Choose The Forest
Choose The Forest if you want the Multi-player, Online Co-op, and LAN Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 175,474 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Forest vs Self-Isolation
The Forest and Self-Isolation 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. The Forest (2018) is 2 years older than Self-Isolation (2020). The Forest scores higher on Steam reviews (95.3% positive) than Self-Isolation (89.6% 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 Self-Isolation
Choose Self-Isolation if it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. Self-Isolation launched in 2020.
Both The Forest and Self-Isolation 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
 The Forest |  Self-Isolation | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.3% positive (175,474 reviews) | 89.6% positive (48 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Endnight Games Ltd | Dymchick1, KHB-Soft |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Forest (2018) is 2 years older than Self-Isolation (2020).
- The Forest scores higher on Steam reviews (95.3% positive) than Self-Isolation (89.6% positive).
- Self-Isolation is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than The Forest (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- The Forest has co-op; Self-Isolation does not.
- The Forest is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Self-Isolation has no Deck rating yet.
The Forest vs Self-Isolation — FAQ
- Should I play The Forest or Self-Isolation first?
- If you want chronology, The Forest (2018) came out before Self-Isolation (2020). 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 The Forest and Self-Isolation 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 Self-Isolation have multiplayer like The Forest?
- No. The Forest supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op), while Self-Isolation is listed as single-player only.
- Does The Forest run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Forest is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Self-Isolation doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.