Choose Serious Sam II
Choose Serious Sam II if you want the Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 3,329 Steam reviews back the pick.
Serious Sam II vs Action Alien
Serious Sam II and Action Alien 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. Serious Sam II (2012) is 3 years older than Action Alien (2015). Serious Sam II scores higher on Steam reviews (87.8% positive) than Action Alien (66.3% 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 Action Alien
Choose Action Alien if you want an Adventure and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Action Alien launched in 2015.
Both Serious Sam II and Action Alien sit in Action and 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
 Serious Sam II |  Action Alien | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.8% positive (3,329 reviews) | 66.3% positive (98 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Croteam | Devdan Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Serious Sam II (2012) is 3 years older than Action Alien (2015).
- Serious Sam II scores higher on Steam reviews (87.8% positive) than Action Alien (66.3% positive).
- Action Alien is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Serious Sam II (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Serious Sam II has co-op; Action Alien does not.
- Serious Sam II is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Action Alien has no Deck rating yet.
Serious Sam II vs Action Alien — FAQ
- Should I play Serious Sam II or Action Alien first?
- If you want chronology, Serious Sam II (2012) came out before Action Alien (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 Serious Sam II and Action Alien 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.
- Does Action Alien have multiplayer like Serious Sam II?
- No. Serious Sam II supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Action Alien is listed as single-player only.
- Does Serious Sam II run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Serious Sam II is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Action Alien doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.