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SIMULACRA similar games & best alternatives

SIMULACRA

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Nintendo Switch • 2017

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Quick resume

An interactive horror experience of exploring a missing woman’s phone.

Global score

90/100

Genres

Adventure, Indie, Simulator, Visual Novel, Role-playing (RPG)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Immersive and unique phone interface
    • Engaging mystery story with multiple endings
    • Well-designed puzzles
    • Effective audio and atmosphere
    • Good replayability

    Cons

    • Poor voice acting
    • Some jump scares considered cheap
    • Limited customization and expression
    • Lack of save points/checkpoints
    • Some narrative and puzzle pacing issues

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence, Relaxation.

    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 have freedom to explore the phone, make dialogue choices affecting endings, and solve puzzles with some personal decision-making."

    • Competence
      2

      "Puzzles range from simple to moderately challenging, providing a sense of accomplishment without excessive difficulty."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on personal investigation and story progression without any competitive or leaderboard elements."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Multiple endings and replayability encourage players to continue playing beyond the first completion."

    • Cooperation
      -3

      "Gameplay is primarily a solo experience with limited interaction framed as conversations with NPCs rather than cooperative play."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players engage in creative problem solving through puzzles and dialogue choices, but within a structured narrative and phone interface."

    • Domination
      -5

      "Interactions emphasize investigation and dialogue without exerting control or superiority over others."

    • Escapism
      4

      "The immersive horror story and phone simulation provide a strong escape from reality and engrossing experience."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily driven by curiosity and interest in the story rather than obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Multiple dialogue paths and endings encourage players to try different choices and explore alternate outcomes."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Players explore a detailed virtual phone environment, uncovering secrets, messages, and clues."

    • Expression
      -2

      "Limited customization; players mainly interact with preset content rather than personalizing characters or environments."

    • Fantasy
      2

      "The story includes sci-fi and supernatural elements, blending realistic phone use with imaginative horror fiction."

    • Fellowship
      -4

      "Experience is solitary with minimal social connection beyond scripted NPC interactions."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players develop investigative and puzzle-solving skills through gameplay, though learning curve is moderate."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay typical of narrative puzzle games with no physical activity involved."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention to solve puzzles and follow story; not suited for casual or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -3

      "Interactions are limited to surface-level scripted conversations without deep emotional connection."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements; player acts independently."

    • Progression
      3

      "Players unlock new information, endings, and achievements, showing clear progression through the story."

    • Relaxation
      -2

      "Tense atmosphere with suspense and jump scares reduces relaxation; game maintains emotional strain."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Effective use of audio design and jump scares provide sensory stimulation and emotional engagement."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems; focus is on personal experience."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative focus with multiple endings, character interactions, and immersive storytelling."

    • Strategy
      2

      "Players use logical reasoning and puzzle solving, but overall gameplay is straightforward and guided."

    • Thrill
      4

      "Jump scares and suspenseful moments create tension and thrill throughout the experience."

    • Value
      3

      "Generally regarded as good value for price, especially with replayability and unique experience."

    • Violence
      -4

      "No emphasis on combat or destruction; gameplay centers on investigation and puzzle solving."

    • Survival
      1

      "Some tension related to saving a missing person, but no direct survival mechanics or resource management."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026