Games like The Past Within
If The Past Within is your kind of game, the closest matches are We Were Here Too, Tick Tock: A Tale for Two and We Were Here Forever — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its creates shared aha moments, atmospheric and contemplative. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.
Get personalized picks →The Past Within is a 2022 indie adventure co-op puzzle game developed and published by Rusty Lake. Two players work together across different timelines, with one occupying The Past and the other The Future, solving interconnected puzzles that require perspective-sharing and communication to progress. The game demands close collaboration—players must describe what they observe in their respective time periods to help their partner advance. Reviewers highlight that the experience creates shared moments of discovery and establishes an atmospheric, mysterious tone characteristic of Rusty Lake's work. The asymmetric co-op design, priced at $5.99 USD, has earned 95% positive reviews from approximately 3,780 Steam users, with verified Steam Deck compatibility. Players note the game works effectively with any voice communication method, making it accessible for remote partnerships.
About The Past Within: The Past Within is the new co-op experience from Rusty Lake! Play together with someone you deem trustworthy: one in The Past, the other in The Future. Observe and communicate what you see around you. Solve the puzzles and uncover Albert Vanderboom’s plan.
Players who liked The Past Within also play
Steam players who put hours into The Past Within also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.
We Were Here Too
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Top pick for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
As your final hour approaches, a large structure looms up in the distance, towering above the relentless storm. Discover the truth behind this dark castle in a communication-based, cooperative puzzle adventure.
Tick Tock: A Tale for Two
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Second-strongest match for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
You and your friend are trapped in a mystical world. As time ebbs away you must solve increasingly complex puzzles to escape. Cooperation is key as neither of you have the full picture! Play on two devices, local or remotely, all you need is a voice connection.
We Were Here Forever
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Third-strongest match for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
You both awaken imprisoned inside the sinister Castle Rock - were you betrayed, or simply not that clever? Find out in the greatest co-op puzzle adventure in the We Were Here Series! Do you and your partner have what it takes to face the dark forces of this realm or will you be trapped… forever?
Rusty Lake: Roots
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Ranked #4 for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Experience the beginning and end of characters' lives and build your own family tree! Rusty Lake: Roots is the second premium point-and-click adventure by the creators of the Cube Escape series and Rusty Lake Hotel.
Cube Escape Collection
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Ranked #5 for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries.
In this classic point-and-click adventure anthology you follow the path of Dale and Laura and other famous Rusty lake characters such as Mr. Crow and Mr. Owl. The series will be updated, preserved and bundled to survive the end of the Flash Games era.
Rusty Lake Paradise
WHY THIS
Shares a mysterious mood with The Past Within.
Ranked #6 for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Rusty Lake Paradise is set on a small remote island which is cursed by the ten plagues of Egypt. Solve all the mysteries of this dark, macabre puzzle adventure. Paradise builds upon the distinctive atmosphere and excitement from the Rusty Lake series.
Cube Escape: Paradox
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Ranked #7 for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
The tenth Cube Escape follows the story of detective Dale Vandermeer who finds himself trapped in two different universes and needs to escape. Cube Escape: Paradox will be released together with the accompanying Paradox: A Rusty Lake Film.
Parallel Experiment
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Ranked #8 for The Past Within fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Two detectives, one deadly experiment, a race against time. Each player only has one half of the puzzle. In this 2-player co-op puzzle game you can survive the parallel experiment only by working together.
Cheaper alternatives
Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below The Past Within at current Steam store prices.
POSTAL 2
WHY THIS
Priced ~83% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Live a week in the life of "The POSTAL Dude"; a hapless everyman just trying to check off some chores. Buying milk, returning an overdue library book, getting Gary Coleman's autograph, what could possibly go wrong?
Buckshot Roulette
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
Play Russian roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun. Four enter. One leaves. Roll the dice with your life. Good luck!
The Test
WHY THIS
Priced ~67% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
You will answer a series of questions that will reveal truths from deep within. These questions may make you uncomfortable, but with great knowledge comes great sacrifice. Can you make it all the way through The Test, and if you do, are you sure you want the answers you seek?
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
WHY THIS
Priced ~75% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
A short story about what sort of challenges everyday little things can be. Help the girl buy milk, be the first not to disappoint her.
Blood and Bacon
WHY THIS
Priced ~83% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Adventure with The Past Within.
This Co-op Shooter , has Day and Night levels, multiple maps, players will take on 25 enemy types and numerous bosses, like Gargantuan Monsters and Minibosses every 10 days as you explore, shoot and run for your life against the onslaught of porcine monstrosities.
Crypt of the NecroDancer
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
Crypt of the NecroDancer is an award winning hardcore roguelike rhythm game. Move to the music and deliver beatdowns to the beat! Groove to the epic Danny Baranowsky soundtrack, or select songs from your own MP3 collection!
Super Hexagon
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
Super Hexagon is a minimal action game by Terry Cavanagh, with music by Chipzel.
Nodebuster
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under The Past Within on Steam right now. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
Nodebuster is a short, experimental incremental game about busting nodes and destroying reality.
Free alternatives
Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
Life is Strange - Episode 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Adventure with The Past Within.
Episode 1 now FREE! Life is Strange is an award-winning and critically acclaimed episodic adventure game that allows the player to rewind time and affect the past, present and future.
Ultimate Custom Night
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
Welcome to the ultimate FNAF mashup, featuring 50 selectable characters and custom difficulties!
Bongo Cat
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
Bongo cat needs your help. Bongo cat needz more hatz!!! Every time you press a key, Bongo cat will punch your taskbar. Type, click, play, work to collect more points. Which hats will you find?
ENA: Dream BBQ
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Experience surreal environments and inexplicable characters as ENA in a new wild world.
The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with The Past Within.
Sonic the Hedgehog...was murdered!? Get to the bottom of the mystery in this brand-new adventure!
Indigo Park: Chapter 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Explore the abandoned childhood wonder of Indigo Park! Guided by Rambley the Raccoon, help restore power to the destroyed amusement park while you run from the reason it shut down.
Narrow it down
Head-to-head comparisons
More from Rusty Lake
Other recommendable Steam games by Rusty Lake, ranked by review count so the studio's hits land first.
Rusty Lake: Roots
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Experience the beginning and end of characters' lives and build your own family tree! Rusty Lake: Roots is the second premium point-and-click adventure by the creators of the Cube Escape series and Rusty Lake Hotel.
Cube Escape Collection
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within.
In this classic point-and-click adventure anthology you follow the path of Dale and Laura and other famous Rusty lake characters such as Mr. Crow and Mr. Owl. The series will be updated, preserved and bundled to survive the end of the Flash Games era.
Rusty Lake Hotel
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Are you ready to serve the guests in the Rusty Lake Hotel? Solve all mysteries in this dark and eerie puzzle game. Rusty Lake Hotel is a point-and-click adventure by the creators of the Rusty Lake & Cube Escape series.
Rusty Lake Paradise
WHY THIS
Shares a mysterious mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Rusty Lake Paradise is set on a small remote island which is cursed by the ten plagues of Egypt. Solve all the mysteries of this dark, macabre puzzle adventure. Paradise builds upon the distinctive atmosphere and excitement from the Rusty Lake series.
Underground Blossom
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Underground Blossom is a new adventure game by Rusty Lake. Fulfil various tasks at every station to find the metro that will take you through each important event from Laura Vanderboom's life.
The White Door
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Enter The White Door and discover Rusty Lake’s universe in a new game with a unique style! Explore Robert Hill’s dreams and help him to find his lost memories. Can you survive the strict daily routine and bring back color to Robert's life?
Cube Escape: Paradox
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
The tenth Cube Escape follows the story of detective Dale Vandermeer who finds himself trapped in two different universes and needs to escape. Cube Escape: Paradox will be released together with the accompanying Paradox: A Rusty Lake Film.
Samsara Room
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Another title from Rusty Lake, the studio behind The Past Within. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
You woke up in a mysterious room you have never seen before. Can you find another way out? Samsara Room is a remake of the praised predecessor of the Rusty Lake & Cube Escape series.
Plays great on Steam Deck
Valve-Verified or Playable picks from the similar pool — ready to go on Deck out of the box.
Tick Tock: A Tale for Two
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
You and your friend are trapped in a mystical world. As time ebbs away you must solve increasingly complex puzzles to escape. Cooperation is key as neither of you have the full picture! Play on two devices, local or remotely, all you need is a voice connection.
We Were Here Forever
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
You both awaken imprisoned inside the sinister Castle Rock - were you betrayed, or simply not that clever? Find out in the greatest co-op puzzle adventure in the We Were Here Series! Do you and your partner have what it takes to face the dark forces of this realm or will you be trapped… forever?
Rusty Lake: Roots
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Experience the beginning and end of characters' lives and build your own family tree! Rusty Lake: Roots is the second premium point-and-click adventure by the creators of the Cube Escape series and Rusty Lake Hotel.
Cube Escape Collection
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box.
In this classic point-and-click adventure anthology you follow the path of Dale and Laura and other famous Rusty lake characters such as Mr. Crow and Mr. Owl. The series will be updated, preserved and bundled to survive the end of the Flash Games era.
Parallel Experiment
WHY THIS
Shares an atmospheric mood with The Past Within.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Indie and Adventure with The Past Within.
Two detectives, one deadly experiment, a race against time. Each player only has one half of the puzzle. In this 2-player co-op puzzle game you can survive the parallel experiment only by working together.
Frequently asked about The Past Within
- Is The Past Within verified for Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Past Within is Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve has confirmed it runs well on the Deck with full controller, text legibility, and default configuration support.
- How much does The Past Within cost?
- The Past Within is listed on Steam at 5.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
- Does The Past Within have multiplayer or co-op?
- Yes — The Past Within supports multi-player play according to its Steam store listing (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op).
- What games are most similar to The Past Within?
- Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside The Past Within are We Were Here Too, Tick Tock: A Tale for Two, We Were Here Forever.
- Who developed The Past Within?
- The Past Within was developed by Rusty Lake.
imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on The Past Within.
For library-aware picks tuned to your specific taste, sign in with Steam on the home page.