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Aground similar games & best alternatives

Aground

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Web browser, Linux • 2020

Related articles

Quick resume

As one of the last human survivors, you find yourself stranded on an uninhabited island. With a few other victims of the crash, can you craft, mine, and build your way to survival?

Global score

94/100

Genres

Adventure, Indie, Role-playing (RPG)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Deep and engaging progression
    • Strong exploration and story
    • Mod support and customization
    • Long playtime and replayability
    • Responsive and dedicated developers

    Cons

    • Low resolution pixel graphics
    • Some ui and inventory management issues
    • Combat can feel clunky
    • Lack of tutorial and in-game guidance
    • Travel and item management can be tedious

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Intimacy, Leadership, Competition.

    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
      4

      "Players have freedom to choose exploration paths, playstyle (science or magic), and progression order."

    • Competence
      3

      "Progression involves skillful resource management, crafting, and combat challenges with feedback and growth."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on personal pace and self-set goals; no evidence of ranked or leaderboard competition."

    • Continuation
      5

      "Players report long sessions, repeated playthroughs, and high attachment to the game."

    • Cooperation
      2

      "Supports multiplayer and cooperative play, but many players enjoy solo experience."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Crafting, building, and mod support enable player creativity and customization."

    • Domination
      -3

      "Interactions emphasize shared progression and mutual respect rather than dominance."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game for immersive exploration and distraction from real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Players explore different mechanics, paths, and strategies, including magic and science."

    • Exploration
      5

      "Strong emphasis on discovering new islands, secrets, and story elements."

    • Expression
      3

      "Customization through crafting, building placement, and character progression."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Game features dragons, magic, sci-fi elements, and imaginative storylines."

    • Fellowship
      2

      "Community and multiplayer exist but many players focus on individual play."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players develop skills, knowledge, and mastery over complex systems."

    • Health
      -4

      "Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and active engagement rather than background play."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Limited social interaction beyond cooperative play; no deep relationship mechanics."

    • Leadership
      -3

      "Players mostly participate equally or supportively rather than leading others."

    • Progression
      5

      "Strong accumulation of items, upgrades, and unlocking new content drives gameplay."

    • Relaxation
      3

      "Generally a balanced challenge with moments of flow and enjoyment."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Retro pixel art and music provide moderate sensory stimulation and charm."

    • Status
      -4

      "Minimal focus on social recognition or competitive status."

    • Story
      4

      "Narrative immersion with quests, characters, and evolving plot."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Requires planning, resource management, and tactical decisions."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some suspense in combat and exploration but mostly controlled gameplay."

    • Value
      5

      "Players report excellent value for time and money with extensive content."

    • Violence
      2

      "Combat exists but is balanced with constructive building and crafting."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players manage resources and threats to survive and progress."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026