Choose Splice
Choose Splice if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Splice launched in 2012.
Splice vs Bacteria
Splice and Bacteria both land in Indie, Casual 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 Indie, Casual on Steam. Splice (2012) is 4 years older than Bacteria (2016). Splice scores higher on Steam reviews (86.5% positive) than Bacteria (60.8% 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 Bacteria
Choose Bacteria if it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. Bacteria launched in 2016.
Both Splice and Bacteria sit in Indie and Casual 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
 Splice |  Bacteria | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2016 |
| Genres | Indie, Casual | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.5% positive (148 reviews) | 60.8% positive (51 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Cipher Prime Studios | Sometimes You |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Splice (2012) is 4 years older than Bacteria (2016).
- Splice scores higher on Steam reviews (86.5% positive) than Bacteria (60.8% positive).
- Bacteria is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Splice (0.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Splice is Deck Verified, Bacteria is Deck Playable.
Splice vs Bacteria — FAQ
- Should I play Splice or Bacteria first?
- If you want chronology, Splice (2012) came out before Bacteria (2016). 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 Splice and Bacteria similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Casual 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.