Cathedral similar games & best alternatives

Cathedral

Mac, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch, Linux • 2019

Should you play it?

Make your way through more than 600 rooms, and unravel the secrets of your past by finding the five elemental orbs. Cathedral features a vast world, meant for exploring!

What works
  • Vast and well-designed exploration
  • Challenging and satisfying boss fights
  • Tight and responsive controls
  • Rewarding upgrades and abilities
  • Engaging pixel art and soundtrack
Things to keep in mind
  • Steep difficulty spikes especially late game
  • Some obtuse puzzles and backtracking
  • Limited story and character customization
  • Slow base movement speed early on
  • Few quality of life features like teleportation

What to play next

Similar games, hidden gems, and fresh directions from this game.

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • Environmental Station Alpha

  • Zexion

  • Horace

  • Spaceport Hope

  • Alwa's Awakening

  • Chasm

  • Drova - Forsaken Kin

  • Aggelos

  • Lone Fungus

Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • Zexion

  • Horace

  • Aggelos

If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

  • Exploration

    Castlevania Advance Collection

  • Fantasy

    Sea of Stars

  • Progression

    Resident Evil 4

Similarity map

Explore nearby similar games and see why they’re close.

How to use the graph
Similarity map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Why this game works” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

  • Purple star: this page’s game — everything on the map is relative to it.
  • 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 for a screenshot preview, score, and top score gaps; click to compare in the panel on the right.
  • 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 (hidden on purpose).

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

Why this game works

A motivational profile of the game, with the closest similar game for each player motivation.

  • Autonomy

    Game with the same Autonomy vibe

    4

    "Players freely explore large interconnected levels with non-linear progression and multiple paths, requiring self-directed exploration and decision making."

    Capsule for Shadow Man Remastered Shadow Man Remastered

    "Players freely explore a vast interconnected world with non-linear progression and multiple abilities to choose and master."

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    4

    "The game offers challenging combat, especially boss fights, requiring skill mastery, timing, and learning enemy patterns."

    Capsule for Orbifall Orbifall

    "The game offers challenging combat and boss fights requiring skill, pattern recognition, and mastery of abilities."

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    -4

    "Focus is on personal exploration and progression with no mention of PvP or leaderboards."

    Capsule for Verho - Curse of Faces Verho - Curse of Faces

    "Focus is on personal progression and exploration without mention of PvP or leaderboards."

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    4

    "Players report long play sessions, repeated boss attempts, and habitual engagement with exploration and crafting."

    Capsule for Grimlord Grimlord

    "Players report long playtimes (20+ hours), habitual exploration, and repeated attempts at difficult bosses."

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    -5

    "Single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements described."

    Capsule for Crow Country Crow Country

    "Single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements described."

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    3

    "Metroidvania-style exploration and ability upgrades encourage creative problem solving and revisiting levels, though within predefined level designs."

    Capsule for PowerSlave Exhumed PowerSlave Exhumed

    "Players engage in exploration, puzzle solving, and ability usage, though within a structured metroidvania framework."

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    -5

    "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; gameplay is individual and skill-based."

    Capsule for Crash Bandicoot™ 4: It’s About Time Crash Bandicoot™ 4: It’s About Time

    "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; gameplay is individual and skill-based."

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    4

    "Players immerse in a fantasy world with extensive exploration and story, providing distraction from real life."

    Capsule for King's Bounty: Warriors of the North King's Bounty: Warriors of the North

    "Players immerse in a large fantasy world with challenging gameplay, providing distraction and engagement."

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, with no indication of obligation or pressure."

    Capsule for FOREWARNED FOREWARNED

    "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, with no indication of obligation or pressure."

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    3

    "Exploration and puzzle solving encourage trying new paths and strategies."

    Capsule for Labyronia RPG Labyronia RPG

    "Exploration and puzzle solving encourage trying new paths and strategies, though some ability swapping is constrained."

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    5

    "Core gameplay involves discovering new areas, secrets, and backtracking in large maps."

    Capsule for Castlevania Advance Collection Castlevania Advance Collection

    "Core gameplay involves discovering secrets, backtracking with new abilities, and uncovering a large map."

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    -3

    "Limited character customization; focus is on gameplay and exploration rather than avatar personalization."

    Capsule for Axiom Verge Axiom Verge

    "Limited character customization; focus is on ability upgrades and exploration rather than avatar personalization."

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    5

    "Set in a fictional fantasy world with magic, mythical creatures, and classic RPG storytelling."

    Capsule for Sea of Stars Sea of Stars

    "Set in a fictional fantasy world with knights, magic, and mythical bosses."

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    -5

    "No social or community gameplay elements; experience is solitary."

    Capsule for Black Myth: Wukong Black Myth: Wukong

    "No social or community gameplay elements; experience is solitary."

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    4

    "Players develop skills, learn boss patterns, and improve through upgrades and exploration."

    Capsule for Haiku, the Robot Haiku, the Robot

    "Players develop skills, learn boss patterns, and acquire new abilities and upgrades."

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

    "Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or rehab elements."

    Capsule for Vigil: The Longest Night Vigil: The Longest Night

    "Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or rehab elements."

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -4

    "Requires focused attention and continuous engagement during combat and platforming."

    Capsule for Touhou Luna Nights Touhou Luna Nights

    "Requires focused attention and continuous engagement, especially during challenging combat and platforming."

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    -5

    "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional social interaction."

    Capsule for Breathedge Breathedge

    "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional social interaction."

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    -5

    "No leadership or group management roles; single-player experience."

    Capsule for Axiom Verge Axiom Verge

    "No leadership or group management roles; single-player experience."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    5

    "Strong emphasis on collecting items, upgrading weapons, and unlocking new abilities."

    Capsule for Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil 4

    "Strong emphasis on collecting upgrades, items, and unlocking new abilities to progress."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    -2

    "Gameplay is intense and challenging, sometimes causing frustration, with sustained tension during boss fights."

    Capsule for Serious Sam's Bogus Detour Serious Sam's Bogus Detour

    "Challenging difficulty and boss fights create tension; some players find it frustrating rather than relaxing."

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    3

    "Enjoyable pixel art visuals and chiptune soundtrack provide sensory stimulation and retro charm."

    Capsule for Rex Rocket Rex Rocket

    "Enjoyable pixel art and chiptune soundtrack provide sensory stimulation and nostalgic appeal."

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    -5

    "No social recognition or status systems described."

    Capsule for Epic Auto Towers Epic Auto Towers

    "No social recognition or status systems described."

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    1

    "Light narrative elements exist but the game focuses more on gameplay than story immersion."

    Capsule for Spell Disk Spell Disk

    "Light story presence; focus is on gameplay and exploration rather than narrative immersion."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    4

    "Boss fights and combat require planning, pattern recognition, and tactical use of weapons and abilities."

    Capsule for Frogmonster Frogmonster

    "Boss fights and puzzles require pattern recognition, planning, and tactical use of abilities."

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    3

    "Difficulty spikes and challenging boss fights create suspense and excitement."

    Capsule for PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC

    "Difficulty spikes and challenging bosses provide suspense and excitement."

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    4

    "Players report good content volume and replayability for the price."

    Capsule for Spark the Electric Jester Spark the Electric Jester

    "Players report high content volume and replayability for the price paid."

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    3

    "Combat against enemies and bosses is a core gameplay element."

    Capsule for Final Fantasy IV (3D Remake) Final Fantasy IV (3D Remake)

    "Combat and defeating enemies and bosses are core gameplay elements."

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    3

    "Players must avoid damage and manage health to survive increasingly difficult enemies and bosses."

    Capsule for DR LIVESEY ROM AND DEATH EDITION DR LIVESEY ROM AND DEATH EDITION

    "Players must avoid damage and manage health to survive challenging enemies and bosses."

Last update: 01/06/2026