Choose ZPlague
Choose ZPlague if you want the Online PvP and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. ZPlague launched in 2022.
ZPlague vs Cursed Dawn
ZPlague and Cursed Dawn both land in Action, 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 Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam. ZPlague (2022) is 3 years older than Cursed Dawn (2025). ZPlague is free; Cursed Dawn is paid (14.99 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 Cursed Dawn
Choose Cursed Dawn if you want the Online Co-op and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Cursed Dawn launched in 2025.
Both ZPlague and Cursed Dawn sit in Action, Strategy, and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, 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
 ZPlague |  Cursed Dawn | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie | Action, Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 4 reviews | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Avelar Studios | Cursed Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- ZPlague (2022) is 3 years older than Cursed Dawn (2025).
- ZPlague is free; Cursed Dawn is paid (14.99 USD).
- Cursed Dawn has co-op; ZPlague does not.
- ZPlague is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Cursed Dawn has no Deck rating yet.
ZPlague vs Cursed Dawn — FAQ
- Should I play ZPlague or Cursed Dawn first?
- If you want chronology, ZPlague (2022) came out before Cursed Dawn (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 ZPlague and Cursed Dawn similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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 ZPlague free?
- Yes — ZPlague is a free-to-play Steam title. Cursed Dawn is paid (14.99 USD).
- Does ZPlague run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — ZPlague is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Cursed Dawn doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.