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They Always Run similar games & best alternatives

They Always Run

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 • 2021

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Quick resume

Become Aiden, a three-armed mutant who hunts the most dangerous bounties in the galaxy. Catch, slice, dice and destroy enemies in this exciting 2D platformer with a space-western setting.

Global score

80/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Platform, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Arcade, Indie, Fighting

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    Pros

    • Beautiful art style and animation
    • Engaging combat system
    • Compelling story with plot twists
    • Satisfying soundtrack
    • Linear progression with upgrades

    Cons

    • Clunky and sometimes unresponsive controls
    • Janky platforming and collision detection
    • Repetitive enemy types and combat
    • Abrupt cliffhanger ending
    • Some bugs and glitches reported

    Motivations

    • Autonomy

      Game with the same Autonomy vibe

      3

      "Players have control over combat style, weapon upgrades, and exploration, but the game is largely linear with fixed level progression."

      Capsule for Alice: Madness Returns Alice: Madness Returns

      "Players have control over combat style, upgrades, and bounty choices, but the game is linear with fixed progression."

    • Competence

      Game with the same Competence vibe

      4

      "Combat is skill-based with deep combos and responsive controls; platforming offers challenge but some frustration."

      Capsule for SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance

      "Combat and platforming provide skill challenges and require mastery, though some controls are clunky."

    • Competition

      Game with the same Competition vibe

      -4

      "Focus is on single-player experience without competitive or leaderboard elements."

      Capsule for Half-Life: Alyx Half-Life: Alyx

      "Focus is on single-player experience without competitive or leaderboard elements."

    • Continuation

      Game with the same Continuation vibe

      3

      "Players report being engaged and wanting to continue playing despite some frustration with puzzles; some replayability noted."

      Capsule for MADiSON MADiSON

      "Players report being engaged and wanting to continue playing despite some frustrations."

    • Cooperation

      Game with the same Cooperation vibe

      -5

      "Entirely single-player with no cooperative gameplay."

      Capsule for 100 hidden snails 100 hidden snails

      "Entirely single-player with no cooperative gameplay."

    • Creativity

      Game with the same Creativity vibe

      2

      "Players can customize skill builds and use various weapons and abilities, but level design and story are linear and fixed."

      Capsule for Bright Memory: Infinite Bright Memory: Infinite

      "Players can customize upgrades and combat approach, but level design and story are linear."

    • Domination

      Game with the same Domination vibe

      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; single-player focus."

      Capsule for ADACA ADACA

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; single-player focus."

    • Escapism

      Game with the same Escapism vibe

      4

      "Players use the game to immerse in a vast sci-fi universe, escaping real life with exploration, combat, and story."

      Capsule for Parkan 2 Parkan 2

      "Players use the game to immerse in a sci-fi bounty hunter world, escaping real life."

    • Expectation

      Game with the same Expectation vibe

      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, not obligation."

      Capsule for Big Pharma Big Pharma

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, not obligation."

    • Experimenting

      Game with the same Experimenting vibe

      2

      "Some experimentation with combat combos and weapon use, but overall gameplay is repetitive and linear."

      Capsule for BloodRayne (Legacy) BloodRayne (Legacy)

      "Some experimentation with combat combos and upgrades, but overall linear gameplay."

    • Exploration

      Game with the same Exploration vibe

      -3

      "Game is mostly linear with limited backtracking and exploration; maps reveal entire areas on entry reducing discovery."

      Capsule for Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU

      "Game is mostly linear with limited exploration and no metroidvania style backtracking."

    • Expression

      Game with the same Expression vibe

      1

      "Limited character selection and some customization, but mostly standardized presentation."

      Capsule for The Apogee Throwback Pack The Apogee Throwback Pack

      "Limited character customization, mostly fixed presentation with some upgrade choices."

    • Fantasy

      Game with the same Fantasy vibe

      5

      "Strong sci-fi fantasy setting with imaginative characters, enemies, and lore."

      Capsule for Risk of Rain 2 Risk of Rain 2

      "Strong sci-fi fantasy setting with bounty hunter narrative and imaginative world."

    • Fellowship

      Game with the same Fellowship vibe

      -5

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

      Capsule for Rustler (Grand Theft Horse) Rustler (Grand Theft Horse)

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

    • Growth

      Game with the same Growth vibe

      3

      "Players develop skills in combat and platforming; progression through upgrades and new abilities."

      Capsule for Olija Olija

      "Players develop skill in combat and platforming and unlock upgrades."

    • Health

      Game with the same Health vibe

      -5

      "Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

      Capsule for Friendly Fire Friendly Fire

      "Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

    • Idle

      Game with the same Idle vibe

      -4

      "Requires continuous attention and focus due to challenging combat and platforming."

      Capsule for Valfaris Valfaris

      "Requires focused attention due to challenging combat and platforming."

    • Intimacy

      Game with the same Intimacy vibe

      -5

      "No social or emotional relationship building features."

      Capsule for Poppy Playtime Poppy Playtime

      "No social or emotional relationship building features."

    • Leadership

      Game with the same Leadership vibe

      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements."

      Capsule for High On Life High On Life

      "No leadership or group management elements."

    • Progression

      Game with the same Progression vibe

      4

      "Players accumulate weapons, upgrades, and abilities to progress through the game."

      Capsule for Cookie Cutter: Overkill Edition Cookie Cutter: Overkill Edition

      "Players accumulate upgrades, weapons, and abilities as they progress."

    • Relaxation

      Game with the same Relaxation vibe

      -2

      "Gameplay is often tense and challenging, with frustration reported."

      Capsule for Tomato Way Tomato Way

      "Gameplay can be tense and challenging, with some frustration reported."

    • Sensation

      Game with the same Sensation vibe

      3

      "Enjoyable visual effects, animations, and soundtrack provide sensory stimulation."

      Capsule for Noobs Are Coming Noobs Are Coming

      "Visuals, animations, and soundtrack provide strong sensory stimulation."

    • Status

      Game with the same Status vibe

      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems."

      Capsule for Alan Wake Alan Wake

      "No social recognition or status systems."

    • Story

      Game with the same Story vibe

      4

      "Narrative-driven with engaging story, character interactions, and plot twists."

      Capsule for Fears to Fathom - Carson House Fears to Fathom - Carson House

      "Engaging narrative with character interactions and plot twists, though linear."

    • Strategy

      Game with the same Strategy vibe

      2

      "Combat and equipment upgrades require some planning and tactical thinking, though not highly complex."

      Capsule for Like a Dragon: Ishin! Like a Dragon: Ishin!

      "Combat and upgrade choices require some planning, but overall straightforward."

    • Thrill

      Game with the same Thrill vibe

      3

      "Combat and platforming provide moments of tension and excitement."

      Capsule for BloodRayne 2 (Legacy) BloodRayne 2 (Legacy)

      "Combat and platforming provide moments of tension and excitement."

    • Value

      Game with the same Value vibe

      3

      "Players generally feel the game offers good value for time and money, especially on sale."

      Capsule for Song of Farca Song of Farca

      "Players feel the game offers good value for time and money, especially on sale."

    • Violence

      Game with the same Violence vibe

      4

      "Combat involves melee attacks, dodging, and defeating enemies with weapons."

      Capsule for Devil Slayer - Raksasi Devil Slayer - Raksasi

      "Combat involves defeating enemies with weapons and melee attacks."

    • Survival

      Game with the same Survival vibe

      2

      "Players must avoid death and manage health through challenging platforming and combat."

      Capsule for Pharaoh Rebirth+ Pharaoh Rebirth+

      "Players must manage health and avoid death in challenging combat and platforming."

    Analysis

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

    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

    Last update: 30/04/2026