Choose Dark Past
Choose Dark Past if you want an Early Access experience. Dark Past launched in 2022.
Dark Past vs H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency
Dark Past and H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency both land in Action, Indie 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, Indie on Steam. Dark Past (2022) is 2 years older than H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency (2024). Dark Past scores higher on Steam reviews (76.9% positive) than H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency (52.9% 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 H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency
Choose H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency if you want an Adventure, RPG, and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency launched in 2024.
Both Dark Past and H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and 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
 Dark Past |  H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Early Access | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 5.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 76.9% positive (39 reviews) | 52.9% positive (157 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | SURPRISED HOTDOG LIMITED | Kekdot |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Dark Past (2022) is 2 years older than H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency (2024).
- Dark Past scores higher on Steam reviews (76.9% positive) than H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency (52.9% positive).
- H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency is free; Dark Past is paid (5.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Dark Past has no Deck rating yet.
Dark Past vs H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency — FAQ
- Should I play Dark Past or H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency first?
- If you want chronology, Dark Past (2022) came out before H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency (2024). 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 Dark Past and H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie 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 Dark Past and H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Dark Past ships Online Co-op, Co-op; H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency free?
- Yes — H.I.A: Horror Investigation Agency is a free-to-play Steam title. Dark Past is paid (5.99 USD).