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How Fish Is Made similar games & best alternatives

How Fish Is Made

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2022

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Quick resume

Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC!

Global score

95/100

Genres

Indie

Similar games

    Pros

    • Unique and thought-provoking narrative
    • Strong atmospheric audio-visual design
    • Short and accessible experience
    • Free to play
    • Multiple endings encouraging replay

    Cons

    • Minimal gameplay mechanics
    • Some players find visuals unsettling
    • Lack of player progression or customization
    • No multiplayer or social features
    • Technical issues reported by some users

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Strategy, Survival, Competence, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Progression, Idle.

    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 make a significant choice (go UP or DOWN) that affects the narrative and their experience, emphasizing personal decision-making and control."

    • Competence
      -3

      "Gameplay is very simple, mostly walking/flopping forward and dialogue choices, with minimal skill or challenge."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No competitive elements or comparison to others; experience is personal and introspective."

    • Continuation
      1

      "Short game with some replay value due to multiple endings, but overall brief sessions and no habitual long play."

    • Cooperation
      -4

      "Single-player experience focused on individual exploration and choices; no multiplayer or teamwork."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Highly creative narrative, art style, and atmosphere with surreal and grotesque elements; players interpret meaning personally."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; interactions are equal and contemplative."

    • Escapism
      3

      "Players use the game to reflect and escape into a surreal, unsettling world, providing distraction and thought-provoking content."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of curiosity and personal interest, with no obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      2

      "Players explore different endings and interpret ambiguous narrative elements, encouraging experimentation with choices."

    • Exploration
      2

      "Players navigate a strange, evolving environment and discover narrative elements and characters, though limited in scope."

    • Expression
      -4

      "No character customization or cosmetic modification; presentation is fixed and standardized."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Surreal, imaginative setting with anthropomorphic fish and bizarre scenarios far from realistic experience."

    • Fellowship
      -3

      "Minimal social connection; interactions are with NPC fish but no community or multiplayer socializing."

    • Growth
      1

      "Players gain insight and personal reflection from the narrative, though gameplay skill development is minimal."

    • Health
      -5

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

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention during short play sessions; no background or idle gameplay."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Interactions are limited to brief dialogue with NPCs; no close relationships or emotional sharing."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management; player acts alone without directing others."

    • Progression
      -4

      "No item collection or upgrades; static experience focused on narrative rather than accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Atmosphere can be unsettling but also meditative; some players find it calming or thought-provoking."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Distinctive audio-visual style with grotesque and surreal sensory elements that evoke strong emotional reactions."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or ranking; experience is private and personal."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative focus with philosophical themes, character dialogue, and multiple endings."

    • Strategy
      -4

      "Minimal strategic or problem-solving elements; gameplay is straightforward and linear."

    • Thrill
      1

      "Some tension from unsettling atmosphere and narrative ambiguity, but no high suspense or risk."

    • Value
      5

      "Free, short, and highly regarded for its artistic and narrative value; excellent return on time investment."

    • Violence
      2

      "Contains some graphic and grotesque imagery including fish being killed, but not focused on combat gameplay."

    • Survival
      -3

      "No survival mechanics; environment is hostile in theme but gameplay is safe and scripted."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026