Choose [REC] Paroxysm
Choose [REC] Paroxysm if it matches what drew you to this matchup. [REC] Paroxysm launched in 2024.
[REC] Paroxysm vs [REC] Desolation
[REC] Paroxysm and [REC] Desolation both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. [REC] Paroxysm (2024) is 1 year older than [REC] Desolation (2025). [REC] Paroxysm scores higher on Steam reviews (86.3% positive) than [REC] Desolation (72.1% 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 [REC] Desolation
Choose [REC] Desolation if it matches what drew you to this matchup. [REC] Desolation launched in 2025.
Both [REC] Paroxysm and [REC] Desolation sit in Indie 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
![[REC] Paroxysm — Steam game cover](https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/2974060/header.jpg?t=1731924057) [REC] Paroxysm | ![[REC] Desolation — Steam game cover](https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/3509050/header.jpg?t=1740675640) [REC] Desolation | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie | Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.3% positive (131 reviews) | 72.1% positive (43 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Perspektik | Perspektik |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- [REC] Paroxysm (2024) is 1 year older than [REC] Desolation (2025).
- [REC] Paroxysm scores higher on Steam reviews (86.3% positive) than [REC] Desolation (72.1% positive).
- [REC] Desolation is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than [REC] Paroxysm (3.99 USD vs. 3.99 USD).
- [REC] Paroxysm is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; [REC] Desolation has no Deck rating yet.
[REC] Paroxysm vs [REC] Desolation — FAQ
- Should I play [REC] Paroxysm or [REC] Desolation first?
- If you want chronology, [REC] Paroxysm (2024) came out before [REC] Desolation (2025). 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 [REC] Paroxysm and [REC] Desolation similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Does [REC] Paroxysm run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — [REC] Paroxysm is rated Deck Playable by Valve. [REC] Desolation doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.