14 Narrative games like Max Payne that you should try

Games like Max Payne · Find similar →

We filtered the 33 games similar to Max Payne down to the 14 that fit the “Narrative” category. Dead Space, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne and Metal: Hellsinger top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Max Payne.

iRank84/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

The best narrative games like Max Payne

14 similar games foundUpdated July 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Max Payne. 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.

#1Dead Space

iRank91

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeThird Person

Steam👍 91%· 65KIGDB91· 7

Year 2023Dev Motive Studios · Electronic ArtsOn Xbox · PC · PS5

✓ Same family of first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and third-person shooting

≠ Stands apart with horror tension, adventure storytelling and survival mechanics, while skipping linear, story-driven structure

Details →

Steam Epic Xbox

#2Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

iRank91

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkThird Person

Steam👍 94%· 14KIGDB84· 6

Year 2003Dev Remedy Entertainment · Rockstar GamesOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Fits the first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and third-person shooting

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, while skipping linear, story-driven structure

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkFantasy

Steam👍 96%· 17KIGDB86· 6OC79· 91

Year 2022Dev The Outsiders · Level InfiniteOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Same family of first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: puzzle design, adventure storytelling and fantasy world, while skipping third-person shooting

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#4Killer7

iRank82

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeHorror

Steam👍 93%· 3.8KIGDB74· 4OC69· 10

Year 2005Dev Grasshopper Manufacture · CapcomOn PC

✓ Both are first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and horror tension, while skipping third-person shooting

Details →

Steam

#5Scorn

iRank71

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeHorror

Steam👍 77%· 18KIGDB63· 3OC68· 96

Year 2022Dev Ebb Software · Kepler InteractiveOn Xbox · PC · PS5

✓ Both are first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, adventure storytelling and puzzle design, while skipping third-person shooting

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeFantasy

Steam👍 69%· 5.5KIGDB56· 5OC72· 112

Year 2022Dev Flying Wild Hog · Devolver DigitalOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, deep RPG systems and fantasy world, while skipping third-person shooting

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloNarrativeDarkSci-FiExploration

IGDB100· 1

Year 1994Dev Nintendo R&D1 · Nintendo

✓ Same family of first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and strong narrative focus

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

Details →

Nintendo

#8Doom: The Dark Ages

iRank87

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeRanged

Steam👍 88%· 39KIGDB87· 6OC86· 212

Year 2025Dev id Software · Bethesda SoftworksOn Xbox · PC · PS5

✓ Same family of first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, ranged combat and fantasy world, while skipping third-person shooting

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkRanged

Steam👍 93%· 144KIGDB93· 14

Year 2013Dev Irrational Games · 2K GamesOn PlayStation 3 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, ranged combat and setting scifi, while skipping third-person shooting

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#10The Last of Us Part I

iRank82

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkThird Person

Steam👍 84%· 103KIGDB77· 12OC82· 180

Year 2022Dev Naughty Dog · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PC · PS5

✓ Fits the first-person shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and third-person shooting

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and horror tension, while skipping linear, story-driven structure

Details →

Steam Epic PS

#11Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

iRank84

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkRanged

Steam👍 95%· 43KRAWG👍 77%· 845MC79IGDB75· 10

Year 2013Dev Ubisoft · Ubisoft EntertainmentPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are first-person shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, ranged combat and historical setting, while skipping third-person shooting

Details →

Steam GOG Xbox

#12Half-Life 2: Episode One

iRank91

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeRanged

Steam👍 96%· 31KRAWG👍 91%· 2.1KMC87IGDB87· 2

Year 2006Dev Valve Software · ValvePlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Android

✓ Same family of first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, puzzle design and ranged combat, while skipping third-person shooting

Details →

Steam

#13Half-Life 2: Episode Two

iRank90

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeDarkNarrativeRanged

Steam👍 97%· 41KRAWG👍 93%· 2.0KMC90IGDB70· 1

Year 2007Dev Valve Software · ValvePlaytime ~5hOn PC · Xbox · Android

✓ Same family of first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design, adventure storytelling and horror tension, while skipping third-person shooting

GenreShooterSubgenreFPS

SoloMeleeNarrativeThird PersonSci-Fi

Steam👍 86%· 30KIGDB77· 23OC78· 134

Year 2016Dev Remedy Entertainment · Microsoft StudiosOn PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of first-person shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and third-person shooting

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling and setting scifi, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Details →

Steam Xbox

Explore games similar to Max Payne by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best FPS Games Best Shooter Games