Choose The Puppeteer
Choose The Puppeteer if it's currently about 55% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Puppeteer launched in 2023.
The Puppeteer vs Hammer of Pain
The Puppeteer and Hammer of Pain 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. The Puppeteer (2023) is 1 year older than Hammer of Pain (2024). The Puppeteer is currently ~55% cheaper on Steam than Hammer of Pain (4.99 USD vs. 10.99 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 Hammer of Pain
Choose Hammer of Pain if you want a Casual experience. Hammer of Pain launched in 2024.
Both The Puppeteer and Hammer of Pain 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
 The Puppeteer |  Hammer of Pain | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 10.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 7 reviews | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Danny Martin | SleepingFrog |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Puppeteer (2023) is 1 year older than Hammer of Pain (2024).
- The Puppeteer is currently ~55% cheaper on Steam than Hammer of Pain (4.99 USD vs. 10.99 USD).
The Puppeteer vs Hammer of Pain — FAQ
- Should I play The Puppeteer or Hammer of Pain first?
- If you want chronology, The Puppeteer (2023) came out before Hammer of Pain (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 The Puppeteer and Hammer of Pain 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.