Choose Decay: The Mare
Choose Decay: The Mare if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. Decay: The Mare launched in 2015.
Decay: The Mare vs The Tartarus Key
Decay: The Mare and The Tartarus Key both land in 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 are Adventure games on Steam. Decay: The Mare (2015) is 8 years older than The Tartarus Key (2023). The Tartarus Key scores higher on Steam reviews (95.4% positive) than Decay: The Mare (71.9% 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 The Tartarus Key
Choose The Tartarus Key if you want the Subtitle Options, Camera Comfort, and Custom Volume Controls side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 95.4% positive across 195 reviews.
Both Decay: The Mare and The Tartarus Key sit in 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
 Decay: The Mare |  The Tartarus Key | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2023 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 71.9% positive (481 reviews) | 95.4% positive (195 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Shining Gate Software | Vertical Reach |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- Decay: The Mare (2015) is 8 years older than The Tartarus Key (2023).
- The Tartarus Key scores higher on Steam reviews (95.4% positive) than Decay: The Mare (71.9% positive).
- Decay: The Mare is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than The Tartarus Key (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
Decay: The Mare vs The Tartarus Key — FAQ
- Which is better, Decay: The Mare or The Tartarus Key?
- On Steam reviews The Tartarus Key scores higher (95.4% positive) than Decay: The Mare (71.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, The Tartarus Key is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Decay: The Mare or The Tartarus Key first?
- If you want chronology, Decay: The Mare (2015) came out before The Tartarus Key (2023). 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 Decay: The Mare and The Tartarus Key similar?
- They overlap on 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.