Choose Infest
Choose Infest if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Infest launched in 2025.
Infest vs Balatro
Infest and Balatro both land in Strategy 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 Strategy games on Steam. Balatro (2024) is 1 year older than Infest (2025). Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than Infest (70.6% 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 Balatro
Choose Balatro if you want an Indie and Casual game with Color Alternatives, Custom Volume Controls, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 99,852 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Infest and Balatro sit in Strategy 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
 Infest |  Balatro | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 70.6% positive (17 reviews) | 98.1% positive (99,852 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Chute Apps | LocalThunk |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Balatro (2024) is 1 year older than Infest (2025).
- Balatro scores higher on Steam reviews (98.1% positive) than Infest (70.6% positive).
- Balatro is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Infest (14.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Infest is Deck Playable, Balatro is Deck Verified.
Infest vs Balatro — FAQ
- Should I play Infest or Balatro first?
- If you want chronology, Balatro (2024) came out before Infest (2025). 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 Infest and Balatro similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.