Choose The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Choose The Vanishing of Ethan Carter if it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. 4,130 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs Enigma of Fear
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Enigma of Fear both land in 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 Indie, Adventure on Steam. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) is 10 years older than Enigma of Fear (2024). Enigma of Fear scores higher on Steam reviews (90.4% positive) than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (86.4% 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 Enigma of Fear
Choose Enigma of Fear if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.4% positive across 229 reviews.
Both The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Enigma of Fear sit in 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 Vanishing of Ethan Carter |  Enigma of Fear | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2024 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.4% positive (4,130 reviews) | 90.4% positive (229 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | The Astronauts | Dumativa, Cellbit |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) is 10 years older than Enigma of Fear (2024).
- Enigma of Fear scores higher on Steam reviews (90.4% positive) than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (86.4% positive).
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Enigma of Fear (19.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is Deck Verified, Enigma of Fear is Deck Playable.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs Enigma of Fear — FAQ
- Which is better, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter or Enigma of Fear?
- On Steam reviews Enigma of Fear scores higher (90.4% positive) than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (86.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Enigma of Fear is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Vanishing of Ethan Carter or Enigma of Fear first?
- If you want chronology, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) came out before Enigma of Fear (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 Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Enigma of Fear similar?
- They overlap on 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.