Choose Rust
Choose Rust if you want a Massively Multiplayer and RPG game with Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 519,643 Steam reviews back the pick.
Rust vs After The War
Rust and After The War 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. Rust (2018) is 2 years older than After The War (2020). Rust scores higher on Steam reviews (86.7% positive) than After The War (46.2% 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 After The War
Choose After The War if you want a Simulation and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 88% cheaper on the Steam Store. After The War launched in 2020.
Both Rust and After The War 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
 Rust |  After The War | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.7% positive (519,643 reviews) | 46.2% positive (13 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Facepunch Studios | piratecat games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Rust (2018) is 2 years older than After The War (2020).
- Rust scores higher on Steam reviews (86.7% positive) than After The War (46.2% positive).
- After The War is currently ~88% cheaper on Steam than Rust (4.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Rust has co-op; After The War does not.
- Rust is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; After The War has no Deck rating yet.
Rust vs After The War — FAQ
- Should I play Rust or After The War first?
- If you want chronology, Rust (2018) came out before After The War (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 Rust and After The War 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 After The War have multiplayer like Rust?
- No. Rust supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while After The War is listed as single-player only.