Wayward similar games & best alternatives
Wayward
2016
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Quick resume
You awake to discover yourself no longer in the company of good men or a fine seafaring vessel. Treasure... you remember something about treasure. Wayward is a challenging turn-based, top-down, wilderness survival roguelike. Explore, build, and most importantly survive in these unforgiving lands.
Global score
86/100
Genres
Adventure, Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Early Access, Strategy
Similar games
Pros
- Deep and rewarding crafting system
- Challenging survival mechanics
- Procedurally generated exploration
- Active developer support and updates
- High replay value with skill progression
Cons
- Steep learning curve and unintuitive ui
- Tedious inventory management
- Harsh difficulty spikes early on
- Limited social and multiplayer features
- Some players find reputation system frustrating
Motivations
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Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
4"Players have control over exploration, puzzle solving, combat approach (run or fight), and difficulty mode choice (survival or exploration)."
Crow Country
"Players have high control over actions, crafting, exploration, and survival strategies with multiple playstyles and difficulty settings."
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Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
5"The game requires mastering complex survival mechanics, combat tactics, crafting, and resource management, providing a strong sense of skill and effectiveness."
Project Zomboid
"The game demands skillful management of resources, crafting, combat, and survival mechanics with clear feedback and progression."
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Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-3"Focus is primarily on personal progression and survival; multiplayer is cooperative rather than competitive."
ICARUS
"Focus is mainly on individual survival and progression; multiplayer exists but is not the core competitive element."
-
Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
4"High replayability with procedural generation, frequent updates, and a strong community encourage long-term engagement."
Deep Rock Galactic
"High replay value with procedural generation, skill progression, and ongoing updates encourage long-term engagement."
-
Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
1"Some multiplayer modes support cooperation, but majority of gameplay is single player or competitive."
Heroes® of Might & Magic® III - HD Edition
"Multiplayer mode supports cooperation but most player experiences and content focus on solo play."
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Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
4"Extensive base building and crafting system allowing creative construction and customization"
Subsistence
"Extensive crafting system, base building, and mod support allow for creative problem solving and customization."
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Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-4"Interactions emphasize survival and defense rather than dominance or power over others."
Dig or Die
"Interactions emphasize survival and mutual respect rather than dominance or power over others."
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Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
4"Immersive survival environment and challenging gameplay provide strong escape from real life."
ICARUS
"Immersive survival gameplay and exploration provide strong distraction and escape from real life."
-
Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily driven by intrinsic interest and curiosity rather than obligation."
The Binding of Isaac
"Players engage voluntarily driven by intrinsic interest and discovery rather than obligation."
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Experimenting
Game with the same Experimenting vibe
5"Players explore crafting recipes, building techniques, and game mechanics; experimentation encouraged."
cyubeVR
"Players encouraged to explore mechanics, try different strategies, and discover crafting recipes."
-
Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
5"Large procedurally generated worlds with caves, biomes, and secrets encourage discovery and curiosity."
cyubeVR
"Procedurally generated islands and underground caves promote curiosity-driven discovery."
-
Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
3"Customization of character appearance and base building allows for player expression."
Forsaken Isle
"Character and base customization through crafting and building enable player expression."
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Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
3"Fantasy elements like magic and spirits are present alongside realistic survival mechanics."
Card Survival: Fantasy Forest
"Fantasy elements like magic, enchanted items, and mythical creatures blend with survival realism."
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Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
-2"Community exists but gameplay is mostly solo or competitive; limited social bonding or cooperative group play."
The Elder Scrolls®: Legends™
"Community exists but gameplay is mostly solitary with limited social interaction."
-
Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
5"Character progression through skill use and leveling provides strong learning and development motivation."
Silent Storm Gold Edition
"Skill leveling, recipe unlocking, and character progression provide strong learning and development."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-3"Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."
The Binding of Isaac
"Sedentary gameplay with complex inventory and micromanagement; no physical activity involved."
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Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
-4"Requires focused attention and strategic planning each turn; not suited for idle or background play."
Egypt: Old Kingdom
"Requires continuous attention and planning; turn-based but not idle or background play."
-
Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
-4"Minimal social or emotional connections; interactions are mostly functional and survival-oriented."
Gothic 1
"Minimal social or emotional connections; interactions are mostly functional and survival-focused."
-
Leadership
Game with the same Leadership vibe
-3"No strong leadership roles; players mostly manage their own characters without group management."
Swords and Sandals Immortals
"No strong leadership roles; players mostly manage their own survival and base."
-
Progression
Game with the same Progression vibe
5"Strong emphasis on accumulating items, upgrades, and unlocking new crafting and combat abilities."
Force of Nature 2: Ghost Keeper
"Strong emphasis on accumulating items, crafting upgrades, and unlocking new abilities."
-
Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
1"Game can be tense and challenging but some players find it relaxing once established"
Subsistence
"Some players find it relaxing once familiar, but overall the game is challenging and tense."
-
Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
1"Pixel art and music provide moderate sensory stimulation; gameplay is more cognitive than sensory."
No Umbrellas Allowed
"Pixel art and music provide moderate sensory stimulation; gameplay tension dominates."
-
Status
Game with the same Status vibe
-3"Achievements exist but social recognition is limited; focus is on personal accomplishment."
SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated
"Achievements and milestones exist but social recognition is limited; focus is personal."
-
Story
Game with the same Story vibe
2"Minimal narrative; emphasis on emergent stories from gameplay rather than overarching plot."
WazHack
"Minimal narrative; emergent stories arise from gameplay and exploration."
-
Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
5"High mental challenge requiring planning, resource management, and tactical combat."
Don't Starve Together
"High mental challenge requiring planning, resource management, and tactical combat."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
4"Permadeath, high difficulty, and unpredictable events create suspense and excitement."
Caves of Qud
"Permadeath, random events, and survival tension create suspense and excitement."
-
Value
Game with the same Value vibe
5"Large amount of content and replayability offers excellent value for the price."
Hero's Adventure: Road to Passion
"Low price with extensive content and replayability offers excellent value for time and money."
-
Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
2"Combat and killing creatures is part of survival, but also includes constructive crafting and building."
Don't Starve
"Combat and killing creatures are part of survival but balanced with crafting and building."
-
Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
5"Core gameplay revolves around avoiding death, managing resources, and overcoming threats."
Folklore Hunter
"Core gameplay revolves around avoiding death, managing resources, and overcoming threats."
Analysis
Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Leadership, Survival, Violence, Strategy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Cooperation, Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Leadership.
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