Choose Lost Light
Choose Lost Light if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 6,245 Steam reviews back the pick.
Lost Light vs Escape from Tarkov
Lost Light and Escape from Tarkov both land in Action, Massively Multiplayer 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, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. Lost Light (2022) is 3 years older than Escape from Tarkov (2025). Escape from Tarkov scores higher on Steam reviews (60.2% positive) than Lost Light (53.1% 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 Escape from Tarkov
Choose Escape from Tarkov if you want a Simulation and RPG game with MMO, Online Co-op, and Color Alternatives. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 60.2% positive across 10,183 reviews.
Both Lost Light and Escape from Tarkov sit in Action and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 Lost Light |  Escape from Tarkov | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play | Action, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | Free to play | 49.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 53.1% positive (6,245 reviews) | 60.2% positive (10,183 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | NetEase Games | Battlestate Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- Lost Light (2022) is 3 years older than Escape from Tarkov (2025).
- Escape from Tarkov scores higher on Steam reviews (60.2% positive) than Lost Light (53.1% positive).
- Lost Light is free; Escape from Tarkov is paid (49.99 USD).
- Escape from Tarkov has co-op; Lost Light does not.
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Lost Light vs Escape from Tarkov — FAQ
- Which is better, Lost Light or Escape from Tarkov?
- On Steam reviews Escape from Tarkov scores higher (60.2% positive) than Lost Light (53.1% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Escape from Tarkov is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Lost Light or Escape from Tarkov first?
- If you want chronology, Lost Light (2022) came out before Escape from Tarkov (2025). 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 Lost Light and Escape from Tarkov similar?
- They overlap on Action, Massively Multiplayer 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 Lost Light free?
- Yes — Lost Light is a free-to-play Steam title. Escape from Tarkov is paid (49.99 USD).