Choose Nuclear Throne
Choose Nuclear Throne if you want a RPG game with Steam Leaderboards, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 9,705 Steam reviews back the pick.
Nuclear Throne vs Final Directive
Nuclear Throne and Final Directive 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. Nuclear Throne (2015) is 3 years older than Final Directive (2018). Nuclear Throne scores higher on Steam reviews (96.5% positive) than Final Directive (86.3% 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 Final Directive
Choose Final Directive if you want a Strategy and Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 83% cheaper on the Steam Store. Final Directive launched in 2018.
Both Nuclear Throne and Final Directive sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen 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
 Nuclear Throne |  Final Directive | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2018 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, RPG | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.5% positive (9,705 reviews) | 86.3% positive (73 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Vlambeer | Lazy Monday Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Nuclear Throne (2015) is 3 years older than Final Directive (2018).
- Nuclear Throne scores higher on Steam reviews (96.5% positive) than Final Directive (86.3% positive).
- Final Directive is currently ~83% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Throne (1.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Nuclear Throne is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Final Directive has no Deck rating yet.
Nuclear Throne vs Final Directive — FAQ
- Should I play Nuclear Throne or Final Directive first?
- If you want chronology, Nuclear Throne (2015) came out before Final Directive (2018). 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 Nuclear Throne and Final Directive 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.
- Do both Nuclear Throne and Final Directive have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Nuclear Throne ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Final Directive ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Nuclear Throne run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Nuclear Throne is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Final Directive doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.