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When the Darkness comes similar games & best alternatives

When the Darkness comes

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2019

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Quick resume

When the Darkness comes is a walking simulator whose glitchy and dark tale tries to illustrate the hardships of depression and anxiety through a variety of imaginary digital landscapes.

Global score

92/100

Genres

Adventure, Free To Play, Indie

Similar games

    Pros

    • Deep, meaningful narrative addressing mental health
    • Multiple endings encouraging replayability
    • Free to play
    • Strong atmospheric audio and visuals
    • Emotional and philosophical impact

    Cons

    • Can be triggering for players with mental health issues
    • Some players find platforming sections frustrating
    • Lack of localization limits accessibility
    • No traditional gameplay challenge or variety
    • Some repetition in multiple playthroughs

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. 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 make meaningful choices affecting multiple endings and gameplay experience, reflecting personal decisions and control."

    • Competence
      1

      "Gameplay involves some skill in navigation and puzzle-like platforming, but overall focuses on narrative and emotional experience rather than technical challenge."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No competitive elements; focus is on personal experience and introspection without comparison to others."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Players often replay multiple times to explore different endings and deeper meanings, showing attachment and habitual engagement."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players explore different narrative paths and endings, with some freedom in choices; creative expression mainly through interpretation."

    • Domination
      -5

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

    • Escapism
      4

      "Strongly used as a means to explore and process difficult real-life emotions and mental health issues, providing psychological escape and reflection."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of personal interest and intrinsic motivation to understand themes and experience the narrative."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Multiple playthroughs with different choices encourage exploration of new narrative outcomes and game mechanics."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Players discover new areas, secrets, and endings through repeated playthroughs, driven by curiosity."

    • Expression
      -3

      "Limited customization; expression mainly through player choices and interpretation rather than avatar or environment modification."

    • Fantasy
      2

      "Abstract and metaphorical narrative with some surreal and horror elements, but grounded in realistic mental health themes."

    • Fellowship
      -5

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

    • Growth
      4

      "Encourages personal reflection, emotional growth, and understanding of mental health through narrative and gameplay."

    • Health
      -5

      "No physical activity or health-related gameplay elements; sedentary experience."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention and emotional engagement; not designed for background or casual play."

    • Intimacy
      2

      "Emotional intimacy through narrative and themes of personal struggle, though limited direct social interaction."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements; experience is individual."

    • Progression
      2

      "Progression through narrative and unlocking endings and achievements rather than item or power accumulation."

    • Relaxation
      -2

      "Experience is emotionally intense and sometimes stressful rather than purely relaxing or cathartic."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Strong atmospheric audio-visual design evokes emotional and sensory responses, including tension and unease."

    • Status
      -5

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

    • Story
      5

      "Narrative-driven experience with deep philosophical and psychological themes central to gameplay."

    • Strategy
      0

      "Minimal strategic or problem-solving elements; gameplay focuses on exploration and narrative."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Contains suspenseful and unsettling moments that create tension and emotional thrill."

    • Value
      5

      "Highly praised for meaningful content and free availability, providing excellent return on time invested."

    • Violence
      -5

      "No violent or destructive gameplay; focus is on emotional and psychological themes."

    • Survival
      0

      "No survival mechanics or threat avoidance; experience is narrative and exploratory."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026