IMHO.

Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game vs Arete

Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game and Arete both land in Strategy, Simulation 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 Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game (2020) is 5 years older than Arete (2025). Arete scores higher on Steam reviews (94.1% positive) than Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game (84.8% 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 Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game

Choose Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game if you want an Indie and Early Access game with LAN PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game launched in 2020.

Choose Arete

Choose Arete if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Arete launched in 2025.

Both Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game and Arete sit in Strategy and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, 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

Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game vs Arete — Steam metadata comparison
Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game — Steam game coverLock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core GameArete — Steam game coverArete
Released20202025
GenresStrategy, Indie, Simulation, Early AccessStrategy, Simulation, Casual
PlatformsWindows, macOSWindows, macOS
Steam DeckDeck PlayableUnrated
Price4.99 USD9.99 USD
Steam reviews84.8% positive (401 reviews)94.1% positive (17 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Cross-Platform MultiplayerMulti-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer
DevelopersLock 'n Load PublishingMolotov Cockatiel Games, Vasilios Kalpakoglou

Side by side

Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game vs Arete — FAQ

Should I play Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game or Arete first?
If you want chronology, Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game (2020) came out before Arete (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 Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game and Arete similar?
They overlap on Strategy, Simulation 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.
Does Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game run on Steam Deck?
Yes — Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Arete doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
Lock 'n Load Tactical Digital: Core Game vs Arete · imho.run