Choose Valheim
Choose Valheim if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 254,749 Steam reviews back the pick.
Valheim vs Brightfall
Valheim and Brightfall 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. Valheim (2021) is 5 years older than Brightfall (2026). 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 Brightfall
Choose Brightfall if you want the Surround Sound side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Brightfall launched in 2026.
Both Valheim and Brightfall sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Camera Comfort, 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 |  Brightfall | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Early Access | Action, Indie, Adventure, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 94.7% positive (254,749 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Iron Gate AB | Dark Point Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Valheim (2021) is 5 years older than Brightfall (2026).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Valheim is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Brightfall has no Deck rating yet.
Valheim vs Brightfall — FAQ
- Should I play Valheim or Brightfall first?
- If you want chronology, Valheim (2021) came out before Brightfall (2026). 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 Valheim and Brightfall 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.
- Do both Valheim and Brightfall have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Valheim ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Brightfall ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Valheim run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Valheim is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Brightfall doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.