Choose CastleStorm
Choose CastleStorm if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. CastleStorm launched in 2013.
CastleStorm vs Bardbarian
CastleStorm and Bardbarian both land in Action, Strategy, 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, Strategy, Indie on Steam. CastleStorm (2013) is 1 year older than Bardbarian (2014). Bardbarian scores higher on Steam reviews (88.5% positive) than CastleStorm (87.5% 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 Bardbarian
Choose Bardbarian if you want an Adventure, RPG, and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Bardbarian launched in 2014.
Both CastleStorm and Bardbarian sit in Action, Strategy, and Indie on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (87.5% vs 88.5% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 CastleStorm |  Bardbarian | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2014 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.5% positive (706 reviews) | 88.5% positive (435 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Zen Studios | TreeFortress Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- CastleStorm (2013) is 1 year older than Bardbarian (2014).
- Bardbarian scores higher on Steam reviews (88.5% positive) than CastleStorm (87.5% positive).
- Bardbarian is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than CastleStorm (7.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- CastleStorm has co-op; Bardbarian does not.
- CastleStorm is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Bardbarian has no Deck rating yet.
CastleStorm vs Bardbarian — FAQ
- Which is better, CastleStorm or Bardbarian?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: CastleStorm sits at 87.5% positive (706 reviews), Bardbarian at 88.5% (435). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play CastleStorm or Bardbarian first?
- If you want chronology, CastleStorm (2013) came out before Bardbarian (2014). 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 CastleStorm and Bardbarian similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy, 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 Bardbarian have multiplayer like CastleStorm?
- No. CastleStorm supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Co-op), while Bardbarian is listed as single-player only.
- Does CastleStorm run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — CastleStorm is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Bardbarian doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.