Choose Pathway
Choose Pathway if you want an Adventure and RPG experience. 1,178 Steam reviews back the pick.
Pathway vs NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics
Pathway and NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics (2017) is 2 years older than Pathway (2019). NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics scores higher on Steam reviews (78.2% positive) than Pathway (75.2% 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 NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics
Choose NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics launched in 2017.
Both Pathway and NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics sit in Strategy 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
 Pathway |  NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 15.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 75.2% positive (1,178 reviews) | 78.2% positive (55 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Robotality | Post Mortem Pixels |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics (2017) is 2 years older than Pathway (2019).
- NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics scores higher on Steam reviews (78.2% positive) than Pathway (75.2% positive).
- NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Pathway (3.99 USD vs. 15.99 USD).
- Pathway is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics has no Deck rating yet.
Pathway vs NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics — FAQ
- Should I play Pathway or NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics first?
- If you want chronology, NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics (2017) came out before Pathway (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 Pathway and NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.
- Does Pathway run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Pathway is rated Deck Playable by Valve. NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.