16 Casual games like Dear Esther that you should try

Games like Dear Esther · Find similar →

We filtered the 46 games similar to Dear Esther down to the 16 that fit the “Casual” category. Riven: The Sequel to Myst, Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor and Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Dear Esther.

NextGameLike70/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

The best casual games like Dear Esther

16 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Dear Esther. Each one has been evaluated across 7 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.

Riven: The Sequel to Myst

78 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL89

Closest overall match

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualFantasyExplorationFirst Person

Year 1997Dev Cyan Worlds · Acclaim EntertainmentOn PC · Mac

If Dear Esther worked for you because of strong narrative focus, fantasy world and single-player focus, the same is here. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. The distance is in setting — its own ground is a sci-fi setting.

It predates Dear Esther by 15 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Visuals100Tone83Setting61

Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor

76 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL87

Closest on tone

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExplorationFirst Person

Year 2004Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

What brings it close to Dear Esther is exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. Both also lean on a first-person view. What it adds of its own: puzzle design.

It predates Dear Esther by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100Visuals100

Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock

76 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL81

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExplorationFirst Person

Year 2005Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC

What brings it close to Dear Esther is exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. The common ground extends to a first-person view. It sets itself apart with puzzle design.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100Visuals100

Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County

73 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL92

Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloCasualNarrativeExplorationFirst Person

Year 2022Dev Thomas Bowker · worm clubPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

If Dear Esther worked for you because of exploration and discovery, a casual, approachable feel, and single-player focus, the same is here. Both also lean on a first-person view. The distance is in tone — its own ground is cozy, relaxing feel.

Released 10 years after Dear Esther.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Visuals100Tone62

A Bird Story

73 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL76

Closest on setting

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualFantasyPixel Art

Year 2014Dev Freebird GamesOn Linux · PC · Mac

It shares the essentials of what Dear Esther does: strong narrative focus, fantasy world and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is pixel art.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Setting100Visuals0

Nancy Drew: Tomb of the Lost Queen

72 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL88

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExploration

Year 2012Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~7hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

What brings it close to Dear Esther is exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. Its own ground is puzzle design.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100

Nancy Drew: Danger on Deception Island

72 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL87

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExploration

Year 2003Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC

If Dear Esther worked for you because of exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus, the same is here. Its own ground is puzzle design.

It predates Dear Esther by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100

Nancy Drew: The Captive Curse

72 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL83

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloCasualNarrativeExploration

Year 2011Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~7hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

If Dear Esther worked for you because of exploration and discovery, a casual, approachable feel, and single-player focus, the same is here. It sets itself apart with puzzle design.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100

Nancy Drew: Danger by Design

72 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL75

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExploration

Year 2006Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC

What brings it close to Dear Esther is exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. What it adds of its own: puzzle design.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100

Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall

72 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL90

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExploration2D

Year 2013Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~6hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

If Dear Esther worked for you because of exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus, the same is here. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is 2D presentation.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100Visuals0

Nancy Drew: Secrets Can Kill REMASTERED

72 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL74

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExploration2D

Year 2011Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

It shares the essentials of what Dear Esther does: exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is 2D presentation.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100Visuals0

Nancy Drew: Shadow at the Water's Edge

68 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL83

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloNarrativeCasualExplorationHorror

Year 2010Dev HeR InteractivePlaytime ~8hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

What brings it close to Dear Esther is exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. They part company on setting: this one brings horror setting.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression100Setting0

Pajama Sam 2: Thunder And Lightning Aren't So Frightening

68 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL95

Pajama Sam 2: Thunder And Lightning Aren't So Frightening

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloCasualNarrative2D

Year 1998Dev Humongous Entertainment · Nightdive StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · iOS · Android

With Dear Esther it shares a casual, approachable feel and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is 2D presentation.

It predates Dear Esther by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals0

Putt-Putt Joins the Parade

68 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL94

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloCasualNarrativeIsometric2D

Year 1992Dev Humongous Entertainment · Nightdive StudiosPlaytime ~1hOn PC · iOS · Android

The thread back to Dear Esther runs through a casual, approachable feel and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals: an isometric view.

It predates Dear Esther by 20 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals0

My Brother Rabbit

68 similarity to Dear Esther

NGL86

GenreAdventureSubgenreNarrative Adventure

SoloCasualNarrative2D

Year 2018Dev Artifex MundiPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

With Dear Esther it shares a casual, approachable feel and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals: 2D presentation.

Released 6 years after Dear Esther.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals0

Explore games similar to Dear Esther by category

If Dear Esther left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the casual or the fantasy that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Dear Esther look-alike but simply the best Narrative Adventure Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Adventure Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.

The 20 Best Narrative Adventures (2026)The 20 Best Adventure Games (2026)