Choose The Square Key
Choose The Square Key if you want an Indie and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Square Key launched in 2020.
The Square Key vs Dark rune
The Square Key and Dark rune both land in Action, 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 Action, Adventure on Steam. The Square Key (2020) is 3 years older than Dark rune (2023). The Square Key is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Dark rune (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 Dark rune
Choose Dark rune if it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Dark rune launched in 2023.
Both The Square Key and Dark rune sit in Action 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 Square Key |  Dark rune | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Casual | Action, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 7 reviews | 9 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Dnovel, FreeAnimals_Software | Joi Max |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- The Square Key (2020) is 3 years older than Dark rune (2023).
- The Square Key is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Dark rune (0.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
The Square Key vs Dark rune — FAQ
- Should I play The Square Key or Dark rune first?
- If you want chronology, The Square Key (2020) came out before Dark rune (2023). 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 Square Key and Dark rune similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.