Choose The Hand of Merlin
Choose The Hand of Merlin if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. The Hand of Merlin launched in 2022.
The Hand of Merlin vs Rogue Waters
The Hand of Merlin and Rogue Waters both land in Strategy, 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, RPG on Steam. The Hand of Merlin (2022) is 2 years older than Rogue Waters (2024). Rogue Waters scores higher on Steam reviews (82.1% positive) than The Hand of Merlin (71.7% 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 Rogue Waters
Choose Rogue Waters if you want an Action and Adventure experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 82.1% positive across 474 reviews.
Both The Hand of Merlin and Rogue Waters sit in Strategy 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 |  Rogue Waters | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, RPG | Action, Strategy, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 71.7% positive (226 reviews) | 82.1% positive (474 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Room-C Games | Ice Code Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, RPG on Steam.
- The Hand of Merlin (2022) is 2 years older than Rogue Waters (2024).
- Rogue Waters scores higher on Steam reviews (82.1% positive) than The Hand of Merlin (71.7% positive).
- The Hand of Merlin is currently ~17% cheaper on Steam than Rogue Waters (24.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: The Hand of Merlin is Deck Verified, Rogue Waters is Deck Playable.
The Hand of Merlin vs Rogue Waters — FAQ
- Which is better, The Hand of Merlin or Rogue Waters?
- On Steam reviews Rogue Waters scores higher (82.1% positive) than The Hand of Merlin (71.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Rogue Waters is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Hand of Merlin or Rogue Waters first?
- If you want chronology, The Hand of Merlin (2022) came out before Rogue Waters (2024). 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 Rogue Waters similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.