The Vanishing of Ethan Carter vs The Long Dark
If you are torn between The Vanishing of Ethan Carter and The Long Dark, the two share Walking Simulator, Exploration and Horror; here is how the numbers split. The Long Dark wins 2 of our metrics to 1.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
The Long Dark| Metric | The Vanishing of Ethan Carter | The Long Dark | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player rating | ★ 3.76 | ★ 3.91 | The Long Dark by 0.15 (4%) |
| Metacritic | 82 | 76 | The Vanishing of Ethan Carter by 6 (7%) |
| Catalog popularity | 3,890 adds | 5,864 adds | The Long Dark by 1974 (51%) |
| Avg. playtime | 4h | 5h | The Long Dark is longer |
| Platform families | 4 | 4 | Tie |
| Release year | 2014 | 2014 | Same year |
Verdict
The Long Dark takes 2 of 4 measurable categories. Both lean on Walking Simulator, Exploration, Horror and First-Person, so whichever you pick, the core feel carries over.
See every match for each: games like The Vanishing of Ethan Carter · games like The Long Dark
Base game data via RAWG. Comparison computed by us.