At some point in their lives, everyone wanted to be Sherlock Holmes, the Mystery Game who could solve anything. Some people got hooked on the world of solving mysteries. For the latter, Steam has a lot of games to choose from to satisfy your needs. We have put together a list of the best mystery games on Steam, from classic detective games to heart-stopping horror games.
You can play any of these games or add them to your wish list. Most of the games on the list are also some of the best story-driven games on Steam. This is because Best Mystery Games always have a great story. Once you are interested in the story, you’re in for a truly unforgettable experience that you’ll never forget.
Best Mystery Games Comparison Table
| Game Title | Genre | Gameplay Mechanics | Platform(s) | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Vanishing of Ethan Carter | Adventure/Puzzle | Exploration, Puzzle-solving, Story-driven | PC, PS4, Xbox One | 2014 |
| The Wolf Among Us | Adventure | Narrative-driven, Choice-based, Quick Time Events | PC, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Android | 2013 |
| Murdered: Soul Suspect | Action-Adventure | Investigation, Puzzle-solving, Stealth | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 | 2014 |
| Danganronpa V3 | Visual Novel | Murder Mystery, Investigation, Decision-making | PC, PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch | 2017 |
| Phasmophobia | Horror | Co-op, Ghost Hunting, Exploration | PC | 2020 |
| The Rewinder | Adventure/Puzzle | Time manipulation, Puzzle-solving | PC | 2021 |
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Features
- Supernatural detective game
- Immersive exploration and puzzles
The first words of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter are, “This game is a story experience that doesn’t hold your hand.” This one sentence shows exactly what Ethan Carter’s world is like. It is a first-person, single-player exploration game made by The Astronauts. It focuses more on tone, freedom, and storytelling through the environment than on actual combat.
You play the role of a detective looking into the disappearance of a boy in Wisconsin. You can look into the past and put together pieces of memories, which are shown in the game’s big puzzles. Currently, this is one of the Best Mystery Games. If you need some more information then visit its official website.
Pros
- Stunning graphics and environments
- Intriguing storyline
Cons
- Short playtime
- Limited replay value
The Wolf Among Us
Features
- Story-driven adventure game
- Choices affect the outcome
Fans of the Fable books will love The Wolf Among Us. This single-player mystery game is based on the Fable series by Vertigo Comics. You can play as Bigby, The Big Bad Wolf. For people who don’t know about the series, Fables is a dark and “realistic” take on the fairy tales we all grew up with.
The world is mostly made up of characters from different stories who are trying to live in the present day. Telltale Games made The Wolf Among Us, which is a choice-based game with five episodes. It comes in a box with graphics that look a lot like the original comic book art.
As the big bad sheriff of Fabletown, you start the game by looking into the mysterious death of a fellow Fable. Fables are characters from fairy tales that are almost impossible to kill. Overall, this is one of the best Mystery Games.
How the story goes and how the other citizens see you will depend on how you respond to different conversations with the colorful and sweary characters. There are also action sequences where you don’t have free control and have to respond to events by pressing buttons to stay alive.
Pros
- Great story and characters
- Meaningful choices
Cons
- Some technical issues
- Limited exploration and interactivity
Murdered: Soul Suspect
Features
- Solving own murder as ghost
- Investigate, collect clues, fight demons
Murdered: Soul Suspect is one of the most unique games you will ever play. The story starts with your own death, which shows how unique it is. This single-player game by Airtight Games uses supernatural and detective themes to tell the story of Ronnan O’Connor, a detective who has died and is now tasked with solving his own murder, which is both the hardest and most personal case he could ever face.
Set in modern-day Salem, you can explore this sandbox-style world that is haunted by the ghosts of buildings and the people who used to live there. Ronan is a ghost, so he interacts with both the past and the present of Salem as he tries to solve his own mystery, which is the main quest. Thus, this is one of the Best Mystery Games.
Aside from the main plot, you can also help the many interesting side characters who have their own problems that need to be solved before they can go to the afterlife in peace. As a reward, this gives you a deeper look into the dark, forgotten secrets of Salem.
Pros
- Unique gameplay mechanics
- Compelling mystery
Cons
- Limited replay value
- Some tedious gameplay elements
Danganronpa V3
Features
- Visual novel meets murder mystery
- Class trials, choose the killer
The game was made in Japan, so its structure and art are very different from those of games made in the West. As it goes from 2D anime style to first-person 3D roaming, the graphics are definitely a “love it or hate it” type.
Danganronpa V3 has a whole new cast of characters, but the game’s design and idea are the same as before: a group of high school students are kidnapped by weird, evil mascots and forced to play a murderous game in which they have to find the culprit and stay alive until the end. Currently, this is one of the Best Mystery Games.
In School Life, players talk to the other character to move the plot forward until someone is killed. This starts the Deadly Life mode, where the player must look for clues on the 3D map from a first-person view and find them.
Danganronpa V3 and all of its other versions are all very different from each other. The different ways the three main types of gameplay and the minigames work are not only fun, but also good ways to tell stories and solve puzzles.
Pros
- Engaging storyline and characters
- Creative gameplay mechanics
Cons
- May not appeal to all audiences
- Some plot elements may be disturbing
Phasmophobia
Features
- Co-op horror game
- Hunt ghosts with friends
Phasmophobia is a 4-player online co-op game that breaks the mold of what a murder-solving game should be. It is a horror/mystery game that goes deeper into the genre. This scary investigation game was made by Kinetic Games. It puts you in the first-person view of one of four investigators who have a contract with certain goals to meet.
At the heart of Phasmophobia’s unique gameplay is the fact that players can talk to both the ghosts they are looking into and the other players on their team. This game requires a microphone because it uses speech recognition technology so that you can talk to the ghosts and certain pieces of equipment by saying certain words.
As with most co-op games, you start playing Phasmophobia by joining or making a lobby where other players can join and set the rules for one game session. Still, this is one of the Best Mystery Games.
Pros
- Intense and scary gameplay
- Co-op multiplayer adds to the experience
Cons
- Limited game modes and content
- Some technical issues and bugs
The Rewinder
Features
- Time manipulation puzzles
- Save the future by rewriting
The Rewinder is a point-and-click puzzle game with graphics that look like old-school pixel art. The game was made by Misty Mountain Studio. It is based on Chinese legends and has been translated into English. The old-school art does a great job of showing what life was like in ancient China and is clear enough to show how the characters look.
In the game, you can play as Yun, who is the last Rewinder left. Rewinders are kind of like ancient Chinese detectives who deal with supernatural things. They can change what happened in the past to change what is happening now.
You are supposed to look into an abandoned village called Reed and help the dead people who lived there. It looks like the dead villagers are having trouble getting to the underworld, ending their chances of coming back to life.
You play by clicking on things and places in the world and interacting with them. When you click on different things, you get different responses, like short text descriptions or mini puzzles. Overall, this is one of the Best Mystery Games.
Pros
- Unique time-traveling mechanics
- Intriguing storyline and characters
Cons
- Limited replay value
- Some pacing issues in the story
What makes a good mystery game?
A good mystery game should have a story that keeps the player interested and keeps them playing. It should also have interesting places to visit, interesting people to meet, and hard puzzles to solve. The game should give the player clues and information that will help them figure out the mystery, but it should also keep them guessing until the end.
Is there a game where you are a detective?
The Wolf in Our Midst, Detective Bigby, you play the role of the Big Bad Wolf. In this mystery game from Telltale Games, you have to keep the town in order while looking into the violent deaths of fairytale characters. The main way to find justice is by making choices in the dialogue.
FAQs
What is the game where you guess the killer?
Wink murder is a party or parlor game in which one player can “kill” other players by winking at them, while the other players try to figure out who the killer is. The game is also called “murder wink,” “killer,” “murder in the dark,” “lonely ghost,” and “killer killer,” among other names.
Is there a FBI game?
Each player is part of a two-person F.B.I. team that is sent to investigate a crime scene and find evidence against a criminal who has fled to a faraway city. When a player correctly names 4 pieces of evidence, the guilty fugitive will fit into the middle of them like a puzzle piece.
