Choose F.E.A.R. 3
Choose F.E.A.R. 3 if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. 3,124 Steam reviews back the pick.
F.E.A.R. 3 vs The Darkness II
F.E.A.R. 3 and The Darkness II both land in Action 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 Action games on Steam. F.E.A.R. 3 (2011) is 1 year older than The Darkness II (2012). The Darkness II scores higher on Steam reviews (89.6% positive) than F.E.A.R. 3 (61.5% 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 Darkness II
Choose The Darkness II if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 89.6% positive across 3,614 reviews.
Both F.E.A.R. 3 and The Darkness II sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, 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
 F.E.A.R. 3 |  The Darkness II | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2011 | 2012 |
| Genres | Action | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 61.5% positive (3,124 reviews) | 89.6% positive (3,614 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Day 1 Studios | Digital Extremes |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- F.E.A.R. 3 (2011) is 1 year older than The Darkness II (2012).
- The Darkness II scores higher on Steam reviews (89.6% positive) than F.E.A.R. 3 (61.5% positive).
- F.E.A.R. 3 is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than The Darkness II (19.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
F.E.A.R. 3 vs The Darkness II — FAQ
- Which is better, F.E.A.R. 3 or The Darkness II?
- On Steam reviews The Darkness II scores higher (89.6% positive) than F.E.A.R. 3 (61.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, The Darkness II is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play F.E.A.R. 3 or The Darkness II first?
- If you want chronology, F.E.A.R. 3 (2011) came out before The Darkness II (2012). 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 F.E.A.R. 3 and The Darkness II similar?
- They overlap on Action 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.
- Do both F.E.A.R. 3 and The Darkness II have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: F.E.A.R. 3 ships Co-op; The Darkness II ships Co-op.