Death and Taxes similar games & best alternatives

Death and Taxes

Mac, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Linux, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Android • 2020

Should you play it?

In this 2D, short narrative-based game, you assume the role of the Grim Reaper... on an office job. Your job is to decide which people are going to live or die. The consequences of your choices are yours to bear, while the mystery of your incarnation awaits revelation!

What works
  • Unique and engaging narrative with multiple endings
  • Dark humor and charming art style
  • Good voice acting and soundtrack
  • Meaningful player choices and moral dilemmas
  • High replayability with achievements and customization
Things to keep in mind
  • Gameplay can become repetitive and tedious over multiple runs
  • Some achievements are difficult or rng-based
  • Limited variation in dialogue and character depth
  • Short playtime per run
  • Small community and lack of extensive guides

What to play next

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

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • Who's Lila?

  • Journey to Incrementalia

  • Peglin

  • OFF

  • Esoteric Ebb

  • Realm of Ink

  • Serin Fate

  • Fabled Lands

  • Shadows Over Loathing

Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • Serin Fate

  • Cattle Country

  • Operencia: The Stolen Sun

If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

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).

Death and Taxes: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Violence, Survival, Cooperation. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Relaxation. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Survival, Growth.

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 have freedom to make moral choices affecting story and endings, allowing self-directed decisions."

    Capsule for Tormentum - Dark Sorrow Tormentum - Dark Sorrow

    "Players have freedom to make moral choices about who lives or dies, and can follow or defy Fate's instructions, showing control over decisions."

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    2

    "Gameplay involves resource management, crafting, and platforming with some skill elements but generally accessible and not highly challenging."

    Capsule for Spiritfarer®: Farewell Edition Spiritfarer®: Farewell Edition

    "Gameplay involves decision making and balancing parameters, with some skill in managing outcomes and achievements, but not highly challenging."

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    -3

    "Focus is on individual performance and personal story progression without explicit player-vs-player competition."

    Capsule for Not For Broadcast Not For Broadcast

    "Focus is on personal decision making and story progression without competitive elements or player comparison."

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    3

    "Encourages multiple playthroughs to explore different endings and achievements, fostering habitual engagement."

    Capsule for Sumire Sumire

    "Multiple endings and achievements encourage repeated playthroughs and habitual engagement."

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    -4

    "Gameplay is primarily single-player and independent, with no cooperative multiplayer or teamwork."

    Capsule for The Magic Circle The Magic Circle

    "Gameplay is primarily single-player and independent, with no cooperative multiplayer or teamwork."

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    3

    "Players can customize their character, pet, and some cosmetic elements; also create death letters and manipulate events creatively."

    Capsule for Slaughter Horse 2 Slaughter Horse 2

    "Players can customize their Grim Reaper's appearance and decorate their desk, expressing personal style."

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    -4

    "Interactions are balanced and respectful; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over others."

    Capsule for L.A. Noire L.A. Noire

    "Interactions are balanced and respectful; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over others."

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    3

    "Players enjoy distraction and humor in a fantasy afterlife setting, escaping real-life stress."

    Capsule for Peace, Death! Peace, Death!

    "Players enjoy a darkly humorous, fictional afterlife setting to escape real life stress and engage in moral dilemmas."

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and intrinsic motivation, not obligation or external pressure."

    Capsule for Battle Brothers Battle Brothers

    "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and intrinsic motivation, not obligation or external pressure."

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    4

    "Multiple playthroughs with different choices and character builds encourage exploration of game possibilities."

    Capsule for Community College Hero: Trial by Fire Community College Hero: Trial by Fire

    "Multiple playthroughs with different choices and strategies encourage exploration of game mechanics and outcomes."

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    2

    "Players discover new story branches and character backgrounds through choices, though environment is static."

    Capsule for Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds

    "Players discover different story branches, endings, and character interactions, though environment is static."

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    3

    "Character customization and home decoration allow for self-expression within the game's aesthetic."

    Capsule for World's Dawn World's Dawn

    "Character customization and desk decoration allow for self-expression within the game."

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    4

    "Set in an imaginative afterlife with ghosts and supernatural elements, blending humor and existential fiction."

    Capsule for Speed Dating for Ghosts Speed Dating for Ghosts

    "Set in a fictional afterlife with grim reapers and supernatural elements, offering imaginative fiction."

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    -3

    "Primarily a solo experience with limited social or community interaction."

    Capsule for Fallout 3 Fallout 3

    "Primarily a solo experience with limited social interaction or community involvement."

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    2

    "Players learn the game’s secrets and story through repeated playthroughs, gaining knowledge and understanding."

    Capsule for Title_Pending Title_Pending

    "Players learn to manage parameters and unlock achievements, gaining knowledge through repeated play."

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

    "No physical activity involved; sedentary gameplay typical of simulation games."

    Capsule for Card Shop Simulator Multiplayer Card Shop Simulator Multiplayer

    "No physical activity involved; sedentary gameplay typical of desk job simulation."

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -3

    "Requires focused attention and active decision-making; not designed for passive or background play."

    Capsule for That's not my Neighbor That's not my Neighbor

    "Requires focused attention on decision making; not designed for passive or background play."

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    -4

    "Social interactions are limited to scripted NPC dialogue; no close relationship building or emotional sharing with others."

    Capsule for Kitten Burst Kitten Burst

    "Social interactions are limited to scripted NPC dialogue without forming close relationships."

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    -4

    "Player role is individual decision-maker rather than leader or manager of groups."

    Capsule for Minds Beneath Us Minds Beneath Us

    "Player does not lead others; role is individual decision maker within a bureaucratic system."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    3

    "Players accumulate items, upgrades, and cosmetics through gameplay and achievements."

    Capsule for Project Winter Project Winter

    "Players accumulate items, upgrades, and achievements across playthroughs enhancing gameplay."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    3

    "Generally calm gameplay with jazzy soundtrack and moderate challenge, providing a relaxing experience."

    Capsule for 1954 Alcatraz 1954 Alcatraz

    "Calm, jazzy soundtrack and slow-paced gameplay provide a relaxing experience despite moral tension."

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    2

    "Enjoyable art style, sound, and voice acting provide moderate sensory stimulation."

    Capsule for The White Door The White Door

    "Enjoyable art style and voice acting provide sensory pleasure, though stimulation is moderate and steady."

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    -4

    "Achievements exist but social recognition or popularity is not a core focus."

    Capsule for Melatonin Melatonin

    "Achievements exist but social recognition or popularity is not a core focus."

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    4

    "Narrative immersion with character interactions, plot development, and multiple endings."

    Capsule for Dino Crisis Dino Crisis

    "Narrative immersion with multiple endings, character interactions, and evolving plot based on choices."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    3

    "Requires planning, resource allocation, and problem solving to succeed."

    Capsule for Mr. Prepper Mr. Prepper

    "Requires planning and balancing parameters to achieve desired endings and meet quotas."

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    1

    "Some suspense in story and emotional stakes, but gameplay is low risk and controlled."

    Capsule for Neo Cab Neo Cab

    "Some suspense in decision consequences, but overall gameplay is low risk and controlled."

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    3

    "Good perceived value with solid gameplay length, replayability, and content for the price."

    Capsule for Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

    "Good perceived value for price, especially with replayability and content depth for a short game."

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    2

    "Game includes dark humor involving destruction and death of islanders, though presented in a stylized, non-graphic manner."

    Capsule for Pineapple on pizza Pineapple on pizza

    "Game involves deciding who dies, with dark humor around death, but no graphic violence or destruction."

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    1

    "Players must overcome threats and manage resources, but difficulty is inconsistent and often low."

    Capsule for Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls

    "Players must avoid failure by meeting quotas and balancing parameters, but threats are abstract and low tension."

Last update: 01/06/2026