Choose DEATH STRANDING
Choose DEATH STRANDING if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 19,196 Steam reviews back the pick.
DEATH STRANDING vs FLOW
DEATH STRANDING and FLOW both land in Adventure 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 are Adventure games on Steam. DEATH STRANDING (2020) is 1 year older than FLOW (2021). DEATH STRANDING scores higher on Steam reviews (90.3% positive) than FLOW (42.1% 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 FLOW
Choose FLOW if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. FLOW launched in 2021.
Both DEATH STRANDING and FLOW sit in Adventure 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
 DEATH STRANDING |  FLOW | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | Price unknown | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 90.3% positive (19,196 reviews) | 42.1% positive (19 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS | FLOW Development Team |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- DEATH STRANDING (2020) is 1 year older than FLOW (2021).
- DEATH STRANDING scores higher on Steam reviews (90.3% positive) than FLOW (42.1% positive).
- FLOW is free; DEATH STRANDING is paid (Price unknown).
- DEATH STRANDING is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; FLOW has no Deck rating yet.
DEATH STRANDING vs FLOW — FAQ
- Should I play DEATH STRANDING or FLOW first?
- If you want chronology, DEATH STRANDING (2020) came out before FLOW (2021). 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 DEATH STRANDING and FLOW similar?
- They overlap on Adventure 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.
- Is FLOW free?
- Yes — FLOW is a free-to-play Steam title. DEATH STRANDING is paid (Price unknown).
- Does DEATH STRANDING run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — DEATH STRANDING is rated Deck Verified by Valve. FLOW doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.