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Paper Trail similar games & best alternatives

Paper Trail

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 • 2024

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Quick resume

Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, set in a foldable, paper world.

Global score

95/100

Genres

Adventure, Casual, Indie, Strategy, Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Unique and creative folding mechanic
    • Beautiful hand-drawn art and soothing soundtrack
    • Balanced and rewarding puzzle difficulty
    • Charming narrative and characters
    • Helpful hint system for accessibility

    Cons

    • Story can feel vague or underdeveloped
    • Some puzzles may feel repetitive or tedious
    • Limited length and replay value for some players
    • Minor ui issues with folding controls
    • Lack of deeper social or multiplayer features

    Motivations

    • Autonomy

      Game with the same Autonomy vibe

      4

      "Players have freedom to choose how to solve puzzles with multiple tools and approaches, encouraging personal decision-making and creativity."

      Capsule for POPUCOM POPUCOM

      "Players have freedom to explore puzzle solutions and fold the paper in various ways to progress, requiring personal problem solving and decision making."

    • Competence

      Game with the same Competence vibe

      4

      "The game offers increasingly challenging puzzles that require skillful planning and spatial reasoning, with feedback from puzzle success or failure."

      Capsule for RUSH RUSH

      "The game offers challenging puzzles that require skillful spatial reasoning and problem solving, with a balanced difficulty curve and rewarding solutions."

    • Competition

      Game with the same Competition vibe

      -4

      "Focus is on individual puzzle solving at personal pace; no mention of competitive or ranked modes."

      Capsule for Linelith Linelith

      "Focus is on individual puzzle solving at personal pace, with no mention of competitive or ranked modes."

    • Continuation

      Game with the same Continuation vibe

      3

      "Players report long play sessions, replaying for collectibles and achievements, and enjoying multiple modes, indicating sustained engagement."

      Capsule for POPUCOM POPUCOM

      "Players report being hooked and spending multiple hours, with some replaying for collectibles and achievements, indicating sustained engagement."

    • Cooperation

      Game with the same Cooperation vibe

      -5

      "The game is a single-player puzzle experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements."

      Capsule for Everyday Genius: SquareLogic Everyday Genius: SquareLogic

      "The game is a single-player puzzle experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements."

    • Creativity

      Game with the same Creativity vibe

      5

      "Highly creative handcrafted paper art style and unique puzzle design; players interact with a meticulously crafted paper world."

      Capsule for Papetura Papetura

      "Highly creative core mechanic of folding paper to solve puzzles, with unique level designs and evolving mechanics."

    • Domination

      Game with the same Domination vibe

      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; purely personal puzzle experience."

      Capsule for Isles of Sea and Sky Isles of Sea and Sky

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; purely personal puzzle experience."

    • Escapism

      Game with the same Escapism vibe

      4

      "Immersive natural environments, relaxing music, and story provide a strong escape from real life."

      Capsule for Valley Valley

      "The charming story, immersive art, and relaxing music provide a pleasant escape from real life."

    • Expectation

      Game with the same Expectation vibe

      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment of puzzles and story."

      Capsule for Wanderer Wanderer

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment of puzzles and story."

    • Experimenting

      Game with the same Experimenting vibe

      4

      "Players experiment with connecting panels and new mechanics introduced progressively to solve puzzles."

      Capsule for The Pedestrian The Pedestrian

      "Players experiment with folding mechanics and new puzzle elements introduced in each chapter."

    • Exploration

      Game with the same Exploration vibe

      3

      "Game encourages discovering hidden collectibles and secrets within a layered world."

      Capsule for Neversong Neversong

      "Players discover new areas and secrets by unfolding and folding the paper world, collecting hidden origami."

    • Expression

      Game with the same Expression vibe

      -3

      "Limited customization; focus is on puzzle solving rather than avatar or environment personalization."

      Capsule for Paquerette Down the Bunburrows Paquerette Down the Bunburrows

      "Limited customization; focus is on puzzle solving rather than avatar or environment personalization."

    • Fantasy

      Game with the same Fantasy vibe

      3

      "Story involves imaginative fiction elements, mystery, and character-driven narrative."

      Capsule for vivid/stasis vivid/stasis

      "The narrative has imaginative elements such as folding space and time, and a fairy tale-like atmosphere."

    • Fellowship

      Game with the same Fellowship vibe

      -4

      "Primarily a solo experience with minimal social interaction."

      Capsule for Songs for a Hero - Definitive Edition Songs for a Hero - Definitive Edition

      "Primarily a solo experience with minimal social interaction."

    • Growth

      Game with the same Growth vibe

      4

      "Players develop spatial reasoning and puzzle-solving skills progressively through the game."

      Capsule for TRI: Of Friendship and Madness TRI: Of Friendship and Madness

      "Players develop spatial reasoning and puzzle-solving skills progressively through the game."

    • Health

      Game with the same Health vibe

      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

      Capsule for Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

    • Idle

      Game with the same Idle vibe

      -3

      "Requires focused attention to solve puzzles; not designed for passive or background play."

      Capsule for A Monster's Expedition A Monster's Expedition

      "Requires focused attention to solve puzzles; not designed for passive or background play."

    • Intimacy

      Game with the same Intimacy vibe

      -4

      "No evidence of close social relationships or emotional sharing; mostly individual play."

      Capsule for Typoman Typoman

      "No evidence of forming close social relationships; mostly individual play."

    • Leadership

      Game with the same Leadership vibe

      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements present."

      Capsule for Stray Stray

      "No leadership or group management elements present."

    • Progression

      Game with the same Progression vibe

      3

      "Progression through levels, achievements, and collectibles provides a sense of advancement and accomplishment."

      Capsule for I Expect You To Die I Expect You To Die

      "Progression through levels and collecting origami provides a sense of advancement and achievement."

    • Relaxation

      Game with the same Relaxation vibe

      4

      "Players describe the game as cozy, charming, and relaxing with pleasant music and art."

      Capsule for Storyteller Storyteller

      "Many players describe the game as cozy, calming, and relaxing with soothing music and art."

    • Sensation

      Game with the same Sensation vibe

      3

      "Pleasant sensory experience with beautiful visuals and satisfying audio feedback."

      Capsule for Tiny Glade Tiny Glade

      "Enjoyable sensory experience with beautiful visuals, sound design, and tactile paper folding sounds."

    • Status

      Game with the same Status vibe

      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems involved."

      Capsule for Psalm 5:9-13 Psalm 5:9-13

      "No social recognition or status systems involved."

    • Story

      Game with the same Story vibe

      3

      "Game features a meaningful narrative woven into puzzles, enhancing immersion."

      Capsule for Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege Escape Room - Der kranke Kollege

      "The game features a narrative with characters and plot elements integrated with the puzzles."

    • Strategy

      Game with the same Strategy vibe

      4

      "Puzzles require logical thinking, planning, and problem solving."

      Capsule for I hate this game I hate this game

      "Puzzles require logical thinking, planning folds ahead, and problem solving."

    • Thrill

      Game with the same Thrill vibe

      -3

      "Gameplay is calm and meditative rather than suspenseful or high risk."

      Capsule for Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions

      "The game is more about calm engagement than suspense or risk."

    • Value

      Game with the same Value vibe

      3

      "Players generally feel the game offers good value for its price, especially on sale."

      Capsule for BE-A Walker BE-A Walker

      "Players generally feel the game offers good value for its price, especially on sale."

    • Violence

      Game with the same Violence vibe

      -5

      "Non-violent gameplay focused on puzzle solving and exploration."

      Capsule for Unravel Unravel

      "Non-violent gameplay focused on puzzle solving and exploration."

    • Survival

      Game with the same Survival vibe

      -5

      "No survival or threat avoidance mechanics present."

      Capsule for Roll Roll

      "No survival or threat avoidance mechanics present."

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Survival, Violence, Fellowship, Expression. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Creativity, Strategy. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Thrill.

    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

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 30/04/2026