8 Games Like Scale the Depths

Like Scale the Depths: The exact catch-and-sell core loop — you trawl, haul fish into a grid-based hold, and sell them to fund boat upgrades that unlock deeper, rarer waters. Same dopamine of the slow gear-creep.

How it differs: A Lovecraftian dread sits under the calm. The day is serene; the night brings sea monsters and panic. Where Scale the Depths stays cozy, Dredge leans into eldritch horror and a story.

Where to play: Free demo on Steam; full game on Steam, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. 96% positive across 31,000+ reviews.

Like Scale the Depths: The two-half rhythm matches Scale the Depths almost beat for beat: dive and catch by day, then run a service business with what you caught. Dave gathers fish for a sushi restaurant the way you scale and serve.

How it differs: Far bigger in scope — a sprawling RPG with bosses, story arcs, and restaurant staff management. Scale the Depths is a tighter, cozier single loop; Dave is a sustained 30-hour adventure.

Where to play: Steam, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. Over 5 million copies sold as of late 2024.

Like Scale the Depths: Pure low-stakes cozy fishing — the same 'one more cast' chill that makes Scale the Depths relaxing. Cast, reel, repeat, with a calm vibe and no fail-state pressure.

How it differs: It is multiplayer-first: a fishing chatroom where you hang out with other players. Scale the Depths is a solo, business-focused experience; Webfishing is about the shared lobby.

Where to play: Steam (remade from a 2022 itch.io jam game). 'Overwhelmingly positive' in its first week.

Like Scale the Depths: A cozy fishing RPG built on the same catch-then-cook-then-sell economy. You rebuild a seaside town's fishing trade — the closest tonal match to Scale the Depths' wholesome, slow-build progression.

How it differs: Story-and-town-driven with a voxel art style and local co-op. Where Scale the Depths is pixel-precise and focused on the scaling craft, Moonglow Bay spreads into town-management and narrative.

Where to play: Steam and Xbox (also on Game Pass at launch).

Like Scale the Depths: The upgrade-driven progression is identical in spirit — start with a basic rod, catch bigger fish, buy better gear, reach the monsters in the deep. That gear-gated escalation is Scale the Depths' backbone too.

How it differs: Pure arcade, no business or scaling layer. You play a cat with a fishing rod; it is lighter and sillier, with none of the serve-the-customer management.

Where to play: Steam. A long-running cult favorite since 2015.

Like Scale the Depths: Not a fishing game, but it owns the 'one more cast' compulsion better than almost anything — its fishing minigame and the broader loop of working a small business toward a satisfying routine map onto why Scale the Depths is hard to put down.

How it differs: A full farming-life RPG; fishing is one slice of a huge game. Play it when you want the feeling of Scale the Depths stretched across seasons, relationships, and a whole farm.

Where to play: Steam, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, iOS and Android.

Like Scale the Depths: The original browser blueprint for upgrade-loop fishing — cast deeper, catch more, spend the payout on better casts. If you want the Scale the Depths progression itch in a two-minute browser session, this is it.

How it differs: A minimal idle/arcade browser game with no story, scaling, or customers. It is the snack-sized version of the loop, not the full meal.

Where to play: Free in the browser. The most-searched 'simple fishing' title by a wide margin.

Like Scale the Depths: Shares Scale the Depths' meditative, hand-crafted feel and a gentle gather-then-serve rhythm — you fish, cook, and care for passengers. The same calm, craft-forward mood.

How it differs: An emotional management-adventure about saying goodbye, not a fishing sim. Pick it when you loved the cozy tone of Scale the Depths and want something with more heart and story.

Where to play: Steam, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.