Choose The Secret of Retropolis
Choose The Secret of Retropolis if you want the Tracked Controller Support and VR Only side of the pairing. The Secret of Retropolis launched in 2021.
The Secret of Retropolis vs Arcane Investigations
The Secret of Retropolis and Arcane Investigations both land in Indie, 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 share Indie, Adventure on Steam. The Secret of Retropolis (2021) is 4 years older than Arcane Investigations (2025). Arcane Investigations scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than The Secret of Retropolis (92.8% 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 Arcane Investigations
Choose Arcane Investigations if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Arcane Investigations launched in 2025.
Both The Secret of Retropolis and Arcane Investigations sit in Indie and 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
 The Secret of Retropolis |  Arcane Investigations | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 92.8% positive (152 reviews) | 100% positive (30 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Peanut Button | What's All That Racket |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Secret of Retropolis (2021) is 4 years older than Arcane Investigations (2025).
- Arcane Investigations scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than The Secret of Retropolis (92.8% positive).
- Arcane Investigations is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than The Secret of Retropolis (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
The Secret of Retropolis vs Arcane Investigations — FAQ
- Should I play The Secret of Retropolis or Arcane Investigations first?
- If you want chronology, The Secret of Retropolis (2021) came out before Arcane Investigations (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 The Secret of Retropolis and Arcane Investigations similar?
- They overlap on Indie, 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.