Choose DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger
Choose DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 22% cheaper on the Steam Store. DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger launched in 2023.
DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger vs Lunarium
DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger and Lunarium both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger (2023) is 3 years older than Lunarium (2026). DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger is currently ~22% cheaper on Steam than Lunarium (13.99 USD vs. 17.99 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 Lunarium
Choose Lunarium if it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Lunarium launched in 2026.
Both DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger and Lunarium sit in Action, 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
 DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger |  Lunarium | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Early Access | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 13.99 USD | 17.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | — | 88.1% positive (639 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Studio215 | 月相仪Lunarium |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger (2023) is 3 years older than Lunarium (2026).
- DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger is currently ~22% cheaper on Steam than Lunarium (13.99 USD vs. 17.99 USD).
DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger vs Lunarium — FAQ
- Should I play DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger or Lunarium first?
- If you want chronology, DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger (2023) came out before Lunarium (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 DarkMatter: The Strange Messenger and Lunarium similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.