Exophobia

21 Adventure games like Exophobia that you should try

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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 41 games similar to Exophobia down to the 21 that fit the “Adventure” category. Cave Story+, Downwell and MDK2 top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Exophobia.

iRank87/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

Tags

HardcoreSolo

Year 2024Dev Zarc Attack

Stores

Steam ↗GOG ↗PS ↗Nintendo ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Adventure” category, the closest game to Exophobia is Cave Story+ — scoring 86/100 on our similarity scale. Downwell and MDK2 follow close behind.

#1Cave Story+86 #2Downwell75 #3MDK270 #4Ruiner69 #5Neon White68

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The best adventure games like Exophobia

21 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Exophobia. Each one has been evaluated across 13 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.

#1Cave Story+Closest overall match

86

Cave Story+

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiExplorationPixel Art

Steam👍 93%· 8.0KRAWG👍 79%· 316MC83IGDB81· 1OC88· 16

Year 2010Dev NicalisPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and Metroidvania exploration

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, strong narrative focus and ranged combat, while skipping setting space

Cave Story is a game in the Metroidvania platform-adventure genre, first released on PC in 2004. The game is set in deep dark caves on a floating island. The island is inhabited by a race of intelligent rabbit-like creatures called Mimigas.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: setting.

It predates Exophobia by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Combat82Tone79Visuals58

#2DownwellClosest on setting

75

Downwell

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreFantasySci-FiPixel Art

Steam👍 97%· 8.5KRAWG👍 76%· 457MC81IGDB78· 8OC83· 44

Year 2015Dev Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: precision platforming, roguelike runs and vibe casual, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

This is a procedurally generated rogue-lite, that lets players to explore the depths of a well. Taking a role of Welltaro, local curious man, players will drop down the well to kill monsters and collect the treasure.

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

Genre100Game mode100Combat76Tone70Setting70Visuals60

#3MDK2Closest on combat

70

MDK2

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiNarrative

Steam👍 81%· 237IGDB90· 1

Year 2000Dev BioWare · Interplay EntertainmentOn PC

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, third-person shooting and puzzle design, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: visuals and setting.

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

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone82Setting32Visuals0

69

Ruiner

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiDark

Steam👍 89%· 12KIGDB76· 12OC77· 88

Year 2017Dev Reikon Games · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: action RPG combat, deep RPG systems and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: visuals and setting.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone62Setting30Visuals0

68

Neon White

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreFantasyFirst Person

Steam👍 98%· 20KRAWG👍 91%· 245MC88IGDB89· 6OC89· 81

Year 2022Dev Ben Esposito · Annapurna InteractivePlaytime ~7hOn PC · PS · Nintendo

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, visual novel storytelling and card game strategy, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

A first-person speedrunning game disguised as a shooter: every level is a short, restart-instantly puzzle where guns double as movement abilities and the real opponent is the leaderboard. The card-as-movement idea is genuinely original. The anime visual-novel dialogue between levels is the sticking point — a large share of otherwise positive players describe skipping it outright.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: setting and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone76Combat50Visuals43Setting25

#6Condemned: Criminal Origins

64

Condemned: Criminal Origins

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreFirst PersonRanged

Steam👍 87%· 4.3KRAWG👍 78%· 423MC80IGDB74· 5

Year 2005Dev Monolith Productions · SEGAPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, puzzle design and survival mechanics, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Condemned: Criminal Origins is a grim crime thriller that lets you play the role of a detective and investigate the murder of a young woman. The game features a dark and paranoid atmosphere with some disturbing imagery.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: setting and tone.

It predates Exophobia by 19 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Combat76Visuals58Tone46Setting0

#7Metal Slug XClosest on tone

64

Metal Slug X

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcorePixel ArtMultiplayer

Steam👍 88%· 3.9KIGDB80· 1

Year 1999Dev SNKOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings precision platforming, multiplayer gameplay and co op, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: game mode.

It predates Exophobia by 25 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Tone100Visuals52Game mode29

#8Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

64

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 8.8KIGDB74· 2

Year 2009Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalOn PC

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, multiplayer gameplay and co op, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: game mode and setting.

It predates Exophobia by 15 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Tone72Visuals58Setting38Game mode28

#9Hello Neighbor

63

Hello Neighbor

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreFirst PersonStealth

Steam👍 86%· 29KIGDB37· 8OC42· 53

Year 2017Dev DYNAMIC PIXELS · tinyBuildOn Xbox · PS4 · Android

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings horror tension, sandbox freedom and puzzle design, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: setting and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone58Combat51Visuals45Setting0

#10The Binding of Isaac

62

The Binding of Isaac

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreExplorationMagic

Steam👍 95%· 62KRAWG👍 76%· 1.2KMC84IGDB84· 2

Year 2011Dev Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl · Edmund McMillenPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: roguelike runs, deep RPG systems and survival mechanics, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

The Binding Of Isaac is a roguelike top-down “shooter” with RPG elements. Initially, a Flash game, the game had earned many fans due to its unique art style, spooky and catchy ambient music, and almost infinite replayability.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: setting and visuals.

It predates Exophobia by 13 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Progression60Tone57Combat48Setting0

#11S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

62

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 95%· 48KRAWG👍 86%· 1.4KMC82IGDB80· 2

Year 2007Dev GSC Game WorldPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, survival mechanics and sandbox freedom, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

This post-apocalyptic game that spawned the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise is inspired by (but not really based on) the 'Roadside Picnic' novel by brothers Strugatsky and Tarkovsky's movie 'Stalker', borrowing some of the terms and aesthetics from both. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: setting and combat.

It predates Exophobia by 17 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Progression100Visuals58Game mode56Tone43Combat33

#12Enter the Gungeon

62

Enter the Gungeon

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreFantasyExplorationPixel Art

Steam👍 95%· 89KRAWG👍 82%· 1.1KMC84IGDB83· 13OC84· 79

Year 2016Dev Dodge Roll · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, deep RPG systems and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Enter the Gungeon is a twin-stick roguelike shooter. The game takes place in a planet inhabited by living bullets. You play as one of six adventurers trying entering a considerable fortress to find a gun that can destroy one’s past. The gameplay represents a mix of bullet-hell and dungeon crawler.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: game mode and setting.

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

Genre100Tone89Progression60Visuals47Combat38Setting37

#13Nuclear Throne

62

Nuclear Throne

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiPixel Art

Steam👍 96%· 20KRAWG👍 83%· 301IGDB84· 4OC86· 24

Year 2015Dev VlambeerPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: roguelike runs, deep RPG systems and procedural generation, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Nuclear Throne is a top-down roguelike shooter, set in a post-apocalyptic universe. ###Plot and features The game has a sole objective: to reach the famed Nuclear Throne. The player controls one of the many mutated characters.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: game mode and setting.

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

Genre100Tone100Combat57Visuals45Setting37Game mode28

61

Mafia

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreExplorationMultiplayer

Steam👍 87%· 16KIGDB63· 4

Year 2002Dev Illusion Softworks · Gathering of DevelopersOn PC

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: racing gameplay, third-person shooting and fighting mechanics, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: setting and visuals.

It predates Exophobia by 22 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Progression100Game mode80Combat61Tone48Setting0

#15Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

60

Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 3.4KRAWG👍 85%· 603MC87IGDB83· 3

Year 2001Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Nintendo

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and adventure storytelling

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, ranged combat and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping Metroidvania exploration

Arena combat at absurd scale: dozens of enemies charging in open Egyptian ruins, with backpedalling and crowd control as the entire skill set. The cannon and minigun are gloriously heavy. There is almost no variety beyond that — no puzzles, minimal level design, and the loop of holding a corridor against a horde repeats for the full runtime.

Where it drifts furthest from Exophobia: game mode and setting.

It predates Exophobia by 23 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone69Visuals58Combat52Setting48Game mode28

Complete list of adventure games like Exophobia

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Exophobia, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.

Scarface: The World Is Yours

Scarface: The World Is Yours

Shooter · FPS

Cuphead

Cuphead

Shooter · FPS

Paint the Town Red

Paint the Town Red

Shooter · FPS

Ultimate Chicken Horse

Ultimate Chicken Horse

Shooter · FPS

Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie

Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie

Shooter · FPS

Firework

Firework

Shooter · FPS

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