Which is better, Crypt of the NecroDancer or Helltaker?

On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Crypt of the NecroDancer sits at 95.5% positive (12,463 reviews), Helltaker at 97.4% (53,748). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.

Should I play Crypt of the NecroDancer or Helltaker first?

If you want chronology, Crypt of the NecroDancer (2015) came out before Helltaker (2020). 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 Crypt of the NecroDancer and Helltaker similar?

They overlap on 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 Helltaker have multiplayer like Crypt of the NecroDancer?

No. Crypt of the NecroDancer supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Helltaker is listed as single-player only.

Yes — Helltaker is a free-to-play Steam title. Crypt of the NecroDancer is paid (14.99 USD).

Crypt of the NecroDancer vs Helltaker

Crypt of the NecroDancer and Helltaker both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. Crypt of the NecroDancer (2015) is 5 years older than Helltaker (2020). Helltaker scores higher on Steam reviews (97.4% positive) than Crypt of the NecroDancer (95.5% 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 Crypt of the NecroDancer

Choose Crypt of the NecroDancer if you want an Action and RPG game with Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 12,463 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Helltaker

Choose Helltaker if you want an Adventure and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 53,748 Steam reviews back the pick.

Both Crypt of the NecroDancer and Helltaker sit in Indie on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (95.5% vs 97.4% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.

Crypt of the NecroDancer vs Helltaker — Steam metadata comparison
	Crypt of the NecroDancer	Helltaker
Released	2015	2020
Genres	Action, Indie, RPG	Indie, Adventure, Free To Play
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Steam Deck	Deck Verified	Deck Playable
Price	14.99 USD	Free to play
Steam reviews	95.5% positive (12,463 reviews)	97.4% positive (53,748 reviews)
Multiplayer	Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op	Single-player only
Developers	Brace Yourself Games	vanripper

Side by side

Both are Indie games on Steam.
Crypt of the NecroDancer (2015) is 5 years older than Helltaker (2020).
Helltaker scores higher on Steam reviews (97.4% positive) than Crypt of the NecroDancer (95.5% positive).
Helltaker is free; Crypt of the NecroDancer is paid (14.99 USD).
Crypt of the NecroDancer has co-op; Helltaker does not.
Steam Deck: Crypt of the NecroDancer is Deck Verified, Helltaker is Deck Playable.