Choose Hero's Descent
Choose Hero's Descent if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Hero's Descent launched in 2021.
Hero's Descent vs Vampire Survivors
Hero's Descent and Vampire Survivors both land in 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 Indie, RPG on Steam. Hero's Descent (2021) is 1 year older than Vampire Survivors (2022). Hero's Descent is free; Vampire Survivors is paid (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 Vampire Survivors
Choose Vampire Survivors if you want an Action and Casual game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 126,214 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Hero's Descent and Vampire Survivors sit in 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
 Hero's Descent |  Vampire Survivors | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, RPG | Action, Indie, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | Free to play | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 7 reviews | 98.5% positive (126,214 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Dan Marchand | poncle |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Hero's Descent (2021) is 1 year older than Vampire Survivors (2022).
- Hero's Descent is free; Vampire Survivors is paid (4.99 USD).
- Vampire Survivors has co-op; Hero's Descent does not.
- Vampire Survivors is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Hero's Descent has no Deck rating yet.
Hero's Descent vs Vampire Survivors — FAQ
- Should I play Hero's Descent or Vampire Survivors first?
- If you want chronology, Hero's Descent (2021) came out before Vampire Survivors (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 Hero's Descent and Vampire Survivors similar?
- They overlap on 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 Hero's Descent have multiplayer like Vampire Survivors?
- No. Vampire Survivors supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Hero's Descent is listed as single-player only.
- Is Hero's Descent free?
- Yes — Hero's Descent is a free-to-play Steam title. Vampire Survivors is paid (4.99 USD).