Return of the Obra Dinn Thumbnail

Return of the Obra Dinn similar games & best alternatives

Return of the Obra Dinn

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch • 2018

Related articles

Quick resume

Lost at sea 1803 ~ The good ship Obra Dinn.

Global score

97/100

Genres

Adventure, Indie, Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Unique and immersive detective gameplay
    • Highly rewarding logical deduction
    • Distinctive 1-bit art style
    • Engaging narrative and atmosphere
    • Excellent soundtrack and sound design

    Cons

    • Some ui and navigation tedium
    • Lack of replay value after completion
    • Occasional difficulty spikes and obscure clues
    • No multiplayer or social features
    • Slow pacing and forced waiting in scenes

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Expression, Fantasy.

    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 explore the ship, investigate scenes in any order, and make their own deductions without hand-holding or forced paths."

    • Competence
      5

      "The game demands high skill in logical deduction, observation, and memory, rewarding players with satisfying feedback when correct."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on individual puzzle solving and personal progress without comparison or competitive elements."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Many players report long, immersive sessions and a desire to replay or continue exploring the mysteries."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Entirely a single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer components."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players creatively piece together clues and form unique solutions, though within the fixed narrative and puzzle structure."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; experience is solitary and self-paced."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Highly immersive and atmospheric, providing a strong escape into a mysterious historical setting."

    • Expectation
      -4

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

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Encourages trying different deduction approaches and revisiting scenes to test hypotheses."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Players explore the ship and multiple time-frozen scenes to discover clues and piece together the story."

    • Expression
      -3

      "Minimal customization or personalization; players work within a fixed visual and narrative framework."

    • Fantasy
      2

      "While grounded in historical setting, the supernatural pocket watch and narrative add a light fantasy element."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community features; experience is solitary."

    • Growth
      5

      "Strong emphasis on learning, skill development in deduction, and knowledge accumulation."

    • Health
      -5

      "Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity components."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and active engagement; some waiting during scene transitions but mostly attentive play."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No social interactions or relationship building; purely individual experience."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements."

    • Progression
      4

      "Progression through unlocking knowledge of crew identities and fates, advancing the story and puzzle completion."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Atmospheric and immersive, but some players find puzzle difficulty and repetition stressful."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Distinctive visual style and evocative music provide unique sensory experience, though not intense stimulation."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative immersion through piecing together a complex mystery and uncovering the ship's story."

    • Strategy
      5

      "High mental challenge requiring logical reasoning, planning deductions, and problem solving."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some suspense and tension in uncovering mysteries, but overall controlled and thoughtful pacing."

    • Value
      4

      "Highly praised for quality and uniqueness, considered excellent value for time and money."

    • Violence
      3

      "Game involves investigating deaths and violent fates, though presented in stylized, non-graphic manner."

    • Survival
      3

      "Focus on uncovering causes of death and survival outcomes, though no active survival gameplay."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026