Choose Vanildo's Journey
Choose Vanildo's Journey if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Vanildo's Journey launched in 2022.
Vanildo's Journey vs Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd
Vanildo's Journey and Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd both land in Indie, Adventure, Free To Play 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, Adventure, Free To Play on Steam. Vanildo's Journey (2022) is 4 years older than Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd (2026). Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd scores higher on Steam reviews (92.9% positive) than Vanildo's Journey (90.9% 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 Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd
Choose Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd launched in 2026.
Both Vanildo's Journey and Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd sit in Indie, Adventure, and Free To Play 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
 Vanildo's Journey |  Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2026 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, RPG, Free To Play, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | 2.39 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.9% positive (11 reviews) | 92.9% positive (182 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Paulo Sacilotti Junior | KanGames |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure, Free To Play on Steam.
- Vanildo's Journey (2022) is 4 years older than Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd (2026).
- Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd scores higher on Steam reviews (92.9% positive) than Vanildo's Journey (90.9% positive).
- Vanildo's Journey is free; Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd is paid (2.39 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Vanildo's Journey vs Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd — FAQ
- Should I play Vanildo's Journey or Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd first?
- If you want chronology, Vanildo's Journey (2022) came out before Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd (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 Vanildo's Journey and Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure, Free To Play 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 Vanildo's Journey free?
- Yes — Vanildo's Journey is a free-to-play Steam title. Scary Game 2: The Mad Shepherd is paid (2.39 USD).