Choose Braid
Choose Braid if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 3,460 Steam reviews back the pick.
Braid vs Varius
Braid and Varius both land in Indie, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Braid (2009) is 9 years older than Varius (2018). Varius scores higher on Steam reviews (92.3% positive) than Braid (91% 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 Varius
Choose Varius if it's currently about 93% cheaper on the Steam Store. Varius launched in 2018.
Both Braid and Varius sit in Indie and Casual on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (91% vs 92.3% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Braid |  Varius | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91% positive (3,460 reviews) | 92.3% positive (13 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Number None | Fish Tank Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Braid (2009) is 9 years older than Varius (2018).
- Varius scores higher on Steam reviews (92.3% positive) than Braid (91% positive).
- Varius is currently ~93% cheaper on Steam than Braid (0.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Braid is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Varius has no Deck rating yet.
Braid vs Varius — FAQ
- Should I play Braid or Varius first?
- If you want chronology, Braid (2009) came out before Varius (2018). 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 Braid and Varius similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Casual 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 Braid run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Braid is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Varius doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.