Choose The Beginner's Guide
Choose The Beginner's Guide if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 15,195 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Beginner's Guide vs First Response
The Beginner's Guide and First Response 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. The Beginner's Guide (2015) is 6 years older than First Response (2021). First Response is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than The Beginner's Guide (9.99 USD vs. 9.99 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 First Response
Choose First Response if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. First Response launched in 2021.
Both The Beginner's Guide and First Response 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
 The Beginner's Guide |  First Response | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2021 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.3% positive (15,195 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Everything Unlimited Ltd. | Lauren Harman |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Beginner's Guide (2015) is 6 years older than First Response (2021).
- First Response is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than The Beginner's Guide (9.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- The Beginner's Guide is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; First Response has no Deck rating yet.
The Beginner's Guide vs First Response — FAQ
- Should I play The Beginner's Guide or First Response first?
- If you want chronology, The Beginner's Guide (2015) came out before First Response (2021). 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 Beginner's Guide and First Response 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 The Beginner's Guide run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Beginner's Guide is rated Deck Playable by Valve. First Response doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.