Choose The Surge
Choose The Surge if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 76.6% positive across 4,366 reviews.
The Surge vs Mortal Shell
The Surge and Mortal Shell both land in Action, RPG 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, RPG on Steam. The Surge (2017) is 4 years older than Mortal Shell (2021). The Surge scores higher on Steam reviews (76.6% positive) than Mortal Shell (69.7% 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 Mortal Shell
Choose Mortal Shell if it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 3,923 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both The Surge and Mortal Shell sit in Action and RPG 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 Surge |  Mortal Shell | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, RPG | Action, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.6% positive (4,366 reviews) | 69.7% positive (3,923 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Deck13 | Cold Symmetry |
Side by side
- Both share Action, RPG on Steam.
- The Surge (2017) is 4 years older than Mortal Shell (2021).
- The Surge scores higher on Steam reviews (76.6% positive) than Mortal Shell (69.7% positive).
- The Surge is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Mortal Shell (14.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: The Surge is Deck Playable, Mortal Shell is Deck Verified.
The Surge vs Mortal Shell — FAQ
- Which is better, The Surge or Mortal Shell?
- On Steam reviews The Surge scores higher (76.6% positive) than Mortal Shell (69.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, The Surge is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Surge or Mortal Shell first?
- If you want chronology, The Surge (2017) came out before Mortal Shell (2021). 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 Surge and Mortal Shell similar?
- They overlap on Action, RPG 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.