Choose The Initial
Choose The Initial if it matches what drew you to this matchup. The Initial launched in 2017.
The Initial vs Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards
The Initial and Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards both land in Action, Indie, 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, Indie, Adventure on Steam. The Initial (2017) is 4 years older than Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards (2021). Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards scores higher on Steam reviews (80% positive) than The Initial (66.7% 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 Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards
Choose Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards if it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards launched in 2021.
Both The Initial and Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards sit in Action, Indie, 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
 The Initial |  Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.7% positive (183 reviews) | 80% positive (20 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Restory Studio | Digiart Interactive, N-Fusion Interactive |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Initial (2017) is 4 years older than Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards (2021).
- Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards scores higher on Steam reviews (80% positive) than The Initial (66.7% positive).
- Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than The Initial (9.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- The Initial is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards has no Deck rating yet.
The Initial vs Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards — FAQ
- Should I play The Initial or Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards first?
- If you want chronology, The Initial (2017) came out before Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards (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 The Initial and Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, 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 The Initial run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Initial is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Aluna: Sentinel of the Shards doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.