6 Puzzle games like Carmen Sandiego that you should try

Games like Carmen Sandiego · Find similar →

Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

Filter by:Puzzle×← Back to home

We filtered the 22 games similar to Carmen Sandiego down to the 6 that fit the “Puzzle” category. Beholder, Observation and Papers, Please top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Carmen Sandiego.

iRank73/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

The best puzzle games like Carmen Sandiego

6 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Carmen Sandiego. Each one has been evaluated across 10 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1BeholderClosest overall match

iRank85

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloStealthNarrative3DDark

Steam👍 92%· 30KIGDB80· 3OC76· 27

Year 2016Dev Warm Lamp Games · Alawar EntertainmentOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, dark, oppressive atmosphere and visual 2d, while skipping exploration and discovery

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone64Visuals49

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi

Steam👍 78%· 5.1KIGDB82· 11OC76· 81

Year 2019Dev No Code · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with horror tension, dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting, while skipping stealth mechanics

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone66Visuals0

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkCasualHardcore

Steam👍 97%· 79KRAWG👍 91%· 1.8KMC85IGDB82· 5

Year 2013Dev Lucas Pope · 3909Playtime ~4hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, vibe casual and punishing difficulty, while skipping stealth mechanics

The creator of the game often travelled through Asia and made the observation that the work of an immigration officer checking documents for entry is simultaneously very monotonous and very responsible.

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone55Visuals0

Details →

Steam GOG PS

#4Papers, Please - The Short Film

iRank91

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkCasualHardcore

Steam👍 97%· 79KRAWG👍 91%· 1.8KMC85IGDB82· 5

Year 2013Dev Lucas Pope · 3909Playtime ~4hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, vibe casual and punishing difficulty, while skipping stealth mechanics

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone55Visuals0

Details →

Steam GOG PS

#5Do Not Feed the Monkeys

iRank84

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkManagement2D

Steam👍 93%· 12KIGDB75· 1OC77· 21

Year 2018Dev Fictiorama Studios · BadLand PublishingOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, resource management and visual 2d, while skipping stealth mechanics

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: progression and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone73Progression0Visuals0

Details →

Steam GOG PS

#6UplinkClosest on tone

iRank75

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeProceduralOpen WorldSci-Fi

Steam👍 91%· 2.4KRAWG👍 56%· 145MC75IGDB70· 1

Year 2001Dev Introversion SoftwarePlaytime ~1hOn PC · iOS · Apple Macintosh

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with roguelike runs, procedural generation and open world exploration, while skipping adventure storytelling

You play an Uplink Agent who makes a living by performing jobs for major corporations. Your tasks involve hacking into rival computer systems, stealing research data, sabotaging other companies, laundering money, erasing evidence, or framing innocent people. You use the money you earn to upgrade your computer systems, and to buy new software and tools.

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 24 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals0

Details →

Steam GOG

Explore games similar to Carmen Sandiego by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Job Sim Games Best Simulation Games