Choose Penitence
Choose Penitence if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 95% cheaper on the Steam Store. Penitence launched in 2022.
Penitence vs THE ILLUSION: CURSE
Penitence and THE ILLUSION: CURSE 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. Penitence (2022) is 1 year older than THE ILLUSION: CURSE (2023). Penitence is currently ~95% cheaper on Steam than THE ILLUSION: CURSE (0.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 THE ILLUSION: CURSE
Choose THE ILLUSION: CURSE if it matches what drew you to this matchup. THE ILLUSION: CURSE launched in 2023.
Both Penitence and THE ILLUSION: CURSE 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
 Penitence |  THE ILLUSION: CURSE | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 60.9% positive (23 reviews) | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Violet Angel Interactive | Raven Games |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- Penitence (2022) is 1 year older than THE ILLUSION: CURSE (2023).
- Penitence is currently ~95% cheaper on Steam than THE ILLUSION: CURSE (0.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
Penitence vs THE ILLUSION: CURSE — FAQ
- Should I play Penitence or THE ILLUSION: CURSE first?
- If you want chronology, Penitence (2022) came out before THE ILLUSION: CURSE (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 Penitence and THE ILLUSION: CURSE 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.