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Quarantine Circular similar games & best alternatives

Quarantine Circular

PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch, Mac • 2018

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Quick resume

First, do no harm. From the award-winning team behind Thomas Was Alone and Subsurface Circular comes another experimental short, the next mutation in text-based adventure. In the middle of a world-ending pandemic, a group of scientists discover the galaxy has been watching.

Global score

88/100

Genres

Adventure, Casual, Indie, Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Thought-provoking narrative
    • Multiple endings and replayability
    • Well-written dialogue and characters
    • Immersive sci-fi setting
    • Affordable price

    Cons

    • Short game length
    • Limited character animation
    • Some players find perspective shifts jarring
    • Lack of save points for replay convenience
    • Anticlimactic endings

    Analysis

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

    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
      3

      "Players make meaningful dialogue choices affecting story outcomes and character interactions, but within a structured narrative and preset characters."

    • Competence
      2

      "Engages players in dialogue puzzles and decision-making with some challenge, but overall gameplay is simple and predictable."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on personal narrative experience and choices without comparison or competition against others."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Short game length but encourages replay to explore multiple endings and dialogue branches."

    • Cooperation
      1

      "Players interact with multiple characters and perspectives, but gameplay is single-player and cooperative elements are narrative-based."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players creatively explore different dialogue paths and character viewpoints, though within predefined story structure."

    • Domination
      -3

      "Interactions emphasize mutual understanding and dialogue rather than exerting control or superiority over others."

    • Escapism
      3

      "Provides immersive sci-fi narrative experience that allows players to escape real-world concerns through story engagement."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily driven by intrinsic interest in narrative and moral dilemmas, not obligation."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Encourages trying different dialogue options and replaying to explore alternate endings and story branches."

    • Exploration
      2

      "Players discover new story outcomes and character perspectives through branching dialogue, though environment exploration is minimal."

    • Expression
      -2

      "Limited character customization; expression mainly through dialogue choices within preset characters."

    • Fantasy
      3

      "Engages players in a speculative sci-fi setting with alien contact and pandemic themes, blending imaginative fiction."

    • Fellowship
      -3

      "Single-player experience focused on individual narrative engagement with minimal social or community interaction."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players develop understanding of characters, story, and moral dilemmas through repeated play and exploration."

    • Health
      -5

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

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention on dialogue and choices; not suited for passive or background play."

    • Intimacy
      1

      "Narrative fosters emotional connection to characters but lacks social interaction or relationship building with others."

    • Leadership
      -2

      "Players follow preset storylines and character roles rather than leading or managing groups."

    • Progression
      2

      "Progression through story advancement and unlocking multiple endings, but no item or upgrade accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Calm, thoughtful pacing with some tension from moral dilemmas but overall relaxing narrative flow."

    • Sensation
      1

      "Visuals and soundtrack provide moderate sensory stimulation supporting the story without intense excitement."

    • Status
      -4

      "Focus on personal narrative experience without social recognition or status competition."

    • Story
      5

      "Core gameplay is narrative-driven with deep immersion in story, characters, and moral choices."

    • Strategy
      2

      "Requires thoughtful decision-making and problem solving in dialogue choices, though puzzles are minimal."

    • Thrill
      1

      "Some tension from story stakes and moral dilemmas but overall controlled and steady emotional experience."

    • Value
      4

      "Highly praised for quality narrative and replayability at a low price point, considered good value."

    • Violence
      -4

      "Focus on dialogue and cooperation; no combat or destructive gameplay elements."

    • Survival
      3

      "Story involves survival themes and decision-making under threat of extinction, though gameplay is non-action."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026