19 Narrative games like The Long Dark that you should try

Shelved next to The Long Dark for good reason: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and single-player focus. To that it adds exploration and discovery. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings a space setting and multiplayer gameplay.

The genre is the same as The Long Dark’s, and with it strong narrative focus, a sandbox world and single-player focus. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. The distance is in setting and game mode — its own ground is dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.

Genre puts it alongside The Long Dark, and so does exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus. Both also lean on a first-person view. The distance is in setting and progression — its own ground is a sci-fi setting.

What brings it close to The Long Dark is strong narrative focus, open world exploration and single-player focus, and the two track each other on genre, tone and world. Both also lean on crafting mechanics and a first-person view. The distance is in setting and game mode — its own ground is a space setting and co-op play.

On paper it is what The Long Dark is — strong narrative focus, single-player focus and a first-person view — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is fantasy world and an isometric view.

Same family as The Long Dark: strong narrative focus and single-player focus. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings a sci-fi setting and an isometric view.

It comes from the same genre as The Long Dark and shares strong narrative focus, open world exploration and single-player focus. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. The distance is in game mode and tone — its own ground is a casual, approachable feel and multiplayer gameplay.

On paper it is what The Long Dark is — strong narrative focus and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.

Same family as The Long Dark: strong narrative focus, open world exploration and single-player focus. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. They part company on setting and progression: this one brings dark, oppressive atmosphere and a sci-fi setting.

It comes from the same genre as The Long Dark and shares strong narrative focus, open world exploration and single-player focus. To that it adds exploration and discovery. They part company on visuals and tone: this one brings a casual, approachable feel and procedural generation.

Shelved next to The Long Dark for good reason: exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus. The common ground extends to a first-person view. Where the two diverge is setting and tone: punishing difficulty and a sci-fi setting.

It comes from the same genre as The Long Dark and shares strong narrative focus, single-player focus and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is setting and tone: dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.

Shelved next to The Long Dark for good reason: strong narrative focus, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings a casual, approachable feel and fantasy world.

The genre is the same as The Long Dark’s, and with it exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.

Shelved next to The Long Dark for good reason: exploration and discovery, strong narrative focus, and single-player focus. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.