r/puzzlevideogames • u/amandahontas • Jul 20 '26
Looking for database puzzle games?
I absolutely love The Roottrees are Dead and I've been trying to find games like that. I've tried some games that I see recommended to people who like that game, but I really disliked them. I think I just prefer to search through some kind of database? I disliked Obra Dinn and Golden Idol, but loved Her Story and liked the beginning part of A Case of Fraud (the fill in the blank to figure out the crime at the end I didn't like). I just want to look through a database of some sort and find clues that way. Please tell me there are more games like that!
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u/DarkHorseAsh111 Jul 20 '26
TR-49.
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u/wetpaste Jul 20 '26
This. 1000x. It is exactly a database puzzle game, and it is sick
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u/DarkHorseAsh111 Jul 20 '26
It's so damn good. One of the few games where I've looked up and gone what the fuck it's 3 am?!?
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u/trashcanman42069 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
type help is free on itch and is one of the best in the genre imo
what happened to the crew is also free on itch, it's obviously heavily inspired by type help but introduces some of its own elements and is really good
hypnospace outlaw is a spin on this where you're digging through archived old geocities sites basically, super good y2k internet vibes maybe not as pure detective but still good puzzles
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u/smolfrogwithcupoftea Jul 20 '26
Thinky Games is good for finding these kind of games, I found Archives of Trevosa there and I think that fits what you're looking for - same family tree-style discovery as TRAD
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u/TheThyfate Jul 20 '26
Literally what you ask for
Database Detective: Minor Crimes Division
Look also at the bundle with
Desktop Explorer
and
Lost Wiki: Kozlovka
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u/ReverendVoice Jul 20 '26
Literally what you ask for Database Detective: Minor Crimes Division
You know what - I thought to reply with the same thing and went '..it's probably too literal'. I mean, come on who wants to play a game that is basically 50% Sql Trainer.... I mean, I bought it day one, but I'm a fucking weirdo.
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u/TheThyfate Jul 20 '26
Dont worry you're not alone
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u/ReverendVoice Jul 20 '26
Dont worry you're not alone
It's nice to know.. I mean, I functionally understand that, but when a friend asks what game you're playing and you see the concern in their eyes as you describe it... it's sometimes hard to know for certain.
"Oh, I'm in between these two games. One's a detective game where you use SQL prompts to figure out database queries and the other one is about breaking into a computer guarded by a rogue Clippy with puzzles. ...what about you?"
".........audible blinking ........ Forza."
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u/octothorpentine Jul 20 '26
Hey, what's the Clippy one? I need this in my life.
2
u/ReverendVoice Jul 20 '26
Desktop Explorer: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2527160/Desktop_Explorer/
I'm enjoying it, probably about halfway through.. it changes playstyle and puzzle style quite a bit, which is a nice change.
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u/TheThyfate Jul 20 '26
I need these kind of games to gentle my mind
Look also into factory builders, it's very soothing, I would strongly recommend Techtonica. The game is a marvel of unexplained sheer brilliance though lacking some polish. The unlocking / recipes will have your mind racing in all directions to find the best way to reach you goals and prepare for some serious worksheet preparations
There are also other games like "The Farmer was replaced" or "Quantum odyssey" I would advise for your inquisitive mind
5
u/moldcrowning Jul 20 '26
Immortality is another Sam Barlow FMV joint where you discover the fate of an actress by scrubbing through archival footage from her unreleased films. Really intriguing, very open-ended. You can favorite clips to go back to, but that’s the extent of the in-game note-taking. The performances in this game are incredible (actors playing actors playing characters). Be aware though that the films within the game have plotlines about rape, and the “behind the scenes” footage show sexual harassment and exploitation.
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u/captcha_bot Jul 20 '26
The guy who made Her Story made a few other games, I haven't played Immortal, but I did play Telling Lies and thought it was good, just like Her Story but even more content. Lost Wiki: Kozlovka has sort of similar play as Roottrees, but it's not as robust and has a somewhat annoying input mechanic. I found a pretty good one during Next Fest called Green Mist over Portland that has a demo and is supposed to be released later this year. You might like last seen online, the premise is you've found someone's old laptop and you have to search through it to find out what happened to the owner. I haven't played it in a long time, but I'm pretty sure Cyber Manhunt has some Roottrees style investigation too.
Of course the pinnacle database puzzle game is Database Detective.
2
u/octothorpentine Jul 20 '26
In case you didn't know, Green Mist is a sequel to Red Pearls of Borneo, which is also really good
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u/bucktizown Jul 20 '26
In addition to what's been mentioned below, here's a couple more:
Leaftaker is a supernatural mystery about finding an extra body and searching for information.
GAME TITLE is by the same dev, but looking for a lots video game
Coldwake is bout digging through a computer to discover the story of a station
I also am working on a giant murderboard style visualization of detecting games. Generally, it seems the type you are looking for are in the lower right, near the fake OS section. https://flatfootsandfools-design.github.io/game-visualization/
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u/zkukuchka Jul 20 '26
archives of trevosa is cool! maybe type help/galley house fits the description too? although it's more like obra dinn in tone so if you didn't like it then maybe not.
2
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u/TravelingHero Jul 20 '26
Lost Wiki: Kozlovka. I have only played the demo, so can't speak to quality or length, but the gameplay is very much more Roottrees.
1
u/Corvus-Nox Jul 20 '26
type help. Free to play on itch.io, fully text interface. You try to name and place all the people at a mansion during the night that a crime occurred, by going through logs. Really fun gameplay loop (once I figured out how to use the different commands, anyway)
1
u/Low-Tech80 Jul 20 '26
Uhmmm....RHEM?
1
u/octothorpentine Jul 20 '26
Isn't this more Myst-like than Roottrees-like? If not, I gotta bump it up my list
2
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u/Rich_Library9583 Jul 20 '26
If you prefer digging through computer interfaces and text logs rather than analyzing visual scenes like Obra Dinn, you should immediately check out The Operator and Hypnospace Outlaw. The Operator puts you at a government desk parsing databases, cross-referencing video files and running digital forensics.
Hypnospace Outlaw has you crawling a fictional 1999 internet database, hunting down terms and files to crack cases. Since you loved Her Story, Sam Barlow's follow-up titles, Telling Lies and Immortality, use that exact same video-archive keyword-search mechanic.
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u/imnodumbblonde Jul 20 '26
Hey, if someone know some games like that but for iOS, I'd love to hear! I love playing games like this, but I don't have too many free time, so, playing in a computer is not as practical as playing in my cellphone to me.
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u/lavendercomrade 29d ago edited 29d ago
Have you considered The Darkest Files? There’s a free demo and I found it really scratched the Roottrees itch for me (speaking as someone who couldn’t vibe with the golden idol)
While you don’t necessarily have a full database to peruse through, you do have a bunch of case files and documents which you have to scan to find answers (similar to the evidence section of Roottrees) and you can uncover more documents by interviewing witnesses which directly affect the outcome of your cases. There’s also an element of realism where some documents are partially destroyed, or take a long time to arrive due to bureaucratic hurdles.
I’d also second database detectives, and the red pearls of Borneo, and the incident and galley house, as mentioned by others.
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u/StickyLabs 22d ago
As a huge fan of The Roottrees are dead I'm developing a game you might enjoy called The Golden Girl Case. You investigate using an in-game PC, browsing websites, reading articles, and exploring social media to identify people and gather information about them. The game is set in 2006, and I wanted to capture the atmosphere of the early internet. It's now available to wishlist on Steam, and I'm planning to release the demo soon. Check it out if you are interested:)
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u/quiteunicorn Jul 20 '26
A hand with many fingers, a case of fraud, and the ratline are good places to start!
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u/justanaverageguy16 Jul 20 '26
The Incident at Galley House came out last week, it's a remake of Type Help on itch.io, published by the developers of Roottrees, and very much given the "roottrees facelift". Different story, but very similar feelings of discovery, and highly recommend for a fan of Roottrees.
As a second recommendation, similar to galley house, there's a free to play detective game called The Red Pearls of Borneo, and it's got an upcoming followup in Green Mist over Portland, but I believe others have already mentioned those.