Choose PAYDAY 2
Choose PAYDAY 2 if you want the Tracked Controller Support, VR Supported, and Camera Comfort side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 174,145 Steam reviews back the pick.
PAYDAY 2 vs CriminalZ
PAYDAY 2 and CriminalZ both land in Action, 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, RPG on Steam. Both support cooperative play. PAYDAY 2 is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; CriminalZ has no Deck rating yet. 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 CriminalZ
Choose CriminalZ if you want an Indie and Early Access game with Color Alternatives and #category_contrast_controls.
Both PAYDAY 2 and CriminalZ sit in Action and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Stereo Sound, 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
 PAYDAY 2 |  CriminalZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | — |
| Genres | Action, RPG | Action, Indie, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 87.3% positive (174,145 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | OVERKILL - a Starbreeze Studio. | CriminalZ Team |
Side by side
- Both share Action, RPG on Steam.
- Both support cooperative play.
- PAYDAY 2 is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; CriminalZ has no Deck rating yet.
PAYDAY 2 vs CriminalZ — FAQ
- Are PAYDAY 2 and CriminalZ similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Do both PAYDAY 2 and CriminalZ have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: PAYDAY 2 ships Online Co-op, Co-op; CriminalZ ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does PAYDAY 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — PAYDAY 2 is rated Deck Verified by Valve. CriminalZ doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.