Choose Simpler Times
Choose Simpler Times if you want the Custom Volume Controls, Stereo Sound, and Mouse Only Option side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Simpler Times launched in 2024.
Simpler Times vs Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver
Simpler Times and Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver both land in Indie, 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 Indie, Casual on Steam. Simpler Times (2024) is 1 year older than Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver (2025). Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver is free; Simpler Times is paid (9.99 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 Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver
Choose Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver if you want a Free To Play game with HDR available. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver launched in 2025.
Both Simpler Times and Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver sit in Indie and Casual on Steam and both list Adjustable Text Size and Playable without Timed Input, 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
 Simpler Times |  Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Casual | Indie, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 96.8% positive (62 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | stoneskip. | EtchWeave Interactive |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Simpler Times (2024) is 1 year older than Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver (2025).
- Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver is free; Simpler Times is paid (9.99 USD).
- Simpler Times is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver has no Deck rating yet.
Simpler Times vs Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver — FAQ
- Should I play Simpler Times or Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver first?
- If you want chronology, Simpler Times (2024) came out before Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver (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 Simpler Times and Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver similar?
- They overlap on Indie, 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 Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver free?
- Yes — Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver is a free-to-play Steam title. Simpler Times is paid (9.99 USD).
- Does Simpler Times run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Simpler Times is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Ephemeral Art: Shapeweaver doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.