Choose Layers of Fear
Choose Layers of Fear if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Layers of Fear launched in 2023.
Layers of Fear vs Suspense: Madman's Dreams
Layers of Fear and Suspense: Madman's Dreams 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. Layers of Fear (2023) is 2 years older than Suspense: Madman's Dreams (2025). Suspense: Madman's Dreams scores higher on Steam reviews (89.5% positive) than Layers of Fear (75.6% 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 Suspense: Madman's Dreams
Choose Suspense: Madman's Dreams if you want an Indie and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's currently about 83% cheaper on the Steam Store. Suspense: Madman's Dreams launched in 2025.
Both Layers of Fear and Suspense: Madman's Dreams sit in Adventure 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
 Layers of Fear |  Suspense: Madman's Dreams | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
| Genres | Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 75.6% positive (590 reviews) | 89.5% positive (19 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Anshar Studios, Bloober Team | Draft Games |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- Layers of Fear (2023) is 2 years older than Suspense: Madman's Dreams (2025).
- Suspense: Madman's Dreams scores higher on Steam reviews (89.5% positive) than Layers of Fear (75.6% positive).
- Suspense: Madman's Dreams is currently ~83% cheaper on Steam than Layers of Fear (4.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Layers of Fear is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Suspense: Madman's Dreams has no Deck rating yet.
Layers of Fear vs Suspense: Madman's Dreams — FAQ
- Should I play Layers of Fear or Suspense: Madman's Dreams first?
- If you want chronology, Layers of Fear (2023) came out before Suspense: Madman's Dreams (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 Layers of Fear and Suspense: Madman's Dreams 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.
- Does Layers of Fear run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Layers of Fear is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Suspense: Madman's Dreams doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.