Choose Just Shapes & Beats
Choose Just Shapes & Beats if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 13,012 Steam reviews back the pick.
Just Shapes & Beats vs Phase Shift
Just Shapes & Beats and Phase Shift both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. Just Shapes & Beats (2018) is 1 year older than Phase Shift (2019). Just Shapes & Beats scores higher on Steam reviews (97.4% positive) than Phase Shift (68.2% 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 Phase Shift
Choose Phase Shift if you want a Simulation, Casual, and Early Access experience. Phase Shift launched in 2019.
Both Just Shapes & Beats and Phase Shift sit in Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, 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
 Just Shapes & Beats |  Phase Shift | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Indie, Simulation, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 19.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 97.4% positive (13,012 reviews) | 68.2% positive (85 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | Berzerk Studio | DWSK Ltd |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Just Shapes & Beats (2018) is 1 year older than Phase Shift (2019).
- Just Shapes & Beats scores higher on Steam reviews (97.4% positive) than Phase Shift (68.2% positive).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Just Shapes & Beats is Deck Verified, Phase Shift is Deck Unsupported.
Just Shapes & Beats vs Phase Shift — FAQ
- Should I play Just Shapes & Beats or Phase Shift first?
- If you want chronology, Just Shapes & Beats (2018) came out before Phase Shift (2019). 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 Just Shapes & Beats and Phase Shift similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Do both Just Shapes & Beats and Phase Shift have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Just Shapes & Beats ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Phase Shift ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.