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Strange Antiquities

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 • 2025

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Quick resume

Become the custodian of a store dealing in occult antiquities. Explore the quaint and gloomy town of Undermere, where strange goings-on and dark mysteries abound. Find and identify arcane artefacts, use your collection to aid the townsfolk with their unusual problems — and remember to pet your cat!

Global score

96/100

Genres

Adventure, Casual, Indie, Simulator, Point-and-click, Role-playing (RPG), Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Immersive and cozy atmosphere
    • Challenging and rewarding puzzles
    • Deep narrative with multiple endings
    • Engaging occult and mystery themes
    • Quality of life improvements over predecessor

    Cons

    • Some puzzles can be obtuse or vague
    • Hint system occasionally unhelpful
    • Limited social or multiplayer features
    • Shorter game length for some players
    • Minor ui/navigation annoyances reported

    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 Violence, Competition.

    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, make decisions affecting story and endings, and choose how to identify and label items."

    • Competence
      5

      "Challenging puzzles requiring cross-referencing multiple books and clues, with rewarding problem solving and skillful deduction."

    • Competition
      -5

      "Focus is on personal puzzle solving and exploration without any player-vs-player or ranking elements."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Players report long sessions, replayability with multiple endings, and strong attachment to the game world."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Gameplay is solitary, centered on individual investigation and decision making without multiplayer or teamwork."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players create their own labels and organize the shop, and experiment with item interactions, though within set mechanics."

    • Domination
      -5

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

    • Escapism
      5

      "Strongly immersive, atmospheric experience providing a cozy yet mysterious escape from reality."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment; no indication of obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Encouraged to try new approaches to puzzles, explore different endings, and interact with items in varied ways."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Players explore multiple maps, hidden locations, and uncover secrets in the town and shop."

    • Expression
      3

      "Customization through labeling and organizing items allows personal expression within the game's framework."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Set in a dark, occult world with mystical artifacts and eldritch themes, providing a strong imaginative fiction experience."

    • Fellowship
      -4

      "Minimal social connection; gameplay and story focus on solo investigation without community interaction."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players learn lore, puzzle mechanics, and develop deductive skills throughout gameplay."

    • Health
      -5

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

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention and active problem solving; not designed for passive or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Limited to surface-level character interactions; no deep emotional or social relationship building."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements; players act independently."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate items, unlock new books and maps, and progress through story branches and endings."

    • Relaxation
      4

      "Cozy, atmospheric gameplay with a calm pace and soothing audio-visuals promoting relaxation."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable sensory experience with detailed visuals, sound design, and music enhancing immersion."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or visibility; achievements and progress are personal and private."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative immersion with multiple endings, character interactions, and unfolding mysteries."

    • Strategy
      4

      "Requires logical reasoning, planning, and problem solving to identify artifacts and solve puzzles."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some suspense and tension from story consequences and puzzle challenges, but overall calm tone."

    • Value
      4

      "Players report high satisfaction and replay value, feeling the game is worth the time and money invested."

    • Violence
      -5

      "No combat or destructive gameplay; focus is on constructive investigation and puzzle solving."

    • Survival
      1

      "Some threat and consequence elements in story, but gameplay is low-risk and forgiving."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026