Choose Hero Hours Contract
Choose Hero Hours Contract if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Hero Hours Contract launched in 2020.
Hero Hours Contract vs Anime Studio Story
Hero Hours Contract and Anime Studio Story both land in Strategy, 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 share Strategy, Indie on Steam. Hero Hours Contract (2020) is 2 years older than Anime Studio Story (2022). Hero Hours Contract scores higher on Steam reviews (91.7% positive) than Anime Studio Story (74.1% 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 Anime Studio Story
Choose Anime Studio Story if you want a Simulation and Casual experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Anime Studio Story launched in 2022.
Both Hero Hours Contract and Anime Studio Story sit in Strategy and 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
 Hero Hours Contract |  Anime Studio Story | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Free To Play | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | Free to play | 8.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.7% positive (24 reviews) | 74.1% positive (27 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Steve O'Gorman | Kairosoft Co.,Ltd |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Hero Hours Contract (2020) is 2 years older than Anime Studio Story (2022).
- Hero Hours Contract scores higher on Steam reviews (91.7% positive) than Anime Studio Story (74.1% positive).
- Hero Hours Contract is free; Anime Studio Story is paid (8.99 USD).
- Anime Studio Story is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Hero Hours Contract has no Deck rating yet.
Hero Hours Contract vs Anime Studio Story — FAQ
- Should I play Hero Hours Contract or Anime Studio Story first?
- If you want chronology, Hero Hours Contract (2020) came out before Anime Studio Story (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 Hero Hours Contract and Anime Studio Story similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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 Hero Hours Contract free?
- Yes — Hero Hours Contract is a free-to-play Steam title. Anime Studio Story is paid (8.99 USD).