Choose Expelled!
Choose Expelled! if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Expelled! launched in 2025.
Expelled! vs 1997 RELOADED
Expelled! and 1997 RELOADED 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. Expelled! (2025) is 1 year older than 1997 RELOADED (2026). 1997 RELOADED is currently ~35% cheaper on Steam than Expelled! (9.74 USD vs. 14.99 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 1997 RELOADED
Choose 1997 RELOADED if you want the Custom Volume Controls, Stereo Sound, and Chat Text-to-speech side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 35% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1997 RELOADED launched in 2026.
Both Expelled! and 1997 RELOADED 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
 Expelled! |  1997 RELOADED | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, RPG | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.74 USD |
| Steam reviews | 94.9% positive (177 reviews) | 6 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | inkle Ltd | Gaigo Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Expelled! (2025) is 1 year older than 1997 RELOADED (2026).
- 1997 RELOADED is currently ~35% cheaper on Steam than Expelled! (9.74 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Expelled! is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; 1997 RELOADED has no Deck rating yet.
Expelled! vs 1997 RELOADED — FAQ
- Should I play Expelled! or 1997 RELOADED first?
- If you want chronology, Expelled! (2025) came out before 1997 RELOADED (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 Expelled! and 1997 RELOADED 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.
- Does Expelled! run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Expelled! is rated Deck Verified by Valve. 1997 RELOADED doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.