score Based on 2,018 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Enter the lost world of Kairo. Explore vast abandoned monuments. Bring strange and ancient machinery back to life. Slowly uncover the true purpose of Kairo and fulfil a great destiny. Kairo is an atmospheric 3D exploration and puzzle solving game. Developed by Richard Perrin the creator of the white chamber with music by Wounds (Bartosz Szturgiewicz). If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Kairo.

74%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

83% User Score Based on 510 reviews

Critic Score 59%Based on 6 reviews

Aporia: Beyond The Valley brings a unique approach to the art of storytelling, by not using text or dialogue. It offers new, interesting puzzle mechanics, and elaborate environmental storytelling within an immersive world. Aporia: Beyond The Valley is a first-person puzzle game set in the world of Ez’rat Qin. Explore a world filled with strange nature, ancient technology, and haunted by a spirit … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Aporia: Beyond The Valley.

70%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

70% User Score Based on 800 reviews

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

69%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

69% User Score Based on 575 reviews

"From Cyan, the indie studio that brought you Myst and Obduction, comes a new steampunk adventure.The game of Firmament is a resplendent, magical, journey — a monumental voyage through four diverse and curious realms, working in concert with an ever-present, clockwork companion, and the support and instruction of a long-dead, ethereal mentor.Everything is not as it seems." If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Firmament.

70%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

78% User Score Based on 3,038 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 7 reviews

A single player exploration and survival experience, played in first person and developed in Unreal Engine 4. Set on a mysterious and uninhabited alien planet. With Earth on the brink of destruction, as mankind's last hope, and stranded on a deserted alien planet, the player has to survive the harsh environment and find a way to send a signal back home. Confronted with merciless weather, and dan… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Solus Project.

63%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

63% User Score Based on 528 reviews

Time is relative. Sometimes 10 seconds can feel like an eternity... In TIMEframe you will discover a world in slow motion. Explore the remnants of a mysterious civilization on the brink of destruction. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to TIMEframe.

71%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, optimization

68% User Score Based on 1,466 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 28 reviews

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture™ tells the story of the inhabitants of a remote English valley who are caught up in world-shattering events beyond their control or understanding. Made by The Chinese Room – the studio responsible for the hauntingly beautiful Dear Esther – this tale of how people respond in the face of grave adversity is a non-linear, open-world experience that pushes innovative int… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Everybody's Gone to the Rapture.

54%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

60% User Score Based on 916 reviews

Critic Score 35%Based on 2 reviews

MIND: Path to Thalamus is a First Person Puzzler that throws you into a fantastic and surreal environment. You will bend the natural elements to your will in order to progress in this emotive, mind-bending tale. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to MIND: Path to Thalamus.

87%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

94% User Score Based on 3,124 reviews

Critic Score 81%Based on 41 reviews

Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Jusant.

69%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, optimization

65% User Score Based on 700 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 34 reviews

Buy Maquette on PS4 and PS5. Maquette is a first-person, recursive puzzle game in a world where things are both tiny and staggeringly huge. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Maquette.

64%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding

63% User Score Based on 1,786 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Cradle is a sci-fi first-person-view quest designed for the player to explore the surrounding world. The story is built around the relations of the protagonist and a mechanical girl who by quirk of fate found themselves amidst the desert. The player’s task is to repair the mechanical body of his companion and solve the mystery of the neglected entertainment park located not far from the yurt toget… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Cradle.

79%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

85% User Score Based on 580 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 10 reviews

Includes Spirit of the North 2 SaveAFox Pack Turtle Island Home DLC Spirit of the North 2 - Unveil the mysteries of a beautiful ancient world in this breathtaking 3rd-person fox adventure, a sequel to the acclaimed ‘Spirit of the North.’ Turtle Island Home DLC - Introducing a one-of-a-kind player home perched on the back of a colossal sea turtle. Access a mystical creature whose shell holds a full… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Spirit of the North 2.

88%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

88% User Score Based on 4,080 reviews

Infra is an atmospheric and completely non-violent first-person puzzle/adventure that deals with the issues of deteriorating infrastructure. The player controls an ordinary structural analyst through abandoned factories, forgotten tunnels and unsafe buildings in a dangerous, crumbling industrial city and its surrounding rural areas. Along the way, the player will be taking photos of structural wea… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to INFRA.

58%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

74% User Score Based on 336 reviews

Critic Score 7%Based on 2 reviews

Ether One is a first person adventure that deals with the fragility of the human mind. There are two paths in the world you can choose from. At its core is a story exploration path free from puzzles where you can unfold the story at your own pace. There is also a deeper, more adventurous path in which you can complete complex puzzles to restore life changing events of the patient's histo… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Ether One.

76%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, replayability

88% User Score Based on 2,285 reviews

Critic Score 63%Based on 17 reviews

A third-person exploratory action/adventure title in which a boy ends up on a mysterious island and makes his way through its highly stylized environments, containing puzzles and slight navigation challenges, to get to the bottom of why he's ended up there and to reach the end of the road he's inadvertently begun to travel. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to RiME.

77%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

87% User Score Based on 4,022 reviews

Critic Score 66%Based on 20 reviews

Transform into a bird and fly to explore and experience a vibrant world of floating islands in the sky. Venture down into lost ancient ruins where each step leads you closer to the end of the world. AER puts you in the shoes of Auk, a magical shape-shifting girl who can transform between human and bird. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to AER Memories of Old.

56%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, stability

60% User Score Based on 126 reviews

Critic Score 47%Based on 4 reviews

Empathy: Path of Whispers is an atmospheric and story-driven adventure game where you explore a seemingly abandoned world through the emotions and memories of the people who once inhabited it, trying to restore the world’s lost balance by journeying through its past. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Empathy: Path of Whispers.

83%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

87% User Score Based on 3,167 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 4 reviews

Call of the Sea is a first-person adventure puzzle game set in the 1930's that tells the story of Norah, a woman on the trail of her missing husband's expedition. The search takes place on a strange but beautiful island in the South Pacific, filled with secrets waiting to be unearthed. It’s an otherworldly tale of mystery, adventure, and self-discovery. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Call of the Sea.

75%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding

78% User Score Based on 4,522 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 20 reviews

From Cyan, the indie studio that brought you Myst and Riven comes a whole new adventure that will become your world. The new worlds of Obduction reveal their secrets only as you explore, coax, and consider them. And as you bask in the otherworldly beauty and explore through the enigmatic landscapes, remember that the choices you make will have substantial consequences. This is your story now. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Obduction.

74%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, optimization

75% User Score Based on 477 reviews

Critic Score 73%Based on 6 reviews

NANOTALE WILL LEAVE EARLY ACCESS ON MARCH 31, 2021: http://steam.nanotalegame.com Nanotale - Typing Chronicles is an atmospheric typing adventure RPG set in a colorful vibrant world. Follow... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Nanotale: Typing Chronicles.

79%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, stability

87% User Score Based on 5,138 reviews

Critic Score 69%Based on 8 reviews

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery game focused on exploration and discovery. As occult-minded private detective Paul Prospero communicate with the dead to discover the fate of a missing boy and the mystery behind a dark ancient force lurking in Red Creek Valley. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

75%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

78% User Score Based on 3,067 reviews

Critic Score 70%Based on 3 reviews

Two years in the making, the highly anticipated Indie remake of the cult mod Dear Esther arrives on PC. Dear Esther immerses you in a stunningly realised world, a remote and desolate island somewhere in the outer Hebrides. As you step forwards, a voice begins to read fragments of a letter: "Dear Esther..." - and so begins a journey through one of the most original first-person games of recent year… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Dear Esther.

80%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

79% User Score Based on 2,034 reviews

Critic Score 81%Based on 6 reviews

ESCAPE TO A DREAMLIKE WORLD From the studio behind the genre-bending titles Journey and flOw comes Flower, a unique gaming experience that lets you soar through a dreamlike world of luscious fields and rolling hills. Control the wind to carry a stream of flower petals around each landscape and watch as it comes to life. Every level has its own unique aims and little mysteries – but you don’t hav… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Flower.

71%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

71% User Score Based on 768 reviews

In the end, everybody gets what they deserve. The sins of the past always manifest within the minds of the sinners. An eternity of suffering awaits, welcome to The Survey. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Survey.

85%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

85% User Score Based on 282 reviews

From the creators of cult sleeper hit Scratches and the haunting Serena, comes a chilling journey into the darkest depths of your mind. ASYLUM is an ambitious first-person horror adventure casting you into the hallucinatory setting of the Hanwell Mental Institute. As an ex-patient suffering bizarre visions, you must explore the intricate layout of the building, research its past history, and ma… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ASYLUM.

81%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

86% User Score Based on 4,420 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 33 reviews

FIND YOURSELF If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sable.

68%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

64% User Score Based on 556 reviews

Critic Score 73%Based on 17 reviews

PLANET ALPHA, a beautiful alien world filled with mystery and danger. Pursued by relentless enemies, you must harness the power of night and day as you struggle to survive. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to PLANET ALPHA.

76%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

72% User Score Based on 1,160 reviews

Critic Score 100%Based on 1 reviews

In the wake of catastrophe find the means to make your family whole again. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Somerville.

81%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding

86% User Score Based on 487 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 8 reviews

On the moon Europa, a lush terraformed paradise in Jupiter’s shadow, an android named Zee sets out in search of answers. Run, glide and fly across the landscape, solve mysteries in the ruins of a fallen utopia, and discover the story of the last human alive. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Europa.

66%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, stability

71% User Score Based on 1,798 reviews

Critic Score 53%Based on 3 reviews

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. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Shore.

80%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

80% User Score Based on 160 reviews

The Wild Eternal is a first-person adventure game about an old woman who wishes not to be reborn, and a talkative fox who offers to help her. As the old woman, players will explore beautifully hand-crafted non-linear levels while traveling from clear vistas (where they'll spot distant landmarks) into foggy valleys (where they'll get lost trying to get to those distant landmarks), collecting keys, … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Wild Eternal.

83%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization

83% User Score Based on 800 reviews

You work in the cinema as an usher and accidentally fell into the Backrooms, now being trapped, needing to unravel the mysteries of the yellow rooms in order to get out of this place, but be careful, there are entities that will be in your way. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Backrooms: Lost Tape.

67%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, story

67% User Score Based on 202 reviews

An interactive experience in which you can explore all kinds of mysterious places and dive into a world full of atmosphere. Let this experience unfold in your head. Let it inspire you. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Fugue in Void.

80%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, optimization

87% User Score Based on 2,711 reviews

Critic Score 73%Based on 23 reviews

Explore the remains of a fallen world from fascinating perspectives! Slip into the role of different animals to uncover the fate of an ancient world. Dive into deep waters, fly at lofty heights, dig underground as a mole, climb steep cliffs with a mountain goat, and many more! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to LOST EMBER.

58%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding

58% User Score Based on 380 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 1 reviews

Secrets of Rætikon is an action-focussed exploration game with an open world. Fly through the savage mountains of the Alps and collect parts of ancient machines. The world is rich in interactivity. Trees, rocks, plants and animals – everything is physics based and can be grabbed and dragged around. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Secrets of Rætikon.

87%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, replayability

87% User Score Based on 596 reviews

Immerse yourself in the obscure and mysterious autumnal forest, where every wrong step could be your last. As you travel uncover the dark story behind this place, where beauty and danger have become as one. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Cursed Forest.

80%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, optimization

89% User Score Based on 3,530 reviews

Critic Score 71%Based on 34 reviews

# WORDLESS NARRATIVE Presented without text or dialogue, Hob’s story is revealed as you explore the planet and interact with the strange lifeforms that inhabit it. # TRANSFORM THE WORLD Solve puzzles and repair the planet. The landscape will change before your eyes, opening new areas to uncover and explore. # GRAPPLE, PUNCH, and WARP Use your mechanical glove-arm abilities for traversal as we… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Hob.

96%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding

96% User Score Based on 184 reviews

Blackshard is a first-person exploration game. Wander through a strange megastructure, the Labyrinth, to unravel its mysteries... Your behavior within the Labyrinth will define the outcome of your journey. What path will you choose to take? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to BLACKSHARD.

93%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

93% User Score Based on 912 reviews

Development Roadmap About the GameIncoming Message (SCPF-FLASH): Timestamp: NEE+364 Days (Martian calendar) To: [REDACTED] If you're reading this, it means the automated systems have finally brought you out of cryostasis. I don't know how much time you have, so I'll get straight to the point. You're at Mars Site-113, one of our largest anomalous research and containment facilities. Or… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to SCP: Fragmented Minds.

64%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, replayability

68% User Score Based on 609 reviews

Critic Score 55%Based on 4 reviews

Shattered - Tale of the Forgotten King, an adventure game where exploration and boss fights intertwine. In the world of Hypnos, the player gets to roam a vast continent scattered with gigantic fortresses and cities in ruins. Between phases in 2.5D and 3D, they will dive in the history of a forgotten world where savage enemies await. To reach victory, the precision of movement and observation of th… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Shattered: Tale of the Forgotten King.

84%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, optimization

86% User Score Based on 157 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 4 reviews

An exploration game about emotional ties that transcend even death. Riley is faced with a headstrong ghost, urging her on an adventure across atmospheric shores, uncovering the island´s tragic secret. Choices in dialogue shape the bond between the two, ultimately deciding Riley´s fate. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Ghost on the Shore.

95%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

95% User Score Based on 72,832 reviews

The newest member of the space program in a small village on the planet Timber Hearth, the player navigates a space shuttle and travels across their solar system to get to the bottom of its mysteries by exploring the cosmos and gathering the knowledge hidden within each of the system's planets, left behind by another civilization in the distant past. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Outer Wilds.

70%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

65% User Score Based on 645 reviews

Critic Score 86%Based on 2 reviews

Else Heart.Break() is a reimagination of the adventure game – a fantastic story set in a fully dynamic and interactive world. Instead of rigid puzzles you will learn (with the help from other characters in the game) how the reality of the game can be changed through programming and how any problem can be solved in whatever way you find suitable. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Else Heart.Break().

89%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization

89% User Score Based on 2,943 reviews

The Painscreek Killings is a first-person, explorable mystery solving game set in a fictional town of United States in the 1990s. As a young and upcoming journalist, you are to uncover the secrets behind the town killings and publish the truth in the city papers. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Painscreek Killings.