Choose MachiaVillain
Choose MachiaVillain if you want an Indie experience. MachiaVillain launched in 2018.
MachiaVillain vs The Fool's Apprentice
MachiaVillain and The Fool's Apprentice both land in Strategy, Simulation 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 Strategy, Simulation on Steam. MachiaVillain (2018) is 7 years older than The Fool's Apprentice (2025). The Fool's Apprentice scores higher on Steam reviews (58.6% positive) than MachiaVillain (50.9% 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 The Fool's Apprentice
Choose The Fool's Apprentice if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Fool's Apprentice launched in 2025.
Both MachiaVillain and The Fool's Apprentice sit in Strategy and Simulation 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
 MachiaVillain |  The Fool's Apprentice | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 16.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 50.9% positive (348 reviews) | 58.6% positive (29 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Wild Factor | The Planar Danse |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- MachiaVillain (2018) is 7 years older than The Fool's Apprentice (2025).
- The Fool's Apprentice scores higher on Steam reviews (58.6% positive) than MachiaVillain (50.9% positive).
- The Fool's Apprentice is currently ~15% cheaper on Steam than MachiaVillain (16.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- The Fool's Apprentice is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; MachiaVillain has no Deck rating yet.
MachiaVillain vs The Fool's Apprentice — FAQ
- Should I play MachiaVillain or The Fool's Apprentice first?
- If you want chronology, MachiaVillain (2018) came out before The Fool's Apprentice (2025). 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 MachiaVillain and The Fool's Apprentice similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation 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.