12 Games like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter on Nintendo Switch that you should try

Games like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter · Find similar →

Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

Filter by:Nintendo Switch×← Back to home

We filtered the 50 games similar to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter down to the 12 that fit the “Nintendo Switch” category. The Exit 8, Outer Wilds and Firewatch top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

iRank83/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

The best games like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter on Nintendo Switch

12 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.

#1The Exit 8Closest overall match

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

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

#2Outer WildsClosest on world

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

Details →

Steam Epic Xbox

#3FirewatchClosest on visuals

iRank85

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

SoloNarrativeDarkOpen WorldExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 63%· 1.3KIGDB85· 7OC79· 50

Year 2019Dev Furious Bee Limited · Annapurna InteractiveOn PS4 · PC · iOS

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

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, while skipping horror tension

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

Released 5 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression100Visuals100

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 87%· 18KIGDB91· 5OC89· 117

Year 2025Dev Dogubomb · Raw FuryOn Xbox · Switch · PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with roguelike runs, deep simulation and procedural generation, while skipping horror tension

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

Released 11 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100Tone73Progression73Visuals69World42

Details →

Steam Xbox PS

#6AER: Memories of Old

iRank77

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationRelaxing

Steam👍 86%· 7.7KIGDB68· 4OC67· 44

Year 2017Dev Forgotten Key · Daedalic EntertainmentOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings vibe relaxing, vibe casual and fantasy world, while skipping horror tension

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

Released 3 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone41Setting0

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#7Abzu

iRank87

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationRelaxing

Steam👍 93%· 27KIGDB81· 27OC80· 122

Year 2016Dev Giant Squid · 505 GamesOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, vibe relaxing and vibe casual, while skipping horror tension

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

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone33Setting0

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationRelaxing

Steam👍 96%· 6.1K

Year 2019Dev Amanita DesignOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Same family of open-world adventures: adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: card game strategy, vibe relaxing and vibe casual, while skipping horror tension

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

Released 5 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone28Setting0

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#9Road 96

iRank86

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 92%· 25KIGDB83· 8OC78· 93

Year 2021Dev DigixArt · RavenscourtOn Xbox · PS4 · PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with procedural generation and melee combat, while skipping horror tension

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

Released 7 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Visuals100Tone73World51

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#10Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments

iRank82

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationFirst Person

Steam👍 89%· 7.8KIGDB75· 14OC76· 65

Year 2014Dev Frogwares · Focus EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PS4 · PC

✓ Fits the open-world adventures cluster, with adventure storytelling, puzzle design and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: ranged combat, historical setting and visual third person, while skipping horror tension

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

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone73Visuals70

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

#11The 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

GenreAdventureSubgenreOpen World Action-Adventure

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationRelaxing

Steam👍 75%· 5.8KOC80· 14

Year 2017Dev David WehleOn PS4 · Linux · Android

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

≠ Where it differs: brings deep simulation, precision platforming and vibe relaxing, while skipping puzzle design

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

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

Released 3 years after The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

Genre100Game mode100World100Progression100Tone44Setting0

Details →

Steam GOG Epic

Explore games similar to The Vanishing of Ethan Carter by category

Rankings in the same genre

Best Open-World Adventure Games Best Adventure Games