Choose Outlast
Choose Outlast if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.1% positive across 28,158 reviews.
Outlast vs The Hat Man: Shadow Ward
Outlast and The Hat Man: Shadow Ward 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. Outlast (2013) is 3 years older than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (2016). Outlast scores higher on Steam reviews (96.1% positive) than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (57.4% 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 The Hat Man: Shadow Ward
Choose The Hat Man: Shadow Ward if it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Hat Man: Shadow Ward launched in 2016.
Both Outlast and The Hat Man: Shadow Ward 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
 Outlast |  The Hat Man: Shadow Ward | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.1% positive (28,158 reviews) | 57.4% positive (897 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Red Barrels | Game Mechanics LLC |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Outlast (2013) is 3 years older than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (2016).
- Outlast scores higher on Steam reviews (96.1% positive) than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (57.4% positive).
- The Hat Man: Shadow Ward is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Outlast (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Outlast is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Hat Man: Shadow Ward has no Deck rating yet.
Outlast vs The Hat Man: Shadow Ward — FAQ
- Which is better, Outlast or The Hat Man: Shadow Ward?
- On Steam reviews Outlast scores higher (96.1% positive) than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (57.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Outlast is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Outlast or The Hat Man: Shadow Ward first?
- If you want chronology, Outlast (2013) came out before The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (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 Outlast and The Hat Man: Shadow Ward 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.
- Does Outlast run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Outlast is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Hat Man: Shadow Ward doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.