If Directive 8020's mix of branching narrative, lethal QTEs and ensemble cast clicks for you, there's a deep bench of similar games. Below are 12 picks ranked by similarity — starting with Supermassive's own catalogue and widening out to Quantic Dream, Telltale and adjacent horror.
Games like Directive 8020 — ranked by similarity
| Game | Studio (year) | Similarity | Why it's a match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Until Dawn | Supermassive Games (2015) | ★★★★★ | The blueprint. 8 protagonists, branching deaths, butterfly effect. Closest match. |
| The Quarry | Supermassive Games (2022) | ★★★★★ | Same studio, summer-camp horror, 9 protagonists, identical decision-and-QTE loop. |
| The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan | Supermassive Games (2019) | ★★★★★ | Same anthology, same Curator, ghost ship setting. |
| The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes | Supermassive Games (2021) | ★★★★★ | Same anthology, military horror setting — closest tone to Directive 8020's sci-fi. |
| Heavy Rain | Quantic Dream (2010) | ★★★★☆ | Foundational choice-driven thriller. Pure narrative branches without horror. |
| Detroit: Become Human | Quantic Dream (2018) | ★★★★☆ | Most ambitious branching tree in the genre. Sci-fi adjacent. |
| As Dusk Falls | INTERIOR/NIGHT (2022) | ★★★★☆ | Interactive drama with permadeath consequences, more grounded thriller. |
| Life is Strange | Dontnod (2015) | ★★★☆☆ | Choice consequences with episodic structure; lighter tone, no QTE death gates. |
| Telltale's The Walking Dead | Telltale Games (2012) | ★★★☆☆ | The originator of 'this character will remember that' choice tracking. |
| Alien: Isolation | Creative Assembly (2014) | ★★★☆☆ | If you want the sci-fi horror but trade choices for stealth. |
| SOMA | Frictional Games (2015) | ★★★☆☆ | Sci-fi philosophical horror; lighter on choice but matches Directive 8020's existential dread. |
| The Callisto Protocol | Striking Distance (2022) | ★★★☆☆ | Sci-fi horror in space; survival action rather than choice-driven, but closest tonal match. |
By what you liked about Directive 8020
- The branching deaths — Until Dawn, The Quarry, Man of Medan, Heavy Rain.
- The sci-fi horror tone — Alien: Isolation, SOMA, The Callisto Protocol, Dead Space.
- The cast-driven storytelling — Detroit: Become Human, As Dusk Falls, Life is Strange.
- The episodic structure — every Dark Pictures entry, Life is Strange, Telltale catalogue.
- The Curator framing — exclusive to the Dark Pictures Anthology (all 5 entries).
What to play first if you liked Directive 8020
- Until Dawn — the genre's blueprint. Mandatory if you haven't.
- The Quarry — most refined version of the formula.
- House of Ashes — closest Dark Pictures entry tonally.
- Man of Medan — the original Curator entry.
- Heavy Rain — if you want the same formula minus the horror.
FAQ
What games are most like Directive 8020?
Until Dawn, The Quarry and the other four Dark Pictures Anthology entries (Man of Medan, Little Hope, House of Ashes, The Devil in Me) are the closest matches — same studio, same mechanics, similar runtimes.
Is Directive 8020 a Telltale-style game?
Yes in structure (chapters + binary choices + character relationships) but more cinematic — full performance capture, lethal QTEs and 5–9 hour episodic chapters rather than 90-minute ones.
What should I play after Directive 8020?
If you want more Supermassive — start with Until Dawn, then The Quarry, then House of Ashes. If you want a tonal shift — try Heavy Rain or As Dusk Falls for choice-driven drama, or Alien: Isolation for sci-fi horror.
Is Directive 8020 like Heavy Rain?
Loosely — both are choice-driven cinematic narratives where any character can die. Directive 8020 leans more on horror and QTE-driven death gates; Heavy Rain leans on pure narrative branches with little combat.