Choose The Idiot's Tale
Choose The Idiot's Tale if it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Idiot's Tale launched in 2018.
The Idiot's Tale vs Murder by Numbers
The Idiot's Tale and Murder by Numbers both land in Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. The Idiot's Tale (2018) is 2 years older than Murder by Numbers (2020). The Idiot's Tale scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Murder by Numbers (86% 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 Murder by Numbers
Choose Murder by Numbers if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Murder by Numbers launched in 2020.
Both The Idiot's Tale and Murder by Numbers sit in Indie and Adventure 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 Idiot's Tale |  Murder by Numbers | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 100% positive (11 reviews) | 86% positive (947 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Megalithic Mainframe | Mediatonic |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Idiot's Tale (2018) is 2 years older than Murder by Numbers (2020).
- The Idiot's Tale scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Murder by Numbers (86% positive).
- The Idiot's Tale is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Murder by Numbers (11.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Murder by Numbers is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; The Idiot's Tale has no Deck rating yet.
The Idiot's Tale vs Murder by Numbers — FAQ
- Should I play The Idiot's Tale or Murder by Numbers first?
- If you want chronology, The Idiot's Tale (2018) came out before Murder by Numbers (2020). 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 Idiot's Tale and Murder by Numbers similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure 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.