Choose Portal Defect
Choose Portal Defect if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Portal Defect launched in 2021.
Portal Defect vs Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising
Portal Defect and Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising both land in Action, 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 Action, Casual on Steam. Portal Defect (2021) is 2 years older than Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising (2023). Portal Defect is free; Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising is paid (19.99 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 Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising
Choose Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising if you want a Strategy and Adventure experience. Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising launched in 2023.
Both Portal Defect and Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising sit in Action 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
 Portal Defect |  Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Casual | Action, Strategy, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 8 reviews | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Gin Motion | W.R.K.S Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Casual on Steam.
- Portal Defect (2021) is 2 years older than Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising (2023).
- Portal Defect is free; Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising is paid (19.99 USD).
Portal Defect vs Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising — FAQ
- Should I play Portal Defect or Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising first?
- If you want chronology, Portal Defect (2021) came out before Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising (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 Portal Defect and Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Is Portal Defect free?
- Yes — Portal Defect is a free-to-play Steam title. Katana-Ra: Shinobi Rising is paid (19.99 USD).