Choose The Hand of Merlin
Choose The Hand of Merlin if it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Hand of Merlin launched in 2022.
The Hand of Merlin vs Black Baron
The Hand of Merlin and Black Baron both land in Strategy, Indie, RPG 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, Indie, RPG on Steam. Black Baron (2019) is 3 years older than The Hand of Merlin (2022). The Hand of Merlin scores higher on Steam reviews (71.7% positive) than Black Baron (64.3% 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 Black Baron
Choose Black Baron if you want an Action, Adventure, and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's currently about 56% cheaper on the Steam Store. Black Baron launched in 2019.
Both The Hand of Merlin and Black Baron sit in Strategy, Indie, and RPG 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
 The Hand of Merlin |  Black Baron | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, RPG | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 10.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 71.7% positive (226 reviews) | 64.3% positive (14 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Room-C Games | toR Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Black Baron (2019) is 3 years older than The Hand of Merlin (2022).
- The Hand of Merlin scores higher on Steam reviews (71.7% positive) than Black Baron (64.3% positive).
- Black Baron is currently ~56% cheaper on Steam than The Hand of Merlin (10.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- The Hand of Merlin is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Black Baron has no Deck rating yet.
The Hand of Merlin vs Black Baron — FAQ
- Should I play The Hand of Merlin or Black Baron first?
- If you want chronology, Black Baron (2019) came out before The Hand of Merlin (2022). 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 The Hand of Merlin and Black Baron similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, RPG 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 The Hand of Merlin run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Hand of Merlin is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Black Baron doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.