IMHO.

Rust vs Red Dead Redemption 2

Rust and Red Dead Redemption 2 both land in Action, 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, Adventure on Steam. Rust (2018) is 1 year older than Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019). Red Dead Redemption 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (91.9% positive) than Rust (86.7% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.

Side-by-side comparison

Rust vs Red Dead Redemption 2 — Steam metadata comparison
Rust — Steam game coverRustRed Dead Redemption 2 — Steam game coverRed Dead Redemption 2
Released20182019
GenresAction, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPGAction, Adventure
PlatformsWindows, macOSWindows
Steam DeckDeck UnsupportedDeck Playable
Price19.99 USD59.99 USD
Steam reviews86.7% positive (519,643 reviews)91.9% positive (295,872 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-opMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-op
DevelopersFacepunch StudiosRockstar Games

Side by side

Rust vs Red Dead Redemption 2 — FAQ

Which is better, Rust or Red Dead Redemption 2?
On Steam reviews Red Dead Redemption 2 scores higher (91.9% positive) than Rust (86.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Red Dead Redemption 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play Rust or Red Dead Redemption 2 first?
If you want chronology, Rust (2018) came out before Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019). 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 Rust and Red Dead Redemption 2 similar?
They overlap on Action, 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.
Do both Rust and Red Dead Redemption 2 have co-op?
Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Rust ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Red Dead Redemption 2 ships Online Co-op, Co-op.