Choose Codenames
Choose Codenames if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Steam Turn Notifications, and Shared/Split Screen PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Codenames launched in 2020.
Codenames vs Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition
Codenames and Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition both land in Indie, 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, Casual on Steam. Codenames (2020) is 2 years older than Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition (2022). Codenames has co-op; Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition does not. 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 Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition
Choose Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition if you want a Strategy experience. Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition launched in 2022.
Both Codenames and Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition sit in Indie and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 Codenames |  Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Genres | Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Price unknown | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | — | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | CGE Digital | Fluxean |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Codenames (2020) is 2 years older than Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition (2022).
- Codenames has co-op; Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition does not.
Codenames vs Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition — FAQ
- Should I play Codenames or Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition first?
- If you want chronology, Codenames (2020) came out before Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition (2022). 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 Codenames and Lights, Camera, Reaction! IRL Edition similar?
- They overlap on Indie, 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.