Choose Smile
Choose Smile if it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Smile launched in 2020.
Smile vs Spectral Scream
Smile and Spectral Scream 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. Smile (2020) is 4 years older than Spectral Scream (2024). Smile is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Spectral Scream (1.99 USD vs. 9.99 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 Spectral Scream
Choose Spectral Scream if you want an Action and Adventure game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and VR Supported. On Steam, it's the newer release (2024) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Spectral Scream launched in 2024.
Both Smile and Spectral Scream 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
 Smile |  Spectral Scream | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 1.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 3 reviews | 77.9% positive (131 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Ecco Studios | STOIC Ent. |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Smile (2020) is 4 years older than Spectral Scream (2024).
- Smile is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Spectral Scream (1.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Spectral Scream has co-op; Smile does not.
- Spectral Scream is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Smile has no Deck rating yet.
Smile vs Spectral Scream — FAQ
- Should I play Smile or Spectral Scream first?
- If you want chronology, Smile (2020) came out before Spectral Scream (2024). 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 Smile and Spectral Scream 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.
- Does Smile have multiplayer like Spectral Scream?
- No. Spectral Scream supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Smile is listed as single-player only.