Choose Katanaut
Choose Katanaut if you want a Sports, Indie, and Adventure game with Subtitle Options, Camera Comfort, and Surround Sound. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Katanaut launched in 2025.
Katanaut vs Shadow Runner
Katanaut and Shadow Runner 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. Katanaut (2025) is 1 year older than Shadow Runner (2026). Shadow Runner is currently ~38% cheaper on Steam than Katanaut (4.99 USD vs. 8.09 USD). 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 Shadow Runner
Choose Shadow Runner if you want the Steam Timeline side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 38% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shadow Runner launched in 2026.
Both Katanaut and Shadow Runner sit in Action on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, Adjustable Text Size, and Color Alternatives, 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
 Katanaut |  Shadow Runner | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Sports, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 8.09 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93% positive (214 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Voidmaw | ArcadeDeck |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Katanaut (2025) is 1 year older than Shadow Runner (2026).
- Shadow Runner is currently ~38% cheaper on Steam than Katanaut (4.99 USD vs. 8.09 USD).
- Katanaut is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Shadow Runner has no Deck rating yet.
Katanaut vs Shadow Runner — FAQ
- Should I play Katanaut or Shadow Runner first?
- If you want chronology, Katanaut (2025) came out before Shadow Runner (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 Katanaut and Shadow Runner 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 Katanaut run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Katanaut is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Shadow Runner doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.