Choose Darkest Dungeon®
Choose Darkest Dungeon® if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.8% positive across 55,844 reviews.
Darkest Dungeon® vs DEATH PENALTY
Darkest Dungeon® and DEATH PENALTY both land in Indie, RPG 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, RPG on Steam. Darkest Dungeon® (2016) is 10 years older than DEATH PENALTY (2026). Darkest Dungeon® scores higher on Steam reviews (90.8% positive) than DEATH PENALTY (81% 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 DEATH PENALTY
Choose DEATH PENALTY if you want an Adventure game with DualShock Controller Support and DualSense Controller Support. On Steam, it's currently about 52% cheaper on the Steam Store. DEATH PENALTY launched in 2026.
Both Darkest Dungeon® and DEATH PENALTY sit in Indie and RPG 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
 Darkest Dungeon® |  DEATH PENALTY | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, RPG | Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 11.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.8% positive (55,844 reviews) | 81% positive (116 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Red Hook Studios | HACKJOB |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Darkest Dungeon® (2016) is 10 years older than DEATH PENALTY (2026).
- Darkest Dungeon® scores higher on Steam reviews (90.8% positive) than DEATH PENALTY (81% positive).
- DEATH PENALTY is currently ~52% cheaper on Steam than Darkest Dungeon® (11.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Darkest Dungeon® is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; DEATH PENALTY has no Deck rating yet.
Darkest Dungeon® vs DEATH PENALTY — FAQ
- Which is better, Darkest Dungeon® or DEATH PENALTY?
- On Steam reviews Darkest Dungeon® scores higher (90.8% positive) than DEATH PENALTY (81% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Darkest Dungeon® is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Darkest Dungeon® or DEATH PENALTY first?
- If you want chronology, Darkest Dungeon® (2016) came out before DEATH PENALTY (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 Darkest Dungeon® and DEATH PENALTY similar?
- They overlap on Indie, RPG 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 Darkest Dungeon® run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Darkest Dungeon® is rated Deck Verified by Valve. DEATH PENALTY doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.