Choose Don't Play This
Choose Don't Play This if you want a Simulation experience. Don't Play This launched in 2026.
Don't Play This vs Shieven
Don't Play This and Shieven 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. Shieven (2025) is 1 year older than Don't Play This (2026). Shieven is free; Don't Play This is paid (8.99 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 Shieven
Choose Shieven if you want an Action and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Shieven launched in 2025.
Both Don't Play This and Shieven 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
 Don't Play This |  Shieven | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Simulation | Action, Indie, Adventure, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 8.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 86% positive (164 reviews) | 9 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Admia, a1esska, Notex | Velicron Innovations |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Shieven (2025) is 1 year older than Don't Play This (2026).
- Shieven is free; Don't Play This is paid (8.99 USD).
- Don't Play This is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Shieven has no Deck rating yet.
Don't Play This vs Shieven — FAQ
- Should I play Don't Play This or Shieven first?
- If you want chronology, Shieven (2025) came out before Don't Play This (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 Don't Play This and Shieven 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.
- Is Shieven free?
- Yes — Shieven is a free-to-play Steam title. Don't Play This is paid (8.99 USD).
- Does Don't Play This run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Don't Play This is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Shieven doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.