Choose Waking
Choose Waking if you want an Action experience. Waking launched in 2020.
Waking vs The Memories That Shape Us
Waking and The Memories That Shape Us both land in Indie 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 are Indie games on Steam. Waking (2020) is 5 years older than The Memories That Shape Us (2025). The Memories That Shape Us scores higher on Steam reviews (80% positive) than Waking (40.7% 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 The Memories That Shape Us
Choose The Memories That Shape Us if you want an Adventure, Simulation, and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Memories That Shape Us launched in 2025.
Both Waking and The Memories That Shape Us sit in Indie 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
 Waking |  The Memories That Shape Us | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 40.7% positive (27 reviews) | 80% positive (10 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Jason Oda | Derek Larson |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Waking (2020) is 5 years older than The Memories That Shape Us (2025).
- The Memories That Shape Us scores higher on Steam reviews (80% positive) than Waking (40.7% positive).
- The Memories That Shape Us is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Waking (1.99 USD vs. 3.99 USD).
Waking vs The Memories That Shape Us — FAQ
- Should I play Waking or The Memories That Shape Us first?
- If you want chronology, Waking (2020) came out before The Memories That Shape Us (2025). 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 Waking and The Memories That Shape Us similar?
- They overlap on Indie 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.