Rank 01Why this
Also Narration and Walking Simulator, like Dear Esther.
- $9.99 (Price checked Nov 4)
- Deck Verified
- 2017
Games like Dear Esther
- 33 games
- Updated Oct 5, 2026
Players who liked Dear Esther also play
The closest matches to Dear Esther: Dear Esther: Landmark Edition, Gone Home, Proteus, Firewatch, and What Remains of Edith Finch. Ranked by imho.run from Steam co-play data, shared tags and reviews.
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Firewatch
Why this: Shares environmental exploration with Dear Esther.
Rank 05 
What Remains of Edith Finch
Why this: Also Narration and Short, like Dear Esther.
Rank 06 
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Rank 08 
Kentucky Route Zero: PC Edition
Why this: Same atmospheric mood as Dear Esther.
The full ranked list: top 24 games like Dear Esther
Best match first, as plain text. The same list for AI assistants:
- 1Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
Also Narration and Walking Simulator, like Dear Esther.
- 76% of 1,402 reviews
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- Released: 2012
- Developer: The Chinese Room, Robert Briscoe
- Steam Deck: Deck Verified
- 78% of 3,075 reviews
- Genres: Indie, Adventure, Casual
- Metacritic 75
- Platforms: Windows, macOS
Players highlight
- Exploration feels meaningful
- Soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful
- Story lingers emotionally
- Atmospheric
- Hypnotic
- Immersive
More games like Dear Esther, sliced differently
Reviewers mention these as similar to Dear Esther
Surfaced from review text: when other players write 'if you liked X, try Y', we catch the name and resolve it back to a Steam game.
The Walking Dead
Why this: Same atmospheric mood as Dear Esther.
To the Moon
Why this: Shares non linear narrative with Dear Esther.
Free alternatives
Free games the recommender matches to Dear Esther, limited to titles with at least 500 Steam reviews and 80% positive.
9.03m
Why this: Shares environmental exploration with Dear Esther.
Port of Call
Why this: Also Short and Walking Simulator, like Dear Esther.
The Plan
Why this: Also Beautiful and Short, like Dear Esther.
Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist
Why this: Also Narration and Short, like Dear Esther.
Plays great on Steam Deck
Valve-Verified or Playable picks from the similar pool — ready to go on Deck out of the box.
Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
Why this: Also Narration and Walking Simulator, like Dear Esther.
Gone Home
Why this: Also Short and Walking Simulator, like Dear Esther.
Firewatch
Why this: Shares environmental exploration with Dear Esther.
What Remains of Edith Finch
Why this: Also Narration and Short, like Dear Esther.
Kentucky Route Zero: PC Edition
Why this: Same atmospheric mood as Dear Esther.
More from The Chinese Room
Other recommendable Steam games by The Chinese Room, ranked by review count so the studio's hits land first.
Still Wakes the Deep
Why this: Shares environmental exploration with Dear Esther.
Vampire: The Masquerade® - Bloodlines™ 2
Why this: Same atmospheric mood as Dear Esther.
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
Why this: Also Narration and Walking Simulator, like Dear Esther.
About Dear Esther
The closest matches to Dear Esther: Dear Esther: Landmark Edition, Gone Home, Proteus, Firewatch, and What Remains of Edith Finch. Ranked by imho.run from Steam co-play data, shared tags and reviews.
If Dear Esther is your kind of game, the closest matches are Dear Esther: Landmark Edition, Gone Home and Proteus — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers describe it as atmospheric, hypnotic and immersive, and single out its environmental exploration and non linear narrative. 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.
Dear Esther is an adventure game from developers The Chinese Room and Robert Briscoe, published by Secret Mode. It features environmental exploration, a nonlinear narrative structure, and procedural generation elements. Players traverse an island while listening to poetic narration. Reviewers describe the experience as atmospheric, hypnotic, immersive, and melancholic. Players highlight that exploration feels meaningful, the soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, the story lingers emotionally, and the symbolism is rich and layered. The game is verified on Steam Deck and offers a chill, short, solo experience designed for sitting down. It holds a 78% positive rating from over 3,000 Steam reviews.
About Dear Esther: Begin a journey through one of the most original first-person games of recent years.
Is Dear Esther worth buying?
Mostly recommended
A summary of what players say, not a promise you'll like it. Every signal is listed below.
- 78% of 3,075 Steam reviews are positive.
- We don't track this game's daily reviews yet, so this is the all-time picture.
- People who recommend it had played a median of 4 h when they wrote their review.
- Steam Deck Verified.
What fans praise · Themes mined from positive reviews
- Exploration feels meaningful
- Soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful
- Story lingers emotionally
- Symbolism is rich and layered
People who play it also play: Dear Esther: Landmark Edition, Gone Home, Proteus
Frequently asked about Dear Esther
Can I run it?
Is Dear Esther verified for Steam Deck?
Yes — Dear Esther is Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve has confirmed it runs well on the Deck with full controller, text legibility, and default configuration support.
What games are most similar to Dear Esther?
Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside Dear Esther are Dear Esther: Landmark Edition, Gone Home, Proteus.
Who developed Dear Esther?
Dear Esther was developed by The Chinese Room, Robert Briscoe and published by Secret Mode.