IMHO.

Games like 1997

If 1997 is your kind of game, the closest matches are Coffee flavor of love 咖啡甜恋, Mystery Island:Missing Amy and Curiosity — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its nostalgic 90s atmosphere, atmospheric and mysterious. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.

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About 1997: Detective visual novel about mysteries of rural Russian town in 90-s, anime style.

2023IndieAdventure9.99 USDWindows · macOSby Hit'n'Run Digital Studio, RUZURA Interactive
1997 — Steam game cover
Players highlight
Choices ripple into unexpected endingsNostalgic 90s atmosphereStrong voice acting in russianAtmosphericMysteriousNostalgic

Players who liked 1997 also play

Steam players who put hours into 1997 also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.

  1. Coffee flavor of love 咖啡甜恋

    WHY THIS

    Top pick for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    Sweet love begins in the coffee shop. Office romances of coffee shop employees. This is a visual novel game with two endings.

    2021IndieAdventureRPG3.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  2. Mystery Island:Missing Amy

    WHY THIS

    Second-strongest match for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    The adventure begins when Ada, a young explorer, receives a mysterious selfie from her sister, who in fact disappeared months ago. ...... The background of the selfie is a mysterious island with blood-red sea water. Ada decides to go out on the sea to look for her sister……

    2025IndieAdventure6.99 USDSteam ↗
  3. Curiosity

    WHY THIS

    Third-strongest match for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie with 1997.

    "Curiosity killed the cat, but after satisfying it she was resurrected." This game is a visual novel. Features of the game - puzzles and several endings, depending on your choice.

    2021IndieCasual1.99 USDSteam ↗
  4. 童谣无忌

    WHY THIS

    Ranked #4 for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie with 1997.

    In 1998, journalist Gu Yao comes to the mountain village of Hongluo after an anonymous letter. A nursery rhyme points to a chain of old murders. Slowly reveal the truth of the case from back then.

    IndieRPGSteam ↗
  5. Whisper Books

    WHY THIS

    Shares an atmospheric mood with 1997.

    Ranked #5 for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    Whisper Books is a collection of high-profile visual novel, artistically expressed based on literature, with hand-painted illustrations, dubbing and interactive options. The gameplay is weak relative to storytelling, suitable for players and readers who like stories.

    2022IndieAdventureFree To PlayFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  6. 我的一个多重人格朋友

    WHY THIS

    Ranked #6 for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    This is an AVG game that involves reasoning and decryption. He Zhou has 7 different personalities, which alternate seven days a week. Players will play as a detective and deduce the truth behind the horrifying cases surrounding He Zhou through the diary he left behind.

    2025IndieAdventureSimulation0.99 USDSteam ↗
  7. 迷雾之夏-The Vigilant Villa

    WHY THIS

    Shares multiple endings and an atmospheric mood with 1997.

    Ranked #7 for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    The Vigilant Villa is a plots-oriented, texts-based AVG adventure game inheriting the classic “A locked room mystery" story mode. Where the game heads towards is completely decided by player’s own deductions and choices.

    2020IndieAdventureRPGDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  8. Expelled!

    WHY THIS

    Shares multiple endings and an atmospheric mood with 1997.

    Ranked #8 for 1997 fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    A School Prefect has been pushed out of a window, and everyone's blaming YOU. Can you find the culprit - or someone to take the fall - before you get EXPELLED? Mystery with a wicked twist, from the creators of Overboard!, 80 Days, Heaven's Vault and A Highland Song.

    2025IndieAdventureRPG14.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗

Cheaper alternatives

Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below 1997 at current Steam store prices.

  1. Garry's Mod

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1997.

    Garry's Mod is a physics sandbox. There aren't any predefined aims or goals. We give you the tools and leave you to play.

    2006IndieSimulationCasual4.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  2. Vampire Survivors

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1997.

    Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you. Be the bullet hell!

    2022ActionIndieRPG4.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  3. How to Fish

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1997.

    A 1-4 player physics based fishing simulator. While drinking and boating you suddenly crash into a small island. To work your way back home you have to learn How to Fish.

    2026ActionIndieSimulation4.95 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  4. Cookie Clicker

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1997.

    An idle game about making cookies! Originally released in 2013 on the web, and actively developed since then. This is the official version for Steam.

    2021StrategyIndieSimulation4.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  5. WEBFISHING

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1997.

    WEBFISHING a multiplayer chatroom-focused fishing game! Relax and fish (on the web!)

    2024IndieMassively MultiplayerCasual4.99 USDSteam ↗
  6. POSTAL 2

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~90% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    Live a week in the life of "The POSTAL Dude"; a hapless everyman just trying to check off some chores. Buying milk, returning an overdue library book, getting Gary Coleman's autograph, what could possibly go wrong?

    2012ActionIndieAdventure0.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  7. Buckshot Roulette

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~70% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1997.

    Play Russian roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun. Four enter. One leaves. Roll the dice with your life. Good luck!

    2024ActionIndieSimulation2.99 USDSteam ↗
  8. Brotato

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~50% under 1997 on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1997.

    Brotato is a top-down arena shooter roguelite where you play a potato wielding up to 6 weapons at a time to fight off hordes of aliens. Choose from a variety of traits and items to create unique builds and survive until help arrives.

    2023ActionIndieRPG4.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗

Free alternatives

Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.

  1. Doki Doki Literature Club!

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with 1997.

    The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.

    2017IndieFree To PlayCasualFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  2. Helltaker

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    Helltaker is a short game about sharply dressed demon girls.

    2020IndieAdventureFree To PlayFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  3. Bongo Cat

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with 1997.

    Bongo cat needs your help. Bongo cat needz more hatz!!! Every time you press a key, Bongo cat will punch your taskbar. Type, click, play, work to collect more points. Which hats will you find?

    2025IndieSimulationMassively MultiplayerFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  4. ENA: Dream BBQ

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    Experience surreal environments and inexplicable characters as ENA in a new wild world.

    2025IndieAdventureFreeDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  5. The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with 1997.

    Sonic the Hedgehog...was murdered!? Get to the bottom of the mystery in this brand-new adventure!

    2023IndieSimulationFree To PlayFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  6. Indigo Park: Chapter 1

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    Explore the abandoned childhood wonder of Indigo Park! Guided by Rambley the Raccoon, help restore power to the destroyed amusement park while you run from the reason it shut down.

    2024ActionIndieAdventureFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  7. The Looker

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with 1997.

    You wake up, alone, on a strangely familiar island full of puzzles that will frustrate and annoy you.

    2022IndieFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  8. Sheepy: A Short Adventure

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1997.

    A Short Handcrafted Pixel Art Platformer that follows Sheepy, an abandoned plushy brought to life. Sheepy: A Short Adventure is the first short game from MrSuicideSheep.

    2024IndieAdventureFree To PlayFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗

Frequently asked about 1997

How much does 1997 cost?
1997 is listed on Steam at 9.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
What games are most similar to 1997?
Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside 1997 are Coffee flavor of love 咖啡甜恋, Mystery Island:Missing Amy, Curiosity.
Who developed 1997?
1997 was developed by Hit'n'Run Digital Studio, RUZURA Interactive and published by Hit'n'Run Digital Studio.

imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on 1997.

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