Decay: The Mare similar games & best alternatives

Decay: The Mare - Trailer
Decay: The Mare - decay-the-mare_1.avif
Decay: The Mare - decay-the-mare_2.avif
Decay: The Mare - decay-the-mare_3.avif
Decay: The Mare - decay-the-mare_4.avif
Decay: The Mare - decay-the-mare_5.avif
Decay: The Mare - decay-the-mare_6.avif

Decay: The Mare

Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox One • 2015

Should you play it?

Sam is an addict who ends up in an institution named “Reaching Dreams”, hoping to kick his drug problem and sort out his miserable life. But during the first night, something goes horribly wrong and he gets stuck in an endless nightmare…

What works

  • Atmospheric psychological horror
  • Engaging story with multiple endings
  • Well-designed puzzles with hint system
  • Good sound design and music
  • Affordable price especially on sale

Things to keep in mind

  • Short game length
  • Navigation can be confusing
  • Static graphics with low resolution
  • Limited replay value
  • Some puzzles can be vague or illogical

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • A Place, Forbidden

  • Darkness Within 1: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder

  • Luto

  • Meridian 157: Chapter 1

  • ASYLUM

  • Left Alone

More violent

Games that feels like Decay: The Mare but with more combat and destruction

  • Infliction

  • 港詭實錄ParanormalHK

  • The Night of the Scissors

  • Palmyra Orphanage

  • [Chilla's Art] Night Security | 夜間警備

  • Morphine

More survival-focused

Games that feels like Decay: The Mare but with a stronger survival pressure

  • Granny 3

  • Penumbra Overture

  • Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition

  • Scauage

  • Blameless

  • Out of Sight

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • 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 to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Decay: The Mare: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence, Survival, Expression.

Last update: 04/08/2026