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Outlast similar games & best alternatives

Outlast

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Linux • 2013

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Quick resume

Hell is an experiment you can't survive in Outlast, a first-person survival horror game developed by veterans of some of the biggest game franchises in history. As investigative journalist Miles Upshur, explore Mount Massive Asylum and try to survive long enough to discover its terrible secret... if you dare.

Global score

96/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Indie

Similar games

    Pros

    • Intense horror atmosphere
    • Engaging story and lore
    • Effective sound design
    • Strong suspense and thrill
    • Well-crafted visuals for genre

    Cons

    • Short playtime
    • Repetitive gameplay mechanics
    • Linear progression
    • Lack of combat or defense
    • Can induce anxiety and stress

    Motivations

    • Autonomy

      Game with the same Autonomy vibe

      4

      "Players control a single protagonist with freedom to choose weapons and tactics, but story progression and character are fixed."

      Capsule for DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS

      "Players control a single character with freedom to explore the asylum and make decisions on hiding or running, but the linear story and fixed objectives limit full autonomy."

    • Competence

      Game with the same Competence vibe

      3

      "Game challenges players with tense navigation, resource management (limited light), and survival against enemies, requiring skill and learning."

      Capsule for Dungeon Nightmares II : The Memory Dungeon Nightmares II : The Memory

      "The game challenges players to evade enemies and manage resources like camera batteries, requiring skillful navigation and timing, though combat is absent."

    • Competition

      Game with the same Competition vibe

      -5

      "No multiplayer or competitive elements; focus is on solo experience without comparison to others."

      Capsule for Graveyard Shift Graveyard Shift

      "No multiplayer or competitive elements; gameplay focuses entirely on solo experience without comparison to others."

    • Continuation

      Game with the same Continuation vibe

      -3

      "Short game length and limited replay value lead to low habitual or long-term engagement"

      Capsule for Raji: An Ancient Epic Raji: An Ancient Epic

      "Short playtime and repetitive mechanics reduce replay value; many players report fear-induced breaks and limited long-term engagement."

    • Cooperation

      Game with the same Cooperation vibe

      -5

      "Entirely single-player with no cooperative gameplay or social collaboration."

      Capsule for Twelve Minutes Twelve Minutes

      "Entirely single-player with no cooperative gameplay or social collaboration."

    • Creativity

      Game with the same Creativity vibe

      1

      "Some exploration and interaction with environment, but no player-driven creation or modification."

      Capsule for Summerland Summerland

      "Players explore and interact with the environment but follow a linear path with limited variation in tasks and no creation or modification."

    • Domination

      Game with the same Domination vibe

      -5

      "No elements of exerting control over others; player is vulnerable and must evade enemies."

      Capsule for Don't Be Afraid Don't Be Afraid

      "No elements of exerting control over others; player is vulnerable and must evade threats."

    • Escapism

      Game with the same Escapism vibe

      5

      "Strong escapism through intense horror atmosphere and immersion in a terrifying survival scenario."

      Capsule for Monstrum Monstrum

      "Strong escapism through intense horror atmosphere, stress relief via immersion in a terrifying fictional setting."

    • Expectation

      Game with the same Expectation vibe

      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest in horror and story; no external pressure or obligation."

      Capsule for Amnesia: Rebirth Amnesia: Rebirth

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest in horror genre; no obligation or external pressure to play."

    • Experimenting

      Game with the same Experimenting vibe

      -2

      "Limited experimentation; gameplay is repetitive with little novelty or exploration of mechanics."

      Capsule for Blood Feed Blood Feed

      "Gameplay is largely repetitive and linear with limited experimentation; some players explore to find batteries and documents."

    • Exploration

      Game with the same Exploration vibe

      2

      "Players explore haunted house environments and search for items, though maps are limited and somewhat familiar."

      Capsule for The Escape: Together The Escape: Together

      "Players explore the asylum environment to find items and documents, but within a confined and familiar map."

    • Expression

      Game with the same Expression vibe

      -5

      "No character customization or self-expression features; fixed protagonist and presentation."

      Capsule for Skinfreak Skinfreak

      "No character customization or self-expression; fixed protagonist and preset aesthetics."

    • Fantasy

      Game with the same Fantasy vibe

      4

      "Strong fantasy and supernatural elements with psychological horror and surreal storytelling."

      Capsule for My Big Sister My Big Sister

      "Strong fantasy elements with supernatural and horrific creatures, surreal and improbable events in a fictional asylum."

    • Fellowship

      Game with the same Fellowship vibe

      -5

      "Solo experience without social or community features."

      Capsule for Apollo 11 VR Apollo 11 VR

      "Solo experience without social or community features."

    • Growth

      Game with the same Growth vibe

      2

      "Players learn enemy patterns and survival strategies through gameplay."

      Capsule for They Breathe They Breathe

      "Players learn enemy patterns and map layouts to improve survival, though gameplay remains fairly straightforward."

    • Health

      Game with the same Health vibe

      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health benefits."

      Capsule for Lost Lost

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health benefits."

    • Idle

      Game with the same Idle vibe

      -4

      "Requires continuous attention and focus due to tense atmosphere and permadeath."

      Capsule for [Chilla's Art] Aka Manto | 赤マント [Chilla's Art] Aka Manto | 赤マント

      "Requires continuous attention and focus due to tense atmosphere and constant threats."

    • Intimacy

      Game with the same Intimacy vibe

      -5

      "No social or emotional connections formed; solo experience."

      Capsule for The Slormancer The Slormancer

      "No social or emotional connections formed; isolated solo experience."

    • Leadership

      Game with the same Leadership vibe

      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; player acts independently."

      Capsule for Go Home Dinosaurs! Go Home Dinosaurs!

      "No leadership or group management roles; player acts independently."

    • Progression

      Game with the same Progression vibe

      3

      "Progression through collecting items and unlocking new areas; story unfolds gradually."

      Capsule for The Land of Pain The Land of Pain

      "Progression through collecting batteries, documents, and unlocking new areas; linear but with item accumulation."

    • Relaxation

      Game with the same Relaxation vibe

      -5

      "Sustained tension, fear, and anxiety dominate; game is designed to induce stress rather than relaxation."

      Capsule for Cry of Fear Cry of Fear

      "Sustained tension and stress dominate; players report anxiety and fear rather than relaxation."

    • Sensation

      Game with the same Sensation vibe

      4

      "Strong sensory stimulation from horror visuals, sound design, and jump scares."

      Capsule for Dark Hours: Prologue Dark Hours: Prologue

      "Strong sensory stimulation through intense audio-visual horror effects and jump scares."

    • Status

      Game with the same Status vibe

      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems; individual play."

      Capsule for Thief Thief

      "No social recognition or status systems; individual play without visibility."

    • Story

      Game with the same Story vibe

      3

      "Engaging narrative with a clear plot and lore, though not a masterpiece; story is a key motivator."

      Capsule for Summer of '58 Summer of '58

      "Engaging narrative with documents and plot twists, though some find it predictable or thin; story is a key motivator."

    • Strategy

      Game with the same Strategy vibe

      2

      "Requires planning routes, managing stamina, and timing evasion, though limited complexity."

      Capsule for The Coma: Recut The Coma: Recut

      "Requires planning routes, managing battery usage, and timing escapes, but overall straightforward linear progression."

    • Thrill

      Game with the same Thrill vibe

      5

      "High suspense, jump scares, and fear create intense thrill and adrenaline."

      Capsule for DARK NIGHT WITH FLOPPA DARK NIGHT WITH FLOPPA

      "High thrill from suspense, jump scares, and constant threat of death; players experience intense fear and adrenaline."

    • Value

      Game with the same Value vibe

      3

      "Generally considered good value especially on sale; short length balanced by quality experience."

      Capsule for The Turing Test The Turing Test

      "Generally considered good value for price, especially on sale; short length balanced by quality experience."

    • Violence

      Game with the same Violence vibe

      5

      "Graphic descriptions of gore and violence are central to the horror experience."

      Capsule for Corpse Party Corpse Party

      "Graphic violence, gore, and brutal scenes are central to the horror experience."

    • Survival

      Game with the same Survival vibe

      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around avoiding death, managing resources, and surviving hostile threats."

      Capsule for A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead

      "Core gameplay revolves around avoiding death, managing limited resources, and surviving hostile enemies."

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Relaxation, Continuation, Experimenting.

    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.

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 30/04/2026