ISLANDS: Non-Places similar games & best alternatives

ISLANDS: Non-Places - Trailer
ISLANDS: Non-Places - islands-non-places_1.avif
ISLANDS: Non-Places - islands-non-places_2.avif
ISLANDS: Non-Places - islands-non-places_3.avif
ISLANDS: Non-Places - islands-non-places_4.avif
ISLANDS: Non-Places - islands-non-places_5.avif
ISLANDS: Non-Places - islands-non-places_6.avif

ISLANDS: Non-Places

Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac • 2016

Should you play it?

The familiar becomes magical in this critically acclaimed interactive artscape. Explore ten scenes inspired by the everyday and let your expectations of reality be transformed. Carl Burton's other work has been featured in the New York Times, Serial, Colossal, and Medium.

What works

  • Unique artistic and surreal experience
  • Beautiful visuals and sound design
  • Relaxing and meditative atmosphere
  • Thought-provoking and evocative
  • Affordable price

Things to keep in mind

  • Very short gameplay length
  • Minimal interactivity and challenge
  • Lack of traditional narrative or progression
  • No replay value for many players
  • Some find audio irritating or repetitive

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Senza Peso

  • Rocket of Whispers: Prologue

  • The Old Tree

  • The Night Cafe: A VR Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh

  • She and the Light Bearer

  • Surge

More autonomous

Games that feels like ISLANDS: Non-Places but with more freedom over how you play

  • LAVALAMP

  • 0°N 0°W

  • Windosill

  • Shape of the World

  • Proteus

  • AER Memories of Old

More progression-driven

Games that feels like ISLANDS: Non-Places but with more progression and upgrades

  • Small Radios Big Televisions

  • Beasts of Maravilla Island

  • Golf Club Nostalgia

  • Conbunn Cardboard

  • Clawfish

  • The Monster Inside

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).

ISLANDS: Non-Places: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Strategy, Competence, Experimenting, Survival. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Intimacy, Progression.

Last update: 04/08/2026