If you are a fan of Severance on Apple TV+, chances are you’re drawn to its eerie mix of sterile environments, cryptic mysteries, and unsettling commentary on work-life balance. Produced and directed by Ben Stiller, the series masterfully mixes existential dread with corporate satire, creating an atmosphere as captivating as it is unnerving.
Several games capture similar vibes, whether through oppressive workplaces,liminal spaces, or thought-provoking narratives. Here are some games that capture the essence of Severance in their own unique ways - without the risk of accidentally severing your memories.
8Job Simulator
Office Monotony, But Make It Hilarious
Picture this: a future where robots run the world, and your job as the only human is to perform hilariously mundane tasks in a simulated office, kitchen, or garage - your choice. Sound absurd? That’s Job Simulator.The game’s satirical take on workplace monotonyhits surprisingly close to Severance, presenting alienating repetition with a comedic twist.
The difference? In Job Simulator, you at least get to throw staplers at your robotic overloads, without any fear of the Break Room. If Lumon’s employees had this level of freedom, maybe they’d be a little happier…
If existential dread is your thing, Soma has you covered. This psychological horror game delves into themes of identity, workplace ethics, and what it means to be human. Much like Lumon’s employees, the characters in Soma grapple with fractured lives and self-awareness.
The underwater facility feels just as isolated as Lumon’s offices, and the haunting narrative will stay with you long after the credits roll. If you’re ready for a deep dive into corporate horror with a philosophical twist, Soma is the perfect choice.
6Bioshock Series
Cult Control, And Company Towns
Cult-like devotion? Check. Utopian obsession? Double check. A company town? Triple check. Comstock’s Columbia and Ryan’s Rapture thrive on manipulation, propaganda, and the illusion of choice, much like Lumon’s unsettlingly controlled environment. Zachary Comstock from Bioshock: Infinite might as well be Kier’s video game doppelgänger, with his eerie devotion to a singular vision and his role as a self-proclaimed prophet.
Not to mention the creepy iconography and the propaganda of Comstock: old-fashioned statues, busts, and paintings that feel strikingly similar to Eagan’s imagery in Severance. Add in Andrew Ryan’s philosophy of control and manipulation, and you’ve got a game that feels like Severance with more plasmids and fewer waffle parties…
Dark, minimalist, and deeply unsettling, Inside is Severancedistilled into a platformer. Faceless workers, oppressive environments, and a biting critique of conformity and social control make it an easy pick for fans of the show.
The game’s haunting visuals and eerie silence create a sense of unease that will keep you on edge. And the cryptic narrative? Let’s just say it’s best experienced without spoilers. Much like Severance, Inside explores what it means to have control - or to be controlled.
4The Backrooms Games
Liminal Horror At Its Finest
Based on the internet’s favorite creepypasta - and, according to the creators, one ofSeverance’s inspirations- Backrooms-inspired games trap you in an endless maze of sterile corridors and empty rooms. Filled with eerie silence and an unsettling atmosphere, the environments are similar to Lumon’s Severance floor - except they are cleaner in the show…
Moreover, the people in both the games and the show aren’t quite right, and can never leave, in a certain sense. While Severance doesn’t have lurking monsters (as far as we know), the infinite, labyrinthine spaces and sterile, empty rooms feel like they were ripped straight out of the backrooms.
3Portal Series
Trapped In A System
What’s more Severance than being trapped in an enigmatic system? The Portal series captures that feeling perfectly. Guided by the cold and detached GLaDOS, an artificial superintelligent computer system, you’ll navigate sterile test chambers that feel oddly similar to Lumon’s offices.
The dark humor and maze-like facility mirror the show’s tone, making you wonder what’s really going on behind the scenes of your job. With every puzzle solved, you’ll feel the same mix of unease and curiosity that fans of the show know all too well.
If Severance had a paranormal twist, it might look like Control. From the omnipresent and cryptic communications of The Board to the brutalist architecture of the Federal Bureau of Control, the game’s atmosphere is packed with Severance-esque moments. The constant feeling of being trapped in a building that’s far stranger and more powerful than it appears seems straight out of the show.
Add to that a muted color palette, the absence of contemporary technology, an elevator that looks oddly familiar, and the parallels become undeniable. Now, imagine if Helly R. had Jess’s abilities (red hair power!).
Stuck in an office, doing repetitive tasks, and questioning your very existence? Sounds like Severance, right? Well, that’s Stanley Parable. Dan Erickson, the creator of Severance, confirmed on a Reddit post that The Stanley Parable was a major inspiration for the show.
This game lets you explore a bizarre, sometimes unsettling, workplace, while a narrator gives you instructions - or not, depending on how rebellious you feel. Every choice you make leaves you questioning the nature of freedom and individuality. Clearly, this game deserves the top spot.
