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Cruelty Squad similar games & best alternatives

Cruelty Squad

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2021

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Quick resume

An immersive power fantasy simulator with tactical stealth elements set in a sewage infused garbage world

Global score

96/100

Genres

Action, Indie, Simulator, Shooter, Tactical

Similar games

    Pros

    • Unique and immersive gameplay
    • Deep and challenging mechanics
    • High replayability with secrets and upgrades
    • Strong thematic and artistic vision
    • Freedom of approach in missions

    Cons

    • Hostile and off-putting art style
    • Steep learning curve and difficulty
    • Unforgiving controls especially on controller
    • Aesthetic and audio can be unpleasant
    • Not accessible or appealing to casual players

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Relaxation, Survival, Violence, Fellowship. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Status, Competition, Expression.

    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 different approaches, weapons, and augmentations to complete missions in open-ended levels."

    • Competence
      4

      "The game has a steep learning curve, requires skill mastery, and rewards player improvement and experimentation."

    • Competition
      1

      "There is some speedrunning and ranking elements, but mostly players focus on personal mastery rather than direct competition."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Many players report long playtimes, replaying levels repeatedly to improve times and discover secrets."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "The game is single-player focused with no cooperative multiplayer or teamwork elements."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Players can experiment with different loadouts, augmentations, and strategies to creatively solve assassination missions."

    • Domination
      -3

      "Interactions are mostly solo and balanced; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over other players."

    • Escapism
      5

      "The surreal, bizarre, and intense world provides a strong escape from reality and real-life concerns."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and curiosity; no indication of obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      5

      "The game encourages exploration of mechanics, secrets, and novel approaches to levels and combat."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Levels are open and maze-like with many secrets and alternate paths to discover."

    • Expression
      3

      "Players customize their character's augmentations and weapon loadouts, expressing different playstyles."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Set in a surreal dystopian corporatocracy with exaggerated and imaginative elements like organ harvesting and resurrection."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "The game is designed for solo play with minimal social or community interaction."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players develop skills, learn level layouts, and improve performance through repeated play."

    • Health
      -4

      "The game is a sedentary experience with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -4

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

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No evidence of close social relationships or emotional sharing; interactions are minimal and superficial."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; gameplay is individual and self-directed."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate money, upgrades, and augmentations to enhance abilities and progress through the game."

    • Relaxation
      -3

      "The game is challenging and often stressful, with a hostile aesthetic and punishing difficulty."

    • Sensation
      4

      "Strong sensory stimulation through intense visuals, unsettling audio, and chaotic gameplay."

    • Status
      1

      "Some recognition through ranks and achievements but mostly focused on personal accomplishment."

    • Story
      3

      "Narrative is present with dystopian themes and multiple endings, though delivered in a cryptic and abstract manner."

    • Strategy
      4

      "Requires tactical planning, exploration, and problem solving to approach missions effectively."

    • Thrill
      4

      "Gameplay involves suspense, risk, and tension, especially due to high lethality and punishing mechanics."

    • Value
      4

      "Players report high replay value and satisfaction relative to time invested."

    • Violence
      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around violent assassination, organ harvesting, and combat."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players must avoid death and manage resources to complete missions, though not a traditional survival game."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026