Choose Murder by Numbers
Choose Murder by Numbers if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Murder by Numbers launched in 2020.
Murder by Numbers vs Blake: The Visual Novel
Murder by Numbers and Blake: The Visual Novel 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. Murder by Numbers (2020) is 1 year older than Blake: The Visual Novel (2021). Blake: The Visual Novel scores higher on Steam reviews (90% positive) than Murder by Numbers (86% 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 Blake: The Visual Novel
Choose Blake: The Visual Novel if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Blake: The Visual Novel launched in 2021.
Both Murder by Numbers and Blake: The Visual Novel 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
 Murder by Numbers |  Blake: The Visual Novel | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 86% positive (947 reviews) | 90% positive (50 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Mediatonic | Ori Mees |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Murder by Numbers (2020) is 1 year older than Blake: The Visual Novel (2021).
- Blake: The Visual Novel scores higher on Steam reviews (90% positive) than Murder by Numbers (86% positive).
- Blake: The Visual Novel is free; Murder by Numbers is paid (14.99 USD).
- Murder by Numbers is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Blake: The Visual Novel has no Deck rating yet.
Murder by Numbers vs Blake: The Visual Novel — FAQ
- Should I play Murder by Numbers or Blake: The Visual Novel first?
- If you want chronology, Murder by Numbers (2020) came out before Blake: The Visual Novel (2021). 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 Murder by Numbers and Blake: The Visual Novel 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.
- Is Blake: The Visual Novel free?
- Yes — Blake: The Visual Novel is a free-to-play Steam title. Murder by Numbers is paid (14.99 USD).
- Does Murder by Numbers run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Murder by Numbers is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Blake: The Visual Novel doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.