Choose Beyond Blue
Choose Beyond Blue if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Beyond Blue launched in 2020.
Beyond Blue vs Upstream
Beyond Blue and Upstream both land in Indie, Adventure, 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, Adventure, Casual on Steam. Beyond Blue (2020) is 5 years older than Upstream (2025). Upstream scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Beyond Blue (87.6% 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 Upstream
Choose Upstream if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Upstream launched in 2025.
Both Beyond Blue and Upstream sit in Indie, Adventure, and Casual 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
 Beyond Blue |  Upstream | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual | Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.6% positive (532 reviews) | 100% positive (13 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | E-Line Media | Gllama Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure, Casual on Steam.
- Beyond Blue (2020) is 5 years older than Upstream (2025).
- Upstream scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Beyond Blue (87.6% positive).
- Upstream is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Beyond Blue (7.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Beyond Blue is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Upstream has no Deck rating yet.
Beyond Blue vs Upstream — FAQ
- Should I play Beyond Blue or Upstream first?
- If you want chronology, Beyond Blue (2020) came out before Upstream (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 Beyond Blue and Upstream similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure, 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.
- Does Beyond Blue run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Beyond Blue is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Upstream doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.