Choose A Matter of Time
Choose A Matter of Time if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 73% cheaper on the Steam Store. A Matter of Time launched in 2020.
A Matter of Time vs XEL
A Matter of Time and XEL both land in Action, Indie, RPG 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 Action, Indie, RPG on Steam. A Matter of Time (2020) is 2 years older than XEL (2022). A Matter of Time is currently ~73% cheaper on Steam than XEL (3.99 USD vs. 14.99 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 XEL
Choose XEL if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. XEL launched in 2022.
Both A Matter of Time and XEL sit in Action, Indie, and RPG 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
 A Matter of Time |  XEL | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 6 reviews | 44.7% positive (47 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Haywire Game Studios | Tiny Roar |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, RPG on Steam.
- A Matter of Time (2020) is 2 years older than XEL (2022).
- A Matter of Time is currently ~73% cheaper on Steam than XEL (3.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- XEL is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; A Matter of Time has no Deck rating yet.
A Matter of Time vs XEL — FAQ
- Should I play A Matter of Time or XEL first?
- If you want chronology, A Matter of Time (2020) came out before XEL (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 A Matter of Time and XEL similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, RPG 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.