The Spell Brigade

16 Dark games like The Spell Brigade 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 37 games similar to The Spell Brigade down to the 16 that fit the “Dark” category. SCP: Secret Laboratory, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Returnal top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to The Spell Brigade.

iRank77/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

Tags

CasualHardcoreCo-opOnline

Year 2026Dev Bolt Blaster Games

Stores

Steam ↗PS ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Dark” category, the closest game to The Spell Brigade is SCP: Secret Laboratory — scoring 68/100 on our similarity scale. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Returnal follow close behind.

#1SCP: Secret Laboratory68 #2The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth85 #3Returnal81 #4Paint the Town Red75 #5The Binding of Isaac69

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The best dark games like The Spell Brigade

16 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to The Spell Brigade. Each one has been evaluated across 19 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.

#1SCP: Secret LaboratoryClosest on genre

68

SCP: Secret Laboratory

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

MultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeCasualDarkHardcoreFree to Play

Steam👍 91%· 230K

Year 2017Dev Northwood StudiosOn PC

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with deep RPG systems, horror tension and survival mechanics, while skipping roguelike runs

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone95Game mode94Combat42Setting0Visuals0

#2The Binding of Isaac: RebirthClosest overall match

85

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloCo-opMultiplayerMeleeMagicDarkHardcoreProceduralFantasyIsometric

Steam👍 97%· 392KRAWG👍 87%· 1.2KMC86IGDB95· 2OC87· 27

Year 2014Dev NicalisPlaytime ~31hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and roguelike runs

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems, puzzle design and adventure storytelling, while skipping vibe casual

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a remake of The Binding of Isaac. The plot is based on a biblical story. Little Isaac and his mother live happily in a small house on the hill. And suddenly the mother heard a voice, which told her that her son is defiled by sins and must be saved.

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: visuals.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100World100Combat83Tone74Game mode68Setting60

#3ReturnalClosest on game mode

81

Returnal

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloCo-opMultiplayerOnlineMeleeHardcoreDarkProcedural

Steam👍 81%· 10KIGDB90· 19OC86· 201

Year 2021Dev Housemarque · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PC · PS5

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and roguelike runs

≠ Stands apart with third-person shooting, horror tension and action RPG combat, while skipping vibe casual

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100World100Tone73Combat54Setting0

#4Paint the Town Red

75

Paint the Town Red

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkHardcoreProceduralIsometric

Steam👍 96%· 32KRAWG👍 80%· 68IGDB70· 2OC67· 13

Year 2015Dev South East GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of arena shooters: shooter, first-person shooting and roguelike runs

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, fighting mechanics and deep RPG systems, while skipping vibe casual

Paint the Town Red is a chaotic first person melee combat game set in different locations and time periods. The voxel-based enemies can be punched, bashed, kicked, stabbed and sliced completely dynamically using almost anything that isn't nailed down.

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

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

Genre100World100Tone77Game mode74Combat40Visuals36

#5The Binding of Isaac

69

The Binding of Isaac

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeMagicDarkHardcoreProceduralIsometricTop-Down

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 roguelike runs

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems, adventure storytelling and survival mechanics, while skipping vibe casual

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 The Spell Brigade: setting and game mode.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 15 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100World100Combat83Visuals76Tone68Game mode20

69

Doom

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkHardcore

Steam👍 96%· 218KIGDB87· 28

Year 2016Dev id Software · Bethesda SoftworksOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and roguelike runs

≠ Where it differs: brings horror tension, strong narrative focus and horror setting, while skipping vibe casual

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

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

Genre100Game mode74Tone72Combat52Setting0Visuals0

#7Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

67

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opOnlineMeleeDarkHardcore

Steam👍 93%· 8.8KIGDB74· 2

Year 2009Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalOn PC

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, setting scifi and visual first person, while skipping roguelike runs

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 17 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone72Combat50Setting0Visuals0

#8Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

58

Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeDarkHardcore

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 dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, ranged combat and setting scifi, while skipping roguelike runs

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 The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 25 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone72Game mode68Combat35Setting0Visuals0

#9Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

53

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreIsometricTop-Down

Steam👍 94%· 78KIGDB71· 13OC74· 70

Year 2015Dev Dennaton Games · Devolver DigitalOn Xbox · PlayStation 3 · PS4

✓ Fits the arena shooters cluster, with shooter, first-person shooting and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings strong narrative focus, visual pixel and visual 2d, while skipping roguelike runs

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: game mode.

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

Genre100Tone72Visuals62Combat50Game mode20

#10Hotline Miami

53

Hotline Miami

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreIsometricTop-Down

Steam👍 97%· 122KRAWG👍 90%· 2.6KMC85IGDB86· 10

Year 2012Dev Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

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

≠ Where it differs: brings puzzle design, strong narrative focus and ranged combat, while skipping roguelike runs

Several chapters of top-down shooter action, Hotline Miami is a violent game, where the player takes control of the unnamed man, that receives orders to clear out stages from bandits and mobsters, using every weapon he can get.

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: game mode and combat.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone72Visuals65Combat43Game mode20

#11Devil Daggers

51

Devil Daggers

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeMagicHardcoreDark

Steam👍 95%· 9.3KRAWG👍 78%· 160MC83IGDB78· 3OC83· 12

Year 2016Dev SorathPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Both are arena shooters — sharing shooter, first-person shooting and punishing difficulty

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, survival mechanics and strong narrative focus, while skipping roguelike runs

Devil Daggers is a shooter developed by Sorath. This is the only game in the franchise. ###Plot The player aims to survive through attacks by armies of demonic monsters for as long as possible.

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

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

Genre100Tone74Combat67Game mode20Setting0Visuals0

#12RuinerClosest on visuals

51

Ruiner

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreIsometricTop-Down

Steam👍 89%· 12KIGDB76· 12OC77· 88

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

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

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, action RPG combat and deep RPG systems, while skipping roguelike runs

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and game mode.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Visuals79Tone68Combat50Game mode20Setting0

#13Quake III Arena

50

Quake III Arena

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMultiplayerMeleeDarkHardcore

Steam👍 96%· 4.0KRAWG👍 90%· 530IGDB87· 3

Year 1999Dev id Software · Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh

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

≠ Its own twist: competitive edge, ranged combat and setting scifi, while skipping roguelike runs

The third game in the genre of first-person shooter in a series of Quake. Unlike previous games in the series, the game is focused on a multiplayer mode, and does not have a full-fledged single-player campaign.

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 27 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone56Game mode41Combat32Setting0Visuals0

#14Hitman: Contracts

47

Hitman: Contracts

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreStealth

Steam👍 87%· 3.5KIGDB70· 1

Year 2004Dev IO Interactive · Eidos InteractiveOn PC · Mac

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

≠ Where it differs: brings strong narrative focus, stealth mechanics and visual third person, while skipping roguelike runs

Where it drifts furthest from The Spell Brigade: visuals and game mode.

It predates The Spell Brigade by 22 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone65Combat30Game mode20Visuals0

#15Condemned: Criminal Origins

45

Condemned: Criminal Origins

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS

SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreRanged

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 dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, puzzle design and adventure storytelling, while skipping roguelike runs

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 The Spell Brigade: setting and visuals.

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

Genre100Tone64Combat43Game mode20Setting0Visuals0

Complete list of dark games like The Spell Brigade

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with The Spell Brigade, 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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