IMHO.

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar vs I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar and I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine both land in 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 are Adventure games on Steam. I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar (2021) is 2 years older than I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine (2023). I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar scores higher on Steam reviews (97% positive) than I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine (92.4% 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 I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar

Choose I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar if you want the Tracked Controller Support side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 97% positive across 948 reviews.

Choose I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine

Choose I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine if you want an Action and Simulation game with Subtitle Options. I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine launched in 2023.

Both I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar and I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine sit in Adventure on Steam and both list VR Only, Color Alternatives, and Custom Volume Controls, 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

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar vs I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine — Steam metadata comparison
I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar — Steam game coverI Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the LiarI Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine — Steam game coverI Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine
Released20212023
GenresAdventureAction, Adventure, Simulation
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck UnsupportedDeck Unsupported
Price24.99 USD24.99 USD
Steam reviews97% positive (948 reviews)92.4% positive (462 reviews)
MultiplayerSingle-player onlySingle-player only
DevelopersSchell GamesSchell Games

Side by side

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar vs I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine — FAQ

Which is better, I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar or I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine?
On Steam reviews I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar scores higher (97% positive) than I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine (92.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar or I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine first?
If you want chronology, I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar (2021) came out before I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine (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 I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar and I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine similar?
They overlap on 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.
I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar vs I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine · imho.run