Choose Absence of Light
Choose Absence of Light if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Absence of Light launched in 2024.
Absence of Light vs SUBSØNIC
Absence of Light and SUBSØNIC 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. Absence of Light (2024) is 2 years older than SUBSØNIC (2026). SUBSØNIC is currently ~55% cheaper on Steam than Absence of Light (4.49 USD vs. 9.99 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 SUBSØNIC
Choose SUBSØNIC if you want an Early Access game with Gamepad Recommended, Stereo Sound, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's currently about 55% cheaper on the Steam Store. SUBSØNIC launched in 2026.
Both Absence of Light and SUBSØNIC 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
 Absence of Light |  SUBSØNIC | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 8 reviews | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Koala Symphony Studios | Komar Labs |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Absence of Light (2024) is 2 years older than SUBSØNIC (2026).
- SUBSØNIC is currently ~55% cheaper on Steam than Absence of Light (4.49 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Absence of Light is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; SUBSØNIC has no Deck rating yet.
Absence of Light vs SUBSØNIC — FAQ
- Should I play Absence of Light or SUBSØNIC first?
- If you want chronology, Absence of Light (2024) came out before SUBSØNIC (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 Absence of Light and SUBSØNIC 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.
- Does Absence of Light run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Absence of Light is rated Deck Verified by Valve. SUBSØNIC doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.