Rust vs Valheim
Rust and Valheim 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 3 years older than Valheim (2021). Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (94.7% 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 |  Valheim | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.7% positive (519,643 reviews) | 94.7% positive (254,749 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Facepunch Studios | Iron Gate AB |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Rust (2018) is 3 years older than Valheim (2021).
- Valheim scores higher on Steam reviews (94.7% positive) than Rust (86.7% positive).
- Valheim is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Rust (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Rust is Deck Unsupported, Valheim is Deck Verified.
Rust vs Valheim — FAQ
- Which is better, Rust or Valheim?
- On Steam reviews Valheim scores higher (94.7% positive) than Rust (86.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Valheim 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 Valheim first?
- If you want chronology, Rust (2018) came out before Valheim (2021). 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 Valheim 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.
- Do both Rust and Valheim have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Rust ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Valheim ships Online Co-op, Co-op.