Choose Uplink
Choose Uplink if it's currently about 40% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,371 Steam reviews back the pick.
Uplink vs Darknet
Uplink and Darknet both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. Uplink (2006) is 11 years older than Darknet (2017). Both sit near 90% positive on Steam (Uplink: 1,371 reviews, Darknet: 60). 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 Darknet
Choose Darknet if you want the Tracked Controller Support and VR Supported side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Darknet launched in 2017.
Both Uplink and Darknet sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (90.7% vs 90% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Uplink |  Darknet | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 8.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.7% positive (1,371 reviews) | 90% positive (60 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Introversion Software | E McNeill |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Uplink (2006) is 11 years older than Darknet (2017).
- Both sit near 90% positive on Steam (Uplink: 1,371 reviews, Darknet: 60).
- Uplink is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Darknet (8.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Uplink vs Darknet — FAQ
- Should I play Uplink or Darknet first?
- If you want chronology, Uplink (2006) came out before Darknet (2017). 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 Uplink and Darknet similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.