Crossing Souls similar games & best alternatives
Crossing Souls
2018
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Quick resume
California, 1986: A group of friends discover a mysterious pink stone that allows travel between two realms. This gang will live the summer of their lives in an adventure that will get them involved in a government conspiracy. Control five kids with special skills while fighting and solving puzzles.
Global score
79/100
Genres
Action, Adventure, Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Arcade
Similar games
Pros
- Strong 80s nostalgia and atmosphere
- Engaging and emotional story
- Beautiful pixel art and animated cutscenes
- Varied gameplay with character switching and puzzles
- Excellent synthwave soundtrack
Cons
- Frustrating platforming sections and difficulty spikes
- Inconvenient save system and unskippable cutscenes
- Some combat and controls feel clunky
- Linear progression with limited exploration late game
- Some bugs and minor design flaws
Analysis
A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Value, Creativity, Health.
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
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Autonomy3
"Players can switch between five characters with unique abilities to solve puzzles and combat, allowing some freedom in approach, though the story progression is linear."
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Competence2
"Gameplay includes combat, puzzles, and platforming with some challenging boss fights; however, combat is often described as simple and some platforming sections are frustrating."
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Competition-4
"The game is single-player focused with no mention of competitive modes or leaderboards; emphasis is on personal story experience."
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Continuation1
"Many players report engaging story and nostalgia keep them playing, though some frustration with difficulty spikes and save system may reduce long sessions."
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Cooperation-5
"Single-player game with no multiplayer or cooperative elements."
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Creativity3
"Players creatively use different characters' unique abilities to solve puzzles and progress; the game includes various gameplay styles and mini-games."
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Domination-5
"No evidence of dominance or power over others; gameplay is solo and cooperative social dominance is absent."
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Escapism4
"Strong nostalgic 80s setting, story, and atmosphere provide immersive escape from reality for many players."
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Expectation-3
"Players engage voluntarily out of interest in story, nostalgia, and gameplay rather than obligation or external pressure."
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Experimenting2
"Switching between characters and exploring different gameplay styles encourages experimentation, though some players follow established strategies."
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Exploration2
"Early game offers some open exploration with many interactable objects and secrets; later sections become more linear."
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Expression-2
"Limited character customization; players use preset characters and abilities without much personal visual expression."
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Fantasy4
"Game features supernatural elements, ghosts, and a fantasy story inspired by 80s adventure and sci-fi fiction."
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Fellowship-4
"Focus on solo play and individual experience; no social or community gameplay aspects."
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Growth2
"Players learn to use different characters' abilities and solve puzzles; some skill development in combat and platforming."
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Health-4
"Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity; some frustration may cause stress but no physical engagement."
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Idle-3
"Requires focused attention due to platforming and combat; not designed for idle or background play."
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Intimacy-4
"No evidence of forming close relationships through gameplay; story involves friendships but player interaction is solo."
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Leadership-4
"No leadership or group management mechanics; players control characters individually without leading others."
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Progression3
"Players collect items and upgrades, unlock abilities, and progress through story chapters with increasing challenges."
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Relaxation1
"Some players find the game relaxing and nostalgic, but difficulty spikes and frustrating platforming reduce flow for others."
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Sensation3
"Vibrant pixel art, animated cutscenes, and synthwave soundtrack provide strong sensory and emotional enjoyment."
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Status-4
"No social status or recognition systems; achievements exist but focus is on personal experience."
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Story4
"Strong narrative focus with emotional, nostalgic, and sometimes dark story elements engaging players."
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Strategy2
"Requires some planning in character switching and puzzle solving; combat is mostly straightforward but boss fights need tactics."
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Thrill2
"Some suspense and challenge in boss fights and platforming sections, though overall difficulty is moderate."
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Value4
"Players report good value for price with 8-12 hours of content, engaging story, and nostalgic appeal."
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Violence2
"Combat involves fighting enemies with melee and ranged attacks; violence is cartoonish and not graphic."
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Survival1
"Players must manage health and stamina to survive combat and platforming challenges; no complex survival mechanics."
Last update: 29/04/2026