Choose Dark Past
Choose Dark Past if you want an Indie and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Dark Past launched in 2022.
Dark Past vs Alien Investigator
Dark Past and Alien Investigator both land in Action 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 are Action games on Steam. Dark Past (2022) is 1 year older than Alien Investigator (2023). Dark Past scores higher on Steam reviews (76.9% positive) than Alien Investigator (43.8% 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 Alien Investigator
Choose Alien Investigator if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Alien Investigator launched in 2023.
Both Dark Past and Alien Investigator sit in Action 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 |  Alien Investigator | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Early Access | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 5.99 USD | 11.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.9% positive (39 reviews) | 43.8% positive (16 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | SURPRISED HOTDOG LIMITED | Doky |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Dark Past (2022) is 1 year older than Alien Investigator (2023).
- Dark Past scores higher on Steam reviews (76.9% positive) than Alien Investigator (43.8% positive).
- Dark Past is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Alien Investigator (5.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Alien Investigator is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Dark Past has no Deck rating yet.
Dark Past vs Alien Investigator — FAQ
- Should I play Dark Past or Alien Investigator first?
- If you want chronology, Dark Past (2022) came out before Alien Investigator (2023). 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 Alien Investigator similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 Alien Investigator have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Dark Past ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Alien Investigator ships Online Co-op, Co-op.