Choose INSIDE
Choose INSIDE if you want the Color Alternatives, Stereo Sound, and Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 23,692 Steam reviews back the pick.
INSIDE vs Dark Abyss
INSIDE and Dark Abyss 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. INSIDE (2016) is 5 years older than Dark Abyss (2021). Dark Abyss is currently ~92% cheaper on Steam than INSIDE (1.99 USD vs. 24.99 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 Dark Abyss
Choose Dark Abyss if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 92% cheaper on the Steam Store. Dark Abyss launched in 2021.
Both INSIDE and Dark Abyss 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
 INSIDE |  Dark Abyss | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.3% positive (23,692 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Playdead | GAOFENG |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- INSIDE (2016) is 5 years older than Dark Abyss (2021).
- Dark Abyss is currently ~92% cheaper on Steam than INSIDE (1.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- INSIDE is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Dark Abyss has no Deck rating yet.
INSIDE vs Dark Abyss — FAQ
- Should I play INSIDE or Dark Abyss first?
- If you want chronology, INSIDE (2016) came out before Dark Abyss (2021). 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 Dark Abyss 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.
- Does INSIDE run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — INSIDE is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Dark Abyss doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.