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 93.8% positive across 552,023 reviews.
Valheim vs The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™
Valheim and The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ 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. The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ (2024) is 2 years older than Valheim (2026). Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (93.8% positive) than The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ (80.5% 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 The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™
Choose The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 6,485 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Valheim and The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ 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 |  The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.8% positive (552,023 reviews) | 80.5% positive (6,485 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Iron Gate AB | Free Range Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure, RPG on Steam.
- The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ (2024) is 2 years older than Valheim (2026).
- Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (93.8% positive) than The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ (80.5% positive).
- The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Valheim (29.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Valheim is Deck Verified, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ is Deck Playable.
Valheim vs The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ — FAQ
- Which is better, Valheim or The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™?
- On Steam reviews Valheim scores higher (93.8% positive) than The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ (80.5% 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.
- Should I play Valheim or The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ first?
- If you want chronology, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ (2024) came out before Valheim (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 The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ 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 The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Valheim ships Online Co-op, Co-op; The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ ships Online Co-op, Co-op.