Choose The Surge
Choose The Surge if you want a RPG experience. 4,366 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Surge vs STERN
The Surge and STERN both land in Action 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 Action games on Steam. The Surge (2017) is 5 years older than STERN (2022). STERN is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than The Surge (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 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 STERN
Choose STERN if you want an Indie and Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. STERN launched in 2022.
Both The Surge and STERN sit in Action 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 Surge |  STERN | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.6% positive (4,366 reviews) | 3 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Deck13 | StoneBlade |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- The Surge (2017) is 5 years older than STERN (2022).
- STERN is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than The Surge (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- The Surge is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; STERN has no Deck rating yet.
The Surge vs STERN — FAQ
- Should I play The Surge or STERN first?
- If you want chronology, The Surge (2017) came out before STERN (2022). 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 Surge and STERN similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 Surge run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Surge is rated Deck Playable by Valve. STERN doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.