Choose Uplink
Choose Uplink if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.7% positive across 1,371 reviews.
Uplink vs Mainlining
Uplink and Mainlining 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. Uplink (2006) is 11 years older than Mainlining (2017). Uplink scores higher on Steam reviews (90.7% positive) than Mainlining (76.4% 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 Mainlining
Choose Mainlining if you want an Adventure and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Mainlining launched in 2017.
Both Uplink and Mainlining 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
 Uplink |  Mainlining | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 8.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.7% positive (1,371 reviews) | 76.4% positive (237 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Introversion Software | Rebelephant |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Uplink (2006) is 11 years older than Mainlining (2017).
- Uplink scores higher on Steam reviews (90.7% positive) than Mainlining (76.4% positive).
- Uplink is currently ~31% cheaper on Steam than Mainlining (8.99 USD vs. 12.99 USD).
- Uplink is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Mainlining has no Deck rating yet.
Uplink vs Mainlining — FAQ
- Which is better, Uplink or Mainlining?
- On Steam reviews Uplink scores higher (90.7% positive) than Mainlining (76.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Uplink is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Uplink or Mainlining first?
- If you want chronology, Uplink (2006) came out before Mainlining (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 Mainlining 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.
- Does Uplink run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Uplink is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Mainlining doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.