Estranged: The Departure similar games & best alternatives
Estranged: The Departure
2020
Related articles
Quick resume
Estranged: The Departure follows the story of a fisherman, stranded on a mysterious island during a violent storm. Little does he know his adventure has just begun, and the island is home to more than it first seems.
Global score
86/100
Genres
Action, Adventure, Casual, Indie, Puzzle
Similar games
Pros
- Immersive atmosphere and story
- Good graphics and lighting for indie game
- Puzzle solving and exploration
- Low price or free
- Regular updates and developer engagement
Cons
- Short game length
- Some combat feels unsatisfying
- Linear gameplay with limited novelty
- Minor bugs and glitches
- Lack of save system in early versions
Motivations
-
Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
3"Players explore an island and solve puzzles at their own pace with freedom to investigate, though the progression is fairly linear."
Odyssey - The Story of Science
"Players explore a mysterious island with some freedom, solving puzzles and progressing the story, though gameplay is mostly linear."
-
Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
2"The game involves puzzle solving and creative thinking, providing some skill challenge, though combat is described as simple and sometimes frustrating."
Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure
"Game involves puzzle solving and some combat, but combat is described as simple and sometimes unsatisfying; puzzles are straightforward."
-
Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-5"No evidence of competitive or ranked modes; focus is on single-player experience without comparison to others."
SCP: Fragmented Minds
"No evidence of competitive or ranked modes; focus is on single-player experience without comparison to others."
-
Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
2"Players express desire to replay for achievements and look forward to sequels, though game is short."
Gordian Rooms 1: A curious heritage
"Players express anticipation for sequels and replay for achievements, but game is short and some find it easy to put down."
-
Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
-5"Entirely single-player with no multiplayer or cooperative elements mentioned."
METAL EDEN
"Entirely single-player with no multiplayer or cooperative elements mentioned."
-
Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
1"Some creative puzzle solving and interaction with environment, but mostly follows predefined level designs and story progression."
Disney•Pixar WALL-E
"Some environmental interaction and puzzle solving, but mostly following designed paths and scripted events."
-
Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-5"No social dominance or power over others; purely single-player narrative focus."
Half-Life 2: Episode Two
"No social dominance or power over others; single-player narrative focus."
-
Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
4"Players enjoy immersive story, beautiful world, and relaxing mechanics as a form of escape."
Jivana
"Players enjoy immersive atmosphere, suspense, and story as a form of escape and relaxation."
-
Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and nostalgia; no indication of obligation or pressure."
Tales of Symphonia
"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and nostalgia; no indication of obligation or pressure."
-
Experimenting
Game with the same Experimenting vibe
-2"Gameplay is mostly linear with simple puzzles; limited novelty or experimentation beyond exploring scenes."
Gomo
"Gameplay is mostly linear with limited experimentation; some exploration and puzzle solving allow minor novelty."
-
Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
3"Players explore changing environments and uncover story elements, though within limited and repeated spaces."
Locked Up
"Exploration of diverse environments and uncovering story elements is a key part of the experience."
-
Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
-5"No character customization or player expression; fixed protagonist and presentation."
Phantasmagoria
"No character customization or player expression; fixed protagonist and presentation."
-
Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
3"Game features fictional zombie outbreak and exaggerated combat scenarios; some realistic elements but overall imaginative fiction."
The Killing Antidote
"Game features fictional story with zombies and mysterious corporations, providing imaginative fiction."
-
Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
-5"No social or community features; purely solo play."
CARRION
"No social or community features; purely solo play."
-
Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
2"Players learn story details, puzzle solutions, and game mechanics through play, but limited skill development."
Repella Fella
"Players learn puzzles and game mechanics, but limited skill development or complexity."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-5"Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."
Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced
"Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."
-
Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
-3"Requires focused attention during play; not designed for background or casual intermittent play."
Copycat
"Requires focused attention during play; not designed for background or casual intermittent play."
-
Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
-5"No social or emotional relationship building; single-player narrative only."
Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation (1999)
"No social or emotional relationship building; single-player narrative only."
-
Leadership
Game with the same Leadership vibe
-5"No leadership or group management elements."
High On Life
"No leadership or group management elements."
-
Progression
Game with the same Progression vibe
2"Players collect items and unlock new areas, but progression is relatively linear and limited."
Hello Neighbor 2
"Players collect items and unlock new areas, but progression is linear and limited."
-
Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
3"Atmosphere and pacing provide a balance of tension and flow, with moments of calm and suspense."
The Last Door: Season 2 - Collector's Edition
"Atmosphere and pacing provide a balance of suspense and calm moments, offering a relaxing experience."
-
Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
3"Strong atmospheric audio and visual effects create immersive sensory experience."
Near Death
"Visuals and audio create immersive sensory experience with atmospheric effects and occasional scares."
-
Status
Game with the same Status vibe
-5"No social recognition or status systems."
Alan Wake
"No social recognition or status systems."
-
Story
Game with the same Story vibe
4"Strong narrative immersion through environmental storytelling, journals, and audio messages."
realMyst: Masterpiece Edition
"Strong narrative focus with immersive story, audio logs, and environmental storytelling."
-
Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
1"Puzzle solving and some combat require planning, but overall gameplay is straightforward."
The Crooked Man
"Some puzzle solving and light combat require basic planning, but overall straightforward gameplay."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
3"Suspenseful atmosphere and occasional scares provide moments of thrill and tension."
Loan Shark
"Suspenseful atmosphere and occasional scares create moments of thrill and tension."
-
Value
Game with the same Value vibe
4"Players feel the game offers good content and quality for its price."
Arco
"Players appreciate the game’s quality and content relative to its low price or free availability."
-
Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
1"Includes combat and defeating enemies, but violence is mild and not a primary focus."
My Little Universe
"Includes combat with zombies and mercenaries, but violence is moderate and not the main focus."
-
Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
2"Some survival elements exist such as resource management and defending against raids, but not highly challenging."
Noble Legacy
"Some survival elements like limited ammo and avoiding threats, but not highly challenging."
Analysis
Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Relaxation. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Experimenting, Expression.
How to use the graph
Similar games map
Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.
- Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
- Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
- Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
- Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.
Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.
Last update: 30/04/2026