Choose The Hat Man: Shadow Ward
Choose The Hat Man: Shadow Ward if it matches what drew you to this matchup. The Hat Man: Shadow Ward launched in 2016.
The Hat Man: Shadow Ward vs Don't Be Afraid
The Hat Man: Shadow Ward and Don't Be Afraid 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 Hat Man: Shadow Ward (2016) is 4 years older than Don't Be Afraid (2020). Don't Be Afraid scores higher on Steam reviews (82% 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 Don't Be Afraid
Choose Don't Be Afraid if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 82% positive across 328 reviews.
Both The Hat Man: Shadow Ward and Don't Be Afraid 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 Hat Man: Shadow Ward |  Don't Be Afraid | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 57.4% positive (897 reviews) | 82% positive (328 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Game Mechanics LLC | Limo Games, Broken Arrow Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (2016) is 4 years older than Don't Be Afraid (2020).
- Don't Be Afraid scores higher on Steam reviews (82% positive) than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (57.4% positive).
- Don't Be Afraid is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (9.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Don't Be Afraid is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Hat Man: Shadow Ward has no Deck rating yet.
The Hat Man: Shadow Ward vs Don't Be Afraid — FAQ
- Which is better, The Hat Man: Shadow Ward or Don't Be Afraid?
- On Steam reviews Don't Be Afraid scores higher (82% positive) than The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (57.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Don't Be Afraid is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Hat Man: Shadow Ward or Don't Be Afraid first?
- If you want chronology, The Hat Man: Shadow Ward (2016) came out before Don't Be Afraid (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 Hat Man: Shadow Ward and Don't Be Afraid 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.