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Slender: The ArrivalVSThe Guard

Which is the smarter buy right now? We crunched all the metrics.

Slender: The Arrival

Slender: The Arrival

Quality
78Popularity
32Value
57
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
Ends in≈1d
-28% $14.45
Buy Now
VS
The Guard

The Guard

ActionIndieSimulationAdventure
Quality
47Popularity
33Value
46
SteamBetter Deal· Steam
Ends in≈20d
$0.99
Buy Now

Winner

Slender: The Arrival wins the comparison based on the metrics. Takes 8 of 12 head-to-head metrics.

Worth keeping an eye on. Currently sitting in a decent spot, but not quite a must-buy just yet.

8
Slender: The Arrival
8 of 12 metrics
The Guard
4 of 12 metrics
4

Head-to-Head Metrics

Direct metric-by-metric breakdown · no weights applied

Value
Pricing & Deals
Current Best Price (USD)
$14.45 -
$0.99 Wins
Historical Low Price (USD)
$5.40 -
$0.69 Wins
Best Current Discount
-28% Wins
No discount -
Sales Frequency
68 price changes Wins
14 price changes -
Quality
Critical & User Reception
Metacritic
65/100 Wins
N/A -
Steam Review Score
88.2% positive Wins
60.4% positive -
Total Steam Reviews
7.8K Wins
111 -
Positive Steam Reviews
6.9K Wins
67 -
Negative Steam Reviews
927 -
44 Wins
Popularity
Community & Activity
Average Concurrent Players (14 days)
8 Wins
0 -
Features
Features & Content
Release Date
Oct 2013 -
Feb 2023 Wins
GameValio Recommendation
MaybeSlender: The Arrival

Worth keeping an eye on. Currently sitting in a decent spot, but not quite a must-buy just yet.

Wait for SaleThe Guard

Not the best time to jump in. Prices tend to drop, and this one hasn't hit its sweet spot yet.

Statistics Over Time

Synchronized historical data for both games

Time Range:
Slender: The Arrival
The Guard

Player Count Trends

— Concurrent players over time

Review Score Trends

— Positive review ratio over time

Review Volume Trends

— Total reviews accumulated over time

Price Comparison

Current deals and best prices side by side

Slender: The Arrival

Slender: The Arrival

3 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin -28% $14.45Buy Now
Steam
Steam +38% $19.99View
Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming +38% $19.99View
The Guard

The Guard

1 Store
Steam
Steam$0.99Buy Now

Score Breakdown

Side-by-side value analysis for each game

Slender: The Arrival

Quality

Solid title that pleased most of its audience — general consensus is positive.

88% positive (7,839 reviews) — very positive reception
Metacritic 65/100 — mixed reception from critics
7,839 reviews — solid data foundation

Value

Seen it cheaper before — consider wishlisting and waiting.

$14.45 — reasonable price
28% off — modest discount

Popularity

Lost much of its active player base — community is quiet.

-36% player decline
7 concurrent players — niche audience

The Guard

Quality

Significant issues reported — proceed with caution and research.

60% positive (111 reviews) — mixed opinions
111 reviews — decent but potentially skewed

Value

A bit steep right now — worth waiting for a bigger sale.

$0.99 — very accessible price

Game Details

Release information and metadata

Game DetailsSlender: The ArrivalThe Guard
Release Date
October 28, 2013
February 28, 2023
Developers
Blue Isle Studios
STuNT
Publishers
Blue Isle Publishing
STuNT
Platforms
Windows, MacOs
Windows

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Slender: The Arrival or The Guard?

Slender: The Arrival won the comparison against The Guard based on the head-to-head metric breakdown. Check the metrics table above for a full side-by-side analysis.

How is the comparison calculated?

The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table — no weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.

Is Slender: The Arrival worth buying over The Guard?

Based on the metrics, Slender: The Arrival won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.

Which game has better player reviews?

Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.

Which game offers better value for money?

The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. Slender: The Arrival currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.

Analysis updated: Jun 4, 2026, 03:13 AM UTC

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Disclaimer

Data sourced from Steam, Metacritic, and various stores. Not affiliated with Valve Corporation. Scores updated daily to keep recommendations fresh.

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