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Julian & Friends

34 Puzzle games like Julian & Friends that you should try

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Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentHow this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

We filtered the 43 games similar to Julian & Friends down to the 34 that fit the “Puzzle” category. The Cat Lady, Detention and Rusty Lake: Roots top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Julian & Friends.

iRank82/ 100

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GenreHorrorSubgenrePsychological Horror
Tags
NarrativeDarkSolo
Year 2025
Stores

Quick answer

Within the “Puzzle” category, the closest game to Julian & Friends is The Cat Lady — scoring 81/100 on our similarity scale. Detention and Rusty Lake: Roots follow close behind.

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The best puzzle games like Julian & Friends

34 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Julian & Friends. Each one has been evaluated across 9 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.

#1The Cat Lady
The Cat Lady
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 94%· 6.1K
Year 2012Dev Harvester Games · Screen 7On Linux · PC

✓ Both are psychological horror — sharing horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Its own twist: exploration and discovery, while skipping setting cartoon

It predates Julian & Friends by 13 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Setting54
Detention
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 96%· 12KIGDB76· 3OC81· 33
Year 2017Dev Red Candle Games · Coconut Island GamesOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Both are psychological horror — sharing horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with deep RPG systems, survival mechanics and visual novel storytelling, while skipping setting cartoon

It predates Julian & Friends by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Setting54
Rusty Lake: Roots
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 97%· 8.7K
Year 2016Dev Rusty LakeOn Android · PC · iOS

✓ Nearly identical: horror tension, puzzle design and adventure storytelling.

≠ Missing: setting cartoon.

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting.

It predates Julian & Friends by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Setting49
The Black Mirror
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 84%· 1.5KIGDB80· 1
Year 2003Dev Future Games · THQ NordicOn PC

✓ Fits the psychological horror cluster, with horror tension, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with visual third person, while skipping setting cartoon

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting.

It predates Julian & Friends by 22 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals91Setting49
Fran Bow
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 97%· 22KIGDB75· 1
Year 2015Dev Killmonday Games HBOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Fits the psychological horror cluster, with horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Its own twist: fantasy world, while skipping setting cartoon

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting.

It predates Julian & Friends by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Setting47
The Last Door - Collector's Edition
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 95%· 2.4KRAWG👍 77%· 66MC79
Year 2014Dev The Game Kitchen · Phoenix Online PublishingPlaytime ~4hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Both are psychological horror — sharing horror tension, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: visual pixel, while skipping setting cartoon

Feel what it's truly like to be alone in the dark with this low-res, high-suspense point-and-click horror adventure, winner of multiple Best Games of the Year awards.

It predates Julian & Friends by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals55Setting51
Tales of the Black Forest
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 98%· 15K
Dev 拾英工作室 · SakuraGamePlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Both are psychological horror — sharing horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems, visual novel storytelling and setting anime, while skipping setting cartoon

Trapped by unknown force, high school student Kihara Kashin was trapped in Kuromori Chou. She accidentally ran into Kiritani Yuki when she was finding a way out. She also found out that to get out of Kuromori Chou, she had to travel to the past. And so, the adventure begins.

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: visuals and setting.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting45Visuals34
Pony Island
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 95%· 18KIGDB92· 3OC85· 17
Year 2016Dev Daniel Mullins GamesOn Linux · PC · Mac

✓ Same family of psychological horror: horror tension, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, cozy, relaxing feel and visual pixel, while skipping setting cartoon

It predates Julian & Friends by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone91Visuals60Setting54
Sally Face
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 97%· 27K
Year 2016Dev Portable MooseOn Xbox · PS4 · Linux

✓ Same family of psychological horror: horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual, while skipping setting cartoon

It predates Julian & Friends by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone85Setting54
Rusty Lake Hotel
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 96%· 10K
Year 2015Dev Rusty LakeOn Android · PC · iOS

✓ Same family of psychological horror: horror tension, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with vibe casual and visual first person, while skipping setting cartoon

It predates Julian & Friends by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone93Visuals61Setting50
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 89%· 3.7K
Year 1995Dev The Dreamers Guild · Acclaim EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · Linux

✓ Fits the psychological horror cluster, with horror tension, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Its own twist: setting scifi, post-apocalyptic world and visual third person, while skipping setting cartoon

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting.

It predates Julian & Friends by 30 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals64Setting35
Mad Father
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 97%· 6.5K
Year 2012Dev Sen · PLAYISMOn PC · Mac · Switch

✓ Fits the psychological horror cluster, with horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Its own twist: survival mechanics, vibe casual and setting anime, while skipping setting cartoon

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting and visuals.

It predates Julian & Friends by 13 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone90Visuals46Setting41
Bonnie Bear Saves Frogtime
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorror2D
Steam👍 87%· 1.0KRAWG👍 74%· 35IGDB72· 3
Year 2016Dev Exordium Games · LibrediaPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Fits the psychological horror cluster, with horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with cozy, relaxing feel and fantasy world, while skipping setting cartoon

Bear With Me is an episodic noir adventure game. Amber is trying to find her missing brother while being aided by her trusty teddy, Ted E. Bear. Being haunted by nightmares, Amber wakes up in the middle of the night only to find out that her brother Flint is missing.

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting.

It predates Julian & Friends by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone84Setting43
The Witch's House MV
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloDarkNarrativeHorror2D
Steam👍 95%· 3.9KRAWG👍 91%· 45OC80· 5
Year 2018Dev Fummy · DANGEN EntertainmentPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Nintendo

✓ Same family of psychological horror: horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, survival mechanics and vibe casual, while skipping setting cartoon

The Witch’s House, originally released in 2012, falls within the tradition of Japanese horror RPGs with heavy emphasis on puzzle-solving and jump scares. Among other entries in the genre such as Ib and Ao Oni, The Witch’s House surprised fans with pixel-art that conceals truly frightening horror.

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting.

Genre100Game mode100Tone73Visuals69Setting49
Stories Untold
HorrorPsychological Horror
SoloNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi
Steam👍 87%· 5.4KIGDB78· 3OC80· 42
Year 2017Dev No Code · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · PC · Mac

✓ Fits the psychological horror cluster, with horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings setting scifi, while skipping setting cartoon

Where it drifts furthest from Julian & Friends: setting.

It predates Julian & Friends by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting46

Complete list of puzzle games like Julian & Friends

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Julian & Friends, 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.

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