sweet pool similar games & best alternatives

sweet pool

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2018

Should you play it?

As madness and horror devour his world, can Youji find hope amid the nightmare? Experience a bond deeper and darker than love in this unforgettable visual novel.

What works
  • Deep, immersive horror bl story
  • Beautiful art and music
  • Unique choice system
  • Multiple endings with emotional impact
  • Strong voice acting
Things to keep in mind
  • Censorship on steam version requiring separate patch
  • No happy endings, very depressing
  • Achievement bugs with patch
  • Shorter length compared to other nitro+chiral titles
  • Some players find story confusing or slow paced

What to play next

Similar games, hidden gems, and fresh directions from this game.

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • CHAOS;CHILD

  • Togainu no Chi ~Lost Blood~

  • DRAMAtical Murder

  • Haydee 2

  • How To Date A Magical Girl!

  • Magical Girl Witch Trials

  • Crimson Gray

  • The Song of Saya

  • Tiny Bunny
Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • Togainu no Chi ~Lost Blood~

  • How To Date A Magical Girl!

  • Crimson Gray
If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

  • Fantasy

    Look Outside
  • Story

    Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
  • Violence

    Outlast 2

Similarity map

Explore nearby similar games and see why they’re close.

How to use the graph
Similarity map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Why this game works” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

  • Purple star: this page’s game — everything on the map is relative to it.
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot for a screenshot preview, score, and top score gaps; click to compare in the panel on the right.
  • 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 (hidden on purpose).

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

Why this game works

A motivational profile of the game, with the closest similar game for each player motivation.

  • Autonomy

    Game with the same Autonomy vibe

    3

    "Players make choices affecting story and endings, showing some control over narrative direction."

    Capsule for Stay! Stay! Democratic People's Republic of Korea! Stay! Stay! Democratic People's Republic of Korea!

    "Players make choices between instinct and reason affecting story progression and endings, indicating some control over narrative direction."

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    -2

    "Gameplay mainly involves reading and making story choices with limited skill-based challenges or variation."

    Capsule for Asphyxia Asphyxia

    "Gameplay mainly involves reading and making narrative choices with limited skill challenge or variation."

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    -5

    "No evidence of competitive elements; focus is on personal story experience."

    Capsule for Kinkoi: Golden Loveriche Kinkoi: Golden Loveriche

    "No evidence of competitive elements; focus is on personal story experience."

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    2

    "Players often engage in multiple playthroughs to uncover more story and endings, showing some habitual engagement."

    Capsule for 7 Days to End with You 7 Days to End with You

    "Players engage in multiple playthroughs to unlock different endings, showing some habitual engagement."

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    -5

    "Single-player visual novel with no cooperative or multiplayer features."

    Capsule for CLANNAD CLANNAD

    "Single-player visual novel with no cooperative or multiplayer features."

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    1

    "Some player choice in narrative direction, but mostly following scripted storylines."

    Capsule for Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms

    "Some creativity in narrative structure and choice system, but mostly following a scripted story."

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    -5

    "No indications of exerting control or superiority over others."

    Capsule for Heart of the Woods Heart of the Woods

    "No indications of exerting control or superiority over others."

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    4

    "Strong immersion in a dark, surreal world offering escape from reality through psychological horror and story."

    Capsule for The Cat Lady The Cat Lady

    "Strong immersion in a dark, surreal horror story provides escape from real life."

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily driven by interest in horror visual novels and story exploration."

    Capsule for Sound of Drop - fall into poison - Sound of Drop - fall into poison -

    "Players engage voluntarily driven by personal interest in horror BL visual novels."

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    2

    "Multiple endings and dialogue branches encourage trying different choices and exploring story variations."

    Capsule for While We Wait Here While We Wait Here

    "Choice system encourages trying different endings and exploring story branches."

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    3

    "Players uncover different story paths and endings, exploring narrative secrets."

    Capsule for DEAD LETTER DEPT. DEAD LETTER DEPT.

    "Players discover story secrets and multiple endings through exploration of narrative paths."

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    1

    "Limited character customization, but some player expression through choices affecting story outcomes."

    Capsule for Return to Shironagasu Island Return to Shironagasu Island

    "Limited customization but players express preferences through choices affecting story outcomes."

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    5

    "Strongly rooted in cosmic and body horror fiction with surreal and imaginative elements."

    Capsule for Look Outside Look Outside

    "Highly imaginative fiction with body horror, supernatural elements, and surreal narrative."

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    -5

    "Experience is solitary with no social or community features."

    Capsule for Verde Station Verde Station

    "Experience is solitary with no social or community features."

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    2

    "Players learn story nuances and character backgrounds through multiple playthroughs."

    Capsule for Love Is All Around Love Is All Around

    "Players learn story details and character backgrounds through multiple playthroughs."

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

    "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

    Capsule for World of Tanks Blitz World of Tanks Blitz

    "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -3

    "Requires focused attention to follow story and make timely choices."

    Capsule for Knowledge, or know Lady Knowledge, or know Lady

    "Requires focused attention to follow story and make choices."

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    3

    "Emotional engagement with characters and their personal stories fosters a sense of closeness."

    Capsule for BURIED STARS BURIED STARS

    "Emotional engagement with characters and story creates a sense of closeness."

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    -5

    "No leadership or group management elements."

    Capsule for High On Life High On Life

    "No leadership or group management elements."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    3

    "Progression through unlocking multiple endings and story content."

    Capsule for Asphyxia Asphyxia

    "Progression through unlocking multiple endings and story revelations."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    -1

    "Atmosphere is tense and unsettling rather than purely relaxing."

    Capsule for Sagebrush Sagebrush

    "Tense and disturbing atmosphere limits relaxation, though some find catharsis."

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    3

    "Strong sensory stimulation through art, music, voice acting, and horror elements."

    Capsule for Tiny Bunny Tiny Bunny

    "Strong sensory stimulation through art, music, and horror elements."

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    -5

    "No social recognition or status systems."

    Capsule for Alan Wake Alan Wake

    "No social recognition or status systems."

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    5

    "Narrative immersion is central, with complex plot, character development, and multiple endings."

    Capsule for Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma

    "Narrative immersion is central, with complex plot, characters, and multiple endings."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    -2

    "Choices affect story but require little strategic planning or problem solving."

    Capsule for CUPID - A free to play Visual Novel CUPID - A free to play Visual Novel

    "Choices affect story but require minimal strategic thinking or planning."

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    4

    "Suspense and horror elements create tension and emotional thrill."

    Capsule for Notch - The Innocent LunA: Eclipsed SinnerS Notch - The Innocent LunA: Eclipsed SinnerS

    "Horror and suspense elements create tension and emotional thrill."

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    1

    "Generally perceived as good value for story and experience, though some note short length."

    Capsule for Citizen Sleeper Citizen Sleeper

    "Generally perceived as good value for story and production quality, though some note short length."

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    5

    "Graphic violence, gore, and brutal scenes are prominent features."

    Capsule for Outlast 2 Outlast 2

    "Graphic gore, body horror, and violent themes are prominent."

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    3

    "Themes of avoiding threats and psychological survival are central to the narrative."

    Capsule for CHAOS;HEAD NOAH CHAOS;HEAD NOAH

    "Themes of bodily threat and mental struggle create a survival atmosphere."

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Last update: 01/06/2026