Choose The Directed
Choose The Directed if you want a Free To Play game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. The Directed launched in 2018.
The Directed vs Pipe connect
The Directed and Pipe connect both land in Indie, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. The Directed (2018) is 4 years older than Pipe connect (2022). The Directed is free; Pipe connect is paid (0.99 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 Pipe connect
Choose Pipe connect if it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Pipe connect launched in 2022.
Both The Directed and Pipe connect sit in Indie and Casual 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 Directed |  Pipe connect | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2022 |
| Genres | Indie, Free To Play, Casual | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.9% positive (22 reviews) | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Magnolia Art | Artur Rezende |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- The Directed (2018) is 4 years older than Pipe connect (2022).
- The Directed is free; Pipe connect is paid (0.99 USD).
- The Directed is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Pipe connect has no Deck rating yet.
The Directed vs Pipe connect — FAQ
- Should I play The Directed or Pipe connect first?
- If you want chronology, The Directed (2018) came out before Pipe connect (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 Directed and Pipe connect similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Casual 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.
- Is The Directed free?
- Yes — The Directed is a free-to-play Steam title. Pipe connect is paid (0.99 USD).
- Does The Directed run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Directed is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Pipe connect doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.