Choose The Missing Link
Choose The Missing Link if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 53% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Missing Link launched in 2021.
The Missing Link vs Journey of Rune
The Missing Link and Journey of Rune both land in Strategy, Adventure, RPG 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, Adventure, RPG on Steam. The Missing Link (2021) is 4 years older than Journey of Rune (2025). The Missing Link is currently ~53% cheaper on Steam than Journey of Rune (7.99 USD vs. 16.99 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 Journey of Rune
Choose Journey of Rune if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Journey of Rune launched in 2025.
Both The Missing Link and Journey of Rune sit in Strategy, Adventure, and RPG 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
 The Missing Link |  Journey of Rune | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Strategy, Adventure, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 7.99 USD | 16.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | — | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Caico Morais de Brito | 搴舟游戏 |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Adventure, RPG on Steam.
- The Missing Link (2021) is 4 years older than Journey of Rune (2025).
- The Missing Link is currently ~53% cheaper on Steam than Journey of Rune (7.99 USD vs. 16.99 USD).
The Missing Link vs Journey of Rune — FAQ
- Should I play The Missing Link or Journey of Rune first?
- If you want chronology, The Missing Link (2021) came out before Journey of Rune (2025). 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 The Missing Link and Journey of Rune similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Adventure, RPG 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.