Choose Shanhe
Choose Shanhe if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 73% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shanhe launched in 2023.
Shanhe vs Aethercrypt
Shanhe and Aethercrypt both land in Indie, RPG 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, RPG on Steam. Shanhe (2023) is 3 years older than Aethercrypt (2026). Shanhe is currently ~73% cheaper on Steam than Aethercrypt (3.49 USD vs. 12.99 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 Aethercrypt
Choose Aethercrypt if you want a Strategy game with Shared/Split Screen and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Aethercrypt launched in 2026.
Both Shanhe and Aethercrypt sit in Indie and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and LAN Co-op, 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
 Shanhe |  Aethercrypt | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2026 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, RPG | Strategy, Indie, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 3.49 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 7 reviews | 3 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | INDIECN, SilverBlade | AtneGames |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Shanhe (2023) is 3 years older than Aethercrypt (2026).
- Shanhe is currently ~73% cheaper on Steam than Aethercrypt (3.49 USD vs. 12.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Shanhe is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Aethercrypt has no Deck rating yet.
Shanhe vs Aethercrypt — FAQ
- Should I play Shanhe or Aethercrypt first?
- If you want chronology, Shanhe (2023) came out before Aethercrypt (2026). 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 Shanhe and Aethercrypt similar?
- They overlap on Indie, RPG 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.
- Do both Shanhe and Aethercrypt have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Shanhe ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Aethercrypt ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Does Shanhe run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Shanhe is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Aethercrypt doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.