Choose Lichenvale
Choose Lichenvale if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Lichenvale launched in 2023.
Lichenvale vs Rift World
Lichenvale and Rift World both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Rift World (2022) is 1 year older than Lichenvale (2023). Lichenvale scores higher on Steam reviews (86.7% positive) than Rift World (80% 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 Rift World
Choose Rift World if it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Rift World launched in 2022.
Both Lichenvale and Rift World sit in Action, 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
 Lichenvale |  Rift World | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 7.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 86.7% positive (45 reviews) | 80% positive (20 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Filip Zemljak | Nick Paladino |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Rift World (2022) is 1 year older than Lichenvale (2023).
- Lichenvale scores higher on Steam reviews (86.7% positive) than Rift World (80% positive).
- Rift World is free; Lichenvale is paid (7.99 USD).
- Lichenvale is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Rift World has no Deck rating yet.
Lichenvale vs Rift World — FAQ
- Should I play Lichenvale or Rift World first?
- If you want chronology, Rift World (2022) came out before Lichenvale (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 Lichenvale and Rift World similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Is Rift World free?
- Yes — Rift World is a free-to-play Steam title. Lichenvale is paid (7.99 USD).
- Does Lichenvale run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Lichenvale is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Rift World doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.