Choose Hiking Simulator 2018
Choose Hiking Simulator 2018 if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Hiking Simulator 2018 launched in 2018.
Hiking Simulator 2018 vs Once in Flowerlake
Hiking Simulator 2018 and Once in Flowerlake both land in Adventure, Simulation, 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 Adventure, Simulation, Casual on Steam. Hiking Simulator 2018 (2018) is 3 years older than Once in Flowerlake (2021). Once in Flowerlake scores higher on Steam reviews (64.3% positive) than Hiking Simulator 2018 (36.4% 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 Once in Flowerlake
Choose Once in Flowerlake if it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Once in Flowerlake launched in 2021.
Both Hiking Simulator 2018 and Once in Flowerlake sit in Adventure, Simulation, 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
 Hiking Simulator 2018 |  Once in Flowerlake | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual | Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 1.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 36.4% positive (11 reviews) | 64.3% positive (28 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Shoho Games | byMixNez |
Side by side
- Both share Adventure, Simulation, Casual on Steam.
- Hiking Simulator 2018 (2018) is 3 years older than Once in Flowerlake (2021).
- Once in Flowerlake scores higher on Steam reviews (64.3% positive) than Hiking Simulator 2018 (36.4% positive).
- Hiking Simulator 2018 is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Once in Flowerlake (1.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Once in Flowerlake is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Hiking Simulator 2018 has no Deck rating yet.
Hiking Simulator 2018 vs Once in Flowerlake — FAQ
- Should I play Hiking Simulator 2018 or Once in Flowerlake first?
- If you want chronology, Hiking Simulator 2018 (2018) came out before Once in Flowerlake (2021). 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 Hiking Simulator 2018 and Once in Flowerlake similar?
- They overlap on Adventure, Simulation, 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.