Choose Hollow Knight
Choose Hollow Knight if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 176,306 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hollow Knight vs The Growth Journey
Hollow Knight and The Growth Journey 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. The Growth Journey (2016) is 1 year older than Hollow Knight (2017). Hollow Knight scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than The Growth Journey (0% 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 Growth Journey
Choose The Growth Journey if it's currently about 73% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Growth Journey launched in 2016.
Both Hollow Knight and The Growth Journey 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
 Hollow Knight |  The Growth Journey | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.1% positive (176,306 reviews) | 0% positive (10 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Team Cherry | Cleverweek |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Growth Journey (2016) is 1 year older than Hollow Knight (2017).
- Hollow Knight scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than The Growth Journey (0% positive).
- The Growth Journey is currently ~73% cheaper on Steam than Hollow Knight (3.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Hollow Knight is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; The Growth Journey has no Deck rating yet.
Hollow Knight vs The Growth Journey — FAQ
- Should I play Hollow Knight or The Growth Journey first?
- If you want chronology, The Growth Journey (2016) came out before Hollow Knight (2017). 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 Hollow Knight and The Growth Journey 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 Hollow Knight run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hollow Knight is rated Deck Verified by Valve. The Growth Journey doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.