The Initial similar games & best alternatives

The Initial - the-initial_1.avif
The Initial - the-initial_2.avif
The Initial - the-initial_3.avif
The Initial - the-initial_4.avif
The Initial - the-initial_5.avif
The Initial - the-initial_6.avif

The Initial

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac • 2017

Should you play it?

THE INITIAL is a hyper action game about pretty schoolgirls battling against evil. It's developed by a small team of five developers. We hope you will love this game as much as we do.

What works
  • Responsive and fluid combat
  • Good value for price
  • Anime-style graphics and music
  • Active developer support and updates
  • Challenging boss fights
Things to keep in mind
  • Limited enemy variety and repetitive levels
  • Poor camera and lock-on system
  • Short game length with low replayability
  • Minimal story and weak localization
  • Lack of controller key remapping initially

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • Insect Swarm

  • SHOWTIME 2073

  • Bleak Sword DX

  • Cryptis

  • HunterX

  • Dust & Neon

  • Thymesia

  • Swarm Grinder

  • Bright Memory
Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • SHOWTIME 2073

  • HunterX

  • Dust & Neon
If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

  • Competence

    Vernal Edge
  • Fantasy

    UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late
  • Violence

    Survivors of the Dawn

Similarity map

Explore nearby similar games and see why they’re close.

How to use the graph
Similarity map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Why this game works” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

  • Purple star: this page’s game — everything on the map is relative to it.
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot for a screenshot preview, score, and top score gaps; click to compare in the panel on the right.
  • 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 (hidden on purpose).

The Initial: Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Status. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Story, Exploration, Continuation.

Why this game works

A motivational profile of the game, with the closest similar game for each player motivation.

  • Autonomy

    Game with the same Autonomy vibe

    3

    "Players have freedom to choose combat style, skills, and weapon usage, but progression and encounters are linear and scripted."

    Capsule for UnderParty UnderParty

    "Players can choose moves and combos to unlock and use, with some freedom in combat style, but progression and encounters are linear and scripted."

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    4

    "Combat requires skillful combos, timing, and strategy; bosses demand pattern learning and mastery."

    Capsule for Vernal Edge Vernal Edge

    "Combat requires skillful timing, dodging, and combo execution; bosses demand pattern recognition and precise reactions."

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    -3

    "Focus is on single-player campaign and personal progression; no evidence of multiplayer or ranked competition."

    Capsule for Steampunk Tower 2 Steampunk Tower 2

    "Focus is on single-player progression and personal mastery; no evidence of ranked or multiplayer competition."

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    -2

    "Some players find the game repetitive and short, leading to limited replay value and eventual disengagement."

    Capsule for Caravan Caravan

    "Short game length and repetitive enemy types reduce replay motivation; some players quickly lose interest after first playthrough."

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    -5

    "Entirely single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements."

    Capsule for The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut The Witcher: Enhanced Edition Director's Cut

    "Entirely single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements."

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    -1

    "Limited customization beyond stat upgrades and weapon choices; no character creation or map editing."

    Capsule for Alien Shooter 2 Conscription Alien Shooter 2 Conscription

    "Limited character and enemy variety; some combo customization but mostly predefined moves and linear progression."

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    -4

    "No player-vs-player or dominance mechanics; interactions are individual and equal."

    Capsule for CROSSBOW: Bloodnight CROSSBOW: Bloodnight

    "No player-versus-player or social dominance features; interactions are individual and balanced."

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    3

    "Anime fantasy setting and fast-paced fighting provide distraction and immersive escapism."

    Capsule for Million Arthur: Arcana Blood Million Arthur: Arcana Blood

    "Anime-style fantasy setting and fast-paced combat provide distraction and stress relief from real life."

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily for fun and interest; no obligation or external pressure reported."

    Capsule for Buggos 2 Buggos 2

    "Players engage voluntarily for fun and interest; no obligation or external pressure reported."

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    2

    "Players can try different strategies, alliances, and troop compositions, though some tactics become repetitive."

    Capsule for NOBUNAGA'S AMBITION: Kakushin with Power Up Kit NOBUNAGA'S AMBITION: Kakushin with Power Up Kit

    "Players try different combos and tactics within combat; however, enemy variety and level design limit novelty."

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    -3

    "Linear levels with limited exploration; focus is on combat rather than discovering new areas."

    Capsule for DED DED

    "Linear levels with limited environments and repeated enemy encounters; minimal discovery or open exploration."

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    -3

    "Limited character customization; upgrades available but no avatar personalization or cosmetic modifications."

    Capsule for Death in the Water 2 Death in the Water 2

    "Character customization limited to move unlocks; no avatar personalization or cosmetic modifications."

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    4

    "Strong anime fantasy theme with imaginative characters, supernatural powers, and stylized combat."

    Capsule for UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late

    "Anime-inspired fictional world with supernatural elements and stylized combat."

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    -5

    "No social or community features; solo play only."

    Capsule for Bright Memory: Infinite Bright Memory: Infinite

    "No social or community features; solo play only."

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    3

    "Players learn combat mechanics, improve skill, and unlock new modes and perks, showing personal development."

    Capsule for Diehard Dungeon Diehard Dungeon

    "Players learn and improve combat skills and unlock new moves, showing personal development."

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

    "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

    Capsule for Car Manufacture Car Manufacture

    "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -4

    "Requires focused attention due to timing-based combat; not suitable for idle or background play."

    Capsule for Han'yo Han'yo

    "Requires continuous player attention and focus during combat; not suitable for background or idle play."

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    -5

    "No social or emotional relationship building; interactions are limited to gameplay."

    Capsule for Wedding Witch Wedding Witch

    "No social or emotional relationship building; interactions are limited to gameplay."

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    -5

    "No leadership or group management roles; purely individual gameplay."

    Capsule for Slay the Spire Slay the Spire

    "No leadership or group management roles; purely individual gameplay."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    3

    "Players accumulate points to unlock abilities and upgrades; progression tied to performance and replay."

    Capsule for Clustertruck Clustertruck

    "Players accumulate points to unlock combos and abilities, progressing character capabilities."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    -1

    "Combat is deliberate and can be tense; some players find it frustrating or slow paced."

    Capsule for Morbid: The Seven Acolytes Morbid: The Seven Acolytes

    "Fast-paced combat can be tense and challenging; some players find it stressful rather than relaxing."

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    3

    "Visual and auditory effects are engaging and contribute to excitement."

    Capsule for Dota 2 Dota 2

    "Visual and auditory effects are stimulating and contribute to excitement and enjoyment."

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    -5

    "No social recognition or ranking systems; achievements are personal and not publicly ranked."

    Capsule for EARTH'S DAWN EARTH'S DAWN

    "No social recognition or ranking systems; achievements are personal and not publicly ranked."

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    -3

    "Story is minimal, clichéd, and mostly a backdrop for gameplay; narrative immersion is low."

    Capsule for Just Cause 2 Just Cause 2

    "Story is minimal, clichéd, and poorly localized; narrative immersion is low and secondary to gameplay."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    3

    "Combat and boss fights require tactical thinking, build optimization, and pattern recognition."

    Capsule for Cat Quest III Cat Quest III

    "Combat requires tactical thinking, timing, and pattern recognition, especially in boss fights."

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    2

    "Combat and difficulty provide moments of tension and excitement, though not sustained suspense."

    Capsule for Welcome to Princeland Welcome to Princeland

    "Combat offers moments of suspense and excitement, though some players find difficulty artificial."

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    3

    "Good value for price considering gameplay length, polish, and nostalgic appeal."

    Capsule for Dungeon Antiqua Dungeon Antiqua

    "Good value for price considering game length, polish, and developer effort; especially on sale."

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    4

    "Core gameplay involves combat, destruction of enemies, and use of weapons."

    Capsule for Survivors of the Dawn Survivors of the Dawn

    "Core gameplay involves combat, destruction, and defeating enemies with weapons."

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    2

    "Players must avoid damage and survive waves of enemies and bosses; some resource and health management involved."

    Capsule for Arcadegeddon Arcadegeddon

    "Players must avoid damage and manage health carefully to survive waves and bosses."

Last update: 10/07/2026