Games like Once There Was, Once There Wasn't

Zero Sum Game A Craftswoman needs help: More than a year of her memories have been erased, and she fears she was involved with something untoward. As a new graduate of the Hidden Schools, you have been assigned to the case.  Explore colorful locations, from a magical lawyer's tower, to a gambling club seething with trickery and desperation, to the not-so-dry records of a city ruled by gods of … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Zero Sum Game.

78%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, replayability

78% User Score Based on 154 reviews

Discover the truth behind the myth and save the children! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Fairy Tale Mysteries: The Puppet Thief.

84%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:atmosphere

84% User Score Based on 172 reviews

Oblivious Garden: Carmina Burana is a romance fantasy visual novel. Our protagonist Irell Reis was once a famous general who led thousands of soldiers to expand the land of the Magic Empire on Latoy. However the defeat in Garyalburg, Vaustiya three years ago cost him everything and he was stripped of his rank and forced to live life as a lowly peasant from then on. Finally, the time has come for I… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Oblivious Garden ~Carmina Burana.

78%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, humor

Most mentioned negative aspects:graphics, music

78% User Score Based on 250 reviews

What's scarier: the principal, your psychic powers, or finding a date for prom? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Psy High.

64%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, optimization

64% User Score Based on 236 reviews

"Leviathan: The Last Day of the Decade" is a detective story told by a dweller of a cruel dark fantasy world affected by the pandemic. The world ruled by a five noble-born kins under the suzerainty of the undead Plague King. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Leviathan: The Last Day of the Decade.

97%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability

100% User Score Based on 56 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 1 reviews

1986, Tornado Alley, USA… Go undercover as Boulder, an agent infiltrating the notorious religious cult known as the Bahnsen Knights. Face off against occultists, biblical storms, and an enigmatic car salesman turned preacher as you investigate the disappearance of a fellow agent and close friend. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Bahnsen Knights.

95%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, optimization

95% User Score Based on 608 reviews

Roui, a resilient city dandy, a decipherer, a half-educated jeweler and the author of scientific magic articles, was met with a colossal failure AND must return to his gypsy homeland: Latori. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Crown of Leaves.

87%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, humor

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

89% User Score Based on 1,163 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure is a comedy point 'n click love letter to classic-era Lucas adventures, HP Lovecraft, Hitchcock and many, many others. A lighthearted spoof of the Cthulhu Mythos, Gibbous will have you controlling 3 protagonists, dealing with strange cultists, ancient voodoo, and Dead Cthulhu himself. Well, "dead" is just a matter of opinion... Everything revolves around the dreaded N… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure.

90%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability

90% User Score Based on 149 reviews

Find clues to your father's whereabouts in a Victorian mansion! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Scarlett Mysteries: Cursed Child.

81%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, grinding

81% User Score Based on 842 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 2 reviews

Once upon a time, a girl, her pet dog, and three companions made a journey to meet a great wizard who could grant their wishes. But what if the girl hadn’t believed that “there’s no place like home”? Explore a fairytale world through a dozen routes and 20+ endings! A Visual Novel with women as the target demographic. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to OZMAFIA!!.

75%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:atmosphere

100% User Score Based on 30 reviews

Critic Score 72%Based on 13 reviews

Turn-based narrative experience about two housemates with different time cycles. A contemporary take on the classic novels of Frankenstein and Dracula. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Frank and Drake.

Year 2068, Lupa Corps, a company specialized in creating domestic artificial intelligence, is about to revolutionize the world with its new creation, Minerva. You are a detective and you receive a call to investigate a murder. Upon arrival, you realize that the victim was a well-known hacker wanted by justice. At that moment a story begins where nothing is what it seems. DETECTIVE Minerva Case i… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to DETECTIVE - Minerva case.

79%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:music, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, monetization

79% User Score Based on 100 reviews

Let’s play hide-and-seek with serial killers. Jawbreaker is a psychological horror game that will have you running, hiding, and fighting to survive a terrifying gang-infested society on the verge of collapse. Though that’s not all, once the sun goes down the true fear will begin... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Jawbreaker.

69%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, replayability

65% User Score Based on 1,831 reviews

Critic Score 78%Based on 3 reviews

Unfold the mysteries of a dystopic animal society inhabiting retrofuturistic Vancouver in a noir stealth adventure coming in 2019. Backbone is a pixel art cinematic adventure with stealth and action elements. As a private investigator Howard Lotor you are set to solve detective cases, interrogate witnesses, explore the intriguing retrofuturistic Vancouver, and sneak your way to safety using smell… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tails Noir.

95%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

95% User Score Based on 592 reviews

Embark on a dangerous quest through mysterious ruins and magical woods in the second chapter of Grim Legends series. Save the young queen from a mortal danger and change the faith of the entire kingdom. When a mysterious illness befalls the queen of the Eagle Kingdom, a famous healer is summoned to Eagle Castle to examine her. The Healer’s quest takes a sudden turn when the infant prince vanishe… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Grim Legends 2: Song of the Dark Swan.

95%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, emotional

Most mentioned negative aspects:monetization, gameplay

95% User Score Based on 992 reviews

Step into the shoes of a telepath turned villain and explore the dark side. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Fallen Hero: Rebirth.

68%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, optimization

71% User Score Based on 2,152 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 1 reviews

Set in a creepy amusement park hiding a dark and sinister secret, The Park is a first-person psychological horror experience focused on exploration and storytelling. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Park.

69%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, stability

69% User Score Based on 109 reviews

The Earthworms is independent, artistic, point & click game placed in surrealist world of science-fiction. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Earthworms.

85%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

94% User Score Based on 3,325 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 9 reviews

Get Wytchwood for PS4 and PS5. Wytchwood is a crafting adventure game set in a land of mythical fables and fairy tales. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Wytchwood.

94%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, replayability

94% User Score Based on 670 reviews

A middle-aged man has an encounter with a cute catgirl in the dead of night - but all is not as it seems. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sweetest Monster.

92%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, replayability

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay

92% User Score Based on 143 reviews

Will you infiltrate the gods, or turn double agent and join their Elite Courte? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to VERSUS: The Elite Trials.

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 70%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.

72%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

82% User Score Based on 212 reviews

Critic Score 55%Based on 18 reviews

Someday You'll Return is a story-driven psychological horror game about a desperate search for a missing daughter deep in the woods where you swore you'd never return, brought to you by the creative duo behind J.U.L.I.A.: Among the Stars. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Someday You'll Return.

84%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, replayability

Most mentioned negative aspects:monetization, character development

84% User Score Based on 268 reviews

Plunder ghost ships for cursed treasure! Will ye rival the Pirate King himself? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Choice of the Pirate.

70%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability

71% User Score Based on 486 reviews

Critic Score 69%Based on 19 reviews

Take on the last case of Benedict Fox and dive into a twisted world of secret organizations, forbidden rituals, and cold-blooded murders. Explore the memories of deceased victims as you search for clues and fight demons in this fantastical Lovecraftian Metroidvania. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Last Case of Benedict Fox.

96%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

97% User Score Based on 125 reviews

Critic Score 90%Based on 1 reviews

The Remainder is a dark fantasy story made of psychological puzzles, romance, and the unexpected. The Complete Edition contains acts 1 to 4! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Chronicles of Taldun: The Remainder.

36%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, gameplay

57% User Score Based on 14 reviews

A sci-fi VR exploratory puzzle game, The Callisto pushes the boundaries of VR with stunning visuals, dynamic puzzles, and a rich storyline that unfolds piece-by-piece through your own exploration. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Callisto.

70%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, character development

70% User Score Based on 1,736 reviews

Follow us About the GameHome is a unique horror adventure set in a beautifully-realized pixel world. It’s a murder mystery with a twist—because you decide what ultimately happens. Awakened by an oncoming storm, you open your eyes to discover yourself in a strange, dark room—tucked away in a house that’s not yours. As you play the game, it changes—subtly, almost imperceptibly—to reflect your pe… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Home.

75%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, stability

80% User Score Based on 690 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 1 reviews

After captivating players from all around the world with the mythic Runaway trilogy, Pendulo Studios presents a new adventure gaming masterpiece! This thrilling mystery, presenting a unique, dark and somber style, will not leave you indifferent! With an incredible story, superb environments, perplexing and shady characters, Yesterday throws you into an unforgettable adventure from which you will n… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Yesterday.

94%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, grinding

96% User Score Based on 49 reviews

Play as a fairytale hero and help him garden, since saving the princess didn't go that well. A fantasy gardening visual novel and clicker game. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to A HERO AND A GARDEN.

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.

72%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:graphics, grinding

85% User Score Based on 189 reviews

Critic Score 45%Based on 4 reviews

Alt-Frequencies takes players on an audio-based journey where interactive investigation meets podcasting, and players are tasked with unravelling a mystery taking place between multiple radio stations among a disparate group of people. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Alt-Frequencies.

68%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, stability

68% User Score Based on 133 reviews

Malus Code is the story of a graduate student studying abroad at a Japanese university, and the three people he meets in the laboratory there. In this unfamiliar environment, can you earn their friendship? For those who don't want a lonely, sad life. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Malus Code.

68%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding

68% User Score Based on 522 reviews

Vlad is an interactive graphic-novel with RPG elements where your decisions shape the outcome of your story. Each playthrough offers a different experience and immersive story totalling two hours of content. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Vlad the Impaler.

54%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, character development

54% User Score Based on 189 reviews

Dear Red is a game based on two choices: Truth or Lie. Each of your choices will lead to a different result. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Dear RED: Extended.

47%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, monetization

47% User Score Based on 78 reviews

Melrose is trapped in a life of hardship. Her parents are mean to her and she gets bullied at school. She can find no one who understands her. To cope with her sorrow, Melrose turns to her imagination. She dreams up a world of unimaginable beauty and happiness, but sadly -- like all dreams -- it ends, and Melrose must return to real life. Today is different, however. Melrose is about to meet he… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Whisper of a Rose.

"Woodsalt" is an adventure game set on the planet of Nu-Terra, 1000 years after Earth was evacuated during chaotic natural disasters and an attack by giant creatures. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Woodsalt.

77%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:emotional, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, gameplay

94% User Score Based on 33 reviews

Cradle of Nightmares: Flowers to You is an ATB turn-based game based on combat adventures made by RPGMaker. Players will play as a high school student named Yue Qing, as the world is being torn apart by a mysterious phenomenon from outside the world, the "White Light", and you will start from the ordinary daily life and fall into the dark and gloomy "Second World", where you w… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Cradle of Nightmare : Flowers to you.

91%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:music, grinding

91% User Score Based on 456 reviews

This is a text-based, auditory nightmare. #1: Three red blots mark liars. #2: Food means depravity and death. #3: Tellers of time are sped up by-- #4: Holes in suspicious places may lead to the Undergoing. #5: Don't trust the wolf. #6: The train is the only escape. The Dark Place finds us all. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Welcome To The Dark Place.

90%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding

90% User Score Based on 263 reviews

[The tale of a twisted metamorphosis...]I woke up and found myself made... Out of Hands. Step into a nightmare like no other that unfolds forevermore. Insanity, uncertainty and the bizarre await... [The line between dreams and reality begins to blur.]With real video footage cut into collage, everyday objects take on a chilling new form. Mix and match organs, build your arsenal, and wield pecul… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Out Of Hands.

56%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:graphics, gameplay

92% User Score Based on 12 reviews

"In the year 21XX, there is no rest for the dead—only servitude." The world is ruled by an Emperor of unparalleled power, who commands the fate of millions in life—but also after death. He promises safety and dominion. In return, he demands absolute obedience. You are a servitor—stripped of your name, your past, and your future. Bound by laws you did not choose, you exist as one small … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Mortal Advocate.

99%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:atmosphere, grinding

99% User Score Based on 76 reviews

This is Interesting is a psychological horror narrative based game with roguelite elements. You are being watched, and you aren't really sure why. Delve through the depths of memory to uncover the mystery behind the gray purgatory you find yourself in. Knowledge-based progression While each run of the game will differ, the true progression of the story comes from knowledge gained in previo… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to This is Interesting.

97%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding

97% User Score Based on 1,220 reviews

You are the Carimara, and your mission is to conjure a ghost by answering their questions using your cards. A short and creepy fairytale, full of surprises and mysteries. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs.

91%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, graphics

Most mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, grinding

94% User Score Based on 48 reviews

Somewhere between life and death, there is a world made up of hopeful dreams and broken shadows. Souls may sometimes find themselves lured into this strange world to be tested, examined, and to find out where they are worthy of moving on to. THE VOID The world of Skaramazuzu, has a unique aesthetic of a black and white shadow puppet world, set among the ruins of ancient gothic-like structures, wh… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Skaramazuzu.

98%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:atmosphere, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability

98% User Score Based on 1,908 reviews

UNSORTED HORROR is a collection of 5 short first-person horror games, that revolve around detailed machinery in a dark dystopian setting. The majority of the games have a playtime of roughly 10-15 minutes and can be played through in one sitting. Choose a CD case, read the backside, and go on a small adventure. THE GAMES: 1. Tartarus Engine - A group of plucky technicians exploit an ancient machi… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Unsorted Horror.

81%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, atmosphere

81% User Score Based on 145 reviews

You wake up to find yourself on the Babel - a cruise ship sailing into the afterlife. On this journey, uncover secrets and solve quests by rewriting the past to change destinies...where will it lead you? Perhaps reincarnation? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to A Guidebook of Babel.

93%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability

95% User Score Based on 3,444 reviews

Critic Score 81%Based on 2 reviews

Immerse yourself in an enchanting narrative experience as Fortuna, a fortune-teller Witch condemned to exile on her asteroid home. Craft your own Tarot deck, regain your freedom, and shape the fate of the cosmic Witch society. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood.

59%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:graphics, music

Most mentioned negative aspects:story, gameplay

78% User Score Based on 27 reviews

Eonia is a charming open-world Adventure RPG, with a colorful and intriguing world, filled with many mysteries to unravel. Draw maps, document the flora and fauna, make potions, repair structures, manipulate minerals and explore every corner while you delve into a fascinating and surprising plot. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to EONIA.

80%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplay

Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding

80% User Score Based on 118 reviews

You faked a prophecy and pretended to save the world. Now, it's coming true! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Heroes of Myth.

67%Game Brain Score

Most mentioned positive aspects:replayability

Most mentioned negative aspects:music, story

95% User Score Based on 21 reviews

Light-hearted visual novel adventure with an epic tale - with challenging and fun puzzles, humorous storyline and quirky characters. Solve the "last secret", save your friends and maybe find true love on the way, too... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Last Secret.