15 Games Like Abzu for Players Who Love Peaceful Exploration

Few games capture the serene beauty of the ocean like ABZÛ. Its meditative dives, fluid motion, and stunning marine life create a uniquely soothing escape from the noise of everyday life. If you’re craving more experiences that celebrate exploration, calm discovery, and emotional storytelling, these games offer that same quiet wonder—both beneath the waves and far beyond them.

Journey

From the same creators as ABZÛ, Journey lets you glide across vast deserts toward a mysterious mountain. Its wordless storytelling and breathtaking score evoke the same emotional stillness and quiet awe. Every moment feels purposeful, from the shimmer of sand to the gentle companionship of another traveler.

Submerged: Hidden Depths

This third-person exploration game trades danger for discovery. You explore a flooded city overtaken by nature, uncovering the story of siblings surviving among ruins. Like ABZÛ, it’s about restoration, reflection, and the calm rhythm of exploration.

Silt

Dive deep into a dark underwater world filled with ancient machinery and eerie creatures. Silt blends the haunting mystery of Limbo with the underwater setting of ABZÛ, making each discovery feel both beautiful and unsettling.

Endless Ocean Luminous

A modern revival of Nintendo’s beloved underwater exploration series, Endless Ocean Luminous invites you to swim freely among marine life in a vast digital sea. There’s no combat—just curiosity, calm music, and the quiet companionship of other divers.

Tchia

Set in a world inspired by New Caledonia, Tchia is a heartwarming adventure about exploration and freedom. You can climb, sail, and even “soul-jump” into animals and objects to see the world from new perspectives—echoing ABZÛ’s sense of joyful connection to nature.

Spirit of the North

Play as a fox guided by the Northern Lights across Icelandic landscapes. This wordless journey channels ABZÛ’s tone of mystery and natural beauty, mixing quiet puzzles with awe-inspiring sights and a tender, emotional story.

The Pathless

From Giant Squid, the studio behind ABZÛ, The Pathless swaps the ocean for sweeping forests and ruins. You glide across vast landscapes with your eagle companion, using elegant movement and rhythm rather than combat to restore light to a cursed world.

Lake

Set in a quiet 1980s lakeside town, Lake trades the ocean’s depths for small-town charm. You play as a mail carrier reconnecting with people and nature, delivering letters at your own pace. Like ABZÛ, it’s a gentle story about slowing down and finding meaning in stillness.

A Short Hike

Explore a charming island as a bird searching for cell service and peace of mind. A Short Hike captures ABZÛ’s sense of exploration on land—with playful movement, heartfelt dialogue, and cozy visuals that make every discovery delightful.

Journey to the Savage Planet

Though more colorful and humorous than ABZÛ, this sci-fi adventure celebrates exploration in alien biomes teeming with strange creatures. It’s about curiosity, observation, and finding beauty in the unknown.

Sunlight

Sunlight is a brief but breathtaking experience about wandering through a painted forest guided by a choir of voices. Its meditative storytelling and painterly art style make it perfect for fans of ABZÛ’s contemplative tone.

Slime Rancher 2

For those who enjoy exploration mixed with creativity, Slime Rancher 2 offers bright, soothing environments filled with friendly creatures. It’s a cozy, non-violent adventure where discovery and care are central themes—just like ABZÛ’s harmony with life.

Under the Waves

A narrative adventure set in the depths of the North Sea, Under the Waves explores grief, solitude, and human connection through underwater exploration. The game’s tone and setting mirror ABZÛ’s oceanic tranquility but with a deeply emotional story at its heart.

Season: A Letter to the Future

In Season, you travel by bicycle through a world on the brink of change, recording stories, sounds, and memories. Its reflective pacing and focus on observation and preservation make it a kindred spirit to ABZÛ’s quiet wonder.

Dordogne

This watercolor adventure invites you to explore memories of childhood summers in southern France. The calm exploration and intimate storytelling evoke the same nostalgia and emotional warmth that ABZÛ captures through its underwater world.