Choose Inkbound
Choose Inkbound if you want a Simulation and Massively Multiplayer game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's currently about 31% cheaper on the Steam Store. 2,729 Steam reviews back the pick.
Inkbound vs AbsentedAge: Squarebound
Inkbound and AbsentedAge: Squarebound both land in Action, Strategy, Indie 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, Strategy, Indie on Steam. AbsentedAge: Squarebound (2020) is 4 years older than Inkbound (2024). Inkbound is currently ~31% cheaper on Steam than AbsentedAge: Squarebound (8.99 USD vs. 12.99 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 AbsentedAge: Squarebound
Choose AbsentedAge: Squarebound if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. AbsentedAge: Squarebound launched in 2020.
Both Inkbound and AbsentedAge: Squarebound sit in Action, Strategy, and Indie 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
 Inkbound |  AbsentedAge: Squarebound | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 8.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.4% positive (2,729 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Shiny Shoe | terunon's Lab |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- AbsentedAge: Squarebound (2020) is 4 years older than Inkbound (2024).
- Inkbound is currently ~31% cheaper on Steam than AbsentedAge: Squarebound (8.99 USD vs. 12.99 USD).
- Inkbound has co-op; AbsentedAge: Squarebound does not.
- Inkbound is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; AbsentedAge: Squarebound has no Deck rating yet.
Inkbound vs AbsentedAge: Squarebound — FAQ
- Should I play Inkbound or AbsentedAge: Squarebound first?
- If you want chronology, AbsentedAge: Squarebound (2020) came out before Inkbound (2024). 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 Inkbound and AbsentedAge: Squarebound similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy, Indie 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.
- Does AbsentedAge: Squarebound have multiplayer like Inkbound?
- No. Inkbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while AbsentedAge: Squarebound is listed as single-player only.
- Does Inkbound run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Inkbound is rated Deck Playable by Valve. AbsentedAge: Squarebound doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.