Choose The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Choose The Vanishing of Ethan Carter if you want an Indie experience. 4,130 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs GhostlyRyokan
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and GhostlyRyokan 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. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) is 10 years older than GhostlyRyokan (2024). GhostlyRyokan is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 GhostlyRyokan
Choose GhostlyRyokan if it's currently about 85% cheaper on the Steam Store. GhostlyRyokan launched in 2024.
Both The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and GhostlyRyokan 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
 The Vanishing of Ethan Carter |  GhostlyRyokan | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2024 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.4% positive (4,130 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | The Astronauts | Taiga |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) is 10 years older than GhostlyRyokan (2024).
- GhostlyRyokan is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; GhostlyRyokan has no Deck rating yet.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs GhostlyRyokan — FAQ
- Should I play The Vanishing of Ethan Carter or GhostlyRyokan first?
- If you want chronology, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) came out before GhostlyRyokan (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 GhostlyRyokan 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.
- Does The Vanishing of Ethan Carter run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is rated Deck Playable by Valve. GhostlyRyokan doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.