The Initial similar games & best alternatives

The Initial - the-initial_1.avif
The Initial - the-initial_2.avif
The Initial - the-initial_3.avif
The Initial - the-initial_4.avif
The Initial - the-initial_5.avif
The Initial - the-initial_6.avif

The Initial

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac • 2017

Should you play it?

THE INITIAL is a hyper action game about pretty schoolgirls battling against evil. It's developed by a small team of five developers. We hope you will love this game as much as we do.

What works

  • Responsive and fluid combat
  • Good value for price
  • Anime-style graphics and music
  • Active developer support and updates
  • Challenging boss fights

Things to keep in mind

  • Limited enemy variety and repetitive levels
  • Poor camera and lock-on system
  • Short game length with low replayability
  • Minimal story and weak localization
  • Lack of controller key remapping initially

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

More continuation-driven

Games that feels like The Initial but with an even stronger pull to keep playing

More story-driven

Games that feels like The Initial but with deeper narrative immersion

More exploratory

Games that feels like The Initial but with more exploration of areas and secrets

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with The Initial. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
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).

Swipe to compare nearby games with The Initial. These titles are not in What to play next.

The Initial: Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Story, Exploration, Continuation.

Last update: 24/08/2026