Choose The Desolate Hope
Choose The Desolate Hope if it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 1,304 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Desolate Hope vs Level 20
The Desolate Hope and Level 20 both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. The Desolate Hope (2014) is 6 years older than Level 20 (2020). The Desolate Hope is free; Level 20 is paid (0.99 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 Level 20
Choose Level 20 if it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Level 20 launched in 2020.
Both The Desolate Hope and Level 20 sit in Action, 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 Desolate Hope |  Level 20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.1% positive (1,304 reviews) | 8 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Scott Cawthon | Wilkier Rockenmeyer |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Desolate Hope (2014) is 6 years older than Level 20 (2020).
- The Desolate Hope is free; Level 20 is paid (0.99 USD).
- The Desolate Hope is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Level 20 has no Deck rating yet.
The Desolate Hope vs Level 20 — FAQ
- Should I play The Desolate Hope or Level 20 first?
- If you want chronology, The Desolate Hope (2014) came out before Level 20 (2020). 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 Desolate Hope and Level 20 similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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 The Desolate Hope free?
- Yes — The Desolate Hope is a free-to-play Steam title. Level 20 is paid (0.99 USD).
- Does The Desolate Hope run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Desolate Hope is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Level 20 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.