Choose Umbra
Choose Umbra if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Umbra launched in 2022.
Umbra vs Light the Backrooms
Umbra and Light the Backrooms 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. Umbra (2022) is 1 year older than Light the Backrooms (2023). Umbra is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Light the Backrooms (3.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Light the Backrooms
Choose Light the Backrooms if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Light the Backrooms launched in 2023.
Both Umbra and Light the Backrooms 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
 Umbra |  Light the Backrooms | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.3% positive (15 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Leslie Phillips | Nekoromorph |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Umbra (2022) is 1 year older than Light the Backrooms (2023).
- Umbra is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Light the Backrooms (3.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
Umbra vs Light the Backrooms — FAQ
- Should I play Umbra or Light the Backrooms first?
- If you want chronology, Umbra (2022) came out before Light the Backrooms (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 Umbra and Light the Backrooms 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.