E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

39 Games like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial that you should try

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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is hard to replace: few games combine adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus in quite the same way. We analyzed over 2,000 titles across 6 gameplay attributes and found 39 genuine alternatives — not generic genre suggestions. Tales from the Borderlands, Chaos on Deponia and Syberia lead the list, with Tales from the Borderlands reaching a 96/100 similarity score. Every game here is ranked by how closely it replicates what makes E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial special.

iRank48/ 100

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GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

Tags

Solo

Year 1982Dev Atari

Quick answer

The closest game to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is Tales from the Borderlands — scoring 96/100 on our similarity scale. Chaos on Deponia and Syberia follow close behind.

#1Tales from the Borderlands96 #2Chaos on Deponia97 #3Syberia97 #4Deponia Doomsday97 #5Life Is Strange94

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Games like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

39 similar games found

#1Tales from the Borderlands

96

iRank92

Tales from the Borderlands

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-FiMeleeNarrativeThird Person

Steam👍 94%· 19KIGDB88· 11

Year 2014Dev Telltale GamesOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Android

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, deep RPG systems and visual novel storytelling, while skipping visual isometric

#2Chaos on Deponia

97

iRank83

Chaos on Deponia

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-Fi2DNarrative

Steam👍 90%· 3.1KIGDB80· 1OC70· 9

Year 2012Dev Daedalic Entertainment · Daedalic Studio WestOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design and strong narrative focus, while skipping visual isometric

97

iRank82

Syberia

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-Fi2DNarrativeCasual

Steam👍 88%· 6.7KIGDB77· 5OC76· 13

Year 2002Dev Microïds Canada · MicroïdsOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · Android

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, strong narrative focus and vibe casual, while skipping visual isometric

#4Deponia Doomsday

97

iRank81

Deponia Doomsday

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-Fi2DNarrative

Steam👍 85%· 4.0KOC73· 20

Year 2016Dev Daedalic EntertainmentOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design and strong narrative focus, while skipping visual isometric

#5Life Is Strange

94

iRank90

Life Is Strange

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-FiNarrativeFantasyExploration

Steam👍 96%· 173KIGDB79· 7

Year 2015Dev DON'T NOD · Feral InteractiveOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · Linux

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, strong narrative focus and fantasy world, while skipping visual isometric

#6Goodbye Deponia

97

iRank81

Goodbye Deponia

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-Fi2DNarrative

Steam👍 89%· 2.5KIGDB65· 3

Year 2013Dev Daedalic EntertainmentOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design and strong narrative focus, while skipping visual isometric

Steam GOG Nintendo

#7Riven: The Sequel to Myst

95

iRank89

Riven: The Sequel to Myst

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-FiNarrativeHardcoreCasual

Steam👍 89%· 1.4K

Year 1997Dev Cyan Worlds · Acclaim EntertainmentOn PC · Mac

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, strong narrative focus and punishing difficulty, while skipping visual isometric

#8Detroit: Become Human

95

iRank87

Detroit: Become Human

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-FiNarrativeDarkCyberpunk

Steam👍 96%· 243KRAWG👍 90%· 3.3KMC79IGDB78· 13OC79· 152

Year 2018Dev Quantic Dream · Sony Computer EntertainmentPlaytime ~10hOn PC · PS

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: strong narrative focus, dark, oppressive atmosphere and setting cyberpunk, while skipping visual isometric

#9Maniac Mansion

94

iRank89

Maniac Mansion

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-Fi2DPixel ArtNarrative

Steam👍 88%· 221IGDB90· 1

Year 1987Dev Lucasfilm GamesOn PC · Mac

✓ Same family of narrative adventures: adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, strong narrative focus and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping visual isometric

#10Life is Strange: Before the Storm

94

iRank86

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloSci-FiMeleeNarrativeFantasy

Steam👍 93%· 38KIGDB77· 9OC80· 46

Year 2017Dev Deck Nine · Square EnixOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings strong narrative focus, melee combat and fantasy world, while skipping visual isometric

#11Pajama Sam 2: Thunder And Lightning Aren't So Frightening

91

iRank95

Pajama Sam 2: Thunder And Lightning Aren't So Frightening

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

Solo2DCasualNarrative

Steam👍 98%· 359RAWG👍 91%· 21

Year 1998Dev Humongous Entertainment · Nightdive StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, single-player focus and visual 2d

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design, vibe casual and strong narrative focus, while skipping setting scifi

#12Putt-Putt Joins the Parade

92

iRank94

Putt-Putt Joins the Parade

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloIsometric2DCasualNarrative

Steam👍 94%· 344

Year 1992Dev Humongous Entertainment · Nightdive StudiosPlaytime ~1hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, single-player focus and visual isometric

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, vibe casual and strong narrative focus, while skipping setting scifi

#13Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County

91

iRank92

Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloCasualNarrativeCozyRelaxing

Steam👍 99%· 2.1KIGDB83· 1OC86· 5

Year 2022Dev Thomas Bowker · worm clubPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of narrative adventures: adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design, vibe casual and strong narrative focus, while skipping setting scifi

#14Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall

91

iRank90

Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

Solo2DNarrativeCasualExploration

Steam👍 93%· 315RAWG👍 86%· 21

Year 2013Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the narrative adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, single-player focus and visual 2d

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, strong narrative focus and vibe casual, while skipping setting scifi

#15Disco Elysium - The Final Cut

91

iRank89

Disco Elysium - The Final Cut

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloIsometricNarrativeDark

OC89· 75

Year 2019Dev um · ZAOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Both are narrative adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, single-player focus and visual isometric

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, strong narrative focus and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping setting scifi

Games like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Thimbleweed Park

Thimbleweed Park

Adventure · Puzzle

Before Your Eyes

Before Your Eyes

Adventure

TOEM: A Photo Adventure

TOEM: A Photo Adventure

Adventure · Puzzle

Tacoma

Tacoma

Adventure

Florence

Florence

Adventure · Puzzle

Nancy Drew: Tomb of the Lost Queen

Nancy Drew: Tomb of the Lost Queen

Adventure · Puzzle

Nobody Wants to Die

Nobody Wants to Die

Adventure · RPG

Somerville

Somerville

Adventure · Puzzle

Batman: The Enemy Within

Batman: The Enemy Within

Adventure · Puzzle

My Brother Rabbit

My Brother Rabbit

Adventure · Puzzle

Rankings in the same genre

Best Narrative Adventure Games Best Adventure Games

Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial?: The closest game to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is Tales from the Borderlands, scoring 96/100 on our similarity scale. They share 3 gameplay attributes, including adventure storytelling, single-player focus and setting scifi. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial?: The three closest games to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial are: 1. Tales from the Borderlands (96/100, 3 shared attributes) 2. Chaos on Deponia (97/100, 4 shared attributes) 3. Syberia (97/100, 4 shared attributes). All share E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 39 candidates across 6 dimensions.
Is Chaos on Deponia similar to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial?: Yes, very much so — Chaos on Deponia scores 97/100 similarity to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. They share 4 attributes, including adventure storytelling and single-player focus. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Adventure games are similar to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial?: The best Adventure games similar to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial are Tales from the Borderlands, Chaos on Deponia, Syberia and Deponia Doomsday. All share the Adventure genre alongside other key E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial attributes like adventure storytelling, single-player focus and setting scifi.
How is similarity to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial calculated?: We compare E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial against every game in our catalog using 6 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 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.