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GemCraft - Chasing Shadows

50 Games like GemCraft - Chasing Shadows that you should try

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Looking for games like GemCraft - Chasing Shadows? The NextGameLike editorial team analyzed its gameplay DNA — tower defense planning, melee combat and fantasy world — against over 6,700 titles. These 50 alternatives are ranked by real similarity, not marketing tags. Anomaly: Warzone Earth leads with 68/100, followed by the rest of the list.

NextGameLike78/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense
Tags
Solo
Year 2015Dev Game in a Bottle
Stores

Quick answer

The closest game to GemCraft - Chasing Shadows is Anomaly: Warzone Earth — scoring 68/100 on our similarity scale. Thronefall and Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense follow close behind.

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Top games similar to GemCraft - Chasing Shadows

50 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to GemCraft - Chasing Shadows. Each one has been evaluated across 5 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.

1

Anomaly: Warzone Earth

68
NGL75
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Closest overall match
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeFantasySci-FiHistorical
Year 2011Dev 11 Bit Studios · Microsoft StudiosPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · Xbox

It comes from the same genre as GemCraft - Chasing Shadows and shares melee combat, fantasy world and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and setting — its own ground is a sci-fi setting and an isometric view.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Setting32Visuals0
2

Thronefall

63
NGL90
Thronefall
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeFantasyTacticalMedieval
Year 2023Dev GrizzlyGamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Nintendo

Same family as GemCraft - Chasing Shadows: melee combat, fantasy world and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and setting: tactical combat and a medieval setting.

Released 8 years after GemCraft - Chasing Shadows.

Genre100Game mode100Combat44Setting38Visuals0
3

Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense

63
NGL90
Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower Defense
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeFantasyMagicHardcore
Year 2013Dev Ironhide Game StudioPlaytime ~5hOn PC · iOS · Android

On paper it is what GemCraft - Chasing Shadows is — melee combat, fantasy world and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The distance is in visuals and combat — its own ground is magic-based combat and a cartoon aesthetic.

Genre100Game mode100Setting43Combat37Visuals0
4

Rise to Ruins

64
NGL80
Rise to Ruins
Closest on setting
StrategyTower Defense
SoloFantasySandbox WorldProceduralBase Building
Year 2019Dev Raymond Doerr · SixtyGig GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

It meets GemCraft - Chasing Shadows on fantasy world and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is pixel art.

Released 4 years after GemCraft - Chasing Shadows.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Visuals0
5

Go Home Dinosaurs!

61
NGL84
Go Home Dinosaurs!
StrategyTower Defense
SoloFantasyCasualCozyHistorical
Year 2013Dev Fire Hose GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · iOS

Same family as GemCraft - Chasing Shadows: fantasy world and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and setting — its own ground is historical setting and an isometric view.

Genre100Game mode100Setting47Visuals0
6

Revenge of the Titans

65
NGL68
Revenge of the Titans
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeTop-DownHardcoreSci-Fi
Year 2010Dev Puppygames · Puppy GamesPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

On paper it is what GemCraft - Chasing Shadows is — melee combat, single-player focus and a top-down view — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Where the two diverge is setting and visuals: a sci-fi setting and an isometric view.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Visuals35Setting0
7

Kingdom: New Lands

61
NGL80
Kingdom: New Lands
StrategyTower Defense
SoloFantasyNarrativeHardcoreProcedural
Year 2016Dev Licorice · Raw FuryOn PS4 · Linux · PC

Shelved next to GemCraft - Chasing Shadows for good reason: fantasy world and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and setting — its own ground is a medieval setting and pixel art.

Genre100Game mode100Setting44Visuals0
8

Unstoppable Gorg

62
NGL76
Unstoppable Gorg
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeCasualSci-FiSpace
Year 2012Dev FuturemarkPlaytime ~1hOn PC · iOS · Apple Macintosh

Same family as GemCraft - Chasing Shadows: melee combat and single-player focus. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is a sci-fi setting and an isometric view.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Setting0Visuals0
9

Dwarfs!?

67
NGL54
Dwarfs!?
StrategyTower Defense
SoloFantasyTop-DownCasualNarrative
Year 2011Dev Power of 2 · Tripwire InteractivePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

Held in common with GemCraft - Chasing Shadows: fantasy world, single-player focus and a top-down view. They part company on visuals: this one brings pixel art.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Visuals42
10

Infested Planet

61
NGL79
Infested Planet
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeTop-DownTacticalSci-Fi
Year 2013Dev Rocket Bear GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

Shelved next to GemCraft - Chasing Shadows for good reason: melee combat, single-player focus and a top-down view. Where the two diverge is setting and combat: tactical combat and a sci-fi setting.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals59Combat42Setting0
11

Creeper World: Anniversary Edition

56
NGL97
Creeper World: Anniversary Edition
StrategyTower Defense
Solo
Year 2016Dev Knuckle CrackerPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

With GemCraft - Chasing Shadows it shares single-player focus. It sets itself apart with deep simulation.

12

Stronghold

56
NGL96
Stronghold
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeFantasyMultiplayerTactical
Year 2001Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC · Mac

On paper it is what GemCraft - Chasing Shadows is — melee combat, fantasy world and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Where the two diverge is visuals and setting: tactical combat and a medieval setting.

It predates GemCraft - Chasing Shadows by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode55Combat28Setting22Visuals0
13

Farm for your Life

59
NGL82
Farm for your Life
Closest on visuals
StrategyTower Defense
SoloTop-DownCasualCozyDark
Year 2014Dev Hammer LabsPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

Held in common with GemCraft - Chasing Shadows: single-player focus and a top-down view. The distance is in setting — its own ground is horror setting.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals70Setting0
14

Stronghold Crusader

55
NGL92
Stronghold Crusader
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeFantasyMultiplayerTactical
Year 2002Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC

Genre puts it alongside GemCraft - Chasing Shadows, and so does melee combat, fantasy world and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and setting: tactical combat and historical setting.

It predates GemCraft - Chasing Shadows by 13 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode55Combat22Setting19Visuals0
15

Bad North

57
NGL81
Bad North
StrategyTower Defense
SoloMeleeTacticalCozyProcedural
Year 2018Dev Plausible Concept · Raw FuryOn PS4 · PC · Mac

Same family as GemCraft - Chasing Shadows: melee combat and single-player focus. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings tactical combat and historical setting.

Released 3 years after GemCraft - Chasing Shadows.

Genre100Game mode100Combat42Setting0Visuals0

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to GemCraft - Chasing Shadows by category

If GemCraft - Chasing Shadows left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the fantasy or the melee that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on Nintendo Switch, 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 GemCraft - Chasing Shadows look-alike but simply the best Tower Defense 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 Strategy Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.