Single-player games like Desktop Detective
Below are 15 single-player Steam games similar to Desktop Detective, ranked by player overlap. Every pick carries Steam's Single-player category, so multiplayer-only titles or always-online games don't sneak in. imho.run pulls the category data from Steam directly — Single-player here matches what the store labels.
Want the full alternatives list (paid + free + Steam Deck + cheaper picks)? See the parent games like Desktop Detective page.
Ranked picks
- 1
Desktop Defender
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and Casual with Desktop Detective.
An idle auto-battler that sits in the corner of your screen while you do other things.
- 2
Orc Incremental
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and RPG with Desktop Detective.
Start with a single orc and build an unstoppable dark army to conquer the realms in this incremental auto battler. Perfect your formation, summon mighty beasts, unlock powerful upgrades, and grow stronger with each rebirth.
- 3
All Aboard! The Train Defense Express
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and Casual with Desktop Detective.
Protect the Infinite Power Generator by looping around the train tracks! Battle endless waves of enemies in this unique hybrid of auto-battler, survivor, tower defense, idle/clicker gameplay. How long can you survive?
- 4
IDLE BOSS RUSH
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and RPG with Desktop Detective.
Slay giant bosses and turn the hollow wasteland into the almighty kingdom! Endlessly rewarding incremental game where you collect fountains of rare loot, unleash crazy combos and watch the monsters fall under your knees. Boss Rush that keeps on going when you're gone!
- 5
Zero Stress King: Idle Defense
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and Casual with Desktop Detective.
A short relaxing incremental game disguised as a tower defense, but enemies can’t reach your walls. Thanks to lava.
- 6
Maktala: Slime Lootfest
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and RPG with Desktop Detective.
An incremental game where you kill hordes of slimes and use their loot to become stronger and farm them. Collect powerful loot, master skills, and uncover tons of content.
- 7
Q-UP
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares RPG and Casual with Desktop Detective.
Sick of long queues, unfair matchups, and arbitrary reflex tests? Try Q-UP, the coin flipping eSport. It's one part clicker, one part multiplayer strategy game, one part demented capitalism simulator, and 100% completely random.
- 8
Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and Casual with Desktop Detective.
You are the one and only Duck Detective, a depressed and recently divorced duck who must quack the case. Inspect evidence, make de-duck-tions, and solve this no-murder mystery!
- 9
The Outbound Ghost
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and RPG with Desktop Detective.
The Outbound Ghost is an adventure RPG about helping ghosts ascend to the afterlife. Battle the past using figments of your personality. Craft badges to earn abilities. Explore a town of troubled spooks and discover life can be tough, even when you're dead.
- 10
Lootbox Lyfe
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie with Desktop Detective.
Explore a desolate world in the genre defining platformvania. Lootbox Lyfe is a Metroidvania with Movement Option Progression. Save your species through delving into an interconnected world riddled with platforming obstacles. Unlock new areas as you obtain new movement options.
- 11
Girabox
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and Casual with Desktop Detective.
A minimalist puzzle game in which you rotate the world instead of controlling the player. Play through the many level packs and compare your score to others in the leaderboards.
- 12
Soul Stalker
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required.
A bullet heaven roguelike where you assume the role of the steward of ghosts bound to eternal life on earth. Wield 4 to 6 weapons simultaneously to fend off waves of apparitions determined to defeat your spirited friends.
- 13
Wanted Shadows
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie and RPG with Desktop Detective.
Decimate thousands of demons on All Hallows' Eve to protect your infernal home. Wanted Shadows is a bullet heaven roguelite where the difference between overpowering and being overpowered lies in your skill and wit.
- 14
Little Laps
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Casual with Desktop Detective.
Race through minimalist tracks designed for precision and flow. Master the one-button controls, beat your best times, and experience racing distilled to its purest form. Can you perfect your little laps?
- 15
Wanted Shadows: Unchained
Single-player alternative to Desktop Detective — playable solo, no multiplayer required. Shares Indie with Desktop Detective.
A survivors-like game where you defeat creatures of the night trying to take over the underworld. Vanquish the invasion, perfect your build, and become purgatory's master.