Choose Owlboy
Choose Owlboy if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 2,379 Steam reviews back the pick.
Owlboy vs Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders
Owlboy and Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Owlboy (2016) is 1 year older than Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders (2017). Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than Owlboy (5.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD). 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 Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders
Choose Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders if it's currently about 70% cheaper on the Steam Store. Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders launched in 2017.
Both Owlboy and Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure 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
 Owlboy |  Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.8% positive (2,379 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | D-Pad Studio | OrionSoft |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Owlboy (2016) is 1 year older than Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders (2017).
- Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than Owlboy (5.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Owlboy is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders has no Deck rating yet.
Owlboy vs Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders — FAQ
- Should I play Owlboy or Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders first?
- If you want chronology, Owlboy (2016) came out before Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders (2017). 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 Owlboy and Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Owlboy run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Owlboy is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Escape 2042 - The Truth Defenders doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.