IMHO.

ZERONE - First Encounter vs DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1

ZERONE - First Encounter and DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 both land in Action 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 Action games on Steam. DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 (2020) is 3 years older than ZERONE - First Encounter (2023). DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 is currently ~23% cheaper on Steam than ZERONE - First Encounter (9.99 USD vs. 12.99 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 ZERONE - First Encounter

Choose ZERONE - First Encounter if you want the Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and Online PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. ZERONE - First Encounter launched in 2023.

Choose DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1

Choose DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 if you want an Indie and Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 23% cheaper on the Steam Store. DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 launched in 2020.

Both ZERONE - First Encounter and DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 sit in Action on Steam and both list Tracked Controller Support and VR Only, 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

ZERONE - First Encounter vs DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 — Steam metadata comparison
ZERONE - First Encounter — Steam game coverZERONE - First EncounterDEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 — Steam game coverDEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1
Released20232020
GenresActionAction, Indie, Adventure
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckUnratedUnrated
Price12.99 USD9.99 USD
Steam reviews1 reviews1 reviews
MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-opSingle-player only
DevelopersThe TIM Entertainment Co. LtdLooksten Inc.

Side by side

ZERONE - First Encounter vs DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 — FAQ

Should I play ZERONE - First Encounter or DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 first?
If you want chronology, DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 (2020) came out before ZERONE - First Encounter (2023). 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 ZERONE - First Encounter and DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 similar?
They overlap on Action 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 DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 have multiplayer like ZERONE - First Encounter?
No. ZERONE - First Encounter supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 is listed as single-player only.
ZERONE - First Encounter vs DEUS EX MACHINA: Episode 1 · imho.run