Choose Through the Darkest of Times
Choose Through the Darkest of Times if you want an Adventure experience. Through the Darkest of Times launched in 2020.
Through the Darkest of Times vs Influence, Inc.
Through the Darkest of Times and Influence, Inc. both land in Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Through the Darkest of Times (2020) is 2 years older than Influence, Inc. (2022). Through the Darkest of Times scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% positive) than Influence, Inc. (78.6% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Influence, Inc.
Choose Influence, Inc. if it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Influence, Inc. launched in 2022.
Both Through the Darkest of Times and Influence, Inc. sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Through the Darkest of Times |  Influence, Inc. | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 11.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.9% positive (272 reviews) | 78.6% positive (14 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Paintbucket Games | Curious Bird |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Through the Darkest of Times (2020) is 2 years older than Influence, Inc. (2022).
- Through the Darkest of Times scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% positive) than Influence, Inc. (78.6% positive).
- Influence, Inc. is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Through the Darkest of Times (11.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Through the Darkest of Times is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Influence, Inc. has no Deck rating yet.
Through the Darkest of Times vs Influence, Inc. — FAQ
- Should I play Through the Darkest of Times or Influence, Inc. first?
- If you want chronology, Through the Darkest of Times (2020) came out before Influence, Inc. (2022). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Through the Darkest of Times and Influence, Inc. similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Through the Darkest of Times run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Through the Darkest of Times is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Influence, Inc. doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.