Choose Beholder 2
Choose Beholder 2 if you want an Indie, Adventure, and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 1,028 Steam reviews back the pick.
Beholder 2 vs Mandat
Beholder 2 and Mandat both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Beholder 2 (2018) is 8 years older than Mandat (2026). Mandat is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than Beholder 2 (5.39 USD vs. 17.99 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 Mandat
Choose Mandat if you want the Playable without Timed Input, Mouse Only Option, and Save Anytime side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 70% cheaper on the Steam Store. Mandat launched in 2026.
Both Beholder 2 and Mandat sit in Strategy 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
 Beholder 2 |  Mandat | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 17.99 USD | 5.39 USD |
| Steam reviews | 82.4% positive (1,028 reviews) | 3 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Alawar Stargaze (Warm Lamp Games) | JL Games Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Beholder 2 (2018) is 8 years older than Mandat (2026).
- Mandat is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than Beholder 2 (5.39 USD vs. 17.99 USD).
- Beholder 2 is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Mandat has no Deck rating yet.
Beholder 2 vs Mandat — FAQ
- Should I play Beholder 2 or Mandat first?
- If you want chronology, Beholder 2 (2018) came out before Mandat (2026). 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 Beholder 2 and Mandat similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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 Beholder 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Beholder 2 is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Mandat doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.