Choose The Withering
Choose The Withering if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Withering launched in 2019.
The Withering vs Mesmer
The Withering and Mesmer both land in Action, Strategy, Indie 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, Strategy, Indie on Steam. The Withering (2019) is 1 year older than Mesmer (2020). Mesmer scores higher on Steam reviews (71.4% positive) than The Withering (48.7% 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 Mesmer
Choose Mesmer if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Mesmer launched in 2020.
Both The Withering and Mesmer sit in Action, Strategy, and Indie 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 Withering |  Mesmer | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 48.7% positive (224 reviews) | 71.4% positive (28 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | CM Softworks | Rain Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- The Withering (2019) is 1 year older than Mesmer (2020).
- Mesmer scores higher on Steam reviews (71.4% positive) than The Withering (48.7% positive).
- The Withering is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Mesmer (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Mesmer is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Withering has no Deck rating yet.
The Withering vs Mesmer — FAQ
- Should I play The Withering or Mesmer first?
- If you want chronology, The Withering (2019) came out before Mesmer (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 Withering and Mesmer similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy, Indie 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.