Choose Creaks
Choose Creaks if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 1,902 Steam reviews back the pick.
Creaks vs Shadow Alchemist
Creaks and Shadow Alchemist both land in Indie, Adventure, 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, Adventure, Casual on Steam. Creaks (2020) is 4 years older than Shadow Alchemist (2024). Shadow Alchemist scores higher on Steam reviews (98.8% positive) than Creaks (95.8% 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 Shadow Alchemist
Choose Shadow Alchemist if it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shadow Alchemist launched in 2024.
Both Creaks and Shadow Alchemist sit in Indie, Adventure, and Casual 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
 Creaks |  Shadow Alchemist | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2024 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Casual | Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.8% positive (1,902 reviews) | 98.8% positive (85 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Amanita Design | PostHuman Interactive |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure, Casual on Steam.
- Creaks (2020) is 4 years older than Shadow Alchemist (2024).
- Shadow Alchemist scores higher on Steam reviews (98.8% positive) than Creaks (95.8% positive).
- Shadow Alchemist is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Creaks (3.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Creaks is Deck Verified, Shadow Alchemist is Deck Playable.
Creaks vs Shadow Alchemist — FAQ
- Should I play Creaks or Shadow Alchemist first?
- If you want chronology, Creaks (2020) came out before Shadow Alchemist (2024). 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 Creaks and Shadow Alchemist similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure, 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.