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A Mortician's Tale similar games & best alternatives

A Mortician's Tale

PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac • 2017

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Quick resume

A Mortician's Tale is a short, story-driven game about a mortician tasked with running a funeral home.

Global score

72/100

Genres

Casual, Indie, Adventure, Visual Novel, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator

Similar games

    Pros

    • Thoughtful and respectful treatment of death
    • Educational and informative about funeral industry
    • Calming soundtrack and art style
    • Strong narrative and emotional impact
    • Inclusive and death-positive messaging

    Cons

    • Very short gameplay length
    • Repetitive and tutorial-like mechanics
    • Limited player autonomy and creativity
    • Low replay value
    • Some find price too high for content

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Autonomy, Strategy, Experimenting, Competence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Fellowship. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy, Thrill.

    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.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      -3

      "Gameplay is highly guided with tutorial-like prompts for every action, limiting player decision-making and freedom."

    • Competence
      0

      "Tasks are simple and repetitive with minimal challenge; some players find it more educational than skill-based."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No competitive elements or comparison to others; focus is on personal experience and reflection."

    • Continuation
      -4

      "Short game length (~1 hour) and limited replay value lead to low habitual or long-term engagement."

    • Cooperation
      -4

      "Single-player experience focused on individual tasks; no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay."

    • Creativity
      -4

      "Players follow prescribed steps with no customization or creative modification of gameplay elements."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; interactions are respectful and equal."

    • Escapism
      3

      "Players use the game as a reflective, calming experience to process real-life emotions about death."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of personal interest in death positivity and education, not obligation."

    • Experimenting
      -3

      "Gameplay is repetitive and tutorial-like with little opportunity for trying new strategies or mechanics."

    • Exploration
      -2

      "Limited environment exploration; focus is on narrative and routine tasks rather than discovery."

    • Expression
      -4

      "No character or environment customization; presentation is standardized and fixed."

    • Fantasy
      -4

      "Realistic portrayal of mortician work and death industry; no fantastical or fictional elements."

    • Fellowship
      2

      "Narrative includes social interactions and community aspects, though gameplay is solo."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players learn about death care, funeral industry, and death positivity; educational content is strong."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary point-and-click gameplay with no physical activity or health-related mechanics."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention during short play sessions; no background or idle gameplay."

    • Intimacy
      3

      "Emotional and thoughtful narrative fosters personal reflection and connection to themes."

    • Leadership
      -4

      "Player follows scripted tasks without leading or managing others; no leadership roles."

    • Progression
      -4

      "No accumulation of items or upgrades; gameplay is static and routine-based."

    • Relaxation
      4

      "Calm, meditative atmosphere with soothing soundtrack and gentle pacing promotes relaxation."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Visual and auditory elements are pleasant and fitting but not intense or highly stimulating."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status mechanics; experience is private and individual."

    • Story
      4

      "Strong narrative focus with emotional storytelling and educational content drives engagement."

    • Strategy
      -4

      "Gameplay involves following straightforward instructions with minimal problem solving or planning."

    • Thrill
      -5

      "No suspense or risk; gameplay is predictable and low-pressure."

    • Value
      0

      "Mixed player opinions on value; some find it worth the price on sale, others consider it overpriced for length."

    • Violence
      -5

      "No combat or destruction; focus on respectful care and preparation of bodies."

    • Survival
      -5

      "No survival or threat elements; stable, low-risk environment throughout."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026