Choose Escape the Backrooms
Choose Escape the Backrooms if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 36,625 Steam reviews back the pick.
Escape the Backrooms vs SMS Returns
Escape the Backrooms and SMS Returns 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. Escape the Backrooms (2025) is 1 year older than SMS Returns (2026). Both support cooperative play. 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 SMS Returns
Choose SMS Returns if you want an Adventure game with Shared/Split Screen, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and LAN Co-op. SMS Returns launched in 2026.
Both Escape the Backrooms and SMS Returns sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and HDR available, 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
 Escape the Backrooms |  SMS Returns | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 89.6% positive (36,625 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | Fancy Games, Blackbird Interactive | Marc Steene |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Escape the Backrooms (2025) is 1 year older than SMS Returns (2026).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Escape the Backrooms is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; SMS Returns has no Deck rating yet.
Escape the Backrooms vs SMS Returns — FAQ
- Should I play Escape the Backrooms or SMS Returns first?
- If you want chronology, Escape the Backrooms (2025) came out before SMS Returns (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 Escape the Backrooms and SMS Returns 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 Escape the Backrooms and SMS Returns have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Escape the Backrooms ships Online Co-op, Co-op; SMS Returns ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Does Escape the Backrooms run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Escape the Backrooms is rated Deck Playable by Valve. SMS Returns doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.