Choose Germination
Choose Germination if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Germination launched in 2018.
Germination vs Exile Squadron
Germination and Exile Squadron 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. Germination (2018) is 1 year older than Exile Squadron (2019). Germination is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Exile Squadron (3.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Exile Squadron
Choose Exile Squadron if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Exile Squadron launched in 2019.
Both Germination and Exile Squadron sit in Action on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 Germination |  Exile Squadron | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 64.3% positive (14 reviews) | 9 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Sullivan Boyd & Cadence Petersen | One Bit Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Germination (2018) is 1 year older than Exile Squadron (2019).
- Germination is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Exile Squadron (3.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Germination is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Exile Squadron has no Deck rating yet.
Germination vs Exile Squadron — FAQ
- Should I play Germination or Exile Squadron first?
- If you want chronology, Germination (2018) came out before Exile Squadron (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 Germination and Exile Squadron 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 Germination run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Germination is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Exile Squadron doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.