Choose Phase Shift
Choose Phase Shift if you want the Online PvP, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. Phase Shift launched in 2019.
Phase Shift vs Encore
Phase Shift and Encore both land in Indie, Simulation, Casual 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 Indie, Simulation, Casual on Steam. Encore is free; Phase Shift is paid (Price unknown). Both support cooperative play. 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 Encore
Choose Encore if you want an Action and Free To Play game with Gamepad Recommended, Subtitle Options, and Color Alternatives. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero.
Both Phase Shift and Encore sit in Indie, Simulation, and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op, 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
 Phase Shift |  Encore | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | — |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Casual, Early Access | Action, Indie, Simulation, Free To Play, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | Price unknown | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 68.2% positive (85 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | DWSK Ltd | Encore Developers |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation, Casual on Steam.
- Encore is free; Phase Shift is paid (Price unknown).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Phase Shift is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Encore has no Deck rating yet.
Phase Shift vs Encore — FAQ
- Are Phase Shift and Encore similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation, Casual 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 Phase Shift and Encore have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Phase Shift ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Encore ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Encore free?
- Yes — Encore is a free-to-play Steam title. Phase Shift is paid (Price unknown).