Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Sometimes: Success Requires Sacrifice (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Sometimes: Success Requires Sacrifice 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: Slay the Spire, which both strategy and relaxing.
- Sometimes: Success Requires Sacrifice is tagged Casual, Indie, Action, Strategy, Adventure 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.
- 6 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
Slay the Spire
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2019).
We fused card games and roguelikes together to make the best single player deckbuilder we could. Craft a unique deck, encounter bizarre creatures, discover relics of immense power, and Slay the Spire!
Slay the Spire at a glance Released 2019 Studio Mega Crit Player sentiment 97% positive of 217,947 Price $24.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 2
Kingdom Rush - Tower Defense
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Casual and Indie; released around the same time (2014).
Get ready for an epic journey to defend your kingdom against hordes of orcs, trolls, evil wizards and other nasty fiends using a vast arsenal of towers and spells at your command!Fight on forests, mountains and wastelands, customizing your defensive strategy with different tower upgrades and specializations!
Kingdom Rush - Tower Defense at a glance Released 2014 Studio Ironhide Game Studio Player sentiment 97% positive of 17,136 Price $9.99 StrategyCasualIndie
- 3
Mini Metro
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2015).
Mini Metro is a strategy simulation game about designing a subway map for a growing city. Draw lines between stations and start your trains running. As new stations open, redraw your lines to keep them efficient. Decide where to use your limited resources. How long can you keep the city moving?
Mini Metro at a glance Released 2015 Studio Dinosaur Polo Club Player sentiment 96% positive of 16,729 Price $9.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 4
HuniePop
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Indie, Casual and Strategy; released around the same time (2015).
HuniePop is a unique sim experience for PC, Mac and Linux. It's a gameplay first approach that's part dating sim, part puzzle game, with light RPG elements, a visual novel style of presentation, an abrasive western writing style and plenty of "plot".
HuniePop at a glance Released 2015 Studio HuniePot Player sentiment 96% positive of 31,679 Price $9.99 IndieCasualStrategy
- 5
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Casual, Strategy and Indie; released around the same time (2012).
The best-selling, award-winning franchise is back – on your home PC in gorgeous HD for the first time.
Scribblenauts Unlimited at a glance Released 2012 Studio 5th Cell Media Player sentiment 94% positive of 12,381 Price $19.99 CasualStrategyIndie
- 6
Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Casual, Strategy and Indie; released around the same time (2018).
Help legendary horror icon Jason Voorhees stalk and slay campers across 100+ puzzle levels in a hilariously off kilter puzzle game. Jason will terrorize victims from the campgrounds of Crystal Lake to the highrises of Manhattan, from supermax prisons to space stations... and beyond!
Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle at a glance Released 2018 Studio Blue Wizard Digital Player sentiment 94% positive of 6,080 Price Not listed CasualStrategyIndie
- 7
Shakes and Fidget
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Casual, Strategy and Indie; released around the same time (2016).
Shakes & Fidget is a hilarious fantasy role-playing satire and at the same time, an award-winning RPG! Sounds crazy? With over 50 million enthusiastic players, it ranks among the most celebrated online role-playing games worldwide!
Shakes and Fidget at a glance Released 2016 Studio Playa Games GmbH Player sentiment 92% positive of 36,847 Price Free CasualStrategyIndie
- 8
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Indie, Strategy and Casual; released around the same time (2013).
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine is a single player or co-op heist game. Assemble a crack team of thieves, case the joint, and pull off the perfect heist.
Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine at a glance Released 2013 Studio Pocketwatch Games Player sentiment 91% positive of 8,521 Price $14.99 IndieStrategyCasual
- 9
Kingdom: Classic
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Casual and Indie; released around the same time (2015).
Kingdom is a 2D sidescrolling strategy/resource management hybrid with a minimalist feel wrapped in a beautiful, modern pixel art aesthetic.
Kingdom: Classic at a glance Released 2015 Studio Noio Player sentiment 91% positive of 22,707 Price Free StrategyCasualIndie
- 10
Bloons TD Battles
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Casual and Indie; released around the same time (2016).
Go head to head with other players in a Bloon-popping battle for victory. From the creators of best-selling Bloons TD 6, this all new Battles game is specially designed for multiplayer combat, featuring the ability to control bloons directly and send them charging past your opponent's defenses.
Bloons TD Battles at a glance Released 2016 Studio Ninja Kiwi Player sentiment 91% positive of 29,313 Price Free StrategyCasualIndie
- 11
100% Orange Juice
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2014).
100% Orange Juice is a digital multiplayer board game populated by developer Orange Juice's all-star cast. Characters from Flying Red Barrel, QP Shooting, Suguri and Sora come together with all-new characters to duke it out... with dice.
100% Orange Juice at a glance Released 2014 Studio Orange_Juice Player sentiment 91% positive of 30,159 Price $6.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 12
Clicker Heroes
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Casual, Indie and Strategy; released around the same time (2015).
Click your way through hordes of monsters, earn gold, and recruit quirky heroes with powerful skills. Progress even while you're idle, and watch the numbers climb into the absurd. It’s a never-ending journey of clicks, crits, and colossal damage.
Clicker Heroes at a glance Released 2015 Studio Playsaurus Player sentiment 90% positive of 62,148 Price Free CasualIndieStrategy
- 13
Age of History II
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2018).
Age of History II is a grand strategy wargame that is simple to learn yet hard to master.Your objective is to use military tactics and cunning diplomacy to either unify the world, or conquer it.Will the world bleed out or bow before you? The choice is yours..
Age of History II at a glance Released 2018 Studio Łukasz Jakowski Player sentiment 90% positive of 49,963 Price $5.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 14
Transport Fever 2
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Casual and Indie; released around the same time (2019).
The classic transport simulation genre has a new gold standard with Transport Fever 2. Discover a whole new world by navigating transport routes through land, water and air. May progress and prosperity find their way!
Transport Fever 2 at a glance Released 2019 Studio Urban Games Player sentiment 90% positive of 32,509 Price $39.99 StrategyCasualIndie
- 15
Prison Architect
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2015).
Only the world’s most ruthless Warden can contain the world’s most ruthless inmates. Design and develop your personalized penitentiary in Prison Architect.
Prison Architect at a glance Released 2015 Studio Introversion Software Player sentiment 89% positive of 73,744 Price $5.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 16
Sanctum
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2011).
You think Tower Defense games are all about building? You thought wrong. Sanctum is not your average Tower Defense title. When the havoc starts, you get to join the fray! As one of the world’s first First Person Shooter - Tower Defense games, Sanctum has taken the best of both worlds to deliver an epic, one-of-a-kind experience.
Sanctum at a glance Released 2011 Studio Coffee Stain Studios Player sentiment 89% positive of 3,359 Price $1.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 17
911 Operator
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2017).
Game about the difficult work of people that manage emergency lines and services. Answer incoming calls and react properly - give first aid instructions, advise, dispatch correct number of firemen / police / ambulances, or sometimes - just ignore the call. Play on ANY CITY in the world!
911 Operator at a glance Released 2017 Studio Jutsu Games Player sentiment 89% positive of 19,785 Price $14.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 18
Dragon Cliff
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Casual and Indie; released around the same time (2018).
Dragon Cliff is a Semi-Idle RPG game with deep and complex itemization/skill systems to support endless character builds. Players are to collect adventurers, kill monsters, advance talent trees, enchant/reforge equipment, discover scrolls and finally assemble the most powerful adventure team!
Dragon Cliff at a glance Released 2018 Studio Meta Interaction Player sentiment 89% positive of 8,184 Price $1.99 StrategyCasualIndie
- 19
Town of Salem
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2014).
Inspired by the party games Werewolf and Mafia, Town of Salem is a game of murder, mystery and deception.
Town of Salem at a glance Released 2014 Studio BlankMediaGames Player sentiment 88% positive of 36,262 Price $4.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 20
Bomber Crew
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2017).
Chocks away! Bomber Crew is a strategic simulation game, where picking the right crew and keeping your bomber in tip top shape is the difference between completing your mission or losing it all! USAAF DLC NOW AVAILABLE! FLY THE ICONIC AMERICAN BOMBER!
Bomber Crew at a glance Released 2017 Studio Runner Duck Player sentiment 88% positive of 15,506 Price $15.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 21
Realm Grinder
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Casual and Indie; released around the same time (2017).
Grow your realm, build alliances, and explore one of the deepest idle RPGs ever!
Realm Grinder at a glance Released 2017 Studio Divine Games Player sentiment 87% positive of 7,441 Price Free StrategyCasualIndie
- 22
Faeria
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2017).
With its unique living board, Faeria is also the only card game where you can gain all 300 cards in less than 50 hours.
Faeria at a glance Released 2017 Studio Abrakam Entertainment SA Player sentiment 84% positive of 7,213 Price $19.99 StrategyIndieCasual
- 23
The Legend of Bum-Bo
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Indie, Strategy and Casual; released around the same time (2019).
A puzzle based deck building rogue-like prequel to The Binding of Isaac... Made of cardboard!
The Legend of Bum-Bo at a glance Released 2019 Studio Edmund McMillen Player sentiment 81% positive of 5,934 Price $14.99 IndieStrategyCasual
- 24
Art of War: Red Tides
Why it matched: both strategy and relaxing; shares 3 player tags including Strategy, Indie and Casual; released around the same time (2016).
Art of War: Red Tides is a fair multiplayer strategy game that allows different teams on the same platform (e.g. smartphones, PC, etc.) to battle against each other. You will encounter players around the world!
Art of War: Red Tides at a glance Released 2016 Studio Game Science Player sentiment 79% positive of 6,954 Price Free StrategyIndieCasual
Common questions
What game is most like Sometimes: Success Requires Sacrifice?
Slay the Spire, on the evidence we have. It both strategy 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 Sometimes: Success Requires Sacrifice" 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 Sometimes: Success Requires Sacrifice. 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.