Choose Proteus
Choose Proteus if you want a Casual experience. 1,160 Steam reviews back the pick.
Proteus vs A Short Hike
Proteus and A Short Hike both land in Indie, 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 share Indie, Adventure on Steam. Proteus (2013) is 6 years older than A Short Hike (2019). A Short Hike scores higher on Steam reviews (99.1% positive) than Proteus (82.9% 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 A Short Hike
Choose A Short Hike if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 99.1% positive across 12,104 reviews.
Both Proteus and A Short Hike sit in Indie and 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
 Proteus |  A Short Hike | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2019 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Casual | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 82.9% positive (1,160 reviews) | 99.1% positive (12,104 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Ed Key and David Kanaga | adamgryu |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Proteus (2013) is 6 years older than A Short Hike (2019).
- A Short Hike scores higher on Steam reviews (99.1% positive) than Proteus (82.9% positive).
- A Short Hike is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Proteus (7.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- A Short Hike is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Proteus has no Deck rating yet.
Proteus vs A Short Hike — FAQ
- Which is better, Proteus or A Short Hike?
- On Steam reviews A Short Hike scores higher (99.1% positive) than Proteus (82.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, A Short Hike is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Proteus or A Short Hike first?
- If you want chronology, Proteus (2013) came out before A Short Hike (2019). 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 Proteus and A Short Hike similar?
- They overlap on Indie, 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.