Choose Red Matter
Choose Red Matter if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Red Matter launched in 2018.
Red Matter vs Prisoner 518
Red Matter and Prisoner 518 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. Red Matter (2018) is 2 years older than Prisoner 518 (2020). Red Matter scores higher on Steam reviews (89.7% positive) than Prisoner 518 (81% 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 Prisoner 518
Choose Prisoner 518 if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. Prisoner 518 launched in 2020.
Both Red Matter and Prisoner 518 sit in Indie and Adventure on Steam and both list Tracked Controller Support and VR Only, 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
 Red Matter |  Prisoner 518 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89.7% positive (650 reviews) | 81% positive (21 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Vertical Robot | WhippedUP_gaming |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Red Matter (2018) is 2 years older than Prisoner 518 (2020).
- Red Matter scores higher on Steam reviews (89.7% positive) than Prisoner 518 (81% positive).
- Prisoner 518 is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Red Matter (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Red Matter is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Prisoner 518 has no Deck rating yet.
Red Matter vs Prisoner 518 — FAQ
- Should I play Red Matter or Prisoner 518 first?
- If you want chronology, Red Matter (2018) came out before Prisoner 518 (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 Red Matter and Prisoner 518 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.