Choose Waking Mars
Choose Waking Mars if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Waking Mars launched in 2012.
Waking Mars vs Ex Vitro
Waking Mars and Ex Vitro both land in Action, Indie, 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 share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Waking Mars (2012) is 12 years older than Ex Vitro (2024). Ex Vitro scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Waking Mars (91% 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 Ex Vitro
Choose Ex Vitro if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Ex Vitro launched in 2024.
Both Waking Mars and Ex Vitro sit in Action, Indie, and 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
 Waking Mars |  Ex Vitro | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 91% positive (532 reviews) | 93.4% positive (91 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Tiger Style | Evolver Dynamics |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Waking Mars (2012) is 12 years older than Ex Vitro (2024).
- Ex Vitro scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Waking Mars (91% positive).
- Ex Vitro is free; Waking Mars is paid (9.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Waking Mars vs Ex Vitro — FAQ
- Should I play Waking Mars or Ex Vitro first?
- If you want chronology, Waking Mars (2012) came out before Ex Vitro (2024). 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 Waking Mars and Ex Vitro similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, 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.
- Is Ex Vitro free?
- Yes — Ex Vitro is a free-to-play Steam title. Waking Mars is paid (9.99 USD).