Choose Inward
Choose Inward if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Inward launched in 2023.
Inward vs A Butterfly's Dream
Inward and A Butterfly's Dream both land in Indie, Simulation 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, Simulation on Steam. A Butterfly's Dream (2022) is 1 year older than Inward (2023). Inward scores higher on Steam reviews (82.2% positive) than A Butterfly's Dream (71.4% 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 A Butterfly's Dream
Choose A Butterfly's Dream if you want a Casual experience. A Butterfly's Dream launched in 2022.
Both Inward and A Butterfly's Dream sit in Indie and Simulation 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
 Inward |  A Butterfly's Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2022 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Early Access | Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 82.2% positive (107 reviews) | 71.4% positive (21 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Krish Shrikumar | Philosophical School of Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- A Butterfly's Dream (2022) is 1 year older than Inward (2023).
- Inward scores higher on Steam reviews (82.2% positive) than A Butterfly's Dream (71.4% positive).
- Inward is free; A Butterfly's Dream is paid (1.99 USD).
- Inward is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; A Butterfly's Dream has no Deck rating yet.
Inward vs A Butterfly's Dream — FAQ
- Should I play Inward or A Butterfly's Dream first?
- If you want chronology, A Butterfly's Dream (2022) came out before Inward (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 Inward and A Butterfly's Dream similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation 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 Inward free?
- Yes — Inward is a free-to-play Steam title. A Butterfly's Dream is paid (1.99 USD).
- Does Inward run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Inward is rated Deck Playable by Valve. A Butterfly's Dream doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.