NextGameLike
Hotline Miami

18 Dark games like Hotline Miami that you should try

Games like Hotline Miami · Find similar →

We filtered the 41 games similar to Hotline Miami down to the 18 that fit the “Dark” category. Condemned: Criminal Origins, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and The Binding of Isaac top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Hotline Miami.

NextGameLike90/ 100

Did you find what you were looking for?

GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS
Tags
DarkHardcoreSolo
Year 2012Dev Devolver Digital

Quick answer

Within the “Dark” category, the closest game to Hotline Miami is Condemned: Criminal Origins — scoring 89/100 on our similarity scale. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and The Binding of Isaac follow close behind.

🗳️

Help us build the best rankings

Community powered

Vote on each result below — good match or not. Every vote directly shapes how we rank similar games for everyone.

The best dark games like Hotline Miami

18 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Hotline Miami. Each one has been evaluated across 13 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

Condemned: Criminal Origins

89
NGL81
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Closest overall match
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkHardcore
Year 2005Dev Monolith Productions · SEGAPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Xbox

If Hotline Miami worked for you because of strong narrative focus, melee combat and single-player focus, the same is here. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is a first-person view.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone100Visuals0
2

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

85
NGL91
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedDarkHardcoreNarrativeIsometricPixel Art2D
Year 2014Dev NicalisPlaytime ~31hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Its point of contact with Hotline Miami is dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. They part company on game mode: this one brings co-op play.

Genre100Tone100Visuals78Combat76Game mode29
3

The Binding of Isaac

83
NGL86
The Binding of Isaac
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedDarkNarrativeHardcoreIsometricTop-Down2D
Year 2011Dev Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl · Edmund McMillenPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

It meets Hotline Miami on dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to an isometric view. It sets itself apart with roguelike runs and procedural generation.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals80Combat76
4

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

82
NGL83
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
Closest on visuals
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreNarrativePixel ArtIsometricTop-Down2D
Year 2015Dev Dennaton Games · Devolver DigitalOn Xbox · PlayStation 3 · PS4

If Hotline Miami worked for you because of dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus, the same is here. The common ground extends to 2D presentation.

Released 3 years after Hotline Miami.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Combat78
5

DEADBOLT

78
NGL85
DEADBOLT
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkHardcorePixel Art2D
Year 2016Dev Hopoo GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Apple Macintosh

Same family as Hotline Miami: strong narrative focus, melee combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to pixel art. Where the two diverge is combat and visuals: stealth mechanics.

Released 4 years after Hotline Miami.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals64Combat57
6

Hello Neighbor

78
NGL63
Hello Neighbor
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeNarrativeHardcoreDark
Year 2017Dev DYNAMIC PIXELS · tinyBuildOn Xbox · PS4 · Android

Same family as Hotline Miami: strong narrative focus, melee combat and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and combat — its own ground is stealth mechanics and a first-person view.

Released 5 years after Hotline Miami.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Combat43Visuals0
7

Devil Daggers

78
NGL85
Devil Daggers
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloRangedMeleeHardcoreDarkNarrativePixel Art
Year 2016Dev SorathPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

What carries over from Hotline Miami is punishing difficulty, ranged combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to pixel art. Where the two diverge is visuals: a first-person view.

Released 4 years after Hotline Miami.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Combat83Visuals33
8

Ruiner

76
NGL83
Ruiner
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeDarkHardcoreNarrativeIsometricTop-Down
Year 2017Dev Reikon Games · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · Linux · PC

With Hotline Miami it shares dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds an isometric view. Its own ground is adventure storytelling and a cyberpunk setting.

Released 5 years after Hotline Miami.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Combat79Visuals74
9

Postal

70
NGL92
Postal
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeNarrativeHardcoreDarkIsometricTop-Down
Year 1997Dev Running With Scissors · Ripcord GamesOn Linux · Android · PC

Held in common with Hotline Miami: strong narrative focus, melee combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on an isometric view. The distance is in game mode — its own ground is multiplayer gameplay.

It predates Hotline Miami by 15 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone100Visuals80Combat79Game mode55
10

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

68
NGL88
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloRangedMeleeNarrativeDarkHardcore
Year 2007Dev GSC Game WorldPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

On paper it is what Hotline Miami is — strong narrative focus, ranged combat and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. They part company on visuals and game mode: this one brings multiplayer gameplay and a first-person view.

Genre100Tone100Combat73Game mode56Visuals0
11

Hitman: Contracts

66
NGL81
Hitman: Contracts
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkHardcore
Year 2004Dev IO Interactive · Eidos InteractiveOn PC · Mac

Same family as Hotline Miami: strong narrative focus, melee combat and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and combat — its own ground is stealth mechanics and a third-person camera.

It predates Hotline Miami by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Combat39Visuals0
12

Mafia

65
NGL79
Mafia
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkHardcore
Year 2002Dev Illusion Softworks · Gathering of DevelopersOn PC

On paper it is what Hotline Miami is — strong narrative focus, melee combat and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Where the two diverge is visuals and combat: stealth mechanics and a third-person camera.

It predates Hotline Miami by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone100Game mode80Combat52Visuals0
13

Returnal

60
NGL84
Returnal
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeHardcoreDarkNarrative
Year 2021Dev Housemarque · Sony Interactive EntertainmentOn PC · PS5

It comes from the same genre as Hotline Miami and shares punishing difficulty, melee combat and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and game mode — its own ground is co-op play and a first-person view.

Released 9 years after Hotline Miami.

Genre100Tone100Combat81Game mode23Visuals0
14

Paint the Town Red

66
NGL82
Paint the Town Red
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedDarkHardcoreIsometric
Year 2015Dev South East GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

It comes from the same genre as Hotline Miami and shares dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on an isometric view. The distance is in visuals and game mode — its own ground is multiplayer gameplay and a first-person view.

Released 3 years after Hotline Miami.

Genre100Combat100Tone94Game mode35Visuals33
15

DOOM

63
NGL92
DOOM
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloRangedMeleeDarkHardcore
Year 1993Dev SEGAOn PC · PS · Xbox

It comes from the same genre as Hotline Miami and shares dark, oppressive atmosphere, ranged combat and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and game mode — its own ground is multiplayer gameplay and a first-person view.

It predates Hotline Miami by 19 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Tone93Game mode35Visuals0

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 Hotline Miami by category

If Hotline Miami left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the puzzle or the dark that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on 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 Hotline Miami look-alike but simply the best Arena FPS 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 Shooter Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.