Choose Astral Ascent
Choose Astral Ascent if you want an Adventure game with Shared/Split Screen and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 1,699 Steam reviews back the pick.
Astral Ascent vs Arcane Blast
Astral Ascent and Arcane Blast both land in Action, 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 share Action, Indie on Steam. Astral Ascent (2023) is 1 year older than Arcane Blast (2024). Astral Ascent scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than Arcane Blast (72.4% 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 Arcane Blast
Choose Arcane Blast if you want the Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Arcane Blast launched in 2024.
Both Astral Ascent and Arcane Blast sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, 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
 Astral Ascent |  Arcane Blast | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.5% positive (1,699 reviews) | 72.4% positive (29 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Hibernian Workshop | Campfire Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Astral Ascent (2023) is 1 year older than Arcane Blast (2024).
- Astral Ascent scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than Arcane Blast (72.4% positive).
- Arcane Blast is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Astral Ascent (9.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Astral Ascent is Deck Verified, Arcane Blast is Deck Playable.
Astral Ascent vs Arcane Blast — FAQ
- Should I play Astral Ascent or Arcane Blast first?
- If you want chronology, Astral Ascent (2023) came out before Arcane Blast (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 Astral Ascent and Arcane Blast similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Do both Astral Ascent and Arcane Blast have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Astral Ascent ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Arcane Blast ships Online Co-op, Co-op.