Choose Soul King
Choose Soul King if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. Soul King launched in 2023.
Soul King vs Escape from the Black Monolith
Soul King and Escape from the Black Monolith 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. Soul King (2023) is 3 years older than Escape from the Black Monolith (2026). Escape from the Black Monolith is free; Soul King is paid (11.99 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 Escape from the Black Monolith
Choose Escape from the Black Monolith if you want a Free To Play game with DualShock Controller Support. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Escape from the Black Monolith launched in 2026.
Both Soul King and Escape from the Black Monolith sit in Action and Indie 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
 Soul King |  Escape from the Black Monolith | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 4 reviews | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | CakeNeq Games | Vorelian |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Soul King (2023) is 3 years older than Escape from the Black Monolith (2026).
- Escape from the Black Monolith is free; Soul King is paid (11.99 USD).
Soul King vs Escape from the Black Monolith — FAQ
- Should I play Soul King or Escape from the Black Monolith first?
- If you want chronology, Soul King (2023) came out before Escape from the Black Monolith (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 Soul King and Escape from the Black Monolith 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.
- Is Escape from the Black Monolith free?
- Yes — Escape from the Black Monolith is a free-to-play Steam title. Soul King is paid (11.99 USD).