9 Games with a horror setting like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter 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 50 games similar to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter down to the 9 that fit the “Horror” category. Outer Wilds, Fatum Betula and The Exit 8 top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

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GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

The best games with a horror setting like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

9 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. Each one has been evaluated across 12 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.

#1Outer WildsClosest on genre

iRank90

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldSpaceHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 102KIGDB85· 7OC85· 61

Year 2019Dev Mobius Digital · Annapurna InteractiveOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and horror tension

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, melee combat and setting scifi, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Where it drifts furthest from The Vanishing of Ethan Carter: combat.

Released 5 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Setting84Visuals84

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Steam Epic Xbox

#2Fatum BetulaClosest overall match

iRank91

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloDarkNarrativeOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 96%· 1.1KIGDB80· 1

Year 2020Dev Bryce BucherPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and horror tension

≠ Its own twist: vibe casual, while skipping combat magic

The GameFatum Betula is an atmospheric exploration game with light puzzle elements. A magical birch is the only thing dictating the future, and it is your job to find something appropriate to feed it with. There is a total of 10 unique endings and a plethora of secrets to uncover.

Released 6 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100Setting70

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Steam Nintendo itch.io

#3The Exit 8Closest on tone

iRank93

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeDarkOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 93%· 11KIGDB93· 2

Year 2023Dev KOTAKE CREATE · PLAYISMOn Xbox · PS4 · Switch

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, horror tension and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, linear, story-driven structure and setting modern, while skipping combat magic

Released 9 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100Visuals66Setting59

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Steam Xbox PS

#4Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel

iRank79

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 79%· 115

Dev Cyan WorldsPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and horror tension

≠ Stands apart with vibe casual, cozy, relaxing feel and procedural generation, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

You're an Osmo, a strange creature indeed. You explore the galaxy in your spaceship, and the planets you encounter are almost as bizarre as the Osmos themselves. There are seven worlds presented for your consideration, each more goofy and peculiar than the last.

Where it drifts furthest from The Vanishing of Ethan Carter: tone and setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100World64Visuals51Setting47

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Steam

#5Dear Esther: Landmark Edition

iRank70

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 75%· 7.4KIGDB65· 11OC67· 38

Year 2016Dev Rob Briscoe · Curve DigitalOn PS4 · PC · iOS

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and horror tension

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual, vibe relaxing and linear, story-driven structure, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Where it drifts furthest from The Vanishing of Ethan Carter: tone and world.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly positive, against very positive for The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Visuals100Setting57World43

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeDarkOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 91%· 97KIGDB79· 18OC80· 134

Year 2016Dev Campo Santo · PanicOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, horror tension and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with vibe casual, while skipping puzzle design

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100Tone92

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloDarkNarrativeOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 92%· 4.1KIGDB90· 1

Year 1999Dev Looking Glass Studios · Eidos InteractiveOn PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, horror tension and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings deep simulation, stealth mechanics and melee combat, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from The Vanishing of Ethan Carter: combat and setting.

It predates The Vanishing of Ethan Carter by 15 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100

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Steam GOG

#8The Suicide of Rachel Foster

iRank67

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeDarkOpen WorldHorrorExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 68%· 6.8KIGDB65· 4OC68· 61

Year 2020Dev ONE-O-ONE GAMES · Daedalic EntertainmentOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, strong narrative focus and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe casual, while skipping puzzle design

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against very positive for The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Released 6 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Visuals100Tone76

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Steam GOG Epic

#9The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

iRank90

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloDarkOpen WorldHorrorExploration

IGDB90

Year 2000Dev Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.3 · Nintendo

✓ Both are open-world adventures — sharing adventure storytelling, puzzle design and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Stands apart with ranged combat, fantasy world and visual third person, while skipping horror tension

Where it drifts furthest from The Vanishing of Ethan Carter: combat and visuals.

It predates The Vanishing of Ethan Carter by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone59Setting55

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Nintendo

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Rankings in the same genre

Best Open-World Adventure Games Best Adventure Games