Should I play INSIDE or Inner first?

If you want chronology, INSIDE (2016) came out before Inner (2019). 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 INSIDE and Inner similar?

They overlap on Indie 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.

Yes — Inner is a free-to-play Steam title. INSIDE is paid (24.99 USD).

INSIDE vs Inner

INSIDE and Inner both land in Indie 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 Indie games on Steam. INSIDE (2016) is 3 years older than Inner (2019). INSIDE scores higher on Steam reviews (96.3% positive) than Inner (76.5% 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 INSIDE

Choose INSIDE if you want an Action and Adventure game with Color Alternatives, Stereo Sound, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 23,692 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Inner

Choose Inner if it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Inner launched in 2019.

Both INSIDE and Inner sit in Indie 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.

INSIDE vs Inner — Steam metadata comparison
	INSIDE	Inner
Released	2016	2019
Genres	Action, Indie, Adventure	Indie
Platforms	Windows	Windows, Linux
Steam Deck	Deck Verified	Deck Playable
Price	24.99 USD	Free to play
Steam reviews	96.3% positive (23,692 reviews)	76.5% positive (17 reviews)
Multiplayer	Single-player only	Single-player only
Developers	Playdead	DarkStone Digital

Side by side

Both are Indie games on Steam.
INSIDE (2016) is 3 years older than Inner (2019).
INSIDE scores higher on Steam reviews (96.3% positive) than Inner (76.5% positive).
Inner is free; INSIDE is paid (24.99 USD).
Steam Deck: INSIDE is Deck Verified, Inner is Deck Playable.

INSIDE vs Inner — FAQ

Should I play INSIDE or Inner first?: If you want chronology, INSIDE (2016) came out before Inner (2019). 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 INSIDE and Inner similar?: They overlap on Indie 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.
Is Inner free?: Yes — Inner is a free-to-play Steam title. INSIDE is paid (24.99 USD).

Which should you pick?

Choose INSIDE

Choose Inner

Side-by-side comparison

Side by side

INSIDE vs Inner — FAQ