There Is No Game: Jam Edition 2015 similar games & best alternatives

There Is No Game: Jam Edition 2015

PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, Mac • 2020

Should you play it?

A little game that’s not a game, winner of an old game jam that nobody’s ever heard of. So DON'T INSTALL IT!

What works
  • Highly creative and original concept
  • Humorous and charming narrator
  • Short and accessible experience
  • Free to play
  • Easy to complete with achievements
Things to keep in mind
  • Very short length limits depth
  • Minimal replayability beyond achievements
  • No multiplayer or social features
  • Limited challenge for experienced players
  • Some players may find it too unconventional

What to play next

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

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • The Secret of Tremendous Corporation

  • La Rana

  • Missing Translation

  • Dev Guy

  • Inbetween Land

  • Isle of Ewe

  • 100 hidden eternals

  • Runo

  • Comedy Quest
Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • 100 hidden eternals

  • BOOMEROAD

  • Evo Explores
If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

  • Creativity

    IMSCARED
  • Experimenting

    Chroma Zero
  • Value

    Mad Adventures

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).

There Is No Game: Jam Edition 2015: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Survival, Violence, Competition, Thrill. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Continuation, Expression, Intimacy.

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

    4

    "Players have freedom to explore environments, experiment with objects, and solve puzzles in multiple ways, reflecting high personal control and decision-making."

    Capsule for I Expect You To Die I Expect You To Die

    "Players freely experiment with the environment and puzzles without fixed routines, encouraging personal exploration and decision-making."

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    2

    "Puzzles require some skill and thinking but are generally easy and short, providing moderate challenge."

    Capsule for Polarity Polarity

    "Puzzles require some thinking and problem solving but are generally easy and short, offering moderate skill challenge."

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    -5

    "No competitive elements; focus is on individual experience without comparison to others."

    Capsule for Locked Up Locked Up

    "No competitive elements or comparison to others; focus is on individual experience."

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    -3

    "Short experience (~10-20 minutes) with limited replayability mostly for achievement hunting; not designed for long habitual play."

    Capsule for Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay

    "Very short experience (~15-30 minutes), with low replay value beyond achievement hunting."

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    -5

    "Entirely single-player with no cooperative or multiplayer features."

    Capsule for Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles

    "Entirely single-player with no cooperative or multiplayer features."

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    5

    "Highly creative use of meta-game mechanics, file manipulation, and breaking the fourth wall."

    Capsule for IMSCARED IMSCARED

    "Highly creative meta-game design that breaks conventions and encourages thinking outside the box."

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    -5

    "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; experience is personal and playful."

    Capsule for ODDADA ODDADA

    "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; experience is personal and playful."

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    3

    "Humorous and absurd setting provides a fun escape from reality."

    Capsule for Rock of Ages Rock of Ages

    "Provides a humorous and absurd escape from reality through meta-narrative and playful puzzles."

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily out of curiosity and intrinsic interest in the game's unique concept and mechanics."

    Capsule for NEO AQUARIUM - The King of Crustaceans - NEO AQUARIUM - The King of Crustaceans -

    "Players engage voluntarily out of curiosity and intrinsic interest in the unique concept."

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    5

    "Core gameplay revolves around experimenting with game rules, testing hypotheses, and discovering new mechanics."

    Capsule for Chroma Zero Chroma Zero

    "Core gameplay revolves around experimenting with interactions and breaking expected rules."

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    3

    "Players explore surreal, changing environments and discover secrets."

    Capsule for Cognition Method: Initiation Cognition Method: Initiation

    "Players explore a surreal environment and discover hidden interactions and surprises."

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    -4

    "Minimal customization or self-expression; mostly fixed character and presentation."

    Capsule for Nobody Wants to Die Nobody Wants to Die

    "Minimal customization or self-expression; focus is on interaction with fixed content."

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    4

    "Engages players in a surreal, meta-fictional narrative with absurd and imaginative elements."

    Capsule for The Stanley Parable The Stanley Parable

    "Engages players in a whimsical, fictional meta-world with absurd and imaginative scenarios."

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    -5

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

    Capsule for POOLS POOLS

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

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    1

    "Some learning involved in puzzle solving and understanding clues, but limited depth due to short length."

    Capsule for GET OUT! GET OUT!

    "Some learning involved in puzzle solving, but limited depth due to short length."

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

    "Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

    Capsule for Hello Neighbor Alpha 2 Hello Neighbor Alpha 2

    "Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements."

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -4

    "Requires focused attention to solve puzzles and progress; not designed for idle or background play."

    Capsule for The Last Dream: Developer's Edition The Last Dream: Developer's Edition

    "Requires focused attention to solve puzzles and progress; not designed for idle play."

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    -5

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

    Capsule for BPM: BULLETS PER MINUTE BPM: BULLETS PER MINUTE

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

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    -5

    "No leadership or group management roles; single-player narrative."

    Capsule for Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

    "No leadership or group management roles; single-player narrative."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    2

    "Progression through unlocking new puzzles and achievements, but no complex item or upgrade systems."

    Capsule for Storyteller Storyteller

    "Progression through puzzle completion and unlocking achievements, but no complex item or upgrade systems."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    3

    "Light humor and easy puzzles create a relaxed, enjoyable flow state."

    Capsule for Her Majesty's SPIFFING Her Majesty's SPIFFING

    "Lighthearted humor and simple puzzles create a relaxed, enjoyable flow state."

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    2

    "Enjoyable audiovisual presentation with voice acting and music; some sensory stimulation but not intense."

    Capsule for No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES

    "Decent audiovisual presentation with pleasant pixel art and voice acting, but not intense sensory stimulation."

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    -5

    "No social recognition or status systems present."

    Capsule for Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Resident Evil 7 Biohazard

    "No social recognition or status systems present."

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    4

    "Engaging narrative with humor, multiple endings, and character-driven plot."

    Capsule for Spy Fox in "Dry Cereal" Spy Fox in "Dry Cereal"

    "Engaging meta-narrative with a humorous narrator and unexpected plot twists."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    1

    "Simple puzzle solving requires some reasoning but no complex strategic planning."

    Capsule for Shiver Shiver

    "Simple puzzle solving requires some reasoning but no deep strategic planning."

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    -2

    "Low suspense or risk; experience is calm and contemplative rather than thrilling."

    Capsule for Myst Myst

    "Low suspense or risk; experience is calm and humorous rather than thrilling."

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    5

    "Free to play with good entertainment value for time invested."

    Capsule for Mad Adventures Mad Adventures

    "Free to play with high entertainment value for short time investment."

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    -5

    "No violent content; gameplay focuses on puzzle solving and harmless character movement."

    Capsule for Millie Millie

    "No violent content; gameplay focuses on puzzles and humor."

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    -5

    "No survival or threat avoidance mechanics; stable and safe environment."

    Capsule for Date Everything! Date Everything!

    "No survival or threat avoidance mechanics; stable and safe environment."

Come talk about it on Discord!

Last update: 01/06/2026