Choose Embers of Magic
Choose Embers of Magic if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Embers of Magic launched in 2017.
Embers of Magic vs The Golden Cross
Embers of Magic and The Golden Cross both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Embers of Magic (2017) is 4 years older than The Golden Cross (2021). Embers of Magic is free; The Golden Cross is paid (1.99 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 Golden Cross
Choose The Golden Cross if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Golden Cross launched in 2021.
Both Embers of Magic and The Golden Cross sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure 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
 Embers of Magic |  The Golden Cross | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Free To Play, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84% positive (75 reviews) | 3 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Ithaqua Labs | Jam Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Embers of Magic (2017) is 4 years older than The Golden Cross (2021).
- Embers of Magic is free; The Golden Cross is paid (1.99 USD).
Embers of Magic vs The Golden Cross — FAQ
- Should I play Embers of Magic or The Golden Cross first?
- If you want chronology, Embers of Magic (2017) came out before The Golden Cross (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 Embers of Magic and The Golden Cross similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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.
- Is Embers of Magic free?
- Yes — Embers of Magic is a free-to-play Steam title. The Golden Cross is paid (1.99 USD).