Choose Project Zomboid
Choose Project Zomboid if you want a RPG and Early Access game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 94% positive across 147,516 reviews.
Project Zomboid vs The Long Dark
Project Zomboid and The Long Dark both land in Indie, Simulation 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 Indie, Simulation on Steam. Project Zomboid (2013) is 4 years older than The Long Dark (2017). Project Zomboid scores higher on Steam reviews (94% positive) than The Long Dark (88% positive). 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 The Long Dark
Choose The Long Dark if you want a Strategy and Adventure experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 40,071 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Project Zomboid and The Long Dark sit in Indie and Simulation 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
 Project Zomboid |  The Long Dark | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, RPG, Early Access | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 94% positive (147,516 reviews) | 88% positive (40,071 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | The Indie Stone | Hinterland Studio Inc. |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Project Zomboid (2013) is 4 years older than The Long Dark (2017).
- Project Zomboid scores higher on Steam reviews (94% positive) than The Long Dark (88% positive).
- The Long Dark is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Project Zomboid (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Project Zomboid has co-op; The Long Dark does not.
- Both are Deck Verified.
Project Zomboid vs The Long Dark — FAQ
- Which is better, Project Zomboid or The Long Dark?
- On Steam reviews Project Zomboid scores higher (94% positive) than The Long Dark (88% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Project Zomboid is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Project Zomboid or The Long Dark first?
- If you want chronology, Project Zomboid (2013) came out before The Long Dark (2017). 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 Project Zomboid and The Long Dark similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation 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 The Long Dark have multiplayer like Project Zomboid?
- No. Project Zomboid supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while The Long Dark is listed as single-player only.
- Do Project Zomboid and The Long Dark both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.