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The Drifter

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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.

Few titles capture what makes The Drifter unique: puzzle design, strong narrative focus and setting scifi. After measuring 6 attributes across over 6,700 games, these are the 43 most faithful alternatives. Sam & Max Hit the Road, Deponia and Broken Age top the ranking, with Sam & Max Hit the Road at number one (78/100).

iRank87/ 100

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GenrePuzzleSubgenreLogic Puzzle
Tags
NarrativeSolo
Year 2025Dev Powerhoof

Quick answer

The closest game to The Drifter is Sam & Max Hit the Road — scoring 78/100 on our similarity scale. Deponia and Broken Age follow close behind.

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Top games similar to The Drifter

43 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to The Drifter. Each one has been evaluated across 6 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.

#1Sam & Max Hit the Road
Sam & Max Hit the Road
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2DPixel Art
Steam👍 95%· 1.0KRAWG👍 88%· 85IGDB83· 3
Year 1993Dev Lucasfilm · Disney InteractivePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Shared with The Drifter: puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: visual pixel

Grab your nightstick, squeal like a siren, and Hit the Road with Sam & Max, Freelance Police, as they attempt to crack their toughest case.

It predates The Drifter by 32 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals72
#2Deponia
Deponia
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2D
Steam👍 87%· 14KRAWG👍 76%· 727MC74IGDB78· 2
Year 2012Dev Daedalic EntertainmentPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Nearly identical: puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus.

Quest, very close to the original canon of the genre. The game has a minimum of hints, and puzzle solving is often very unobvious. The plot of the game moves forward with the actions of the main character - Rufus, who lives on the planet of Deponia, long ago turned into a dump.

On reception: its Steam reviews are very positive, against overwhelmingly positive for The Drifter.

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

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals100
Broken Age
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrativeSci-Fi2DRanged
Steam👍 84%· 8.2KIGDB77· 13OC79· 38
Year 2014Dev Double Fine ProductionsOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Shared with The Drifter: puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual, ranged combat and fantasy world

On reception: its Steam reviews are very positive, against overwhelmingly positive for The Drifter.

It predates The Drifter by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone85Setting69
Blackwell Unbound
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrative2DDarkPixel Art
Steam👍 94%· 774
Year 2007Dev Wadjet Eye GamesOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ If you enjoyed The Drifter, expect puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere and visual pixel, while skipping setting scifi

On reception: its Steam reviews are very positive, against overwhelmingly positive for The Drifter.

It predates The Drifter by 18 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone84Visuals78
Syberia II
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrativeSci-FiThird Person
Steam👍 86%· 3.0K
Year 2004Dev Microïds Canada · 1C CompanyOn PC · PlayStation 3 · Linux

✓ Like The Drifter, it's known for puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings visual third person, while skipping visual 2d

Where it drifts furthest from The Drifter: visuals.

On reception: its Steam reviews are very positive, against overwhelmingly positive for The Drifter.

It predates The Drifter by 21 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals0
The Talos Principle
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrativeSci-FiHardcoreExploration
Steam👍 95%· 33KIGDB87· 12OC87· 58
Year 2014Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Like The Drifter, it's known for puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with punishing difficulty, exploration and discovery and visual first person, while skipping visual 2d

Where it drifts furthest from The Drifter: visuals.

It predates The Drifter by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Tone80Visuals0
The Room Three
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrativeSci-FiDarkFantasy
Steam👍 95%· 13K
Year 2015Dev Fireproof GamesOn Android · PC · iOS

✓ Shared with The Drifter: puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, dark, oppressive atmosphere and fantasy world, while skipping visual 2d

Where it drifts furthest from The Drifter: visuals.

It predates The Drifter by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone87Setting63Visuals0
Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrative2DCasual
Steam👍 97%· 723RAWG👍 93%· 41
Year 1994Dev Humongous Entertainment · Nightdive StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Android · Apple Macintosh

✓ Shared with The Drifter: puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

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

Freddi Fish 1: The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds Join detective Freddi Fish and her best friend Luther as they take on their latest case: finding Grandma Grouper’s kelp seeds that feed the fish under the sea.

It predates The Drifter by 31 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone57
Spy Fox in "Dry Cereal"
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrative2DCasual
Steam👍 95%· 698
Year 1997Dev Humongous Entertainment · Nightdive StudiosPlaytime ~4hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Like The Drifter, it's known for puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with vibe casual, while skipping setting scifi

Humongous Tees Now Available!Official Humongous Entertainment T-shirts featuring Pajama Sam, Spy Fox, Freddi Fish, and Putt-Putt are now available on Amazon. About the GameWill kids be forced to endure a fate worse than eating dry cereal!?

It predates The Drifter by 28 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone56
Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrative2DDark
Steam👍 86%· 252
Year 1996Dev Sierra On-LineOn Linux · PC · Mac

✓ Like The Drifter, it's known for puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping setting scifi

On reception: its Steam reviews are very positive, against overwhelmingly positive for The Drifter.

It predates The Drifter by 29 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone86
Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrative2DCasualIsometric
Steam👍 98%· 1.3KRAWG👍 90%· 30
Year 1996Dev Humongous Entertainment · Nightdive StudiosPlaytime ~4hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Like The Drifter, it's known for puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: vibe casual and visual isometric, while skipping setting scifi

Sam is an ordinary kid who, with the help of his red cape, turns into "superhero" Pajama Sam. In No Need to Hide When It’s Dark Outside, Pajama Sam journeys into the land of darkness (his closet) to face his fears.

It predates The Drifter by 29 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals64Tone57
I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrativeFirst Person
Steam👍 96%· 1.3K
Year 2021Dev Schell GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS

✓ Like The Drifter, it's known for puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with visual first person, while skipping setting scifi

Well, Agent, it looks like the Zoraxis organisation is up to their old tricks with a new scheme for world domination. It's up to you to expose their diabolical plot and put a stop to it.

Where it drifts furthest from The Drifter: visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals0
Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrative2DCasualExploration
Steam👍 91%· 293RAWG👍 79%· 29
Year 2002Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~5hOn PC

✓ If you enjoyed The Drifter, expect puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual, exploration and discovery and visual first person, while skipping setting scifi

Nancy Drew®: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake is a first-person perspective, point-and-click adventure game. The player is Nancy Drew and has to solve a mystery. Explore rich environments for clues, interrogate suspects, and solve puzzles and mini-games.

On reception: its Steam reviews are very positive, against overwhelmingly positive for The Drifter.

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

Genre100Game mode100Tone78Visuals53
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloNarrative2DStealthCozy
Steam👍 97%· 4.0KRAWG👍 88%· 24OC80· 35
Year 2024Dev Hyper Games · Raw FuryPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Nintendo

✓ Shared with The Drifter: puzzle design, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems, cozy, relaxing feel and open world exploration, while skipping setting scifi

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a musical adventure game in which Snufkin needs to restore the harmony of Moominvalley, after a series of grotesque parks has appeared and ruined the valley's natural balance.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Tone57
Full Throttle
PuzzleLogic Puzzle
SoloSci-Fi2DPost-Apocalyptic
IGDB87· 1
Year 1995Dev LucasArtsOn PC · Mac

✓ If you enjoyed The Drifter, expect puzzle design, adventure storytelling and setting scifi

≠ Where it differs: brings post-apocalyptic world, while skipping strong narrative focus

It predates The Drifter by 30 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Setting66

Complete list of The Drifter alternatives

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with The Drifter, 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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Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to The Drifter?
The closest game to The Drifter is Sam & Max Hit the Road, scoring 78/100 on our similarity scale. They share 6 gameplay attributes, including puzzle design, adventure storytelling and single-player focus. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like The Drifter?
The three closest games to The Drifter are: 1. Sam & Max Hit the Road (78/100, 6 shared attributes) 2. Deponia (78/100, 6 shared attributes) 3. Broken Age (75/100, 6 shared attributes). All share The Drifter's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 43 candidates across 6 dimensions.
Is Deponia similar to The Drifter?
Yes, very much so — Deponia scores 78/100 similarity to The Drifter. They share 6 attributes, including puzzle design and adventure storytelling. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What Puzzle games are similar to The Drifter?
The best Puzzle games similar to The Drifter are Sam & Max Hit the Road, Deponia, Broken Age and Blackwell Unbound. All share the Puzzle genre alongside other key The Drifter attributes like puzzle design, adventure storytelling and single-player focus.
How is similarity to The Drifter calculated?
We compare The Drifter 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 The Drifter experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.