Choose HOW
Choose HOW if you want a Strategy and Indie experience. HOW launched in 2023.
HOW vs Gates of Despair
HOW and Gates of Despair both land in 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 are Adventure games on Steam. HOW (2023) is 1 year older than Gates of Despair (2024). Gates of Despair is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than HOW (1.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD). 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 Gates of Despair
Choose Gates of Despair if you want an Action and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Gates of Despair launched in 2024.
Both HOW and Gates of Despair sit in 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
 HOW |  Gates of Despair | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure | Action, Adventure, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 3 reviews | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | LXXII | CN Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- HOW (2023) is 1 year older than Gates of Despair (2024).
- Gates of Despair is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than HOW (1.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
HOW vs Gates of Despair — FAQ
- Should I play HOW or Gates of Despair first?
- If you want chronology, HOW (2023) came out before Gates of Despair (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 HOW and Gates of Despair similar?
- They overlap on 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.