Choose FACEMINER
Choose FACEMINER if you want an Action and Strategy game with Adjustable Text Size and Adjustable Difficulty. 1,008 Steam reviews back the pick.
FACEMINER vs Department 98
FACEMINER and Department 98 both land in Indie, Simulation 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, Simulation on Steam. FACEMINER (2025) is 1 year older than Department 98 (2026). FACEMINER is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Department 98 has no Deck rating yet. 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 Department 98
Choose Department 98 if you want the Playable without Timed Input and #category_playable_at_your_own_pace side of the pairing. Department 98 launched in 2026.
Both FACEMINER and Department 98 sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam and both list Custom Volume Controls and Save Anytime, 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
 FACEMINER |  Department 98 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 7.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 90.6% positive (1,008 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Wristwork | Sven Schäfer |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- FACEMINER (2025) is 1 year older than Department 98 (2026).
- FACEMINER is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Department 98 has no Deck rating yet.
FACEMINER vs Department 98 — FAQ
- Should I play FACEMINER or Department 98 first?
- If you want chronology, FACEMINER (2025) came out before Department 98 (2026). 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 FACEMINER and Department 98 similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation 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.
- Does FACEMINER run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — FACEMINER is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Department 98 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.