Choose Lantern
Choose Lantern if it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. Lantern launched in 2016.
Lantern vs Escape Simulator
Lantern and Escape Simulator both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. Lantern (2016) is 5 years older than Escape Simulator (2021). Escape Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than Lantern (52.6% 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 Escape Simulator
Choose Escape Simulator if you want an Adventure, Simulation, and Casual game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 8,834 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Lantern and Escape Simulator sit in Indie on Steam and both list VR Supported, 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
 Lantern |  Escape Simulator | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Genres | Indie | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 52.6% positive (19 reviews) | 95.5% positive (8,834 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Storm in a Teacup | Pine Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Lantern (2016) is 5 years older than Escape Simulator (2021).
- Escape Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than Lantern (52.6% positive).
- Lantern is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Escape Simulator (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Escape Simulator has co-op; Lantern does not.
- Escape Simulator is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Lantern has no Deck rating yet.
Lantern vs Escape Simulator — FAQ
- Should I play Lantern or Escape Simulator first?
- If you want chronology, Lantern (2016) came out before Escape Simulator (2021). 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 Lantern and Escape Simulator similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Does Lantern have multiplayer like Escape Simulator?
- No. Escape Simulator supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Lantern is listed as single-player only.