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City of Brass similar games & best alternatives

City of Brass

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 • 2018

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Quick resume

A first-person action adventure, inspired by Arabian Nights, from senior BioShock developers.

Global score

78/100

Genres

Action, Indie, Adventure, Shooter

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging whip-based combat
    • Procedurally generated levels
    • Customizable difficulty
    • Attractive arabian nights theme
    • Frequent developer updates

    Cons

    • Limited enemy variety
    • Some repetitiveness in level design
    • Minimal story content
    • Slow movement speed
    • No multiplayer or social features

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Story, Expression. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence, Survival. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fellowship.

    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 customize difficulty, choose characters, and adapt playstyle with blessings, burdens, and item choices."

    • Competence
      4

      "Game requires skillful use of whip and sword, precise timing, and strategic use of environment and traps; difficulty can be tuned."

    • Competition
      2

      "Leaderboards and speedrunning elements exist, but many players focus on personal progression and exploration."

    • Continuation
      3

      "High replayability due to procedural generation, unlocks, and difficulty modifiers encourage repeated play sessions."

    • Cooperation
      -4

      "Primarily a single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players creatively use whip and environment to solve combat and traversal challenges; some customization of character builds."

    • Domination
      -3

      "No evidence of dominating others; gameplay is focused on individual skill and survival."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Immersive Arabian Nights setting and challenging gameplay provide strong escape from real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and challenge; no obligation or external pressure noted."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Procedural levels and item variety encourage trying new strategies and adapting to changing conditions."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Players explore procedurally generated levels with secrets and loot, though layouts have some repetition."

    • Expression
      2

      "Character selection and item loadouts allow some degree of self-expression, but limited cosmetic customization."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Strong fantasy theme with Arabian Nights mythology, djinns, magic, and undead enemies."

    • Fellowship
      -4

      "No social or community gameplay elements; primarily solo experience."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players improve skills and unlock characters and items over time, reflecting personal growth."

    • Health
      -4

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and continuous engagement; not suited for idle or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No evidence of close social relationships or emotional sharing in gameplay."

    • Leadership
      -5

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

    • Progression
      4

      "Players collect gold, items, and unlock characters and upgrades, progressing through runs and overall."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "Some players find flow and fun in gameplay, but game is generally challenging and tense."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Visuals, sound, and combat feedback provide sensory stimulation and excitement."

    • Status
      1

      "Leaderboards provide some recognition, but social status is limited due to single-player focus."

    • Story
      1

      "Minimal narrative present; story is mostly background flavor rather than driving gameplay."

    • Strategy
      4

      "Players must plan combat tactics, trap usage, and route choices to succeed."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Time limits, traps, and permadeath create suspense and tension during runs."

    • Value
      3

      "Good value for price due to replayability, frequent updates, and engaging gameplay."

    • Violence
      4

      "Combat involves melee attacks, stunning, and killing enemies with weapons and environmental hazards."

    • Survival
      4

      "Players must avoid traps, manage health, and survive against enemies in challenging conditions."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026