Choose Infection
Choose Infection if it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. Infection launched in 2020.
Infection vs ISLANDERS: New Shores
Infection and ISLANDERS: New Shores both land in Strategy, Indie, Casual 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 Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam. Infection (2020) is 5 years older than ISLANDERS: New Shores (2025). Infection is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than ISLANDERS: New Shores (0.99 USD vs. 9.99 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 ISLANDERS: New Shores
Choose ISLANDERS: New Shores if you want a Simulation game with Steam Leaderboards, Adjustable Text Size, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. ISLANDERS: New Shores launched in 2025.
Both Infection and ISLANDERS: New Shores sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual 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
 Infection |  ISLANDERS: New Shores | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 4 reviews | 97.1% positive (797 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | ZGame Studio | The Station |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Infection (2020) is 5 years older than ISLANDERS: New Shores (2025).
- Infection is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than ISLANDERS: New Shores (0.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- ISLANDERS: New Shores is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Infection has no Deck rating yet.
Infection vs ISLANDERS: New Shores — FAQ
- Should I play Infection or ISLANDERS: New Shores first?
- If you want chronology, Infection (2020) came out before ISLANDERS: New Shores (2025). 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 Infection and ISLANDERS: New Shores similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Casual 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.