Choose Hook
Choose Hook if you want an Indie experience. 3,838 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hook vs Zen Chess: Mate in Two
Hook and Zen Chess: Mate in Two both land in Casual 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 Casual games on Steam. Hook (2015) is 4 years older than Zen Chess: Mate in Two (2019). Hook scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Zen Chess: Mate in Two (85.1% 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 Zen Chess: Mate in Two
Choose Zen Chess: Mate in Two if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. Zen Chess: Mate in Two launched in 2019.
Both Hook and Zen Chess: Mate in Two sit in Casual 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
 Hook |  Zen Chess: Mate in Two | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Genres | Indie, Casual | Strategy, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 2.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.7% positive (3,838 reviews) | 85.1% positive (47 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Maciej Targoni | Minimol Games |
Side by side
- Both are Casual games on Steam.
- Hook (2015) is 4 years older than Zen Chess: Mate in Two (2019).
- Hook scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Zen Chess: Mate in Two (85.1% positive).
- Zen Chess: Mate in Two is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Hook (0.99 USD vs. 2.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Verified.
Hook vs Zen Chess: Mate in Two — FAQ
- Should I play Hook or Zen Chess: Mate in Two first?
- If you want chronology, Hook (2015) came out before Zen Chess: Mate in Two (2019). 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 Hook and Zen Chess: Mate in Two similar?
- They overlap on Casual 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.
- Do Hook and Zen Chess: Mate in Two both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.