Yes — The Lab is a free-to-play Steam title. ROM: Extraction is paid (4.99 USD).

The Lab vs ROM: Extraction

The Lab and ROM: Extraction sit side-by-side in player discussions even though their catalogue tags only partly overlap. 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 released in 2016. The Lab scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than ROM: Extraction (65.7% positive). The Lab is free; ROM: Extraction is paid (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 The Lab

Choose The Lab if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 4,429 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose ROM: Extraction

Choose ROM: Extraction if you want an Action and Indie experience. ROM: Extraction launched in 2016.

Both The Lab and ROM: Extraction ship Steam Leaderboards, SteamVR Collectibles, and Tracked Controller Support on Steam, so either pick lands close enough that the choice is taste, not category. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.

The Lab vs ROM: Extraction — Steam metadata comparison
	The Lab	ROM: Extraction
Released	2016	2016
Genres	Free To Play	Action, Indie
Platforms	Windows	Windows
Steam Deck	Deck Unsupported	Unrated
Price	Free to play	4.99 USD
Steam reviews	95.1% positive (4,429 reviews)	65.7% positive (99 reviews)
Multiplayer	Single-player only	Single-player only
Developers	Valve	First Contact Entertainment

Side by side

Both released in 2016.
The Lab scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than ROM: Extraction (65.7% positive).
The Lab is free; ROM: Extraction is paid (4.99 USD).
The Lab is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; ROM: Extraction has no Deck rating yet.