Choose Waveform
Choose Waveform if you want a Strategy and Adventure experience. Waveform launched in 2012.
Waveform vs The Directed
Waveform and The Directed 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. Waveform (2012) is 6 years older than The Directed (2018). The Directed scores higher on Steam reviews (90.9% positive) than Waveform (81.3% 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 The Directed
Choose The Directed if you want a Free To Play and Casual experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. The Directed launched in 2018.
Both Waveform and The Directed sit in Indie on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 Waveform |  The Directed | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure | Indie, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 1.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 81.3% positive (747 reviews) | 90.9% positive (22 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Eden Industries | Magnolia Art |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Waveform (2012) is 6 years older than The Directed (2018).
- The Directed scores higher on Steam reviews (90.9% positive) than Waveform (81.3% positive).
- The Directed is free; Waveform is paid (1.99 USD).
- The Directed is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Waveform has no Deck rating yet.
Waveform vs The Directed — FAQ
- Should I play Waveform or The Directed first?
- If you want chronology, Waveform (2012) came out before The Directed (2018). 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 Waveform and The Directed 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 The Directed free?
- Yes — The Directed is a free-to-play Steam title. Waveform is paid (1.99 USD).