Choose Strange Brigade
Choose Strange Brigade if you want the Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 3,503 Steam reviews back the pick.
Strange Brigade vs The Secret of Pineview Forest
Strange Brigade and The Secret of Pineview Forest both land in Action, 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, Adventure on Steam. The Secret of Pineview Forest (2016) is 2 years older than Strange Brigade (2018). Strange Brigade scores higher on Steam reviews (85.8% positive) than The Secret of Pineview Forest (58.2% 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 The Secret of Pineview Forest
Choose The Secret of Pineview Forest if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. The Secret of Pineview Forest launched in 2016.
Both Strange Brigade and The Secret of Pineview Forest sit in Action 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
 Strange Brigade |  The Secret of Pineview Forest | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 49.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 85.8% positive (3,503 reviews) | 58.2% positive (55 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Rebellion | VIS-Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- The Secret of Pineview Forest (2016) is 2 years older than Strange Brigade (2018).
- Strange Brigade scores higher on Steam reviews (85.8% positive) than The Secret of Pineview Forest (58.2% positive).
- The Secret of Pineview Forest is free; Strange Brigade is paid (49.99 USD).
- Strange Brigade has co-op; The Secret of Pineview Forest does not.
- Strange Brigade is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Secret of Pineview Forest has no Deck rating yet.
Strange Brigade vs The Secret of Pineview Forest — FAQ
- Should I play Strange Brigade or The Secret of Pineview Forest first?
- If you want chronology, The Secret of Pineview Forest (2016) came out before Strange Brigade (2018). 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 Strange Brigade and The Secret of Pineview Forest similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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 Secret of Pineview Forest have multiplayer like Strange Brigade?
- No. Strange Brigade supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while The Secret of Pineview Forest is listed as single-player only.
- Is The Secret of Pineview Forest free?
- Yes — The Secret of Pineview Forest is a free-to-play Steam title. Strange Brigade is paid (49.99 USD).
- Does Strange Brigade run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Strange Brigade is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Secret of Pineview Forest doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.