Games like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
by The Chinese Room, Robert Briscoe
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 years.
View on Steam · $9.99 →
Ranked by how similar the games actually are, not by sales. Released and Price are remembered for next time.
Closest matches
-80%$3.99Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
Sep 10 · The Chinese Room
Both: Horror · Walking Simulator · First-Person
From the creators of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Dear Esther comes a new first-person horrorgame that will drag you to the depths of greed, power and madness. It will bury its snout into your ribs and it will eat your heart.
HorrorWalking SimulatorStory RichAtmosphericFirst-PersonPsychological HorrorExplorationMysteryInteractive FictionSingleplayer👍 7,240
$4.99Writer. Chapter 1
Jan 6 · Beshbarmak games
Both: Exploration · Puzzle · Walking Simulator
You, the legendary writer, the “King of Horror,” find yourself at the center of a nightmare. A mysterious place, frighteningly familiar, hides sinister secrets. Explore locations, solve riddles, escape from the monster, collect a story that will become a new masterpiece... if you survive.
ExplorationPuzzleDetectiveWalking SimulatorFirst-PersonPsychological HorrorHorrorSimulationControllerLinear
$6.99Left Alone
Apr 28 · SpeedTutor
Both: Exploration · Puzzle · Walking Simulator
Left Alone plunges you into a first-person psychological horror journey, where darkness and memories intertwine. As secrets emerge from shadows, use your wits to solve puzzles and explore haunting, forgotten locations. Every step echoes with the past; can you face the truths that await?
ExplorationPuzzleWalking SimulatorFirst-Person3DHorrorStory RichPsychological HorrorActionLogic👍 592
$9.99Proteus
Jan 30 · Ed Key and David Kanaga
Both: Exploration · Walking Simulator · Relaxing
Proteus is a game about exploration and immersion in a dream-like island world where the soundtrack to your play is created by your surroundings. Played in first-person, the primary means of interaction is simply your presence in the world and how you observe it.
ExplorationWalking SimulatorRelaxingIndieCasualProcedural GenerationExperimentalFirst-PersonBeautifulAdventure👍 1,420
-50%$7.49Gone Home
Aug 15 · Fullbright
Both: Walking Simulator · Exploration · First-Person
June 7th, 1995. 1:15 AM. You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is empty. Something's not right. Where is everyone? And what's happened here? Unravel the mystery for yourself in Gone Home, a story exploration game from The Fullbright Company.
Walking SimulatorShortIndieExplorationAtmosphericFirst-PersonStory RichNarrativeLGBTQ+Female Protagonist👍 13,621
$2.99Home is Where One Starts...
May 12 · David Wehle
Both: Walking Simulator · First-Person · Exploration
Home is Where One Starts... is a short, first-person exploration game in the same vein as Dear Esther or Gone Home. It’s a story about childhood, hope, and the miracle of memory. You play as a little girl from a broken home somewhere in the American South.
AdventureIndieWalking SimulatorFirst-PersonShortAtmosphericFemale ProtagonistExplorationStory RichCasual👍 583
$14.99Journey
Jun 11 · thatgamecompany
Both: Exploration · Relaxing · Walking Simulator
Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets.
BeautifulAtmosphericAdventureIndieExplorationRelaxingGreat SoundtrackWalking SimulatorCo-opMultiplayer👍 34,817
$0.99Auver
Apr 27 · ZC Games
Both: Horror · Exploration · Walking Simulator
Suzanne Auver was a successful painter once, until her sister went missing. Blaming herself, she was persistent on finding her. But with frequent nightmares involving the disappearance of her sister, this wasn't an easy task.
HorrorExplorationWalking SimulatorPuzzleFirst-PersonStylizedRealisticFantasyLinearAction-Adventure
$12.99The Park®
Oct 27 · Funcom
Both: Horror · Psychological Horror · Walking Simulator
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.
HorrorPsychological HorrorWalking SimulatorFirst-PersonSingleplayerAtmosphericAdventureExplorationShortMystery👍 2,534
$14.99Homesick
May 28 · Lucky Pause
Both: Puzzle · Exploration · First-Person
Explore an abandoned building, encountering puzzles and clues to discover what happened, as you try to escape in both your nightmares and the waking world. Be immersed in the hauntingly beautiful 3D atmosphere in this puzzle exploration mystery game.
AtmosphericPuzzleExplorationFirst-PersonIndieWalking SimulatorAdventureHorrorMysteryGreat Soundtrack👍 1,282
$4.990°N 0°W
Mar 1 · Colorfiction
Both: Exploration · Walking Simulator · First-Person
Ready for a wild trip of psychedelic sights and sounds? 0°N 0°W is a chill, first-person walking sim for everyone, where each run is a fresh adventure!
ColorfulSurrealExplorationPsychedelicOpen WorldPlatformerWalking SimulatorFirst-Person3DRelaxing👍 363
$24.99Quern - Undying Thoughts
Nov 28 · Zadbox Entertainment
Both: Puzzle · Exploration · Walking Simulator
Discover the truth about Quern’s past, unfold the mysteries of its present, and be the explorer who shapes its future. Quern introduces reusable puzzle mechanics to the classic genre, making the player think about the game as a whole, and not just as a series of individual challenges.
AdventurePuzzleMysteryAtmosphericExplorationWalking SimulatorSingleplayerFirst-PersonStory Rich3D👍 3,814
$29.99INFRA
Jan 15 · Loiste Interactive
Both: Exploration · Puzzle · First-Person
INFRA puts you into the boots of a structural analyst on a routine mission. Quickly though, your task turns into a fight for survival, all caused by deep-rooted schemes of the past. Your tools are simple: your camera and the wits to navigate a labyrinth of debris.
ExplorationPuzzleAtmosphericFirst-PersonWalking SimulatorAdventureMysteryStory RichIndieSingleplayer👍 3,469
FreeA Date in the Park
Jul 19 · Cloak and Dagger Games
Both: Exploration · Horror · Interactive Fiction
A short and mysterious free point and click adventure game, inspired by the feeling of oddness in an everyday situation.
ExplorationPoint & ClickHorrorInteractive FictionWalking Simulator2DPsychological HorrorStory RichRomancePuzzle
-83%$0.67Don't Disturb
Sep 1 · Midnight Party
Both: Exploration · Puzzle · Walking Simulator
Single-player puzzle adventure with a beautiful, distinctive art style and a genuinely emotional story. As a lonely dog wandering the afterlife searching for his dead master, 'Don't Disturb' explores traditional Asian views on death and the underworld.
Side ScrollerExplorationPoint & ClickPuzzleWalking Simulator2DMultiple EndingsChoices MatterLinearPhilosophical👍 510
$9.99Qbeh-1: The Atlas Cube
May 15 · Liquid Flower
Both: Puzzle · First-Person · Relaxing
A serene first-person puzzle platformer set across strikingly beautiful worlds. Place and remove cubes to solve handcrafted puzzles, discover hidden secrets, and lose yourself in an atmosphere unlike anything else. Includes a full level editor and Steam Workshop support.
PuzzleFirst-PersonAtmosphericRelaxingPuzzle PlatformerPlatformerExplorationCozyWalking SimulatorLevel Editor👍 608
$4.99The Light Remake
Jun 4 · Носков Сергей
Both: Walking Simulator · First-Person · Psychological Horror
There is only you, the abandoned remains of a former life and the flourishing nature that feels great in the absence of man. This world is both gloomy and empty, but so incredibly beautiful.
Walking SimulatorSurvival HorrorFirst-PersonPost-apocalypticScienceMystery DungeonWargameSurrealPsychological HorrorHorror👍 1,464
$12.99Shape of the World
Jun 5 · Hollow Tree Games
Both: Walking Simulator · Exploration · First-Person
A serene first person exploration game in a surreal, organic world that reacts to your presence. Journey through a psychedelically colorful ecosystem of flourishing flora, rambling waterfalls, burgeoning mountains, glowing monoliths and graceful creatures. A 1-3 hour escape from work, anxiety and stress.
CasualNatureIndieAtmosphericSurrealWalking SimulatorExplorationFirst-PersonRelaxingAdventure👍 263
$8.99Dream
Jul 31 · HyperSloth
Both: Exploration · Walking Simulator · First-Person
Dream is an exploration game that takes place within the subconscious mind of Howard Phillips, a young man whose waking hours are tedious and dull, but whose dreams are lucid and powerful.
IndieAdventureExplorationWalking SimulatorAtmosphericVRFirst-PersonCasualPuzzleHorror👍 880
$29.99Obduction
Aug 24 · Cyan, Inc.
Both: Puzzle · Exploration · First-Person
A new sci-fi adventure from Cyan, the creators of Myst. Abducted far across the universe, you find yourself on a broken alien landscape with odd pieces of Earth. Explore, uncover, solve, and find a way to make it home.
AdventurePuzzleExplorationIndieFirst-PersonMysterySurrealVRWalking SimulatorAtmospheric👍 3,032
$9.99Escape From Lavender Island
Aug 31 · Jeremy Couillard, Chris Parrello
Both: Exploration · Walking Simulator · First-Person
Explore a dream that refuses to end. As Zede Aksis, wander a surreal city that feels both alive and liminal, filled with digital citizens and absurd infrastructure. Can you find an escape? A way out of a world that remembers you better than you remember it?
ExplorationHidden ObjectWalking SimulatorAction-Adventure3DFirst-PersonThird PersonAlternate HistoryDark ComedyFunny👍 197
$5.99TIMEframe
Jul 7 · Random Seed Games
Both: Walking Simulator · Exploration · First-Person
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.
IndieCasualWalking SimulatorAtmosphericGreat SoundtrackExplorationFirst-PersonAdventureStylizedShort👍 269
$1.99Heaven Island - VR MMO
Dec 23 · Fabio Ferrara, Giulia Airoldi
Both: Walking Simulator · Exploration · Relaxing
More a Journey in your Inner Self than a game, "Heaven Island" is an experience in which you'll explore wonderful places. The inspiration for the environments comes from the Renzo Piano designs and from the book "Origins of Architectural Pleasure" in which the welfare is of primary importance.
Walking SimulatorAdventureIndieMassively MultiplayerVRExplorationOpen WorldMultiplayerRelaxingCasual👍 376
$9.99HOST
Jul 1 · Garrett Fuselier
Both: Exploration · Puzzle · Walking Simulator
When your spacecraft crashes on an unknown planet, you navigate your way through its dark and puzzling corridors. Using only your hands and your wits, will you discover your parasitic power before it's too late?
Early AccessExplorationPuzzleWalking Simulator3DFirst-PersonVRSurrealUndergroundLinear
Also worth a look
Share some of the same DNA, but further from the original.
$19.99Ether One
Mar 25 · White Paper Games
Both: First-Person · Puzzle · Walking Simulator
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.
AdventureIndieFirst-PersonPuzzleWalking SimulatorExplorationStory RichAtmosphericHorrorVR👍 320
$29.99RiME
May 26 · Tequila Works, QLOC
Both: Puzzle · Exploration · Relaxing
A land of discovery stretches out before you. Explore the beautiful, rugged world of RiME. Armed with your wits and a will to overcome—and the guidance of a helpful fox—you must explore the enigmatic island, reach the tower's peak, and unlock its closely guarded secrets.
AdventurePuzzleExplorationAtmosphericGreat SoundtrackSingleplayerColorfulFantasyIndieRelaxing👍 3,236
$13.99Never Again
May 9 · Primary Games
Both: Horror · Psychological Horror · Puzzle
Never Again - Horror/first-person Quest. The main essence of the game is research locations and puzzles, plunging in the dramatic story of a little girl suffering from asthma.
HorrorSurvival HorrorPsychological HorrorPuzzleFemale ProtagonistAdventureSingleplayerExplorationWalking SimulatorFirst-Person👍 887
$19.99The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Sep 25 · The Astronauts
Both: Walking Simulator · Exploration · First-Person
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery. Purchase this game to get both the original and the Unreal Engine 4 remaster called The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux.
MysteryAtmosphericDetectiveWalking SimulatorExplorationFirst-PersonAdventureHorrorStory RichSingleplayer👍 6,860
$19.99Submerged
Aug 3 · Uppercut Games Pty Ltd
Both: Exploration · Relaxing · Walking Simulator
Submerged is a third-person combat-free game in which you explore a mysterious flooded city and discover the beauty of desolation in vast outdoor environments. You take on the role of Miku, a young girl who has brought her wounded brother to the city in their small fishing boat.
ExplorationRelaxingFemale ProtagonistWalking SimulatorFamily FriendlyNatureThird PersonCasualAdventureOpen World👍 4,327
$34.99Riven
Jun 25 · Cyan Worlds, Inc.
Both: Puzzle · Exploration · First-Person
Uncover a story of intrigue, betrayal, and a civilization teetering on the brink of collapse as you solve intricate puzzles to unlock the secrets of Riven. Built from the ground-up and expanded from the award-winning original game released in 1997.
PuzzleAdventureExplorationFirst-PersonSingleplayerStory RichAtmosphericMystery3DWalking Simulator👍 2,766
$9.99The First Tree
Sep 14 · David Wehle
Both: Walking Simulator · Exploration · Relaxing
A beautiful, 3rd-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. Uncover artifacts from the son's life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree.
AtmosphericAdventureWalking SimulatorIndieExplorationRelaxingSingleplayerStory RichOpen WorldColorful👍 4,765
$3.99The Search
Apr 13 · Jason Godbey
Both: Exploration · Puzzle · First-Person
Embark on a journey of discovery and inspiration in The Search - a story-driven puzzle-adventure set in a mysterious world where art comes to life!
ExplorationPuzzleHidden ObjectPoint & ClickFemale ProtagonistFirst-PersonSurrealRelaxingStory RichCasual👍 356
$14.99THE LONGING
Mar 5 · Studio Seufz
Both: Walking Simulator · Exploration
An unusual mix of adventure and idle game. In utter loneliness deep below the surface, it's your task to wait for the awakening of your king... for 400 days.
Point & ClickWalking SimulatorChoose Your Own AdventureIdler2DUndergroundMultiple EndingsExplorationAtmosphericChoices Matter👍 6,979
$0.99The Lost Souls
Apr 11 · GDNomaD
Both: Horror · First-Person · Puzzle
What does it feel like to find yourself in hell? You don't feel the wind, you don't see the sun. No more hearing child's laughter. No memory of those who once were your friends and family.
IndieHorrorFirst-PersonGothicStory RichPuzzleShortWalking SimulatorExploration3D👍 203
$8.99Anemoiapolis: Chapter 1
Mar 3 · Andrew Quist
Both: Horror · Psychological Horror · Exploration
The most relaxing horror game you'll ever play. Anemoiapolis exists in the uncanny valley of American architecture -- endless carpeted floors and lonely malls. Escape for your life, and enjoy the scenery.
HorrorPsychological HorrorExplorationFirst-PersonSingleplayerMysteryRealisticWalking SimulatorProcedural GenerationAtmospheric👍 1,153
$19.99Call of the Sea
Dec 8 · Out of the Blue Games
Both: Puzzle · First-Person · Exploration
Join Norah, a woman plagued by a mysterious illness, in her search for her missing husband in this adventure puzzle game set on a lush island paradise. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and unlock forbidden secrets in a moving tale of mystery and love.
AdventurePuzzleStory RichLovecraftianFirst-PersonFemale ProtagonistIndieAtmosphericMysteryExploration👍 4,536
$4.99Montague's Mount
Nov 19 · PolyPusher Studios
Both: Walking Simulator · Horror · Puzzle
Montague's Mount is disturbing psychological thriller set in the bleakness of an abandoned Irish island, featuring exploration and challenging puzzle solving. This game is part one of a two part story, some questions are left unanswered and open to interpretation.
IndieAdventureWalking SimulatorHorrorAtmosphericPuzzleExploration👍 261
$0.99One Wish
Jun 6 · GDNomaD
Both: Horror · Psychological Horror · Walking Simulator
Сlassic indie horror for one evening. The game has no tips, you need to solve all the puzzles yourself and avoid the monster that wants to devour your soul. Therefore, you need to be very careful and attentive to escape from the nightmare.
AdventureIndieHorrorPsychological HorrorWalking SimulatorPuzzleExplorationFirst-PersonMinimalistPsychological👍 162
$14.99Rocco's Island: Ring to End the Pain
Mar 2 · Cogoo
Both: Exploration · Puzzle · Interactive Fiction
Join Evelyn on her quest to save a mysterious island in a puzzle-based atmospheric adventure with a story that spans across 30,000 years of time. Interact with fantastic characters to learn past secrets and transform the Four Elements’ kingdoms, leading up to an epic finale with shocking reveals.
ExplorationFemale ProtagonistPoint & ClickPost-apocalypticEmotionalAdventurePuzzleAtmosphericStory RichInteractive Fiction
$7.99No Return
Aug 2 · BlameTech
Both: Horror · Psychological Horror · First-Person
No Return is a first-person psychological horror game set in modern-day China. With a focus on family tragedy, the story unfolds as our protagonist is mysteriously prevented from returning home by an unseen force. Can he navigate a nightmarish maze of hallways and uncover the disturbing truth?
HorrorPsychological HorrorFirst-PersonThrillerAtmosphericSupernaturalPuzzleExplorationWalking SimulatorImmersive👍 412
FreeWardwell House
Jan 14 · Moolion
Both: Horror · Exploration · Walking Simulator
A storm washed you upon the shore of a mysterious island with a horrific past. A terrifying first-person atmospheric horror game.
HorrorAtmosphericExplorationWalking SimulatorPoint & ClickStory RichPsychological HorrorRealisticFPSFirst-Person
$29.99The Talos Principle
Dec 11 · Croteam
Both: Puzzle · First-Person · Exploration
The Talos Principle is a first-person puzzle game in the tradition of philosophical science fiction. Made by Croteam and written by Tom Jubert (FTL, The Swapper) and Jonas Kyratzes (The Sea Will Claim Everything).
PuzzlePhilosophicalFirst-PersonSci-fiStory RichAtmosphericSingleplayerGreat SoundtrackRobotsExploration👍 29,240
$1.99House of Caravan
Apr 16 · Rosebud Games
Both: Horror · First-Person · Puzzle
Taking place in a single mansion in Candlewood, northeast USA, in the early 20th Century, House of Caravan is a sinister adventure filled with dark secrets and vexing puzzles.
IndieHorrorAdventureFirst-PersonPuzzleSingleplayerExplorationAtmosphericWalking SimulatorStory Rich👍 708
$7.99Near Death
Aug 2 · Orthogonal Games
Both: First-Person · Exploration · Walking Simulator
Stranded at an abandoned Antarctic research base with no hope of rescue, you must battle a deadly blizzard in a desperate fight to find your way home.
First-PersonAtmosphericSurvivalExplorationFemale ProtagonistWalking SimulatorSnowIndieSoundtrackAction-Adventure👍 1,010
$34.99Myst
Aug 26 · Cyan Worlds, Inc.
Both: Puzzle · Exploration · First-Person
Welcome to Myst: a starkly beautiful island, eerily tinged with mystery and shrouded in intrigue. Built from the ground up to play in 2D & VR, explore Myst in a whole new dimension! Journey to the Ages, unravel puzzles, and be a part of the surrealistic adventure that will become your own.
AdventurePuzzleExplorationFirst-PersonVRStory RichSingleplayerMultiple EndingsPoint & ClickIndie👍 2,003
$8.99True Fear: Forsaken Souls Part 1
Oct 19 · Goblinz Enterprises Ltd
Both: Exploration · Horror · Psychological Horror
True Fear: Forsaken Souls takes the best of the psychological thriller, blending in fun and intuitive gameplay mechanics. Episode 1, the first in a trilogy, will long be remembered.
ExplorationHidden ObjectHorrorPsychological HorrorPuzzlePoint & ClickFemale ProtagonistAdventureFirst-Person2D👍 1,108
Elegy for a Dead World
Dec 10 · Dejobaan Games, LLC, Popcannibal
Both: Interactive Fiction · Exploration · Walking Simulator
Explore dead civilizations, write about what you find, and share your stories with the universe: a game about writing fiction.
IndieAdventureStory RichAtmosphericInteractive FictionExplorationWalking SimulatorExperimentalSingleplayerSci-fi👍 121
$24.99Eastshade
Feb 13 · Eastshade Studios
Both: Exploration · Relaxing · First-Person
You are a traveling painter, exploring the island of Eastshade. Capture the world on canvas using your artist’s easel. Talk to the inhabitants to learn about their lives. Make friends and help those in need. Visit cities, scale summits, unearth mysteries, and discover forgotten places!
AdventureFantasyOpen WorldExplorationRPGAtmosphericRelaxingFirst-PersonStory RichColorful👍 5,184
$14.99The Stanley Parable
Oct 17 · Galactic Cafe
Both: Walking Simulator · First-Person
The Stanley Parable is a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have no choice. The game will end, the game will never end.
ComedyIndieWalking SimulatorFirst-PersonPsychologicalFunnySatireDynamic NarrationAdventureMultiple Endings👍 40,296
$0.99VERGE:Lost chapter
Oct 1 · GDNomaD
Both: Walking Simulator · Horror · First-Person
Our hero decided to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and get out into nature to relax in a cabin that was in the mountains.
Walking SimulatorHorrorIndieAdventureSimulationFunnySingleplayerFirst-PersonHistoricalPvE👍 2,875
FreeSummerland
Dec 1 · FYRE Games, Conner Rush
Both: Walking Simulator · First-Person · Exploration
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.
AdventureStory RichWalking SimulatorAtmosphericFirst-PersonPoint & ClickExplorationInteractive FictionPhilosophicalCinematic


