Games like The Novelist
Looking for games like The Novelist? Here are top casual simulation recommendations with a drama focus, selected from player-similarity data — start with Always Sometimes Monsters, Gone Home or Yes, Your Grace.
- 73%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability79% User Score 2,364 reviewsCritic Score 67%15 reviews
Out of money and out of luck you find yourself heart broken and on the verge of collapse. Your landlord's taken the key back, you can't finish your manuscript, and your beloved is marrying someone else. With no choice but to handle whatever life throws at you, you set out on the open road on a mission to win back the love of your life. The story from there is up to you. Can your life be salvaged, … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Always Sometimes Monsters.
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- 82%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, optimization77% User Score 20,826 reviewsCritic Score 82%14 reviews
A first-person exploratory game taking place in 1995 in which Katie, a university student back from Europe, arrives at her family's newly inherited mansion only to find nobody there, with a note from her younger sister Sam suggesting that she's left home. Katie must explore the mansion to put together the stories of where her parents have gone and why Sam has decided to leave. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Gone Home.
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- 79%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability86% User Score 5,594 reviewsCritic Score 72%14 reviews
These are troubling times, Your Grace. The petitioners’ petty matters exceed our limited resources, to say nothing of the war. A careful balance must be struck. Your throne awaits. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Yes, Your Grace.
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- 86%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability87% User Score 522 reviewsCritic Score 80%1 reviews
Eternal Threads is a single-player, first-person story-driven puzzle game of time manipulation, choice and consequence. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Eternal Threads.
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- 86%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding90% User Score 4,168 reviewsCritic Score 76%1 reviews
Amy Ferrier's first day on Lunar Transfer Station Tacoma is not exactly what she expected. Discover the story of a remote space facility and the crew that lived there in Tacoma, the new game from the creators of Gone Home. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tacoma.
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- 88%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability89% User Score 6,503 reviewsCritic Score 88%11 reviews
SURVIVAL HAS NEVER BEEN SO PERSONAL If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Alters.
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- 85%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding90% User Score 2,632 reviewsCritic Score 80%10 reviews
You didn't ask to lead this expedition but here you are: stuck in the ice, Captain missing, miles from civilization and everyone looking for you to lead. Manage your meager resources, balance safety and morale, make the hard calls and head in the only direction you can - into The Pale Beyond. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Pale Beyond.
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- 81%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, character development81% User Score 259 reviews
Enter the pages of the hand painted world of Journal. A journey through the life of a young and troubled girl as she tries to face up to the choices and responsibilities that come with childhood. An experience that questions the reliability of how we choose to remember events and explores the truths hidden within our dreams. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Journal.
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- 70%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphereMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, character development70% User Score 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.
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- 81%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability81% User Score 7,592 reviewsCritic Score 79%2 reviews
Tell Me Why is the latest narrative adventure game from DONTNOD Entertainment, the studio behind the beloved franchise, Life is Strange. In this intimate mystery, twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan use their supernatural bond to unravel the mysteries of their loving but troubled childhood in beautiful small-town Alaska. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tell Me Why.
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- 76%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization82% User Score 1,623 reviewsCritic Score 70%27 reviews
A deep, interactive adventure about love and loss, beautifully depicted and offering an intense cinematic experience. What would you do to save the one you love? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Last Day of June.
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- 82%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability82% User Score 5,348 reviewsCritic Score 82%2 reviews
A totalitarian State controls every aspect of private and social life. Laws are oppressive. Surveillance is total. Privacy is dead. You are a State-installed manager of an apartment house. The State requires you to spy on your tenants, and report any illegal or subversive activity. However, you can also choose to keep the information to yourself, or use it to blackmail the residents, resulting in … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Beholder.
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- 65%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, replayability74% User Score 5,430 reviewsCritic Score 54%32 reviews
You'll take the role of police chief and dive into a story of crime and intrigue If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to This Is the Police.
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- 87%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, character development88% User Score 2,855 reviewsCritic Score 80%1 reviews
You are the Grim Reaper... on an office job. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Death and Taxes.
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- 75%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, stability76% User Score 887 reviewsCritic Score 70%1 reviews
State of Mind is a futuristic thriller game delving into transhumanism. The game explores themes of separation, disjuncture and reunification, in a world that is torn between a dystopian material reality and a utopian virtual future. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to State of Mind.
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- 89%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization94% User Score 4,294 reviewsCritic Score 82%3 reviews
Roleplaying in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism. Live the life of an escaped worker, washed-up on a lawless station at the edge of an interstellar society. Inspired by the flexibility and freedom of TTRPGs, explore the station, choose your friends, escape your past and change your future. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Citizen Sleeper.
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- 89%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding91% User Score 2,498 reviewsCritic Score 85%6 reviews
This Bed We Made is a third-person mystery game in which you play as a maid in a 1950s hotel and snoop around strangers' rooms to uncover their deadly secrets. Discover what links the clients together in this tale of love, heartbreak and murder! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to This Bed We Made.
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- 73%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:stability, character development71% User Score 650 reviewsCritic Score 76%2 reviews
The Detail, a crime noir adventure in a modern American city. This is a city where cases matter, clearance rates matter, and on a good day even justice matters. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Detail.
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- 83%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization90% User Score 4,546 reviewsCritic Score 75%9 reviews
A narrative-driven RPG set in a gritty world where a person's Lot is determined at birth, while the gods are real and preside over the fates of men. Set out on a lifelong journey and carve out your own destiny. Will you become a judge, an inquisitor, or conspire against the old order? You decide! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante.
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- 94%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding97% User Score 43,040 reviewsCritic Score 88%6 reviews
Episode one of a five-part game series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkman’s award-winning series. Play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who has been given a second chance at life in a world devastated by the undead. Experience events, meet people and visit locations that foreshadow the story of Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes. A tailored game experience – actions, choices and decisions you… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Walking Dead.
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- 67%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, optimization66% User Score 203 reviewsCritic Score 69%8 reviews
It's 1972 and a military coup has rocked Anchuria. You, Angela Burnes, are trapped in the metropolitan capital of San Bavón. Your paradise has turned into a warzone. You take up a job as a housekeeper. Every week, an hour before sunset, you clean the swanky bachelor pad of the wealthy Gabriel Ortega. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sunset.
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- 72%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:graphics, replayability72% User Score 338 reviewsCritic Score 70%4 reviews
Richard & Alice is a riveting mystery story about family, desperation and the weather – all set to the beat of an indie adventure game. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Richard & Alice.
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- 94%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding94% User Score 18,415 reviewsCritic Score 90%1 reviews
What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of short stories about a cursed family in Washington State. Each story offers a chance to experience the life of a different family member with stories ranging from the early 1900s to the present day. The gameplay and tone of the stories are as varied as the family members themselves. The only constants are that each is played from a first-person perspe… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to What Remains of Edith Finch.
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- 86%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability93% User Score 2,968 reviewsCritic Score 77%8 reviews
Based on Ken Follett's world-bestseller, ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ retells the story of the village of Kingsbridge in a whole new interactive way. Play as Jack, Aliena and Philip and change the events of the book through exploration, decision-making and dialogues. 12th century, England: In a time of great poverty and war, a small town begins the construction of a cathedral to claim wealth and… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth.
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- 73%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, stability73% User Score 451 reviewsCritic Score 73%2 reviews
"Night Call is a new kind of non linear narrative and noire game taking place in Paris, France. Using the real city map (~105 km² or ~40.5 mi²) and the intimacy a taxi can offer, players will meet numerous and unique passengers to talk with. Some of them know things about the killer, others pretend to know things, and some just need to talk to someone. More than just telling a story, Night Call … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Night Call.
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- 76%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding82% User Score 724 reviewsCritic Score 70%18 reviews
"Dive into this nautic adventure as curiosity will guide you through a space ship wreck on an unknown planet made up of water. When one of the lead scientists still on board tries to unriddle the possibility of a relaunch young Janitor Harold is around to assist her. Join Harold in his clumsy undertakings to stir up the ark-like ship’s stale day-to-day life and find the secrets that lie behind… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Harold Halibut.
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- 84%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization90% User Score 434 reviewsCritic Score 74%6 reviews
After a night of fun, passion, and one too many drinks, you awake to discover a complete stranger lying naked beside you in bed. With only hazy memories of what happened last night, explore a stranger's bedroom in search of clues and try and piece together the truth. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to One Night Stand.
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- 81%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding89% User Score 2,498 reviewsCritic Score 71%7 reviews
A game in which you explore the intimacy of someone whose phone you've found. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to A Normal Lost Phone.
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- View Game61%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:music, grinding61% User Score 3,444 reviews
Depression Quest is an interactive fiction game where you play as someone living with depression. You are given a series of everyday life events and have to attempt to manage your illness, relationships, job, and possible treatment. This game aims to show other sufferers of depression that they are not alone in their feelings, and to illustrate to people who may not understand the illness the dept… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Depression Quest.
- 70%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability70% User Score 1,642 reviewsCritic Score 72%1 reviews
Paris, the times of the French Revolution. The Player controls a Judge – an alcoholic and a gambler - of The Revolutionary Tribunal. His objective is to preside over court proceedings, judging people brought in front of him – revolutionaries and their enemies, criminals and ordinary citizens. Along the course of the story, the protagonist will be expanding his influence over XVIIIth-century Paris,… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to We. The Revolution.
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- 83%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability83% User Score 1,628 reviewsCritic Score 76%1 reviews
Neo Cab is an emotional survival game about staying human in a world disrupted by automation. You play as Lina, the last human driver on the neon-drenched streets of Los Ojos. When your friend and only lifeline mysteriously vanishes, you'll need to use wits and empathy to survive. Choose your passengers— and your words— wisely. If you can balance your cash, star rating and emotional health, you m… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Neo Cab.
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- 76%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability80% User Score 1,027 reviewsCritic Score 72%8 reviews
When humans get too lonely, they turn into monsters… Sea of Solitude takes you on a personal journey of a young woman’s loneliness. Set sail across a beautiful and evolving world where nothing is quite what it seems. Meet fantastical creatures and monsters, learn their stories, and solve challenges. Explore a flooded city by boat, on foot, or by swimming through the water itself. Dare to look wha… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sea of Solitude.
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- 86%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:stability, grinding95% User Score 75,297 reviewsCritic Score 75%8 reviews
Life Is Strange is an award-winning game where your choices impact the story If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Life is Strange.
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- 73%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, replayability72% User Score 1,090 reviewsCritic Score 80%2 reviews
Draugen is a first-person psychological horror adventure, set amongst the deep fjords and towering mountains of Norway’s awe-inspiring west coast. The game is a dark and disturbing journey into the pitch black heart of Norwegian national romanticism, as seen through the eyes of an American nature photographer, botanist and entomologist. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Draugen.
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- 80%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, storyMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability80% User Score 1,980 reviewsCritic Score 79%1 reviews
After a century in stasis the girl En arrives at her destination: A Palace out of legend, a marvel of the old civilization eons gone, still awaiting its first human occupants. Out here, using forgotten technologies, she hopes to bring back a life that shouldn’t have been lost. In Echo everything has consequence: As you try to wield its magical technologies it becomes apparent that the Palace has … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ECHO.
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- 96%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:atmosphere, character development96% User Score 1,657 reviews
Your decisions as a robot maker will change the world—but at what cost? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Choice of Robots.
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- 75%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding78% User Score 3,067 reviewsCritic Score 70%3 reviews
Dear Esther is a ghost story, told using first-person gaming technologies. Rather than traditional game-play the focus here is on exploration, uncovering the mystery of the island, of who you are and why you are here. Fragments of story are randomly uncovered when exploring the various locations of the island, making every each journey a unique experience. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Dear Esther.
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- 84%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, stability89% User Score 57,262 reviewsCritic Score 79%47 reviews
Firewatch is a single-player first-person video game where you, as a man named Henry, explore the Wyoming wilderness after taking a summer job as a fire lookout. What is supposed to be a peaceful respite from your complicated life takes a turn when you start to question some of the things that are happening to you. Your only human connection is over a handheld radio, which you’ll use to speak wit… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Firewatch.
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- 81%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability92% User Score 434 reviewsCritic Score 69%8 reviews
A story-focused adventure game about a little girl in the world of adults. How can you find a monster you can’t see? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Lydia.
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- 83%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, stability88% User Score 1,896 reviewsCritic Score 78%12 reviews
An immersive, narrative videogame that retells Joel Green's 4-year fight against cancer through about two hours of poetic, imaginative gameplay that explores themes of faith, hope and love. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to That Dragon, Cancer.
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- 89%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability95% User Score 466 reviewsCritic Score 76%4 reviews
Lost Words is a 2D narrative adventure game where players move words to solve puzzles. The game features a story written by Rhianna Pratchett and ties the narrative into the gameplay in an unusual way, by having the player running on and interacting with words to solve puzzles. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Lost Words: Beyond the Page.
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- 65%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, emotionalMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay80% User Score 1 reviewsCritic Score 77%29 reviews
Valiant Hearts - The Great War is the story of 4 crossed destinies and a broken love in a world torn apart If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Valiant Hearts: The Great War.
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- 84%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, optimization89% User Score 933 reviewsCritic Score 79%27 reviews
Forgotton Anne is a 2d cinematic adventure game combining puzzle platforming with adventure game elements. You play as Anne, the enforcer keeping order in the Forgotton Realm, as she sets out to squash a rebellion that might prevent her master, Bonku, and herself from returning to the human world. The World of Forgotton Anne: Imagine a place where everything that is lost and forgotten goes; old t… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Forgotton Anne.
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- 77%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding80% User Score 3,984 reviewsCritic Score 70%4 reviews
The Council is an episodic game that delivers a fresh new take on the narrative adventure genre. Make hard-hitting decisions, develop an array of skills, and directly impact how the story unfolds. With permanent, long-lasting consequences, there is no going back. Plunge into a tale of intrigue and manipulation in the style of a classic murder mystery, interacting with a cast of alluring characters… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Council.
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- 86%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding91% User Score 3,255 reviewsCritic Score 78%6 reviews
WELCOME TO THE FDI, MR TANNER. Time to clear your head, work through your hangover and start your first day as an Operator. There are plenty of cases to solve. Assist our field agents using your computer console and ingenuity to bring criminals to justice. Ready to make the world a better place? Investigate Crimes: Solve cases such as murders, missing people, and cyber attacks. Use FDI Software:… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Operator.
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- 88%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, stability94% User Score 16,215 reviewsCritic Score 82%18 reviews
This is one journey you will never forget... If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.
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- 69%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability, grinding71% User Score 112 reviewsCritic Score 65%8 reviews
Stay is a nail-biting tale of abduction and isolation, where every single second counts. A pixel-art adventure game with multiple routes and endings, your computer is tethered to a PC inside an abandoned house... where an abducted man finds himself trapped and in desperate need of help. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to STAY.
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- 92%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding92% User Score 1,402 reviews
Summerland is a first-person narrative game about morality and the afterlife. You take control of Matthew, a detective reliving the events of his past, being questioned on his morals along the way. In every door lies another memory, and every memory unlocks another door. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Summerland.
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- 58%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability74% User Score 336 reviewsCritic Score 70%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.
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- View Game93%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability93% User Score 4,361 reviews
Marie's Room is a short-story exploration game about an unconventional friendship between two classmates, told through memories. You play as Kelsey, remembering Marie's room as it was 20 years ago. What happened to Marie and Kelsey all those years ago? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Marie's Room.
















































