Choose Grim Horde
Choose Grim Horde if you want a Free To Play and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Grim Horde launched in 2022.
Grim Horde vs Chess Survivors
Grim Horde and Chess Survivors both land in Action, Indie, RPG 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, RPG on Steam. Grim Horde (2022) is 1 year older than Chess Survivors (2023). Chess Survivors scores higher on Steam reviews (88.6% positive) than Grim Horde (38.5% 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 Chess Survivors
Choose Chess Survivors if you want a Strategy experience. Chess Survivors launched in 2023.
Both Grim Horde and Chess Survivors sit in Action, Indie, and RPG 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
 Grim Horde |  Chess Survivors | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, RPG, Free To Play, Casual, Early Access | Action, Strategy, Indie, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 38.5% positive (52 reviews) | 88.6% positive (123 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Red Koi Box | Aarimous |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Grim Horde (2022) is 1 year older than Chess Survivors (2023).
- Chess Survivors scores higher on Steam reviews (88.6% positive) than Grim Horde (38.5% positive).
- Grim Horde is free; Chess Survivors is paid (4.99 USD).
Grim Horde vs Chess Survivors — FAQ
- Should I play Grim Horde or Chess Survivors first?
- If you want chronology, Grim Horde (2022) came out before Chess Survivors (2023). 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 Grim Horde and Chess Survivors similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, RPG 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.
- Is Grim Horde free?
- Yes — Grim Horde is a free-to-play Steam title. Chess Survivors is paid (4.99 USD).