Choose The Third Shift
Choose The Third Shift if you want an Indie game with Color Alternatives. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Third Shift launched in 2026.
The Third Shift vs Abscission
The Third Shift and Abscission both land in Adventure 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 Adventure games on Steam. Abscission (2023) is 3 years older than The Third Shift (2026). The Third Shift scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Abscission (92% 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 Abscission
Choose Abscission if it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. Abscission launched in 2023.
Both The Third Shift and Abscission sit in Adventure 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
 The Third Shift |  Abscission | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026 | 2023 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 8.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 100% positive (48 reviews) | 92% positive (87 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Teebowah Games | Beyond Booleans |
Side by side
- Both are Adventure games on Steam.
- Abscission (2023) is 3 years older than The Third Shift (2026).
- The Third Shift scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Abscission (92% positive).
- Abscission is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than The Third Shift (8.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: The Third Shift is Deck Verified, Abscission is Deck Playable.
The Third Shift vs Abscission — FAQ
- Should I play The Third Shift or Abscission first?
- If you want chronology, Abscission (2023) came out before The Third Shift (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 The Third Shift and Abscission similar?
- They overlap on Adventure 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.