1 Hollow Knight
Lots to discover
A hand-drawn Metroidvania in a ruined insect kingdom full of secrets.
- Lots to discover
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
- Challenging difficulty
A hand-drawn Metroidvania in a ruined insect kingdom full of secrets.
The best games with unique art styles on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Games you recognise from a single screenshot: hand-drawn, playful or simply different.
How to find games that really suit you: Select up to 5 games you have played and enjoyed. Playalike compares 36 traits such as combat, story and atmosphere and suggests games that hit exactly the same spot, even across genres.
-
1 Hollow Knight
- Lots to discover
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
- Challenging difficulty
A hand-drawn Metroidvania in a ruined insect kingdom full of secrets.
-
2 Hades
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
Escape from the underworld as a roguelike with fast-paced combat and a story that grows with every run.
-
3 Limbo
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Jumping and platforming
- Puzzles and brain teasers
A wordless puzzle-platformer rendered in stark black and white, following a boy through a hostile shadow world full of deadly traps learned through trial and error. Its oppressive atmosphere and minimalist art make it a haunting, memorable experience.
2 Hades
Runs that play out differently every time
Escape from the underworld as a roguelike with fast-paced combat and a story that grows with every run.
2 Hades
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
Escape from the underworld as a roguelike with fast-paced combat and a story that grows with every run.
3 Limbo
Dark, serious atmosphere
A wordless puzzle-platformer rendered in stark black and white, following a boy through a hostile shadow world full of deadly traps learned through trial and error. Its oppressive atmosphere and minimalist art make it a haunting, memorable experience.
3 Limbo
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Jumping and platforming
- Puzzles and brain teasers
A wordless puzzle-platformer rendered in stark black and white, following a boy through a hostile shadow world full of deadly traps learned through trial and error. Its oppressive atmosphere and minimalist art make it a haunting, memorable experience.
4 Ori and the Blind Forest
Jumping and platforming
A gorgeous hand-painted Metroidvania platformer with tight, demanding movement, tense escape sequences and a heartfelt tale of loss and hope. Its sweeping orchestral score makes the forest of Nibel unforgettable.
- Jumping and platforming
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Lots to discover
A gorgeous hand-painted Metroidvania platformer with tight, demanding movement, tense escape sequences and a heartfelt tale of loss and hope. Its sweeping orchestral score makes the forest of Nibel unforgettable.
5 South Park: The Stick of Truth
Lots of humour
A turn-based RPG that looks exactly like a playable South Park episode: as the new kid in town you join Cartman and friends in a backyard fantasy war that spirals wildly out of control. Timed attack inputs and crude, irreverent humor define the experience.
5 South Park: The Stick of Truth
- Lots of humour
- Turn-based combat
- Strong, story-driven narrative
A turn-based RPG that looks exactly like a playable South Park episode: as the new kid in town you join Cartman and friends in a backyard fantasy war that spirals wildly out of control. Timed attack inputs and crude, irreverent humor define the experience.
6 Journey
Lavish presentation
A wordless, meditative pilgrimage across shimmering dunes toward a distant mountain, where you may meet anonymous strangers online and communicate only through chimes. Short, breathtakingly beautiful and carried by an award-winning score that hits hard emotionally.
6 Journey
- Lavish presentation
- Fantasy setting
A wordless, meditative pilgrimage across shimmering dunes toward a distant mountain, where you may meet anonymous strangers online and communicate only through chimes. Short, breathtakingly beautiful and carried by an award-winning score that hits hard emotionally.
7 Hollow Knight: Silksong
Lots to discover
The sequel to Hollow Knight: faster, more acrobatic and even more demanding.
- Lots to discover
- Challenging difficulty
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
The sequel to Hollow Knight: faster, more acrobatic and even more demanding.
8 Cuphead
Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A brutally tough boss-rush shooter animated like a 1930s cartoon, where precise dodging, parrying and shooting decide every fight. A swinging big-band jazz score and local co-op round it out.
8 Cuphead
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Shooting and gunplay
A brutally tough boss-rush shooter animated like a 1930s cartoon, where precise dodging, parrying and shooting decide every fight. A swinging big-band jazz score and local co-op round it out.
9 Bastion
Post-apocalyptic setting
An isometric action RPG where a gravelly narrator reacts to everything you do as you mix weapons and rebuild a refuge in a gorgeous hand-painted, shattered world. Its soundtrack and poignant ending choices make it unforgettable.
9 Bastion
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Fantasy setting
An isometric action RPG where a gravelly narrator reacts to everything you do as you mix weapons and rebuild a refuge in a gorgeous hand-painted, shattered world. Its soundtrack and poignant ending choices make it unforgettable.
10 Persona 5 Royal
Turn-based combat
High-school life in Tokyo meets dungeon crawling: stylish turn-based battles, time management and a long, gripping story.
- Turn-based combat
- A party of several characters
- Strong, story-driven narrative
High-school life in Tokyo meets dungeon crawling: stylish turn-based battles, time management and a long, gripping story.
11 Gris
Cosy, great for unwinding
A poetic platformer about grief, almost wordless and with a watercolour look.
11 Gris
- Cosy, great for unwinding
- Jumping and platforming
A poetic platformer about grief, almost wordless and with a watercolour look.
12 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Lots to discover
A gorgeous Metroidvania with fluid movement and an emotional story.
12 Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Lots to discover
- Jumping and platforming
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A gorgeous Metroidvania with fluid movement and an emotional story.
13 SuperHot
Shooting and gunplay
A shooter where time only moves when you do, turning every gunfight into a choreographed tactical puzzle. Its stark red-and-white look and unsettling meta narrative make it unforgettable.
13 SuperHot
- Shooting and gunplay
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Tactical depth
A shooter where time only moves when you do, turning every gunfight into a choreographed tactical puzzle. Its stark red-and-white look and unsettling meta narrative make it unforgettable.
14 Return of the Obra Dinn
Puzzles and brain teasers
As an insurance investigator, you use a magical pocket watch to relive the final moments of a ghost ship's crew and deduce the identity and fate of every sailor. Its striking 1-bit visuals and brilliant deduction design make it a one-of-a-kind detective game.
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lots to discover
As an insurance investigator, you use a magical pocket watch to relive the final moments of a ghost ship's crew and deduce the identity and fate of every sailor. Its striking 1-bit visuals and brilliant deduction design make it a one-of-a-kind detective game.
15 Transistor
Sci-fi setting
A gorgeous sci-fi action RPG in which the singer Red wanders the city of Cloudbank with a talking sword, blending real-time fights with a pausable planning mode. Freely combinable Functions allow creative builds, and a melancholic soundtrack defines the whole experience.
15 Transistor
- Sci-fi setting
- Tactical depth
- Strong, story-driven narrative
A gorgeous sci-fi action RPG in which the singer Red wanders the city of Cloudbank with a talking sword, blending real-time fights with a pausable planning mode. Freely combinable Functions allow creative builds, and a melancholic soundtrack defines the whole experience.
16 Fez
Puzzles and brain teasers
A serene pixel-art platformer where rotating a flat-looking world reveals hidden paths through a third dimension. Beneath its calm surface lie cryptic ciphers and deep secrets that reward obsessive puzzle-solving.
16 Fez
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lots to discover
- Cosy, great for unwinding
A serene pixel-art platformer where rotating a flat-looking world reveals hidden paths through a third dimension. Beneath its calm surface lie cryptic ciphers and deep secrets that reward obsessive puzzle-solving.
17 Valiant Hearts: The Great War
Historical setting
A moving puzzle adventure in a hand-drawn comic style that follows four lives and a loyal dog through the horrors of World War I. Alongside its puzzles, it weaves in real history and hits hard with quiet, tragic moments.
17 Valiant Hearts: The Great War
- Historical setting
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A moving puzzle adventure in a hand-drawn comic style that follows four lives and a loyal dog through the horrors of World War I. Alongside its puzzles, it weaves in real history and hits hard with quiet, tragic moments.
18 Machinarium
Puzzles and brain teasers
A wordless point-and-click adventure following a tiny robot through a gorgeously hand-drawn, rusty machine city, packed with clever puzzles and charming pictogram storytelling. Floex's atmospheric soundtrack makes it a calm, whimsical work of art.
18 Machinarium
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Cosy, great for unwinding
- Lavish presentation
A wordless point-and-click adventure following a tiny robot through a gorgeously hand-drawn, rusty machine city, packed with clever puzzles and charming pictogram storytelling. Floex's atmospheric soundtrack makes it a calm, whimsical work of art.
19 Psychonauts
Lots of humour
A quirky 3D platformer where a young psychic dives into the minds of eccentric characters, each one a wildly inventive level. Sharp humor, distinctive art and surprisingly heartfelt themes about mental struggles make it a cult classic.
19 Psychonauts
- Lots of humour
- Jumping and platforming
- Lots to discover
A quirky 3D platformer where a young psychic dives into the minds of eccentric characters, each one a wildly inventive level. Sharp humor, distinctive art and surprisingly heartfelt themes about mental struggles make it a cult classic.
20 Rayman Origins
Jumping and platforming
A gorgeously hand-drawn 2D platformer bursting with zany humor, tight jumping challenges and frantic treasure-chase levels, playable with up to four friends in chaotic local co-op. It gets seriously demanding in its later stages.
- Jumping and platforming
- Playing together in co-op
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A gorgeously hand-drawn 2D platformer bursting with zany humor, tight jumping challenges and frantic treasure-chase levels, playable with up to four friends in chaotic local co-op. It gets seriously demanding in its later stages.
21 Child of Light
Turn-based combat
A fairy-tale RPG with hand-drawn visuals and a timeline-based battle system.
- Turn-based combat
- Fantasy setting
- A party of several characters
A fairy-tale RPG with hand-drawn visuals and a timeline-based battle system.
22 Don't Starve
Open world
A merciless survival game with a gothic, Tim Burton-esque hand-drawn style, where you scavenge, craft and fend off hunger, insanity and monsters in a procedurally generated wilderness. Death is permanent, but every run teaches you something new.
22 Don't Starve
- Open world
- Lots to discover
- Challenging difficulty
A merciless survival game with a gothic, Tim Burton-esque hand-drawn style, where you scavenge, craft and fend off hunger, insanity and monsters in a procedurally generated wilderness. Death is permanent, but every run teaches you something new.
23 Grim Fandango
Puzzles and brain teasers
A film-noir adventure through a Day-of-the-Dead-inspired afterlife, following skeletal travel agent Manny Calavera as he unravels a conspiracy across four years. Sharp, witty writing, a swinging jazz score and tricky, sometimes obtuse puzzles make it a genre classic.
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lots of humour
A film-noir adventure through a Day-of-the-Dead-inspired afterlife, following skeletal travel agent Manny Calavera as he unravels a conspiracy across four years. Sharp, witty writing, a swinging jazz score and tricky, sometimes obtuse puzzles make it a genre classic.
24 Mouse: P.I. For Hire
Shooting and gunplay
A fast-paced first-person shooter styled after 1930s black-and-white rubber hose cartoons, casting you as mouse detective Jack Pepper in a noir city. Its hand-drawn animation and jazzy score give it a one-of-a-kind identity.
- Shooting and gunplay
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A fast-paced first-person shooter styled after 1930s black-and-white rubber hose cartoons, casting you as mouse detective Jack Pepper in a noir city. Its hand-drawn animation and jazzy score give it a one-of-a-kind identity.
25 Castle Crashers
Co-op or multiplayer
A chaotic, hilarious cartoon brawler best enjoyed with up to four friends on the couch. Light RPG hooks like leveling, weapons and animal orbs keep you coming back between its absurd boss fights.
26 World of Goo
Puzzles and brain teasers
A physics-based construction puzzler where you build wobbly towers and bridges out of living goo balls to guide them to an exit pipe. Its quirky, darkly funny Burton-esque style, satirical tale about consumerism and technology, and wonderful soundtrack make it a modern indie classic.
26 World of Goo
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lots of humour
A physics-based construction puzzler where you build wobbly towers and bridges out of living goo balls to guide them to an exit pipe. Its quirky, darkly funny Burton-esque style, satirical tale about consumerism and technology, and wonderful soundtrack make it a modern indie classic.
27 Alice: Madness Returns
Dark, serious atmosphere
A grim hack-and-slash platformer that turns Wonderland into a twisted reflection of Alice's shattered mind. Its grotesquely beautiful art direction and haunting story about her family's death make every realm memorable.
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
- Jumping and platforming
A grim hack-and-slash platformer that turns Wonderland into a twisted reflection of Alice's shattered mind. Its grotesquely beautiful art direction and haunting story about her family's death make every realm memorable.
28 The Curse of Monkey Island
Puzzles and brain teasers
A classic point-and-click adventure where Guybrush Threepwood tackles absurd puzzles, insult swordfighting and razor-sharp jokes to break LeChuck's curse. Its gorgeous hand-drawn cartoon art and excellent voice acting make it a genre highlight.
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lots of humour
- Strong, story-driven narrative
A classic point-and-click adventure where Guybrush Threepwood tackles absurd puzzles, insult swordfighting and razor-sharp jokes to break LeChuck's curse. Its gorgeous hand-drawn cartoon art and excellent voice acting make it a genre highlight.
29 Blasphemous
Dark, serious atmosphere
A brutal Metroidvania in gorgeous pixel art that twists Spanish Catholic iconography into a nightmarish world of guilt and penance. Tight parries, gory executions and plenty of hidden secrets define the Penitent One's journey.
29 Blasphemous
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
- Action-packed real-time combat
A brutal Metroidvania in gorgeous pixel art that twists Spanish Catholic iconography into a nightmarish world of guilt and penance. Tight parries, gory executions and plenty of hidden secrets define the Penitent One's journey.
30 Psychonauts 2
Jumping and platforming
An inventive 3D platformer where young psychic agent Raz dives into other characters' minds. Each mental world is a wildly imaginative level that tackles anxieties and trauma with plenty of humor and heart.
31 Minecraft: Java Edition
Open world
The definitive sandbox: mine, craft, survive the nights and build anything you can imagine in an endless procedurally generated block world, solo or with friends on servers. The Java Edition adds a massive modding community on top.
32 Night in the Woods
Strong, story-driven narrative
As college dropout Mae, you return to your decaying hometown, hang out with old friends and stumble onto something sinister in the woods. Sharp, funny writing, gorgeous flat-colored art and an honest look at depression and a dying town make it stand out.
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Lots of humour
As college dropout Mae, you return to your decaying hometown, hang out with old friends and stumble onto something sinister in the woods. Sharp, funny writing, gorgeous flat-colored art and an honest look at depression and a dying town make it stand out.
33 South of Midnight
Action-packed real-time combat
A linear action-adventure through the American Deep South where Hazel, a Weaver, battles folklore creatures and mends the broken stories of haunted souls. Its stop-motion-inspired look and soulful Southern soundtrack make it stand out.
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Fantasy setting
- Strong, story-driven narrative
A linear action-adventure through the American Deep South where Hazel, a Weaver, battles folklore creatures and mends the broken stories of haunted souls. Its stop-motion-inspired look and soulful Southern soundtrack make it stand out.
34 The Banner Saga
Turn-based combat
A bleak Viking saga with gorgeous hand-drawn art, where you lead a caravan through a dying world. Turn-based tactical battles alternate with tough decisions that can cost supplies, morale and even the lives of your companions.
- Turn-based combat
- Choices with consequences
- A party of several characters
A bleak Viking saga with gorgeous hand-drawn art, where you lead a caravan through a dying world. Turn-based tactical battles alternate with tough decisions that can cost supplies, morale and even the lives of your companions.
35 Undertale
Choices with consequences
A charming indie RPG where every fight can be resolved without violence, blending turn-based menus with bullet-hell dodging. Its quirky humor, memorable monsters and a story that remembers your choices made it a cult classic.
35 Undertale
- Choices with consequences
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lots of humour
A charming indie RPG where every fight can be resolved without violence, blending turn-based menus with bullet-hell dodging. Its quirky humor, memorable monsters and a story that remembers your choices made it a cult classic.
36 Super Mario Odyssey
Lots to discover
A playful 3D platformer where Mario uses his living hat Cappy to possess enemies and objects while scouring varied, secret-packed kingdoms for Power Moons. Nearly every corner rewards curiosity with a fresh surprise.
37 Borderlands 2
Shooting and gunplay
A loud, cel-shaded loot shooter packed with countless randomly generated guns, irreverent humor and one of gaming's most memorable villains, Handsome Jack. It shines brightest as a chaotic four-player co-op hunt for ever better loot.
- Shooting and gunplay
- Lots of humour
- Action-packed real-time combat
A loud, cel-shaded loot shooter packed with countless randomly generated guns, irreverent humor and one of gaming's most memorable villains, Handsome Jack. It shines brightest as a chaotic four-player co-op hunt for ever better loot.
38 Hyper Light Drifter
Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A wordless, gorgeous pixel-art adventure built on lightning-fast dash combat and exploring a ruined, mysterious world full of hidden paths. Its atmosphere and Disasterpeace soundtrack tell a melancholic story without a single line of dialogue.
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
A wordless, gorgeous pixel-art adventure built on lightning-fast dash combat and exploring a ruined, mysterious world full of hidden paths. Its atmosphere and Disasterpeace soundtrack tell a melancholic story without a single line of dialogue.
39 Inside
Dark, serious atmosphere
A wordless, oppressive puzzle-platformer in which a boy slips through a bleak dystopia, controlling bodies with his mind along the way. Masterful atmosphere and a disturbing finale make it unforgettable.
39 Inside
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lavish presentation
A wordless, oppressive puzzle-platformer in which a boy slips through a bleak dystopia, controlling bodies with his mind along the way. Masterful atmosphere and a disturbing finale make it unforgettable.
40 Cult of the Lamb
Runs that play out differently every time
As a possessed lamb you found your own cult, managing a village of adorable woodland followers between fast roguelike dungeon runs. Its charm comes from the clash of cute visuals and gleefully macabre humor.
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
- Action-packed real-time combat
As a possessed lamb you found your own cult, managing a village of adorable woodland followers between fast roguelike dungeon runs. Its charm comes from the clash of cute visuals and gleefully macabre humor.
41 Dragon Ball FighterZ
Competing against other players
A blazing 3v3 tag-team fighter from Arc System Works that looks like a playable anime episode, pairing approachable controls with deep competitive play.
- Competing against other players
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Co-op or multiplayer
A blazing 3v3 tag-team fighter from Arc System Works that looks like a playable anime episode, pairing approachable controls with deep competitive play.
42 Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls
Action-packed real-time combat
A 4v4 tag-team fighter from Arc System Works that throws Marvel heroes and villains together in striking anime-style visuals. Fast, accessible team-swapping combat is the focus, especially in head-to-head online play.
42 Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A 4v4 tag-team fighter from Arc System Works that throws Marvel heroes and villains together in striking anime-style visuals. Fast, accessible team-swapping combat is the focus, especially in head-to-head online play.
43 Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
Strong, story-driven narrative
A garishly stylish murder-mystery visual novel where you investigate killings and expose lies in frantic class trials full of mini-games. Pitch-black humor, shocking twists and a finale that questions the entire series make it unforgettable.
43 Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Puzzles and brain teasers
A garishly stylish murder-mystery visual novel where you investigate killings and expose lies in frantic class trials full of mini-games. Pitch-black humor, shocking twists and a finale that questions the entire series make it unforgettable.
44 Romeo is a Dead Man
Sci-fi setting
A wild Suda51 action game where you play a resurrected FBI Space-Time agent, mixing sword combat and gunplay while hunting fugitives across alternate realities. The style is loud, absurd and bloody.
45 Keeper
Cosy, great for unwinding
A surreal puzzle adventure from Double Fine where you play an awakened lighthouse wandering a dreamlike, bizarre world alongside a seabird, using your light to transform your surroundings. Wordless, whimsical and visually striking.
45 Keeper
- Cosy, great for unwinding
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lavish presentation
A surreal puzzle adventure from Double Fine where you play an awakened lighthouse wandering a dreamlike, bizarre world alongside a seabird, using your light to transform your surroundings. Wordless, whimsical and visually striking.
46 Splatoon 2
Co-op or multiplayer
A vibrant Nintendo team shooter where Inklings cover the map in ink and swim through it as squids. It stands out with a unique style, fast matches, and a charming single-player campaign and co-op mode.
46 Splatoon 2
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Competing against other players
- Shooting and gunplay
A vibrant Nintendo team shooter where Inklings cover the map in ink and swim through it as squids. It stands out with a unique style, fast matches, and a charming single-player campaign and co-op mode.
47 The Midnight Walk
Fantasy setting
A first-person dark fantasy adventure set in a handcrafted, stop-motion-like world. Alongside the lantern creature Potboy you solve environmental puzzles and evade threats while experiencing five interwoven tales.
48 Hi-Fi Rush
Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A vibrant action game where combat, environments and animations all move to the beat. You play aspiring rockstar Chai, taking on a robotics megacorp with humor and rhythm-driven brawling.
48 Hi-Fi Rush
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
A vibrant action game where combat, environments and animations all move to the beat. You play aspiring rockstar Chai, taking on a robotics megacorp with humor and rhythm-driven brawling.
49 Metaphor: ReFantazio
A party of several characters
A fantasy RPG from the Persona team with stylish presentation and tactical turn-based combat.
50 Disco Elysium
Choices with consequences
A detective RPG without combat, but with brilliant dialogue and a deeply conflicted protagonist.
- Choices with consequences
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lots of humour
A detective RPG without combat, but with brilliant dialogue and a deeply conflicted protagonist.
51 Hotline Miami
Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A brutally fast top-down shooter where one hit kills and every floor is mastered through rapid trial, error and instant restarts. Its neon visuals, pulsing synthwave soundtrack and unsettling, surreal story about violence make it unforgettable.
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A brutally fast top-down shooter where one hit kills and every floor is mastered through rapid trial, error and instant restarts. Its neon visuals, pulsing synthwave soundtrack and unsettling, surreal story about violence make it unforgettable.
52 The Wolf Among Us
Strong, story-driven narrative
A moody noir murder mystery where you play Bigby Wolf, the reformed Big Bad Wolf turned sheriff, investigating killings among fairy-tale exiles in grimy New York. Your dialogue choices decide whether you're feared or trusted, all wrapped in a striking neon comic-book style.
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Choices with consequences
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A moody noir murder mystery where you play Bigby Wolf, the reformed Big Bad Wolf turned sheriff, investigating killings among fairy-tale exiles in grimy New York. Your dialogue choices decide whether you're feared or trusted, all wrapped in a striking neon comic-book style.
53 Firewatch
Strong, story-driven narrative
An intimate first-person narrative adventure in the Wyoming wilderness, built around witty, heartfelt radio conversations between Henry and Delilah. Its painterly look and a slowly creeping mystery make it memorable.
53 Firewatch
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lavish presentation
An intimate first-person narrative adventure in the Wyoming wilderness, built around witty, heartfelt radio conversations between Henry and Delilah. Its painterly look and a slowly creeping mystery make it memorable.
54 Gorogoa
Puzzles and brain teasers
Gorogoa is a short, hand-drawn puzzle game where you stack, zoom and shift illustrated panels to uncover hidden connections. Its wordless tale of longing and a life's journey unfolds entirely through this inventive mechanic.
54 Gorogoa
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lavish presentation
Gorogoa is a short, hand-drawn puzzle game where you stack, zoom and shift illustrated panels to uncover hidden connections. Its wordless tale of longing and a life's journey unfolds entirely through this inventive mechanic.
55 Octopath Traveler
Turn-based combat
Eight travelers, each with their own story and path action, roam a fantasy world rendered in the striking HD-2D blend of pixel sprites and 3D dioramas. The Boost-and-Break system makes its turn-based battles surprisingly tactical.
- Turn-based combat
- A party of several characters
- Fantasy setting
Eight travelers, each with their own story and path action, roam a fantasy world rendered in the striking HD-2D blend of pixel sprites and 3D dioramas. The Boost-and-Break system makes its turn-based battles surprisingly tactical.
56 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Turn-based combat
Turn-based RPG with real-time parrying and dodging, set in a melancholic Belle Époque–inspired fantasy world.
56 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Turn-based combat
- A party of several characters
- Strong, story-driven narrative
Turn-based RPG with real-time parrying and dodging, set in a melancholic Belle Époque–inspired fantasy world.
57 Borderlands
Shooting and gunplay
The cel-shaded looter shooter that started it all, sending you across the lawless wasteland of Pandora to collect a seemingly endless stream of procedurally generated guns. Its irreverent humor and four-player co-op make it a classic loot grind.
57 Borderlands
- Shooting and gunplay
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
The cel-shaded looter shooter that started it all, sending you across the lawless wasteland of Pandora to collect a seemingly endless stream of procedurally generated guns. Its irreverent humor and four-player co-op make it a classic loot grind.
58 Fortnite
Co-op or multiplayer
A free-to-play battle royale with a bright cartoon look, where fast gunfights and optional building decide who survives. Constant new seasons, live events and a huge library of player-made modes keep it fresh.
58 Fortnite
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Competing against other players
- Shooting and gunplay
A free-to-play battle royale with a bright cartoon look, where fast gunfights and optional building decide who survives. Constant new seasons, live events and a huge library of player-made modes keep it fresh.
59 Mirror's Edge
Jumping and platforming
Fast first-person parkour across the rooftops of a sterile, surveilled city, where momentum and flow matter far more than fighting. Its striking white-and-primary-color look and focus on finding the fastest route make it a cult favorite for speedrunners.
- Jumping and platforming
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Lavish presentation
Fast first-person parkour across the rooftops of a sterile, surveilled city, where momentum and flow matter far more than fighting. Its striking white-and-primary-color look and focus on finding the fastest route make it a cult favorite for speedrunners.
60 XIII
Shooting and gunplay
A cel-shaded shooter that brings the Belgian comic series to life: you play an amnesiac uncovering a conspiracy, with gunshots and footsteps shown as on-screen comic text and panels.
60 XIII
- Shooting and gunplay
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Strong, story-driven narrative
A cel-shaded shooter that brings the Belgian comic series to life: you play an amnesiac uncovering a conspiracy, with gunshots and footsteps shown as on-screen comic text and panels.
Nothing matches this selection.
What matters: Games with unique art styles
A distinctive art style does more than look nice in screenshots. It sets the mood, makes worlds easy to read and often tells you what kind of experience you are in for before you press a button. The games on this list range from hand-drawn and painterly to stark, cartoonish or comic-like, and many of them pair that look with a soundtrack that matters just as much.
Looks can be deceiving, so check what sits underneath. Cuphead's charming 1930s cartoon animation hides a brutally tough boss-rush shooter, and Hollow Knight's quiet, hand-drawn insect kingdom comes with demanding combat and a lot of exploration. If you want something calmer, Journey is a short, wordless trip across shimmering dunes where you may meet strangers online. Limbo uses stark black and white to create a haunting puzzle-platformer built on trial and error.
Think about how much time you have and who you play with. Persona 5 Royal is a long JRPG whose bold, stylish menus and visuals carry you through school life and heists in Tokyo. Rayman Legends is the pick for groups, with chaotic four-player co-op and rhythm levels set to music. South Park: The Stick of Truth looks exactly like an episode of the show, but its humor is crude, so it suits players who already enjoy that tone.
Frequently asked questions
Which games with a unique art style are not too difficult?
Journey is a short, meditative experience without much challenge, and Bastion and Hades focus on story and stylish combat rather than punishing difficulty. Hollow Knight, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Cuphead are tagged as difficult, so expect a real test there.
What are the best hand-drawn games to play in co-op?
Cuphead offers local co-op for its tough boss fights, and Rayman Legends supports chaotic four-player co-op in its hand-drawn levels. Journey also lets you travel with anonymous strangers online, though you can only communicate through chimes.
Should I play Persona 5 or Persona 5 Royal?
Both share the same striking style and story of the Phantom Thieves, but Persona 5 is listed only on PlayStation, while Persona 5 Royal is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. Royal is the newer version, so it is usually the easier one to pick up.
Not quite your taste?
Tell us your favourite games and we'll find recommendations that fit you exactly.
