Choose The Long Dark
Choose The Long Dark if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 40,071 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Long Dark vs Commander '85
The Long Dark and Commander '85 both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Indie, Adventure on Steam. The Long Dark (2017) is 3 years older than Commander '85 (2020). The Long Dark scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than Commander '85 (33.3% 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 Commander '85
Choose Commander '85 if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it's currently about 35% cheaper on the Steam Store. Commander '85 launched in 2020.
Both The Long Dark and Commander '85 sit in Strategy, 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 Long Dark |  Commander '85 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88% positive (40,071 reviews) | 33.3% positive (12 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Hinterland Studio Inc. | The Moonwalls |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Long Dark (2017) is 3 years older than Commander '85 (2020).
- The Long Dark scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than Commander '85 (33.3% positive).
- Commander '85 is currently ~35% cheaper on Steam than The Long Dark (12.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- The Long Dark is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Commander '85 has no Deck rating yet.
The Long Dark vs Commander '85 — FAQ
- Should I play The Long Dark or Commander '85 first?
- If you want chronology, The Long Dark (2017) came out before Commander '85 (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 Long Dark and Commander '85 similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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 The Long Dark run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Long Dark is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Commander '85 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.