Choose Shadowgrounds
Choose Shadowgrounds if you want the Multi-player and Shared/Split Screen side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 42% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shadowgrounds launched in 2006.
Shadowgrounds vs Palpus X Annihilation
Shadowgrounds and Palpus X Annihilation both land in Action 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 are Action games on Steam. Shadowgrounds (2006) is 20 years older than Palpus X Annihilation (2026). Palpus X Annihilation scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than Shadowgrounds (81.3% 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 Palpus X Annihilation
Choose Palpus X Annihilation if you want an Indie and RPG game with Custom Volume Controls and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Palpus X Annihilation launched in 2026.
Both Shadowgrounds and Palpus X Annihilation sit in Action 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
 Shadowgrounds |  Palpus X Annihilation | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action | Action, Indie, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 6.99 USD | 11.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 81.3% positive (557 reviews) | 95.5% positive (44 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Frozenbyte | Sebastian Vargek (Meister Palpus) |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Shadowgrounds (2006) is 20 years older than Palpus X Annihilation (2026).
- Palpus X Annihilation scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than Shadowgrounds (81.3% positive).
- Shadowgrounds is currently ~42% cheaper on Steam than Palpus X Annihilation (6.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Shadowgrounds vs Palpus X Annihilation — FAQ
- Should I play Shadowgrounds or Palpus X Annihilation first?
- If you want chronology, Shadowgrounds (2006) came out before Palpus X Annihilation (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 Shadowgrounds and Palpus X Annihilation similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 Palpus X Annihilation have multiplayer like Shadowgrounds?
- No. Shadowgrounds supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Palpus X Annihilation is listed as single-player only.