Choose Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots
Choose Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots if you want an Early Access experience. Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots launched in 2020.
Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots vs Arete
Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots and Arete both land in Strategy 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 Strategy games on Steam. Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots (2020) is 5 years older than Arete (2025). Arete scores higher on Steam reviews (94.1% positive) than Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots (52.2% 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 Arete
Choose Arete if you want a Simulation and Casual game with Online PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Arete launched in 2025.
Both Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots and Arete sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen 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
 Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots |  Arete | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Early Access | Strategy, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 52.2% positive (23 reviews) | 94.1% positive (17 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Avalon Digital | Molotov Cockatiel Games, Vasilios Kalpakoglou |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots (2020) is 5 years older than Arete (2025).
- Arete scores higher on Steam reviews (94.1% positive) than Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots (52.2% positive).
- Arete is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots (9.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots vs Arete — FAQ
- Should I play Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots or Arete first?
- If you want chronology, Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots (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 Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots and Arete similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.