Choose The Forest
Choose The Forest if you want the Multi-player, Online Co-op, and LAN Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 175,474 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Forest vs Project Cobalt
The Forest and Project Cobalt both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. The Forest (2018) is 7 years older than Project Cobalt (2025). The Forest scores higher on Steam reviews (95.3% positive) than Project Cobalt (61.5% 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 Project Cobalt
Choose Project Cobalt if you want a Strategy, RPG, and Early Access game with Custom Volume Controls, Stereo Sound, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's currently about 45% cheaper on the Steam Store. Project Cobalt launched in 2025.
Both The Forest and Project Cobalt sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure 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
 The Forest |  Project Cobalt | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 10.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.3% positive (175,474 reviews) | 61.5% positive (26 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Endnight Games Ltd | OxygenStudio |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Forest (2018) is 7 years older than Project Cobalt (2025).
- The Forest scores higher on Steam reviews (95.3% positive) than Project Cobalt (61.5% positive).
- Project Cobalt is currently ~45% cheaper on Steam than The Forest (10.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- The Forest has co-op; Project Cobalt does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
The Forest vs Project Cobalt — FAQ
- Should I play The Forest or Project Cobalt first?
- If you want chronology, The Forest (2018) came out before Project Cobalt (2025). 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 The Forest and Project Cobalt similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Project Cobalt have multiplayer like The Forest?
- No. The Forest supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op), while Project Cobalt is listed as single-player only.