Choose Rust
Choose Rust if you want an Indie, Massively Multiplayer, and RPG game with MMO, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 86.7% positive across 519,643 reviews.
Rust vs Hurtworld
Rust and Hurtworld 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 Hurtworld (2019). Rust scores higher on Steam reviews (86.7% positive) than Hurtworld (62.7% 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 Hurtworld
Choose Hurtworld if you want a Simulation experience. 4,703 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Rust and Hurtworld sit in Action and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player and 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
 Rust |  Hurtworld | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG | Action, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.7% positive (519,643 reviews) | 62.7% positive (4,703 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op |
| Developers | Facepunch Studios | Bankroll Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- Rust (2018) is 1 year older than Hurtworld (2019).
- Rust scores higher on Steam reviews (86.7% positive) than Hurtworld (62.7% positive).
- Rust is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Hurtworld (19.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Rust vs Hurtworld — FAQ
- Which is better, Rust or Hurtworld?
- On Steam reviews Rust scores higher (86.7% positive) than Hurtworld (62.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Rust 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 Hurtworld first?
- If you want chronology, Rust (2018) came out before Hurtworld (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 Hurtworld 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 Hurtworld have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Rust ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Hurtworld ships Co-op.