What is the best game similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?

The closest game to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition is Refunct, scoring 94/100 on our similarity scale. They share 9 gameplay attributes, including adventure storytelling, puzzle design and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.

What are the top games like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?

The three closest games to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition are: 1. Refunct (94/100, 9 shared attributes) 2. The Exit 8 (90/100, 10 shared attributes) 3. Pilgrims (89/100, 9 shared attributes). All share Dear Esther: Landmark Edition's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 50 candidates across 14 dimensions.

Is The Exit 8 similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?

Yes, very much so — The Exit 8 scores 90/100 similarity to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition. They share 10 attributes, including adventure storytelling and horror tension. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.

What Adventure games are similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?

The best Adventure games similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition are Refunct, The Exit 8, Pilgrims and Super Mario 64. All share the Adventure genre alongside other key Dear Esther: Landmark Edition attributes like adventure storytelling, puzzle design and single-player focus.

How is similarity to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition calculated?

We compare Dear Esther: Landmark Edition against every game in our catalog using 14 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Dear Esther: Landmark Edition experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.

50 Games like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition that you should try

Games like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition · Find similar →

More about this game →

Dear Esther: Landmark Edition is hard to replace: few games combine adventure storytelling, strong narrative focus and linear, story-driven structure in quite the same way. We compared Dear Esther: Landmark Edition against over 6,700 titles across 14 gameplay attributes and found 50 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Refunct, The Exit 8 and Pilgrims lead the list, with Refunct reaching a 94/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes Dear Esther: Landmark Edition special.

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GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

Games like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

50 similar games foundUpdated June 2026

#1Refunct

iRank84

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloRelaxingCasualNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 17KRAWG👍 66%· 152

Year 2015Dev Dominique GrieshoferPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and vibe relaxing

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping horror tension

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldLinearHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 11KIGDB93· 2

Year 2023Dev KOTAKE CREATE · PLAYISMOn Xbox · PS4 · Switch

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, horror tension and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, dark, oppressive atmosphere and setting modern, while skipping vibe casual

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloRelaxingCasualNarrativeOpen WorldFantasyExploration

Steam👍 96%· 6.1K

Year 2019Dev Amanita DesignOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and vibe relaxing

≠ Its own twist: card game strategy, cozy, relaxing feel and setting cartoon, while skipping horror tension

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloOpen WorldFantasyExplorationThird Person

IGDB89· 1

Year 1996Dev Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development · Nintendo

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, open world exploration and fantasy world

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming and visual third person, while skipping puzzle design

Details →

Nintendo

#5The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

iRank95

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloOpen WorldFantasyExplorationRanged

IGDB95· 6OC95· 164

Year 2023Dev Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3 · NintendoOn Switch

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and open world exploration

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and ranged combat, while skipping horror tension

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloCasualNarrativeOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 1.1KIGDB80· 1

Year 2020Dev Bryce BucherPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and horror tension

≠ Its own twist: dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping vibe relaxing

Details →

Steam Nintendo itch.io

#7The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

iRank93

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloOpen WorldFantasyExplorationRanged

IGDB93· 7

Year 2011Dev Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.3 · Nintendo

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and open world exploration

≠ Where it differs: brings ranged combat, historical setting and setting medieval, while skipping horror tension

Details →

Nintendo

#8Abzu

iRank87

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloRelaxingNarrativeCasualOpen WorldFantasyExploration

Steam👍 93%· 27KIGDB81· 27OC80· 122

Year 2016Dev Giant Squid · 505 GamesOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and vibe relaxing

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation and visual third person, while skipping horror tension

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#9The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

iRank97

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloOpen WorldFantasyExplorationRanged

IGDB98· 27OC96· 167

Year 2017Dev Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3 · NintendoOn Switch

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and open world exploration

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and ranged combat, while skipping horror tension

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloRelaxingCasualNarrativeOpen WorldFantasyExploration

Steam👍 99%· 22KRAWG👍 91%· 469MC84IGDB78· 2OC87· 32

Year 2019Dev adamgryuPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, vibe relaxing and vibe casual

≠ Where it differs: brings cozy, relaxing feel, skill tree progression and visual pixel, while skipping puzzle design

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#11Firewatch

iRank85

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 91%· 97KIGDB79· 18OC80· 134

Year 2016Dev Campo Santo · PanicOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, horror tension and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping puzzle design

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#12Shadow of the Colossus

iRank92

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationThird Person

OC92· 136

Year 2012Dev Team Ico · Sony Computer EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming and visual third person, while skipping horror tension

Details →

#13The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

iRank91

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloOpen WorldFantasyExplorationMagic

IGDB92· 15OC90· 71

Year 2013Dev Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.3 · Nintendo

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and open world exploration

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and combat magic, while skipping horror tension

Details →

Nintendo

#14SpaceEngine

iRank93

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloCasualRelaxingNarrativeOpen WorldExploration

Steam👍 96%· 16KRAWG👍 89%· 36

Year 2019Dev Vladimir RomanyukPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with vibe casual, vibe relaxing and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and sandbox world, while skipping adventure storytelling

Details →

Steam GOG

#15Thief Gold

iRank91

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldHorrorFantasyExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 92%· 4.1KIGDB90· 1

Year 1999Dev Looking Glass Studios · Eidos InteractiveOn PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, horror tension and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings deep simulation, dark, oppressive atmosphere and stealth mechanics, while skipping puzzle design

Details →

Steam GOG

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?: The closest game to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition is Refunct, scoring 94/100 on our similarity scale. They share 9 gameplay attributes, including adventure storytelling, puzzle design and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?: The three closest games to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition are: 1. Refunct (94/100, 9 shared attributes) 2. The Exit 8 (90/100, 10 shared attributes) 3. Pilgrims (89/100, 9 shared attributes). All share Dear Esther: Landmark Edition's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 50 candidates across 14 dimensions.
Is The Exit 8 similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?: Yes, very much so — The Exit 8 scores 90/100 similarity to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition. They share 10 attributes, including adventure storytelling and horror tension. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Adventure games are similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition?: The best Adventure games similar to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition are Refunct, The Exit 8, Pilgrims and Super Mario 64. All share the Adventure genre alongside other key Dear Esther: Landmark Edition attributes like adventure storytelling, puzzle design and single-player focus.
How is similarity to Dear Esther: Landmark Edition calculated?: We compare Dear Esther: Landmark Edition against every game in our catalog using 14 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the Dear Esther: Landmark Edition experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.