Sunless Sea is a haunting, narrative-rich exploration game set in a dark, mysterious version of Victorian London known as the Unterzee. With its focus on resource management, survival, and deep storytelling, it’s a title that stands out among indie games. Many players fall in love with its moody worldbuilding, the constant tension of long voyages, and the meaningful choices that impact both the captain and the crew. If you’ve already delved into the deep waters of Sunless Sea and are looking for games that offer a similar blend of atmosphere, storytelling, and strategic survival, there are several worthy titles to explore.
What Makes Sunless Sea Unique
Before diving into alternative games, it’s helpful to understand the elements that make Sunless Sea so distinctive. The game emphasizes:
- Atmospheric worldbuilding inspired by gothic horror and Lovecraftian themes
- Exploration of an eerie, ever-changing ocean
- Survival mechanics, including fuel, hunger, and terror levels
- Story-driven gameplay with branching narratives and morally ambiguous choices
- Permadeath and legacy mechanics that make each voyage feel meaningful
Games like Sunless Sea often share at least a few of these core features, whether through their setting, narrative depth, or approach to exploration and survival.
Top Games Similar to Sunless Sea
1. Sunless Skies
From the same developers, Failbetter Games, Sunless Skies is the spiritual successor to Sunless Sea. Instead of sailing through dark waters, you now pilot a spacefaring locomotive across a fragmented sky. The same poetic writing, rich lore, and punishing survival mechanics return in full force.
- Continues the Fallen London universe
- Expands lore with new locations and factions
- Enhanced combat and exploration systems
- Even deeper narrative branches and events
Sunless Skies is perfect for players who want to stay within the same universe while experiencing a fresh, more refined journey.
2. Curious Expedition
Curious Expedition is a roguelike expedition simulator where you play as 19th-century explorers venturing into uncharted territories. With procedurally generated maps, turn-based travel, and a focus on managing sanity and supplies, it shares the tense, decision-heavy feel of Sunless Sea.
- Randomized expeditions and outcomes
- Risk-reward choices that impact survival
- Resource and inventory management under pressure
- Historical and fantasy-inspired exploration
The game’s pixel art aesthetic contrasts with the gothic visuals of Sunless Sea, but its sense of danger and narrative freedom will feel familiar.
3. Pathologic 2
While not a nautical adventure, Pathologic 2 captures the same grim and oppressive atmosphere that defines Sunless Sea. You play as a healer in a plague-ridden town, racing against time and slowly losing your grip on sanity. The survival mechanics are unforgiving, and the storytelling is surreal and layered with symbolism.
- Deep narrative with branching paths
- Psychological horror and social decay
- Choices with permanent consequences
- Intense resource scarcity and decision-making
If you enjoyed the existential dread and moral dilemmas of Sunless Sea, Pathologic 2 will provide a similarly challenging narrative experience.
4. Darkest Dungeon
Darkest Dungeon is another grim, strategy-heavy game that forces players to manage a team of adventurers descending into madness. Like Sunless Sea, it combines exploration, psychological stress, and tough decisions into a slow-burn, high-stakes experience.
- Turn-based combat with high difficulty
- Sanity and stress management for characters
- Gothic horror art and themes
- Permanent consequences and permadeath
While the gameplay leans more toward dungeon crawling than sea travel, the emotional weight and danger-filled ambiance are strongly reminiscent of Sunless Sea.
5. Out There: Ω Edition
In Out There, you play as an astronaut stranded far from Earth, exploring unknown planets and interacting with alien civilizations. It’s a rogue-like space survival game with heavy emphasis on resource management, random events, and narrative discovery similar in tone and mechanics to Sunless Sea.
- Procedural galaxy with countless possibilities
- Survival and fuel management central to gameplay
- Choices that shape your journey and ending
- Melancholic atmosphere with philosophical undertones
Out There trades the ocean for space but retains the solitude, isolation, and danger that Sunless Sea fans appreciate.
6. 80 Days
Inspired by Jules Verne’s classic novel, 80 Days is a text-driven adventure game that follows a journey around the world. It’s filled with branching dialogue, time management, and resource planning, all wrapped in a beautifully written alternate-history world.
- Interactive fiction with branching narratives
- Choices impact relationships and routes
- Steampunk-inspired settings and visuals
- Exploration-focused gameplay loop
Although less dark than Sunless Sea, the emphasis on travel, decisions, and immersive storytelling makes it a great choice for fans of narrative-heavy games.
7. Frostpunk
Frostpunk is a survival city-builder set in a frozen post-apocalyptic world. Players must manage resources, make morally difficult decisions, and ensure the survival of a small population. The bleak tone and focus on sacrifice mirror the themes of Sunless Sea, though on a broader societal scale.
- Grim survival under extreme conditions
- Heavy decision-making with ethical consequences
- Story events that shape city development
- Emotionally intense atmosphere
Though not a direct match in mechanics, Frostpunk captures the same feeling of slow decay, hope, and hard leadership decisions.
Core Elements Shared by These Games
Atmosphere and Storytelling
One of the most compelling parts of Sunless Sea is its ability to create an immersive world full of secrets, dangers, and haunting beauty. Many of the listed games succeed because they commit fully to their settings and narratives, often delivering multiple layers of meaning through lore and choice-driven gameplay.
Survival and Resource Management
Whether it’s fuel in Sunless Sea, oxygen in Out There, or food in Frostpunk, the pressure of managing limited resources while making forward progress is a consistent theme. This adds tension and forces strategic planning, keeping players engaged in every moment.
Permadeath and Consequences
Games like Sunless Sea often don’t offer easy restarts. Instead, they encourage players to learn from mistakes, live with consequences, and treat every run as part of a larger narrative. This permanence adds emotional weight to choices and makes success feel earned.
Exploration and Discovery
The joy of uncovering new ports, learning the backstory of a cursed island, or encountering a strange sea creature is a large part of Sunless Sea’s charm. Other games on this list offer similar moments of discovery, with branching paths and secrets waiting to be found through repeated playthroughs.
If you’re looking for games like Sunless Sea, you’re probably seeking more than just traditional gameplay you’re chasing immersive storytelling, thoughtful strategy, and meaningful exploration. Whether you venture into the skies in Sunless Skies, dive into madness in Darkest Dungeon, or travel through space in Out There, these titles offer similarly rich experiences. Each one delivers the kind of compelling, atmospheric gameplay that rewards patience, creativity, and curiosity. For fans of moody, narrative-driven adventures, this is a genre full of hidden gems waiting to be explored.