Choose Nano Nebula
Choose Nano Nebula if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Nano Nebula launched in 2018.
Nano Nebula vs Malicious Payload
Nano Nebula and Malicious Payload 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. Nano Nebula (2018) is 3 years older than Malicious Payload (2021). Malicious Payload is currently ~97% cheaper on Steam than Nano Nebula (0.49 USD vs. 14.99 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 Malicious Payload
Choose Malicious Payload if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 97% cheaper on the Steam Store. Malicious Payload launched in 2021.
Both Nano Nebula and Malicious Payload sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Tracked Controller Support and VR Only, 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
 Nano Nebula |  Malicious Payload | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 0.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 4 reviews | 6 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Pretty Okay Games | Last Howl |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Nano Nebula (2018) is 3 years older than Malicious Payload (2021).
- Malicious Payload is currently ~97% cheaper on Steam than Nano Nebula (0.49 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
Nano Nebula vs Malicious Payload — FAQ
- Should I play Nano Nebula or Malicious Payload first?
- If you want chronology, Nano Nebula (2018) came out before Malicious Payload (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 Nano Nebula and Malicious Payload 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.