IMHO.

Inkbound vs A Shaman's Ballard

Inkbound and A Shaman's Ballard 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. A Shaman's Ballard (2022) is 2 years older than Inkbound (2024). A Shaman's Ballard is currently ~44% cheaper on Steam than Inkbound (4.99 USD vs. 8.99 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 Inkbound

Choose Inkbound if you want a Simulation and Massively Multiplayer game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 2,729 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose A Shaman's Ballard

Choose A Shaman's Ballard if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 44% cheaper on the Steam Store. A Shaman's Ballard launched in 2022.

Both Inkbound and A Shaman's Ballard 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 vs A Shaman's Ballard — Steam metadata comparison
Inkbound — Steam game coverInkboundA Shaman's Ballard — Steam game coverA Shaman's Ballard
Released20242022
GenresAction, Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPGAction, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableUnrated
Price8.99 USD4.99 USD
Steam reviews87.4% positive (2,729 reviews)1 reviews
MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-opSingle-player only
DevelopersShiny ShoeRetroactive Fort

Side by side

Inkbound vs A Shaman's Ballard — FAQ

Should I play Inkbound or A Shaman's Ballard first?
If you want chronology, A Shaman's Ballard (2022) 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 A Shaman's Ballard 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 A Shaman's Ballard have multiplayer like Inkbound?
No. Inkbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while A Shaman's Ballard is listed as single-player only.
Does Inkbound run on Steam Deck?
Yes — Inkbound is rated Deck Playable by Valve. A Shaman's Ballard doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
Inkbound vs A Shaman's Ballard — Verdict (2026) · imho.run