11 Narrative 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.

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We filtered the 22 games similar to Carmen Sandiego down to the 11 that fit the “Narrative” category. Beholder, Observation and Papers, Please top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Carmen Sandiego.

iRank73/ 100

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The best narrative games like Carmen Sandiego

11 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Steam GOG PS

#6Always Sometimes MonstersClosest on visuals

iRank65

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeIsometricThird PersonCasual

Steam👍 75%· 2.4KRAWG👍 26%· 76MC73IGDB81· 5OC73· 30

Year 2014Dev Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with deep RPG systems, vibe casual and visual pixel, while skipping puzzle design

###Sad story Made by two developers from Canada in the RPG Maker, the game tells the story of the author who receives a note that the love of his life marries another on the other side of the country.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone80Visuals64

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Steam GOG PS

#7The GraveyardClosest on tone

iRank62

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SoloNarrativeThird Person

Steam👍 61%· 621RAWG👍 63%· 24

Year 2009Dev Tale of TalesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Android · Apple Macintosh

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, while skipping puzzle design

The Graveyard is a very short computer game. You play an old lady who visits a graveyard. You walk around, sit on a bench and listen to a song. It's more like an explorable painting than an actual game. An experiment with poetry and storytelling but without words.

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against mostly positive for Carmen Sandiego.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 16 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals41

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SoloNarrativeIsometricLootSkill Tree

IGDB83· 7OC81· 45

Year 2017Dev Sidebar GamesOn Switch

✓ Shared with Carmen Sandiego: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings sports simulation, deep RPG systems and loot and gear systems, while skipping puzzle design

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

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals49Progression0

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SoloNarrativeIsometricDarkManagement

Steam👍 82%· 11KIGDB61· 14OC64· 58

Year 2016Dev Weappy Studio · EuroVideo MedienOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Shared with Carmen Sandiego: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with visual novel storytelling, dark, oppressive atmosphere and resource management, while skipping puzzle design

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

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

Genre100Game mode100Tone76Visuals49Progression0

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Steam GOG Epic

#10Uplink

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