Choose System Shock
Choose System Shock if you want an Adventure experience. 7,516 Steam reviews back the pick.
System Shock vs The Hive Pandemic
System Shock and The Hive Pandemic both land in Action 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 are Action games on Steam. System Shock (2023) is 3 years older than The Hive Pandemic (2026). System Shock is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Hive Pandemic 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 Hive Pandemic
Choose The Hive Pandemic if it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Hive Pandemic launched in 2026.
Both System Shock and The Hive Pandemic sit in Action 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
 System Shock |  The Hive Pandemic | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 39.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 90.9% positive (7,516 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Nightdive Studios | Starving Lama Games |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- System Shock (2023) is 3 years older than The Hive Pandemic (2026).
- System Shock is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Hive Pandemic has no Deck rating yet.
System Shock vs The Hive Pandemic — FAQ
- Should I play System Shock or The Hive Pandemic first?
- If you want chronology, System Shock (2023) came out before The Hive Pandemic (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 System Shock and The Hive Pandemic similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 System Shock run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — System Shock is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Hive Pandemic doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.