Choose The Long Dark
Choose The Long Dark if you want a Strategy and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 40,071 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Long Dark vs Category 6
The Long Dark and Category 6 both land in 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 Indie, Adventure on Steam. The Long Dark (2017) is 9 years older than Category 6 (2026). The Long Dark scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than Category 6 (68.6% 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 Category 6
Choose Category 6 if it's currently about 36% cheaper on the Steam Store. Category 6 launched in 2026.
Both The Long Dark and Category 6 sit in 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 |  Category 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 12.74 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88% positive (40,071 reviews) | 68.6% positive (35 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Hinterland Studio Inc. | Crafty Game Lab |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Long Dark (2017) is 9 years older than Category 6 (2026).
- The Long Dark scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than Category 6 (68.6% positive).
- Category 6 is currently ~36% cheaper on Steam than The Long Dark (12.74 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- The Long Dark is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Category 6 has no Deck rating yet.
The Long Dark vs Category 6 — FAQ
- Should I play The Long Dark or Category 6 first?
- If you want chronology, The Long Dark (2017) came out before Category 6 (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 The Long Dark and Category 6 similar?
- They overlap on 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. Category 6 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.