Choose DEFCON
Choose DEFCON if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. 2,711 Steam reviews back the pick.
DEFCON vs RUNNING WITH RIFLES
DEFCON and RUNNING WITH RIFLES 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. DEFCON (2006) is 9 years older than RUNNING WITH RIFLES (2015). RUNNING WITH RIFLES scores higher on Steam reviews (89.1% positive) than DEFCON (88% 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 RUNNING WITH RIFLES
Choose RUNNING WITH RIFLES if you want an Action experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2015) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 5,049 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both DEFCON and RUNNING WITH RIFLES sit in Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (88% vs 89.1% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 DEFCON |  RUNNING WITH RIFLES | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2015 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88% positive (2,711 reviews) | 89.1% positive (5,049 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Introversion Software | Osumia Games |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- DEFCON (2006) is 9 years older than RUNNING WITH RIFLES (2015).
- RUNNING WITH RIFLES scores higher on Steam reviews (89.1% positive) than DEFCON (88% positive).
- DEFCON is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than RUNNING WITH RIFLES (11.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: DEFCON is Deck Playable, RUNNING WITH RIFLES is Deck Verified.
DEFCON vs RUNNING WITH RIFLES — FAQ
- Which is better, DEFCON or RUNNING WITH RIFLES?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: DEFCON sits at 88% positive (2,711 reviews), RUNNING WITH RIFLES at 89.1% (5,049). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play DEFCON or RUNNING WITH RIFLES first?
- If you want chronology, DEFCON (2006) came out before RUNNING WITH RIFLES (2015). 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 DEFCON and RUNNING WITH RIFLES 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.
- Do both DEFCON and RUNNING WITH RIFLES have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: DEFCON ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; RUNNING WITH RIFLES ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.