Choose Grim Dawn
Choose Grim Dawn if you want an Indie and Adventure game with LAN Co-op. 39,041 Steam reviews back the pick.
Grim Dawn vs Ascendants Rising
Grim Dawn and Ascendants Rising 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. Grim Dawn (2016) is 5 years older than Ascendants Rising (2021). Ascendants Rising is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Grim Dawn (19.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD). 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 Ascendants Rising
Choose Ascendants Rising if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Ascendants Rising launched in 2021.
Both Grim Dawn and Ascendants Rising sit in Action and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op, 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 Dawn |  Ascendants Rising | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.1% positive (39,041 reviews) | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Crate Entertainment | Limitless Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, RPG on Steam.
- Grim Dawn (2016) is 5 years older than Ascendants Rising (2021).
- Ascendants Rising is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Grim Dawn (19.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Grim Dawn is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Ascendants Rising has no Deck rating yet.
Grim Dawn vs Ascendants Rising — FAQ
- Should I play Grim Dawn or Ascendants Rising first?
- If you want chronology, Grim Dawn (2016) came out before Ascendants Rising (2021). 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 Dawn and Ascendants Rising 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 Grim Dawn and Ascendants Rising have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Grim Dawn ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Ascendants Rising ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Grim Dawn run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Grim Dawn is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Ascendants Rising doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.