The Survey similar games & best alternatives
The Survey
2016
Related articles
Quick resume
In the end, everybody gets what they deserve. The sins of the past always manifest within the minds of the sinners. An eternity of suffering awaits, welcome to The Survey.
Global score
72/100
Genres
Indie, Simulator, Adventure, Puzzle
Similar games
Pros
- Strong atmosphere and sound design
- Engaging and emotional story
- Effective psychological horror
- Good value for price
- Creative use of phone and survey mechanics
Cons
- Game crashes reported frequently
- Slow movement and pacing
- Short game length
- Limited save points
- Some repetitive scares and linear gameplay
Motivations
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Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
3"Players can freely explore the towers at their own pace and choose which notes to read, but the gameplay is linear and limited to walking and simple interactions."
Cloud Climber
"Players explore the house at their own pace with some freedom, but progression is linear and guided by notes and phone hints."
-
Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
2"The game involves some puzzle solving and achievement hunting, providing moderate skill challenges and feedback, though not highly difficult."
Title_Pending
"The game involves some puzzle solving and exploration with occasional hints, providing moderate skill challenge."
-
Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-5"Single-player experience with no competitive elements or comparison to others."
Little Nightmares
"Single-player experience with no competitive elements or comparison to others."
-
Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
1"Some players report replaying for relaxation and emotional impact, but overall short playtime and limited content reduce habitual play."
Gathering Sky
"Some players expressed attachment and desire to replay, but the short length and crashes reduce habitual play."
-
Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
-5"Entirely single-player with no cooperative or multiplayer features."
D1AL-ogue
"Entirely single-player with no cooperative or multiplayer features."
-
Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
3"Players creatively piece together story elements and solve puzzles by exploring and interpreting phone data, though no direct creation or modification."
A Normal Lost Phone
"Players piece together story from notes and surveys; some creative use of phone mechanics and environmental changes."
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Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-5"No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; purely individual experience."
The Henry Stickmin Collection
"No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; purely individual experience."
-
Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
4"Players use the game to immerse themselves in a tense, atmospheric horror experience, escaping real life."
The Thing: Remastered
"Players use the game to immerse themselves in a tense, atmospheric horror story, escaping real life."
-
Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily for intrinsic interest in horror and suspense; no obligation or external pressure."
Dungeon Nightmares II : The Memory
"Players engage voluntarily for entertainment and interest in horror; no obligation or external pressure."
-
Experimenting
Game with the same Experimenting vibe
1"Some exploration and puzzle experimentation, but mostly follows a linear narrative path."
Gemini Rue
"Some exploration and puzzle experimentation, but mostly following a linear path and scripted events."
-
Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
2"Players explore a small house environment and discover subtle changes and clues."
The Mirror Lied
"Players explore a small house environment with some discovery of notes and environmental changes."
-
Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
-5"No character customization or player expression; fixed character and environment presentation."
At Home Alone
"No character customization or player expression; fixed environment and presentation."
-
Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
3"Psychological horror with some supernatural or surreal elements, but grounded in a realistic setting."
Love, Sam
"Psychological horror with supernatural elements and fictional narrative, though grounded in a realistic house setting."
-
Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
-5"No social or community features; solo experience."
Quanero VR
"No social or community features; solo experience."
-
Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
2"Players learn story details and solve puzzles, gaining understanding and progressing narrative."
Rise of Insanity
"Players learn story details and solve puzzles, gaining understanding and progressing through the narrative."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-5"Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."
THE ENIGMA MACHINE
"Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."
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Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
2"Some waiting and pacing required due to real-time events, but players remain engaged with exploration and listening."
The Last Express Gold Edition
"Some waiting for timed events and slow pacing, but players generally remain engaged."
-
Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
-5"No social or emotional relationship building; strictly individual play."
Maximum Action
"No social or emotional relationship building; individual play."
-
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
3"Progression through story, unlocking areas and collecting notes and achievements."
Whispering Willows
"Progression through story milestones, collecting notes and unlocking new areas."
-
Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
-2"Tense and suspenseful atmosphere with moments of high stress; not primarily relaxing."
Death in the Water 2
"Tense and suspenseful atmosphere with moments of stress rather than relaxation."
-
Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
3"Effective use of sound design and atmospheric visuals to create emotional and sensory impact."
Love, Sam
"Effective use of sound design, lighting, and atmosphere to create emotional and sensory impact."
-
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"Engaging narrative revealed through environmental clues and exploration, with multiple endings."
The Forest
"Strong narrative focus with unfolding story through notes, phone surveys, and environmental clues."
-
Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
1"Some puzzle solving and timing challenges require basic planning and problem solving."
LISA: The First
"Some puzzle solving and exploration require basic planning and problem solving."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
4"High suspense and tension with effective scares and psychological horror elements."
Dark Fracture: Prologue
"Builds suspense and tension with effective scares and psychological horror elements."
-
Value
Game with the same Value vibe
3"Generally considered good value for the price, especially during sales, with a solid story and atmosphere."
STASIS
"Generally considered good value for price, especially on sale, given story and atmosphere."
-
Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
-5"No combat or destructive gameplay; focus on exploration and story."
Lifeless Planet Premier Edition
"No combat or destructive gameplay; focus on exploration and story."
-
Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
3"Players must avoid threats and make correct choices to survive; tension around staying alive."
Fears to Fathom - Carson House
"Players avoid threats and manage tension, though no complex survival mechanics."
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 Idle. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence, 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