Choose Valheim
Choose Valheim if you want an Indie game with DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 93.6% positive across 558,366 reviews.
Valheim vs Permafrost
Valheim and Permafrost both land in Action, Adventure, RPG 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, Adventure, RPG on Steam. Both released in 2026. Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (93.6% positive) than Permafrost (72.7% 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 Permafrost
Choose Permafrost if you want a Simulation and Early Access experience. 1,958 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Valheim and Permafrost sit in Action, Adventure, and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and 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
 Valheim |  Permafrost | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 26.99 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.6% positive (558,366 reviews) | 72.7% positive (1,958 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Iron Gate AB | SpaceRocket Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure, RPG on Steam.
- Both released in 2026.
- Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (93.6% positive) than Permafrost (72.7% positive).
- Permafrost is currently ~7% cheaper on Steam than Valheim (24.99 USD vs. 26.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Valheim is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Permafrost has no Deck rating yet.
Valheim vs Permafrost — FAQ
- Which is better, Valheim or Permafrost?
- On Steam reviews Valheim scores higher (93.6% positive) than Permafrost (72.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Valheim is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Are Valheim and Permafrost similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure, RPG 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 Valheim and Permafrost have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Valheim ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Permafrost ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Valheim run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Valheim is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Permafrost doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.