What Remains of Edith Finch is a first-person exploration game developed by Giant Sparrow and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game tells the story of the Finch family and their cursed house through a series of interconnected short stories. Each story is unique in its gameplay mechanics, but all of them are emotionally engaging and thought-provoking. What Remains of Edith Finch has been widely praised for its storytelling, atmosphere, and walking simulator gameplay.
Games Like What Remains of Edith Finch
1. Gone Home
- Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
- Developer: The Fullbright Company
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: August 15, 2013
Gone Home is a first-person exploration game that takes place in a large house in the Pacific Northwest. The player takes on the role of Kaitlin, a young woman who returns home from a year-long trip in Europe to find her family missing. The game is about exploring the house and piecing together the story of Kaitlin’s family through objects and notes scattered around the house. Gone Home is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its walking simulator gameplay and emotionally engaging storytelling.
In the game, players must explore the vast and empty house to discover the fate of Kaitlin’s family. The game’s atmosphere is moody and evocative, with excellent sound design and haunting music. The story of Gone Home is a slow burn, but the pay-off is incredibly satisfying.
2. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
- Publisher: The Astronauts
- Developer: The Astronauts
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: September 25, 2014
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person exploration game set in an open world inspired by the wilderness of Red Creek Valley. The game follows Paul Prospero, a detective who receives a letter from a boy named Ethan Carter, who has gone missing. The game is about exploring the world and piecing together the story of Ethan’s disappearance through a series of supernatural events.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its story-driven gameplay and focus on exploration. The game’s atmosphere is eerie and unsettling, with excellent lighting and sound design. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is an excellent game for those who enjoy slow-burning narratives and a focus on environmental storytelling.
3. Dear Esther
- Publisher: The Chinese Room
- Developer: The Chinese Room
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: February 14, 2012
Dear Esther is a first-person exploration game that takes place on a deserted island in the Hebrides. The game is about exploring the island and uncovering the story of a man named Esther, who has recently passed away. The game’s narrative is presented in a non-linear fashion, with the story unfolding in fragments as the player explores the island.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its walking simulator gameplay and emphasis on storytelling. The game’s atmosphere is haunting and melancholic, with beautiful visuals and a haunting musical score. Dear Esther is an excellent game for those who enjoy contemplative and emotionally engaging narratives.
4. Firewatch
- Publisher: Panic Inc.
- Developer: Campo Santo
- Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: February 9, 2016
Firewatch is a first-person exploration game that takes place in the Wyoming wilderness. The player takes on the role of Henry, a fire lookout who is stationed in the forest for the summer. The game is about exploring the wilderness, maintaining communication with a supervisor named Delilah, and uncovering the mystery of what happened in the forest.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its emphasis on storytelling and immersive atmosphere. The game’s environment is stunningly rendered, with excellent lighting and sound design. Firewatch is an excellent game for those who enjoy slow-burning narratives and a focus on environmental storytelling.
5. Tacoma
- Publisher: Fullbright
- Developer: Fullbright
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: August 2, 2017
Tacoma is a first-person exploration game that takes place on a space station in the year 2088. The player takes on the role of a contractor named Amy, who has been sent to the space station to recover data from the station’s AI. The game is about exploring the space station, piecing together the story of what happened to its crew, and uncovering the mystery of the station’s AI.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its walking simulator gameplay and emotionally engaging storytelling. The game’s environment is beautifully rendered, with excellent lighting and sound design. Tacoma is an excellent game for those who enjoy science fiction narratives and a focus on environmental storytelling.
6. The Stanley Parable
- Publisher: Galactic Cafe
- Developer: Davey Wreden
- Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, macOS
- Release Date: October 17, 2013
The Stanley Parable is a first-person exploration game that deconstructs the concept of choice in video games. The player takes on the role of a man named Stanley, who works in an office building with no apparent purpose. The game is about exploring the office building and making choices that affect the story’s outcome.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its exploration-based gameplay and emphasis on storytelling. The game’s environment is minimalistic, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. The Stanley Parable is an excellent game for those who enjoy subversive narratives and deconstructions of game design.
7. The Beginner’s Guide
- Publisher: Everything Unlimited Ltd.
- Developer: Everything Unlimited Ltd.
- Platforms: PC, macOS
- Release Date: October 1, 2015
The Beginner’s Guide is a first-person exploration game that takes the player on a journey through a series of experimental games. The game is presented as a narrative experience, with the player being guided through a variety of strange and innovative games created by an enigmatic developer named Coda.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its emotionally engaging storytelling and focus on experimental game design. The game’s environment is minimalist, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. The Beginner’s Guide is an excellent game for those who enjoy experimental narratives and thought-provoking game design.
8. Gone Home
- Publisher: The Fullbright Company
- Developer: The Fullbright Company
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: August 15, 2013
Gone Home is a first-person exploration game that takes place in a house in the Pacific Northwest in 1995. The player takes on the role of a young woman named Katie, who returns home from a trip abroad to find her family’s house empty. The game is about exploring the house and piecing together the story of what happened to her family.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its exploration-based gameplay and emotionally engaging storytelling. The game’s environment is beautifully rendered, with excellent lighting and sound design. Gone Home is an excellent game for those who enjoy slow-burning narratives and a focus on environmental storytelling.
9. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Developer: The Chinese Room
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PC
- Release Date: August 11, 2015
Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is a first-person exploration game that takes place in a small town in England in the 1980s. The game is about exploring the town and piecing together the story of what happened to its inhabitants. The game’s story is presented in a non-linear fashion, with the player having the freedom to explore the town at their own pace.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its emotionally engaging storytelling and focus on environmental storytelling. The game’s environment is stunningly rendered, with excellent lighting and sound design. Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is an excellent game for those who enjoy slow-paced, atmospheric narratives and a focus on environmental storytelling.
10. Night in the Woods
- Publisher: Finji
- Developer: Infinite Fall
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: February 21, 2017
Night in the Woods is a story-focused exploration game that follows the adventures of a young college dropout named Mae Borowski as she returns to her hometown of Possum Springs. The game is about exploring the town and interacting with its quirky inhabitants while grappling with themes of mental illness, identity, and friendship.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its emphasis on storytelling and character development. The game’s environment is beautifully hand-drawn, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. Night in the Woods is an excellent game for those who enjoy coming-of-age stories and a focus on character-driven narratives.
11. Oxenfree
- Publisher: Night School Studio
- Developer: Night School Studio
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
- Release Date: January 15, 2016
Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller that follows a group of teenagers who unwittingly open a ghostly rift while exploring an abandoned island. The game is about exploring the island and uncovering its secrets while navigating the complex relationships between the characters.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its emphasis on storytelling and character development. The game’s environment is beautifully rendered, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. Oxenfree is an excellent game for those who enjoy supernatural thrillers and a focus on character-driven narratives.
12. Tacoma
- Publisher: Fullbright
- Developer: Fullbright
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
- Release Date: August 2, 2017
Tacoma is a narrative-focused exploration game that takes place aboard a high-tech space station in the year 2088. The player takes on the role of Amy Ferrier, a space engineer who is sent to the station to investigate a mysterious incident that occurred on board.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its exploration-based gameplay and emphasis on storytelling. The game’s environment is stunningly rendered, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. Tacoma is an excellent game for those who enjoy science fiction narratives and a focus on character-driven storytelling.
13. Virginia
- Publisher: 505 Games
- Developer: Variable State
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS
- Release Date: September 22, 2016
Virginia is a first-person exploration game that takes place in a small town in the United States in the 1990s. The player takes on the role of FBI agent Anne Tarver, who is sent to investigate the disappearance of a young boy in the town.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its emphasis on storytelling and character development. The game’s environment is beautifully rendered, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. Virginia is an excellent game for those who enjoy atmospheric storytelling and
14. The Stanley Parable
- Publisher: Galactic Cafe
- Developer: Davey Wreden
- Platforms: PC, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: October 17, 2013
The Stanley Parable is an interactive walking simulator that explores the concept of free will and player choice. The player takes on the role of Stanley, a mindless office worker whose entire life is controlled by a mysterious narrator.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its exploration-based gameplay and emphasis on narrative. The game’s environment is simplistic yet effective, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. The Stanley Parable is an excellent game for those who enjoy thought-provoking narratives and a focus on player choice.
15. Eastshade
- Publisher: Eastshade Studios
- Developer: Eastshade Studios
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Release Date: February 13, 2019
Eastshade is a first-person exploration game that takes place in a beautiful open world filled with diverse landscapes and interesting characters. The player takes on the role of a traveling painter who is on a mission to paint the world’s most breathtaking sights.
The game is similar to What Remains of Edith Finch in its exploration-based gameplay and emphasis on narrative. The game’s environment is stunningly rendered, with excellent voice acting and a thought-provoking narrative. Eastshade is an excellent game for those who enjoy immersive open-world environments and a focus on character-driven storytelling.
What Remains of Edith Finch is a game that has set the bar high for narrative-focused walking simulators. However, there are many games out there that share its emphasis on storytelling, atmosphere, and character development. These 15 games are just a few examples of the many wonderful indie games that are out there waiting to be discovered.
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