Choose The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Choose The Vanishing of Ethan Carter if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 4,130 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs Tales of Fear - Episode Zero
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Tales of Fear - Episode Zero 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 12 years older than Tales of Fear - Episode Zero (2026). Tales of Fear - Episode Zero scores higher on Steam reviews (96.4% 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 Tales of Fear - Episode Zero
Choose Tales of Fear - Episode Zero if you want a Free To Play and Casual game with Subtitle Options, Camera Comfort, and Stereo Sound. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.4% positive across 468 reviews.
Both The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and Tales of Fear - Episode Zero 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 |  Tales of Fear - Episode Zero | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2026 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 86.4% positive (4,130 reviews) | 96.4% positive (468 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | The Astronauts | MediaTale |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) is 12 years older than Tales of Fear - Episode Zero (2026).
- Tales of Fear - Episode Zero scores higher on Steam reviews (96.4% positive) than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (86.4% positive).
- Tales of Fear - Episode Zero is free; The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is paid (19.99 USD).
- The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Tales of Fear - Episode Zero has no Deck rating yet.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs Tales of Fear - Episode Zero — FAQ
- Which is better, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter or Tales of Fear - Episode Zero?
- On Steam reviews Tales of Fear - Episode Zero scores higher (96.4% positive) than The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (86.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Tales of Fear - Episode Zero 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 Tales of Fear - Episode Zero first?
- If you want chronology, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014) came out before Tales of Fear - Episode Zero (2026). 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 Tales of Fear - Episode Zero 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.
- Is Tales of Fear - Episode Zero free?
- Yes — Tales of Fear - Episode Zero is a free-to-play Steam title. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is paid (19.99 USD).
- Does The Vanishing of Ethan Carter run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Tales of Fear - Episode Zero doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.