The Nonlinear Zone

Games where routes, objectives, scenes, or solutions can unfold in varied orders.

Latest Standouts

Recent releases that landed well, newest first, filtered to games with enough reviews to trust the score.

Denizen - Players say: Build a life in Cedar Shores by working jobs, meeting locals, managing daily needs, and growing into homes and businesses. Players like: Open-Ended Routine · Varied Ways to Earn · Business Ownership ·
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Make a living for yourself in a city full of opportunity while you meet a variety of locals, explore unique locations, and work your way to the top in this open-world life simulator.

Order of the Sinking Star - Players say: Explore four linked worlds as distinct heroes, solving grid-based puzzles whose rules and abilities increasingly combine. Players like: Inventive Puzzle Design · Layered Mechanics · Puzzle Variety ·
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From director Jonathan Blow (Braid, The Witness), Order of the Sinking Star is a massive puzzle adventure set in a realm of magic and enigma. Solve over 1000 interconnected, hand-crafted puzzles, discover unique playable heroes, master evolving gameplay mechanics, and decipher a grand mystery.

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Oct 8, 2026
97% 👍
of 465
Game Keeper: Somebody Messed Up My Shop! - Game Keeper: Somebody Messed Up My Shop! is a single-player organizing game set in a chaotic video game store. Sort 4,290 cases by genre and order, fill 96 racks, progress and unlock powerful abilities, and complete 650 parody-filled series - with questionable help from Jeff, the coolest cat ever.
Dissolution of My Self - A prince who has lost his kingdom and everything else. His uncle and aide-de-camp, unable to leave him. In a cramped rented room abroad, click on objects and piece together a codependent relationship filled with brutality and endurance. Watch helplessness turn into violence, tenderness into torture.
THE CANON OF BALLS - Hardcore, co-op (or solo) platformer. Dark Souls makes a baby with Super Monkey Ball. An easy-to-learn, hard-to-master experience to explore with your friends. All inside a vast open world, with each platforming course bringing its own twist.
Astrobuilder - An AI-driven space management RPG in a living galaxy. Explore 150+ planets and interact with 600+ NPCs whose lives and relationships evolve over time. Trade, run shops, build a Commerce Guild, join Military Factions, govern planets, and command fleets in war. Your every choice reshape the galaxy.
Atomcraft - A sandbox adventure where every pixel is physically and chemically simulated! Build intricate, fully functional machines from the pixels around you. Harvest, react, and manipulate all 118 elements to craft everything from simple tools to complex systems.

On Sale Now

Discounted 25% or more right now, limited to well-reviewed games, steepest cuts first.

Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town - Players say: A letter from his missing father sends Willy to a quirky pirate town, where he questions locals and solves item-based puzzles. Players like: Distinctive Visual Style · Logical Puzzles · Pirate Town Atmosphere ·
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A letter from 10 years ago, an intricate web of lies to unravel and a mystery to solve. Explore an unconventional town of pirates, dive into the past, collect items and look for clues to help Willy find out what happened to his father...

Pilgrims - Players say: Travel a hand-drawn fantasy land, recruit companions, and use character and item cards to solve problems in different ways. Players like: Hand-Drawn Art · Many Solutions · Funny Outcomes ·
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Pilgrims is a playful adventure game, created by the team behind Machinarium and Samorost. Roam the land as you please and make new friends, share a laugh with your fellow travelers and help them complete their little stories, your way. How many different solutions can you find?

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Oct 7, 2019
96% 👍
of 1.8k
Mail Time - Players say: As a new Mail Scout, deliver letters to forest residents, explore a storybook grove, and jump and glide between routes. Players like: Cute Cozy Visuals · Charming Characters · Funny Dialogue ·
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It's Mail Time! As a newly trained Mail Scout, put on your pack, grab those letters, and deliver them across Grumblewood Grove! The forest animals eagerly await the sight of your mushroom hat in this cozy, cottagecore light-platformer adventure!

Spellcaster University - Players say: Run a magic university: build with card draws, guide students’ studies, manage their needs and resources, and face each campaign’s threats. Players like: Card-Based Building · Whimsical Humor · Replayable Campaigns ·
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Develop a prestigious university of mages. Build rooms, train your students, fight orcs, slay the bureaucrats, manage your budget... a director's life is not a quiet one.

Haiku, the Robot - Players say: Guide a silent robot through ruined Arcadia, battling corrupted machines and unlocking new paths with abilities found along the way. Players like: Rewarding Exploration · Smooth Movement · Pixel-Art Atmosphere ·
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Delve into the depths of a mechanical world in this cute, adventure-exploration game. Explore and fight in a land full of corrupt robots and machinery. All while seeking answers to the mysteries around you.

Insect Swarm - Players say: Pilot an aircraft across an alien desert, blast insect hordes, gather crystals, and switch to a mech for close combat. Players like: Satisfying, fast-paced combat against large insect swarms. · Mech combat and the range of weapons offer enjoyable ways to attack. · Simple, easy-to-pick-up gameplay that some players find relaxing or absorbing. ·
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The insect swarm is a swarm consists of millions of alien insects, and you, as the only survival on this barren planet, will have to fight against them dauntlessly. Good luck!

Heading Out - Players say: Drive across a mythic America as the Interstate Jackalope, planning routes, managing supplies, and facing races, police, and fear. Players like: Comic-Book Visuals · Roadside Stories · Road-Trip Atmosphere ·
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Flee your fear and carve your story. Blaze a trail across mythic American highways, where choices twist your tale and danger’s always in the rearview mirror. With roguelike routes, limited resources, and breakneck chases, this isn’t just a drive—it’s your legend in the making.

Arco - Players say: Guide four heroes through a Mesoamerican fantasy of revenge, exploring intertwined stories and planning simultaneous-action battles. Players like: Tactical Simultaneous Combat · Interwoven Revenge Stories · Evocative Soundtrack ·
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A Mesoamerican fantasy RPG that blends turn-based and real-time combat. Explore the world through three handcrafted stories forged in bloodshed, laced with magic, and united by revenge.

Obduction - Players say: An alien artifact carries you to worlds mixing Earth fragments with strange terrain, where you explore and solve linked puzzles to get home. Players like: Beautiful, Strange Worlds · Environmental Puzzle Design · Intriguing Story And Lore ·
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A new sci-fi adventure from Cyan, the creators of Myst. Abducted far across the universe, you find yourself on a broken alien landscape with odd pieces of Earth. Explore, uncover, solve, and find a way to make it home.

Lushfoil Photography Sim - Players say: Walk through landscapes worldwide, frame photos with a configurable camera, and uncover objectives, hidden gear, and new scenes. Players like: Scenic Landscapes · Relaxing Soundtrack · Detailed Camera Controls ·
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A tranquil exploration and photography experience set across a vast selection of faithfully detailed landscapes.

Regular Human Workshop - Players say: Experiment in a 2D physics sandbox: manipulate human ragdolls, wire devices into machines, and test creations without set goals. Players like: Ragdoll Physics · Open-Ended Experiments · Easy Device Wiring ·
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Regular Human Workshop is a 2D physics simulation sandbox. There are no predefined goals or objectives. Simply throw objects into the world and interact with them in various ways.

Alaloth: Champions of The Four Kingdoms - Players say: Choose a champion in Plamen, explore its kingdoms, and master timing-based isometric combat across dungeons and arenas. Players like: Challenging Combat · Flexible Character Builds · World and Lore ·
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A hardcore high fantasy isometric action RPG set in a huge sandbox world ruled by magic and monsters. Master deep skill-based combat, forge powerful builds, explore unforgiving lands and dungeons, face brutal boss fights, uncover ancient secrets, and save Plamen from its inevitable doom!

Hidden Gems

Well-liked but under-played: strong scores, small review counts.

Babushka's Glitch Dungeon - Oh hello dearie.. Babushka needs to clean up her big magical cellar. Use hag magic, or just hit stuff with your broom.
The Lacerator - Lose a limb? You’ll adapt in THE LACERATOR! A titillating mix of survival horror and trashy 80’s film.
RUBATO - Players say: As a frog in a shattered solar system, use a physics-driven tongue to explore open stages and collect what’s needed to repair it. Players like: Surprising Emotional Story · Absurd Internet Humor · Distinctive Visual Style ·
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RUBATO, an experimental, 2D physics-based take on the collect-a-thon genre!

VIVIDLOPE - Players say: Guide Cerise through gravity-defying stages, painting tiles as enemies close in and planning routes to earn higher ranks. Players like: Y2K Visual Style · Satisfying Tile Painting · Catchy Soundtrack ·
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Rapid gravity arcade action! Dash! Spin! Slam! Paint!

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May 19, 2023
98% 👍
of 521
OFFBEAT - Players say: As a 1980s jobbing composer, fulfill quirky music commissions, upgrade odd instruments, and build tracks in a hands-on sequencer. Players like: Beginner-Friendly Learning · Creative Music-Making · Quirky Instruments ·
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OFFBEAT is a music-tycoon game where you build the recording studio of your dreams. Collect and upgrade increasingly strange musical objects, complete jobs for cash, and record real, actual music.

Kitten Burst - Kitten Burst is an Adventure/Racing Game about a Flying Cat set in the year 200X. Explore Sites on the Web, Race through Circuits, & Battle Bullet Hell Bosses to Save Cyberspace.
A Case of Fraud - Players say: As a detective, analyze a startup’s documents, identify its staff and pets, and piece together a missing CEO’s fraud case. Players like: Satisfying Identity Deductions · Cute Pet Profiles · Fair Puzzle Difficulty ·
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A short, non-linear detective adventure where every clue is hidden in plain sight. Carefully read and cross-reference documents to unravel a CEO’s disappearance and expose a case of fraud.

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Nov 10, 2025
98% 👍
of 401
Kitty Powers' Matchmaker Makeover - Kitty Powers' special brand of matchmaking returns in this remastered version of the viral sensation Kitty Powers' Matchmaker. It's time to make love happen, again!
Puddle Knights - Protecting nobles from mud may look simple on the surface, but the intricate cape arranging puzzle mechanics ensure steadily increasing difficulty. Join the Knights on their quest to preserve dignity, and mindmuck is practically guaranteed! Playtime 10-35h.
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Mar 3, 2020
98% 👍
of 237
Hidden Cats in Rome - Mamma mia! Our cats are now in the great city of Rome! Let's find them! Start with a monochromatic illustration and reveal the final colored art. Play through different modes, find special cats, and unlock bonus levels! More than 970 hidden objects to find! Enjoy the extra bonus level, NERD ARENA!
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Nov 17, 2023
98% 👍
of 231
CHAIRS - A fast-paced action platformer doubling as the most realistic chair simulator money can buy! Have you ever wondered what your chair thinks? What it believes? What it desires? Learn the answers and destroy some dimensions along the way!

Top Rated

Defining examples of the genre, all rated 85%+ across 1,000+ reviews.

Linelith - Players say: Explore a colorful alien asteroid, find puzzles in rocks and crystals, and draw lines that fit their shapes and symbols. Players like: Clever Rule Twists · Aha Moments · Approachable Puzzles ·
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Solve puzzles embedded in rocks and crystals as you explore a colorful, serene alien asteroid. Discover a few clever twists as you progress in this short and sweet puzzle experience.

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May 19, 2022
99% 👍
of 1.0k
Minishoot' Adventures - Players say: Pilot a small ship through a crystal-struck world, exploring linked dungeons and battling bullet-hell bosses to save friends. Players like: Smooth Ship Controls · Zelda-Style Exploration · Twin-Stick Combat ·
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Fly into a charming handcrafted world and go on an adventure that mixes up open exploration with crispy twin-stick shooter action. Fight your way from the shiny overworld to the deepest caves, improve your ship and overcome the dungeons' bosses to rescue your friends!

Bloody Hell - Players say: Play an angelic bird battling through Hell in a top-down bullet-hell adventure, unlocking abilities and routes on the way to Satan. Players like: Enjoyable Boss Fights · Responsive Combat · Exploration And Secrets ·
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A short but sweet game about an Angel on a Bloody Bullet-hell mission to kill Satan! Dash, Double Dash, Grapple & Blast your way through Hell to fulfill your Holy Mission. Will you be able to kill Satan? Or will you fail to master your abilities and DIE in this BLOODY HELL?

Fractal Block World - Players say: Fly through a recursively layered block world, changing size to explore hidden regions, fight monsters, and rescue a friend. Players like: Recursive Exploration · Scale-Shifting Worlds · Secrets and Discoveries ·
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This is a surreal exploration game. Explore a massive fractal with great complexities. You can shrink infinitely to go deeper into the fractal. Or you can become larger by growing. Inner space awaits you in this infinite world.

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Oct 18, 2021
98% 👍
of 1.6k
Pseudoregalia - Players say: Explore a dream-twisted castle as Sybil, chaining new movement abilities to cross platforming challenges, find keys, and uncover secrets. Players like: Fluid Movement · Creative Platforming · Freeform Exploration ·
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Deep within the realm of sleep, Sybil finds herself pulled to a distorted castle. Grow strong, and unlock new abilities to build up a deep movement system, fight enemies, find secrets, and free the weary soul of Castle Sansa, in this retro-inspired 3D Platformer Metroidvania.

Leap Year - Players say: Explore a hand-drawn world, rethink dangerous jumps, and uncover movement rules to find every date on a calendar. Players like: Clever Map Design · Discovery-Based Puzzles · Fresh Jump Rules ·
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Leap Year is a clumsy platformer about knowledge and discovery. Explore a compact, hand drawn world filled with hidden paths. Understand the game’s secrets to reach new areas and collect all the pages of your calendar.

Majotori - Players say: Answer pop-culture trivia for Lariat the witch to grant characters’ wishes—or let wrong answers and chance twist their fates. Players like: Trivia With Consequences · Funny Short Stories · Branching Outcomes ·
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A narrative trivia game focused on video games, anime and cinema. How many lives will your ignorance ruin?

Liquidators - Players say: As one of three Chernobyl workers, navigate irradiated plant corridors, read a Geiger counter, and shut down critical valves. Players like: Oppressive Atmosphere · Radiation-Based Tension · Chernobyl Tribute ·
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Chernobyl, USSR, 1986. Three nuclear plant workers go on a daring mission to prevent a radioactive fallout that would affect half of Europe. Every moment is permanent, and all is at stake.

Teacup - Players say: A shy frog explores Little Pond, helping neighbors and playing mini-games to gather tea ingredients for her upcoming party. Players like: Storybook Artwork · Relaxing Atmosphere · Charming Characters ·
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Teacup is a short and wholesome narrative adventure game with a focus on exploration and non-linear progression. Help a small and shy frog on her journey to find the ingredients she needs for her tea party!

Antichamber - Players say: Explore a shifting first-person maze, solve spatial puzzles, and use a cube-manipulating gun while learning the world’s rules. Players like: Reality-Bending Puzzles · Discovery Through Exploration · Minimalist Visual Style ·
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Antichamber is a mind-bending psychological exploration game where nothing can be taken for granted. Discover an Escher-like world where hallways wrap around upon each other, spaces reconfigure themselves, and accomplishing the impossible may just be the only way forward.

Esoteric Ebb - Players say: As Norvik’s cleric, investigate a tea-shop explosion before election day through branching dialogue, D20 checks, spells, and choices. Players like: Witty, Varied Writing · Memorable Characters · Rich Fantasy Setting ·
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Esoteric Ebb is a single-player CRPG inspired by the freedom of tabletop adventures. Unravel a political conspiracy with your goblin sidekick. Roll dice in tense encounters. Become a cleric of legends or completely ruin the campaign.