Should I play Tabletop Simulator or Ascension VR first?

If you want chronology, Tabletop Simulator (2015) came out before Ascension VR (2016). 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 Tabletop Simulator and Ascension VR similar?

They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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.

Tabletop Simulator vs Ascension VR

Tabletop Simulator and Ascension VR both land in Strategy, Indie 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. Tabletop Simulator (2015) is 1 year older than Ascension VR (2016). Tabletop Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than Ascension VR (50% 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 Tabletop Simulator

Choose Tabletop Simulator if you want a Simulation, RPG, and Casual game with Shared/Split Screen, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 31,086 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Ascension VR

Choose Ascension VR if it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. Ascension VR launched in 2016.

Both Tabletop Simulator and Ascension VR sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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.

Tabletop Simulator vs Ascension VR — Steam metadata comparison
	Tabletop Simulator	Ascension VR
Released	2015	2016
Genres	Strategy, Indie, Simulation, RPG, Casual	Strategy, Indie
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Steam Deck	Deck Unsupported	Unrated
Price	19.99 USD	4.99 USD
Steam reviews	96% positive (31,086 reviews)	50% positive (16 reviews)
Multiplayer	Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op	Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer
Developers	Berserk Games	Temple Gates Games

Side by side

Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
Tabletop Simulator (2015) is 1 year older than Ascension VR (2016).
Tabletop Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than Ascension VR (50% positive).
Ascension VR is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Tabletop Simulator (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
Tabletop Simulator has co-op; Ascension VR does not.
Tabletop Simulator is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Ascension VR has no Deck rating yet.