Choose Shio
Choose Shio if it's currently about 29% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shio launched in 2017.
Shio vs Spectrolite
Shio and Spectrolite both land in Action, Indie 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 on Steam. Shio (2017) is 4 years older than Spectrolite (2021). Spectrolite scores higher on Steam reviews (88.9% positive) than Shio (74.2% 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 Spectrolite
Choose Spectrolite if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Spectrolite launched in 2021.
Both Shio and Spectrolite sit in Action and Indie 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
 Shio |  Spectrolite | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 16.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 74.2% positive (31 reviews) | 88.9% positive (27 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Coconut Island Studio | Noel Hetei, Andor Valentiny |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Shio (2017) is 4 years older than Spectrolite (2021).
- Spectrolite scores higher on Steam reviews (88.9% positive) than Shio (74.2% positive).
- Shio is currently ~29% cheaper on Steam than Spectrolite (11.99 USD vs. 16.99 USD).
Shio vs Spectrolite — FAQ
- Should I play Shio or Spectrolite first?
- If you want chronology, Shio (2017) came out before Spectrolite (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 Shio and Spectrolite similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie 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.