The recent release of Endling - Extinction is Forever has given gamers a glimpse of the apocalypse, unlike anything they have seen before. The new adventure platforming game is yet another in a long line of great indie titles that are blazing a new path of gaming possibility.

Whether it is critical successes like Stray, or indie hits like Night in the Woods, there is a wealth of amazing games to enjoy after playing Endling. Though plenty of releases have a similar tone or style, only the best captured the same magic and beauty of the new game.

Paws (2016)

The title card for the game Paws featuring a lynx and bear cub

Coming as a spinoff of the popular game Shelter 2Paws takes place in the same beautiful world as its predecessor. The game casts the user as a young lynx cub as they explore the wilderness in search of their lost family.

RELATED: The Best Indie Games Of 2022 That Nobody Knows About, According To Ranker 

Like Endling, Paws plays out through linear gameplay and an equally linear storyline. The setting of the game is much more mystical than Endling, but they both deal with their own heady themes. While the newer of the games is about the loss of habitat, Paws explores the loss of family and friendship.

The First Tree (2017)

The title card for the First Tree featuring a fox standing on a rock

Video games with animal protagonists are nothing new, but The First Tree found a unique way to blend traditional gaming with an untraditional story. The user takes control of a fox as it explores the wilderness in search of its family, while also exploring the story of a human trying to reconnect with his estranged father.

The landscapes in The First Tree are stunning and blend elements of cartoons with more realistic depictions of nature. It is a much more passive experience than Endling, but the similarities go beyond simply having a fox as a main character. Both games have a profound respect for nature, even if they approach the topic in different ways.

Shelter 2 (2015)

A lynx attacks a fox in Shelter 2

Shelter 2 ambitiously attempted to bring the world of nature into the world of gaming, and in a lot of ways, it succeeded. The user takes control of a mother lynx as she attempts to raise her cubs by keeping them safe, fed, and protected from the ever-changing elements.

There are obvious aesthetic similarities between Shelter 2 and Endling, but their gameplay is radically different. Shelter features an open-world style of gameplay and there is no linear storyline to speak of. Interestingly, when a cub is raised successfully, it becomes another generation of the playable character in the game.

AER: Memories Of Old (2017)

A bird flies between islands in AER Memories of Old

Foxes and other mammals aren't the only animals suited for video games and AER: Memories of Old had a distinctly avian flavor to its gameplay. The user takes control of a girl named Auk who uses her ability to transform into a bird to explore a series of floating islands.

With very little action to speak of, Memories is meant for a more relaxing gameplay experience. The aesthetics are top-notch, and the flight mechanics are engaging and fun to use. Though the game was criticized for its length, the soothing nature of the gameplay lends itself to repeated play-throughs.

Lost Ember (2019)

Lost Ember

Many indie games have a spiritual flare to their storytelling, and the breathtaking Lost Ember was no exception. The player takes control of a fox who is possessed by the spirit of a man who cannot pass on to the other side. Together, the fox and man explore the ruins of his lost civilization to figure out why he cannot go to heaven.

RELATED: 10 Best Dystopian Indie Games On The Switch 

The fox connection is once again clear between Lost Ember and Endling, but the games also share a similar end-of-times vibe. Lost Ember allows the user to possess other types of animals in order to progress in the story, and that keeps the gameplay fresh. There is very little action to speak of, and instead, the user is engaged by the interesting story and beautiful world.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (2020)

Alba A Wildlife Adventure opening screen 2

While Endling attempts to inspire nature conservation through a darker storyline, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure does it with a family-friendly message. The player takes control of Alba, a young girl in Spain who is determined to raise awareness about wildlife conservation in her area.

The open-world nature of the game is directly opposite to Endling's linear platforming style, and the many mini-games and objectives give the user much more to do as well. Despite these differences, both games come from a good place, and both put their conservation message to the forefront.

Night In The Woods (2017)

Palecat with his back to the screen, looking at the tower in Demontower from the video game, Night in the Woods

Endling and Night in the Woods have very little in common, and yet they cover very similar ground when it comes to the gaming experience. Mae is an anthropomorphic cat who returns home to her small town to discover that the closure of the local mine has led to an economic depression.

Praised for its movie-worthy plotNight in the Woods is about the degradation of the human habitat, much in the same way that Endling is about a fox's habitat. Though there is no action whatsoever, the purpose of the game is exploration and navigating the storyline which can be altered through cultivating friendships. On top of all that, the game is aesthetically beautiful and has that quintessential indie game look.

Ori And The Blind Forest (2015)

A large creature holds a small white spirit from Ori and the Blind Forest

Though not necessarily animal in nature, the spirits of Ori and the Blind Forest have a similar vibe to the protagonists of Endling. The user assumes control of Ori, a small spirit, and Sein who acts as eyes and ears for the forest.

RELATED: 10 Overrated Indie Games, According To Reddit

The game is a nonlinear platform puzzler that requires a fair amount of skill to master. While working through the game, Ori can be upgraded and his skills can make traversing the levels much easier. Though more subtle with its message than Endling, both games extol the virtues of nature despite a vastly different sense of aesthetics.

Hollow Knight (2017)

Hollow Knight Silksong Hornet

The gameplay experience of Hollow Knight is vastly different than that of Endling, but the creative game design and platforming have a fair amount of overlap. The user takes control of the titular knight as he traverses a kingdom overrun with disease that is populated with insectoid villains and allies.

Known for its difficult boss battles, the gameplay is much more intensive than Endling's, and the challenge is much higher. Even so, both games are about exploring a world that is falling down around the main character, and both have a fiercely original style that has rarely been matched.

Stray (2022)

Stray Cat Next to Robot

Indie games have been creating animal protagonists for years, but Stray was one of the first big-budget games to tackle the idea. After falling into a walled-off city populated only by dangerous robots, a stray cat must navigate their way back out with the help of a drone companion.

The physics of the cat controls are fluid and endlessly fun to use, and the fascinating world keeps players engaged as the story progresses. Unlike Endling which is entirely linear, Stray mixes linear and open-world elements together for a more blended experience. Both games share a similar perspective and help the user to see the actions of humans from the viewpoint of an animal who has to live with the consequences.

NEXT: 10 Hidden Details in Stray Found By Redditors