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The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker similar games & best alternatives

The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker

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

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Quick resume

YOU are a psychiatrist, trying to solve a murder whilst treating the unusual patients of the recently deceased Doctor Dekker. Type a question - patients reply in full screen video and have questions for you too but be careful what you say. Your words determine their eventual fates, and your own!

Global score

83/100

Genres

Adventure, Casual, Indie, Simulator, Point-and-click, Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging story and characters
    • High replayability with randomized killer
    • Immersive fmv acting
    • Unique text input questioning mechanic
    • Good value for price and content length

    Cons

    • Text parser can be frustrating and unintuitive
    • Some questions require exact phrasing
    • Limited gameplay variety beyond questioning
    • Some players find pacing slow or repetitive
    • Lack of closure or ambiguous endings for some

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Intimacy, Value. 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
      4

      "Players type their own questions freely to interact with patients, allowing personal freedom in directing conversations."

    • Competence
      3

      "Requires skill in formulating correct keywords and questions to progress, with a learning curve and feedback via hints."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focuses on individual investigation and story progression without player-vs-player or leaderboard elements."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Players report long play sessions and multiple playthroughs due to randomized killer and multiple endings."

    • Cooperation
      -3

      "Gameplay centers on solo interaction with patients; some players mention playing with friends but no direct cooperation mechanics."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players create their own questions and dialogue paths, though within the constraints of keyword recognition."

    • Domination
      -4

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

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as immersive psychological horror and mystery experience, escaping real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and intrinsic motivation to solve the mystery and explore story."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players experiment with different questions and dialogue approaches to unlock new story content."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Encourages discovery of new dialogue, story branches, and multiple endings through exploration of conversation."

    • Expression
      -2

      "Limited customization; players express themselves through typed questions but no avatar or environment personalization."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Strong Lovecraftian and supernatural themes create an imaginative, unsettling fictional experience."

    • Fellowship
      -3

      "Primarily a solitary experience with minimal social or community interaction."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players develop skills in questioning and deduction, learning how to navigate the text parser and story."

    • Health
      -4

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention to type questions and follow story; not suited for background or idle play."

    • Intimacy
      2

      "Players form emotional connections with characters through deep conversations and story engagement."

    • Leadership
      -4

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

    • Progression
      3

      "Players progress through story, unlock new dialogue, and achieve multiple endings; some achievements present."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "Atmospheric and immersive but also psychologically tense and unsettling; mixed relaxation and tension."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Engages players with emotional and psychological stimulation rather than intense sensory effects."

    • Status
      -4

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

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative immersion with complex characters, multiple endings, and rich lore."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Requires reasoning and planning in questioning and deduction to solve the murder mystery."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Psychological horror elements and mystery create suspense and tension."

    • Value
      4

      "Players report good value for money with many hours of content and replayability."

    • Violence
      -3

      "No emphasis on combat or destruction; focus on dialogue and investigation."

    • Survival
      2

      "Psychological survival and maintaining sanity are thematic elements, though no traditional survival mechanics."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026