Choose Heliophobia
Choose Heliophobia if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it's currently about 93% cheaper on the Steam Store. Heliophobia launched in 2018.
Heliophobia vs Pathologic 3
Heliophobia and Pathologic 3 both land in 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 Indie, Adventure on Steam. Heliophobia (2018) is 8 years older than Pathologic 3 (2026). Heliophobia scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Pathologic 3 (87% 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 Pathologic 3
Choose Pathologic 3 if you want a Simulation and RPG game with Camera Comfort, Custom Volume Controls, and Stereo Sound. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Pathologic 3 launched in 2026.
Both Heliophobia and Pathologic 3 sit in Indie and Adventure 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
 Heliophobia |  Pathologic 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 2.49 USD | 34.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 100% positive (13 reviews) | 87% positive (994 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Glass Knuckle Games | Ice-Pick Lodge |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Heliophobia (2018) is 8 years older than Pathologic 3 (2026).
- Heliophobia scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Pathologic 3 (87% positive).
- Heliophobia is currently ~93% cheaper on Steam than Pathologic 3 (2.49 USD vs. 34.99 USD).
- Pathologic 3 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Heliophobia has no Deck rating yet.
Heliophobia vs Pathologic 3 — FAQ
- Should I play Heliophobia or Pathologic 3 first?
- If you want chronology, Heliophobia (2018) came out before Pathologic 3 (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 Heliophobia and Pathologic 3 similar?
- They overlap on 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.