Choose Cave Story+
Choose Cave Story+ if you want an Action and Adventure experience. 3,688 Steam reviews back the pick.
Cave Story+ vs External Visions
Cave Story+ and External Visions both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. Cave Story+ (2011) is 6 years older than External Visions (2017). Cave Story+ scores higher on Steam reviews (91.8% positive) than External Visions (73.8% 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 External Visions
Choose External Visions if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. External Visions launched in 2017.
Both Cave Story+ and External Visions sit in Indie 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
 Cave Story+ |  External Visions | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2011 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Indie, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 91.8% positive (3,688 reviews) | 73.8% positive (42 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Nicalis, Inc., Studio Pixel | team BitClub |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Cave Story+ (2011) is 6 years older than External Visions (2017).
- Cave Story+ scores higher on Steam reviews (91.8% positive) than External Visions (73.8% positive).
- External Visions is free; Cave Story+ is paid (14.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Cave Story+ vs External Visions — FAQ
- Should I play Cave Story+ or External Visions first?
- If you want chronology, Cave Story+ (2011) came out before External Visions (2017). 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 Cave Story+ and External Visions similar?
- They overlap on 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 External Visions free?
- Yes — External Visions is a free-to-play Steam title. Cave Story+ is paid (14.99 USD).