Choose Depopulation
Choose Depopulation if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Depopulation launched in 2017.
Depopulation vs Area 51
Depopulation and Area 51 both land in Strategy, Simulation, 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, Simulation, RPG on Steam. Depopulation (2017) is 2 years older than Area 51 (2019). Area 51 is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Depopulation (0.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Area 51
Choose Area 51 if you want an Action and Indie game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Area 51 launched in 2019.
Both Depopulation and Area 51 sit in Strategy, Simulation, 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
 Depopulation |  Area 51 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation, RPG, Casual | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 9 reviews | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Aweswan studios | Steedie |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation, RPG on Steam.
- Depopulation (2017) is 2 years older than Area 51 (2019).
- Area 51 is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Depopulation (0.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
Depopulation vs Area 51 — FAQ
- Should I play Depopulation or Area 51 first?
- If you want chronology, Depopulation (2017) came out before Area 51 (2019). 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 Depopulation and Area 51 similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation, 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.