AdventureFit check
Is The Ratline worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Players who enjoy historical detective fiction and want an evidence-led investigation
- Fans of deduction games who prefer forming conclusions without frequent guidance
- Mouse-and-keyboard players seeking a narrative mystery with international leads
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players seeking action-focused gameplay rather than document analysis and deduction
- Those who prefer heavily guided investigations instead of drawing conclusions independently
- Steam Deck users looking for a game optimized for that device
Our take on The Ratline
The investigation trades constant guidance for player-led reasoning. That choice places more responsibility on the player to connect evidence, assess identities, and check conclusions, while the mouse-and-keyboard focus limits the intended control setup.
What is The Ratline?
The Ratline is a detective thriller set in 1971.
After a priest is killed in Budapest, investigators uncover a list connected to Nazi war criminals who escaped through a covert network. The case involves examining papers, photographs, and recovered objects; pursuing leads across locations including Rome and Buenos Aires; consulting contacts; and questioning sources. Players form their own conclusions rather than receiving constant guidance, identify the people being pursued, verify their deductions, and seek to bring them to justice. The investigation follows a secret network and uses evidence-based puzzle solving as its central structure. The game is not optimized for Steam Deck, and mouse and keyboard are recommended for the intended experience.
How The Ratline plays
- 01Evidence examination
- The investigation uses written records, images, and found objects as sources of clues.
- 02Independent deductions
- Players must connect information and test their conclusions without continuous prompts.
- 03International investigation
- The case sends the investigator between contacts and sources in places such as Rome and Buenos Aires.
- 04Identity verification
- Suspected fugitives must be identified and the investigator's conclusions checked before pursuing justice.
Games like The Ratline
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AdventureAgatha Christie - The ABC Murders
MicroidsFor:Agatha Christie readers who want an interactive version of one of her mysteriesSkip if:Players seeking action-led gameplay rather than observation, questioning, and deduction
AdventureDahlia View
White Paper GamesFor:Mystery fans who want to investigate a missing-child case through observation and evidenceSkip if:Players seeking a fast-paced experience rather than a case built around observation and deduction
AdventureYokai Landlord: Monster Mystery!
FINE Co., Ltd.For:Mystery-game fans who want a finite, story-led investigationSkip if:Players seeking an open-ended or highly replayable investigation rather than a roughly 10-hour narrativePicked by overlapping fit notes and genres, not an editorial comparison.
The Ratline: platforms & release
Is The Ratline worth it?
It is worth it if: players who enjoy historical detective fiction and want an evidence-led investigation. Skip it if: players seeking action-focused gameplay rather than document analysis and deduction.
Where can I download The Ratline?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens The Ratline's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is The Ratline on?
Windows and macOS.
