Choose Pharaonic
Choose Pharaonic if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Pharaonic launched in 2016.
Pharaonic vs The Shadow Cosmos
Pharaonic and The Shadow Cosmos 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. Pharaonic (2016) is 10 years older than The Shadow Cosmos (2026). Pharaonic is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; The Shadow Cosmos has no Deck rating yet. 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 Shadow Cosmos
Choose The Shadow Cosmos if you want the DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support, and Steam Input API Support side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Shadow Cosmos launched in 2026.
Both Pharaonic and The Shadow Cosmos 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
 Pharaonic |  The Shadow Cosmos | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 76.4% positive (123 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Milkstone Studios | MadMedois, SandRaw |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Pharaonic (2016) is 10 years older than The Shadow Cosmos (2026).
- Pharaonic is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; The Shadow Cosmos has no Deck rating yet.
Pharaonic vs The Shadow Cosmos — FAQ
- Should I play Pharaonic or The Shadow Cosmos first?
- If you want chronology, Pharaonic (2016) came out before The Shadow Cosmos (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 Pharaonic and The Shadow Cosmos 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 Pharaonic run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Pharaonic is rated Deck Verified by Valve. The Shadow Cosmos doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.