Choose Shadowrun Returns
Choose Shadowrun Returns if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 89% positive across 6,718 reviews.
Shadowrun Returns vs Torment: Tides of Numenera
Shadowrun Returns and Torment: Tides of Numenera both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Shadowrun Returns (2013) is 4 years older than Torment: Tides of Numenera (2017). Shadowrun Returns scores higher on Steam reviews (89% positive) than Torment: Tides of Numenera (71.4% 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 Torment: Tides of Numenera
Choose Torment: Tides of Numenera if it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 1,478 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Shadowrun Returns and Torment: Tides of Numenera sit in Strategy, 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
 Shadowrun Returns |  Torment: Tides of Numenera | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 3.74 USD | 34.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89% positive (6,718 reviews) | 71.4% positive (1,478 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Harebrained Schemes | inXile Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Shadowrun Returns (2013) is 4 years older than Torment: Tides of Numenera (2017).
- Shadowrun Returns scores higher on Steam reviews (89% positive) than Torment: Tides of Numenera (71.4% positive).
- Shadowrun Returns is currently ~89% cheaper on Steam than Torment: Tides of Numenera (3.74 USD vs. 34.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Shadowrun Returns vs Torment: Tides of Numenera — FAQ
- Which is better, Shadowrun Returns or Torment: Tides of Numenera?
- On Steam reviews Shadowrun Returns scores higher (89% positive) than Torment: Tides of Numenera (71.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Shadowrun Returns is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Shadowrun Returns or Torment: Tides of Numenera first?
- If you want chronology, Shadowrun Returns (2013) came out before Torment: Tides of Numenera (2017). 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 Shadowrun Returns and Torment: Tides of Numenera similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.