Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Riven (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Riven on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: The Witness, which both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing.
- Riven is tagged Puzzle, Adventure, Exploration, First-Person, Story Rich, Singleplayer, Atmospheric, Mystery by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 3 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
The Witness
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 10 player tags including Puzzle, Exploration and First-Person.
You wake up, alone, on a strange island full of puzzles that will challenge and surprise you.
The Witness at a glance Released 2016 Studio Thekla, Inc. Player sentiment 84% positive of 21,324 Price $39.99 PuzzleExplorationFirst-PersonWalking SimulatorMysteryPhilosophicalRelaxingSurreal
- 2
The Stanley Parable
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 8 player tags including Walking Simulator, First-Person and Multiple Endings.
The Stanley Parable is a first person exploration game. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will follow a story, you will not follow a story. You will have a choice, you will have no choice. The game will end, the game will never end.
The Stanley Parable at a glance Released 2013 Studio Galactic Cafe Player sentiment 92% positive of 45,775 Price $14.99 Walking SimulatorFirst-PersonMultiple EndingsExplorationStory RichSurrealPuzzleCasual
- 3
We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 8 player tags including Puzzle, Casual and Emotional.
Partner up with your friend online and set sail for an unforgettable puzzle adventure in this bite-sized standalone We Were Here experience. Work together to overcome brain-teasing challenges and make fun memories, using your best communication, teamwork and trust skills.
We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip at a glance Released 2023 Studio Total Mayhem Games Player sentiment 90% positive of 24,073 Price $1.99 PuzzleCasualEmotionalFirst-Person3DMysteryStory RichMultiple Endings
- 4
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and relaxing; shares 9 player tags including Multiple Endings, Walking Simulator and First-Person.
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an expanded re-imagining of 2013's The Stanley Parable. You will play as Stanley, and you will not play as Stanley. You will make a choice, and you will become powerless. You are not here to win. The Stanley Parable is a game that plays you.
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe at a glance Released 2022 Studio Crows Crows Crows Player sentiment 94% positive of 36,046 Price $24.99 Multiple EndingsWalking SimulatorFirst-PersonExploration3DStory RichCasualMystery
- 5
Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege
Why it matched: both psychological, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 9 player tags including Puzzle, Investigation and Logic.
You only wanted to make a visit to your sick colleague, but what you encounter is beyond your imagination. Discover the secrets of your colleague and find a way to escape the trap.
Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege at a glance Released 2020 Studio Bitbeast Games Player sentiment 81% positive of 12,548 Price Free PuzzleInvestigationLogicFirst-PersonCasualExplorationRealisticMultiple Endings
- 6
We Were Here Forever
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 7 player tags including Puzzle, 3D and Mystery.
You both awaken imprisoned inside the sinister Castle Rock - were you betrayed, or simply not that clever? Find out in the greatest co-op puzzle adventure in the We Were Here Series! Do you and your partner have what it takes to face the dark forces of this realm or will you be trapped… forever?
We Were Here Forever at a glance Released 2022 Studio Total Mayhem Games Player sentiment 91% positive of 18,807 Price $17.99 Puzzle3DMysteryExplorationStory RichCasualFirst-Person
- 7
We Were Here Together
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 7 player tags including Puzzle, Story Rich and Exploration.
As we explore these frozen wastes, misfortune strikes once again. Through the fierce blizzard, a flare lights the sky, followed by a cry for help over the radio - broken, dying... No one else can come to their rescue. Can we make it back - together?
We Were Here Together at a glance Released 2019 Studio Total Mayhem Games Player sentiment 82% positive of 17,696 Price $4.93 PuzzleStory RichExplorationInvestigationMysteryFirst-PersonCasual
- 8
Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 7 player tags including Mystery, Story Rich and Puzzle.
Experience a fantastic adventure with unique gameplay that blends investigation, action and exploration in a breath-taking thriller that will test the limits of your nerves and intelligence. Play as the great detective and track down evil in the darkest corners of London and the human soul…
Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter at a glance Released 2016 Studio Frogwares Player sentiment 80% positive of 14,479 Price $2.99 MysteryStory RichPuzzleInvestigationFirst-Person3DCasual
- 9
Escape Simulator
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, puzzle and relaxing; shares 8 player tags including Puzzle, First-Person and Mystery.
First-person puzzler you can play solo or in an online co-op. Explore a set of highly interactive escape rooms. Move furniture, pick up and examine everything, smash pots and break locks! Play thousands of community-made rooms through the level editor.
Escape Simulator at a glance Released 2021 Studio Pine Studio Player sentiment 94% positive of 19,336 Price $19.99 PuzzleFirst-PersonMysteryCasualVRStory RichInvestigationExploration
- 10
OneShot
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 6 player tags including Story Rich, Puzzle and Multiple Endings.
OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist.
OneShot at a glance Released 2016 Studio Future Cat LLC Player sentiment 98% positive of 64,849 Price $9.99 Story RichPuzzleMultiple EndingsExplorationSurrealCasual
- 11
Journey
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and relaxing; shares 7 player tags including Exploration, Relaxing and Walking Simulator.
Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets.
Journey at a glance Released 2012 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 94% positive of 38,401 Price $3.74 ExplorationRelaxingWalking SimulatorCasualStory RichMystery3D
- 12
GRIS
Why it matched: both story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 7 player tags including Relaxing, Story Rich and Puzzle.
Gris is a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality.
GRIS at a glance Released 2018 Studio Nomada Studio Player sentiment 96% positive of 96,216 Price $14.99 RelaxingStory RichPuzzleSurrealCasualExplorationWalking Simulator
- 13
What Remains of Edith Finch
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and puzzle; shares 7 player tags including Story Rich, Walking Simulator and First-Person.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she's the last one in her family left alive.
What Remains of Edith Finch at a glance Released 2017 Studio Giant Sparrow Player sentiment 96% positive of 52,603 Price $4.99 Story RichWalking SimulatorFirst-PersonMysteryExplorationPuzzleEmotional
- 14
We Were Here
Why it matched: both psychological, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 7 player tags including Puzzle, Mystery and Exploration.
Lost in a frozen wasteland and split up from your partner inside an abandoned castle, the only possession you have left is a walkie-talkie with a familiar voice on the other end. Can the two of you find your way out in time?
We Were Here at a glance Released 2017 Studio Total Mayhem Games Player sentiment 89% positive of 33,121 Price Free PuzzleMysteryExplorationFirst-PersonInvestigationMultiple EndingsCasual
- 15
Layers of Fear (2016)
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and puzzle; shares 7 player tags including Walking Simulator, First-Person and Story Rich.
A first-person psychological horror with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and storytelling. Explore an ever-shifting Victorian mansion as a painter seeking to complete his masterpiece, even at the cost of his own sanity.
Layers of Fear (2016) at a glance Released 2016 Studio Bloober Team SA Player sentiment 88% positive of 27,676 Price $1.99 Walking SimulatorFirst-PersonStory RichPuzzleExplorationMysterySurreal
- 16
Strobophagia | Rave Horror
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and puzzle; shares 7 player tags including Multiple Endings, Mystery and 3D.
An occult forest rave ⸸ Strange rituals ⸸ Enigmatic organisers ⸸ An ancient evil ⸸ Pure Psychedelic Horror
Strobophagia | Rave Horror at a glance Released 2020 Studio Green Tile Digital Player sentiment 83% positive of 110 Price $19.99 Multiple EndingsMystery3DSurrealFirst-PersonExplorationPuzzle
- 17
Inside the Backrooms
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and puzzle; shares 7 player tags including Puzzle, Exploration and First-Person.
Inside the Backrooms is a horror multiplayer game mixed with different mechanics that will make you spend an intense night with friends. Explore, think, interact, but be careful, it is rumored that there are several entities wishing to find you...
Inside the Backrooms at a glance Released 2022 Studio MrFatcat Player sentiment 80% positive of 46,767 Price $6.99 PuzzleExplorationFirst-Person3DMysteryVRStory Rich
- 18
The Room
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 5 player tags including Puzzle, Mystery and Casual.
A mysterious invitation leads to the attic of an abandoned house. In the room is a cast-iron safe laced with strange carvings and on top, a note from your distant companion. It promises something ancient and astonishing concealed in the iron chamber - you need only find a way in.
The Room at a glance Released 2014 Studio Fireproof Games Player sentiment 98% positive of 31,750 Price $4.99 PuzzleMysteryCasualFirst-PersonStory Rich
- 19
Sally Face - Episode One
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 5 player tags including Story Rich, Puzzle and Mystery.
An unsettling adventure following a boy with a prosthetic face. After a string of mysterious murders, Sal and his three friends discover something truly sinister casting shadows over their small town.
Sally Face - Episode One at a glance Released 2016 Studio Portable Moose Player sentiment 97% positive of 29,068 Price $2.99 Story RichPuzzleMysteryEmotionalCasual
- 20
Outer Wilds
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and puzzle; shares 6 player tags including Exploration, Mystery and Story Rich.
Named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer, and The Guardian, Outer Wilds is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop.
Outer Wilds at a glance Released http Studio Mobius Digital Player sentiment 96% positive of 107,214 Price $14.99 ExplorationMysteryStory RichPuzzleFirst-Person3D
- 21
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S: HELP WANTED
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 5 player tags including VR, First-Person and Casual.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted is a collection of classic and original mini-games set in the Five Nights universe. Experience the horror in flat (non-VR) mode or VR. Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are supported. A VR Headset is NOT required to play.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S: HELP WANTED at a glance Released 2019 Studio Steel Wool Studios Player sentiment 96% positive of 13,118 Price $29.99 VRFirst-PersonCasualPuzzleStory Rich
- 22
Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 5 player tags including First-Person, Walking Simulator and Story Rich.
A 15 minute heist game by Crows Crows Crows & Directed by William Pugh (The Stanley Parable). Slip into the soft-soled shoes of the mastermind responsible for the greatest heist- oh god I can’t do this any more, i’m joining the strike. good luck writing the steam description. -tina
Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist at a glance Released 2015 Studio Crows Crows Crows Player sentiment 93% positive of 10,175 Price Free First-PersonWalking SimulatorStory RichCasualPuzzle
- 23
Puzzle Agent
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing; shares 5 player tags including Puzzle, Casual and Mystery.
Created with indie comic artist Graham Annable's unique narrative and visual sensibilities, delivered with the distinctive Telltale storytelling style, Puzzle Agent is sure to challenge, thrill and engage in more ways than you can shake a cryptogram at!
Puzzle Agent at a glance Released 2010 Studio Telltale Player sentiment 89% positive of 2,838 Price $4.99 PuzzleCasualMysterySurrealStory Rich
- 24
Return of the Obra Dinn
Why it matched: both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric and puzzle; shares 6 player tags including Mystery, Puzzle and Story Rich.
Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.
Return of the Obra Dinn at a glance Released 2018 Studio Lucas Pope Player sentiment 97% positive of 35,093 Price $19.99 MysteryPuzzleStory RichFirst-PersonMultiple EndingsWalking Simulator
Common questions
What game is most like Riven?
The Witness, on the evidence we have. It both psychological, story-rich, atmospheric, puzzle and relaxing. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to Riven" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with Riven. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.