Choose Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition
Choose Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition if you want an Action experience. 1,480 Steam reviews back the pick.
Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition vs The Whisperer in Darkness
Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition and The Whisperer in Darkness 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. Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition (2009) is 7 years older than The Whisperer in Darkness (2016). Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than The Whisperer in Darkness (80% 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 The Whisperer in Darkness
Choose The Whisperer in Darkness if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 85% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Whisperer in Darkness launched in 2016.
Both Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition and The Whisperer in Darkness 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
 Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition |  The Whisperer in Darkness | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 1.50 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.4% positive (1,480 reviews) | 80% positive (35 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Frictional Games | NQNStudios |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition (2009) is 7 years older than The Whisperer in Darkness (2016).
- Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than The Whisperer in Darkness (80% positive).
- The Whisperer in Darkness is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition (1.50 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Whisperer in Darkness has no Deck rating yet.
Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition vs The Whisperer in Darkness — FAQ
- Should I play Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition or The Whisperer in Darkness first?
- If you want chronology, Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition (2009) came out before The Whisperer in Darkness (2016). 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 Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition and The Whisperer in Darkness 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.
- Does Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Whisperer in Darkness doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.