Choose System Shock
Choose System Shock if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 7,516 Steam reviews back the pick.
System Shock vs Alien Life Lab
System Shock and Alien Life Lab both land in Action, 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, Adventure on Steam. Alien Life Lab (2022) is 1 year older than System Shock (2023). Alien Life Lab is currently ~88% cheaper on Steam than System Shock (4.99 USD vs. 39.99 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 Alien Life Lab
Choose Alien Life Lab if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 88% cheaper on the Steam Store. Alien Life Lab launched in 2022.
Both System Shock and Alien Life Lab sit in Action 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
 System Shock |  Alien Life Lab | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.9% positive (7,516 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Nightdive Studios | Justin K. Touchstone |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- Alien Life Lab (2022) is 1 year older than System Shock (2023).
- Alien Life Lab is currently ~88% cheaper on Steam than System Shock (4.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- System Shock is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Alien Life Lab has no Deck rating yet.
System Shock vs Alien Life Lab — FAQ
- Should I play System Shock or Alien Life Lab first?
- If you want chronology, Alien Life Lab (2022) came out before System Shock (2023). 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 Alien Life Lab similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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 System Shock run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — System Shock is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Alien Life Lab doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.