Choose The Painscreek Killings
Choose The Painscreek Killings if you want an Adventure experience. 2,765 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Painscreek Killings vs Dead Air
The Painscreek Killings and Dead Air 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. The Painscreek Killings (2017) is 8 years older than Dead Air (2025). Dead Air is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than The Painscreek Killings (1.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 Dead Air
Choose Dead Air if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. Dead Air launched in 2025.
Both The Painscreek Killings and Dead Air sit in 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
 The Painscreek Killings |  Dead Air | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89% positive (2,765 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | EQ Studios | Blue Feather |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- The Painscreek Killings (2017) is 8 years older than Dead Air (2025).
- Dead Air is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than The Painscreek Killings (1.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- The Painscreek Killings is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Dead Air has no Deck rating yet.
The Painscreek Killings vs Dead Air — FAQ
- Should I play The Painscreek Killings or Dead Air first?
- If you want chronology, The Painscreek Killings (2017) came out before Dead Air (2025). 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 The Painscreek Killings and Dead Air 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.
- Does The Painscreek Killings run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Painscreek Killings is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Dead Air doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.