Choose Lightmatter
Choose Lightmatter if you want an Adventure experience. Lightmatter launched in 2020.
Lightmatter vs Lab Rat
Lightmatter and Lab Rat both land in Indie 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 are Indie games on Steam. Lightmatter (2020) is 5 years older than Lab Rat (2025). Lab Rat scores higher on Steam reviews (98% positive) than Lightmatter (92.9% 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 Lab Rat
Choose Lab Rat if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 98% positive across 245 reviews.
Both Lightmatter and Lab Rat sit in Indie 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
 Lightmatter |  Lab Rat | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 92.9% positive (437 reviews) | 98% positive (245 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Tunnel Vision Games | Chump Squad |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Lightmatter (2020) is 5 years older than Lab Rat (2025).
- Lab Rat scores higher on Steam reviews (98% positive) than Lightmatter (92.9% positive).
- Lab Rat is currently ~35% cheaper on Steam than Lightmatter (12.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Lightmatter vs Lab Rat — FAQ
- Which is better, Lightmatter or Lab Rat?
- On Steam reviews Lab Rat scores higher (98% positive) than Lightmatter (92.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Lab Rat is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Lightmatter or Lab Rat first?
- If you want chronology, Lightmatter (2020) came out before Lab Rat (2025). 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 Lightmatter and Lab Rat similar?
- They overlap on Indie 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.