Games like CRUEL
If CRUEL is your kind of game, the closest matches are Shock and Gnaw, Immortal Redneck and ODDCORE — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its combat feels satisfyingly precise, dark and funny. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.
Get personalized picks →CRUEL is a 2025 action indie boomer shooter from solo developer James Dornan that tasks players with surviving procedurally generated runs through challenging combat encounters and boss fights. The game centers on a bullet-parry combat system using a bat that rewards aggressive play with combo-based progression and gambling mechanics that layer risk onto already punishing runs. Checkpoint-based progression and loadout customization provide structure across arcade-style action-adventure sessions, while defenestration mechanics add verticality to the fast-paced combat. Players describe the dark humor and hidden Easter eggs as standing out among the experience. Available for $9.99, the game runs playable on Steam Deck and holds a 95% positive rating from over 1,200 Steam reviews.
About CRUEL: A fast run and gun horror shooter with roguelike elements
Players who liked CRUEL also play
Steam players who put hours into CRUEL also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.
Shock and Gnaw
WHY THIS
Top pick for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Shock and Gnaw is an FPS where you fight an ever growing horde of monsters with a "gun-game" like model for earning new weapons. Kills will earn you stronger weapons. As time progresses, the monsters will become stronger, so take them out as fast as you can before they outpace you!
Immortal Redneck
WHY THIS
Shares procedural generation and a hypnotic mood with CRUEL.
Second-strongest match for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Immortal Redneck is a FPS set in Egypt with rogue-lite elements. Frantic gameplay, twitch controls and an arcade-style feel meet randomly generated dungeons, a complete skill tree, permanent death and 9 classes with different traits.
ODDCORE
WHY THIS
Shares roguelike progression, checkpoint based progression, boomer shooter and an intense mood with CRUEL.
Third-strongest match for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
You have only 5 minutes to stylishly explode your way through the hordes of corrupted entities in a retro FPS, roguelike liminal-nightmare... and Timmee is here to help!
Tower of Guns
WHY THIS
Shares a hypnotic mood with CRUEL.
Ranked #4 for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Tower of Guns is a fast paced first-person-shooter for the twitch gamer... with a few randomized elements to keep it fresh with each playthrough. It's a short burst "Lunch Break FPS"... not unlike Binding of Isaac mixed with Doom 2. Tower of Guns was made by a guy named Joe (with his brother Mike composing the music).
Darkest Depths
WHY THIS
Ranked #5 for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Darkest Depths is a fast-paced, first-person shooter that features RPG elements and mind-blowing movement within a dungeon that becomes more and more dangerous as you traverse deeper. Randomized guns, upgrades, and levels make each play-through fresh and innovative.
Hyper Tunnel
WHY THIS
Ranked #6 for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
A roguelike action game, fly and fight in first person with 6 degrees of freedom!
TROUBLE JUICE
WHY THIS
Shares perk selection with CRUEL.
Ranked #7 for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Trouble Juice is a Side Scrolling Shooter Roguelike set in a TV show tournament that is broadcasted across the universe. Use your character's special abilities, and unlock prizes in the Achievement Bingo. Become the ultimate champion and earn your place in the galaxy's hall of fame!
Ziggurat
WHY THIS
Shares perk selection and procedural generation with CRUEL.
Ranked #8 for CRUEL fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Dungeon-Crawling First Person Shooting at its finest! Fast-paced combat! Dozens of perks, spells and enemies! Level ups! Random Dungeons! Traps! Badass bosses! Carrots!
Reviewers mention these as similar to CRUEL
Surfaced from review text: when other players write 'if you liked X, try Y', we catch the name and resolve it back to a Steam game.
Post Void
WHY THIS
Shares a hypnotic mood with CRUEL.
Reviewers of CRUEL cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Post Void is a hypnotic scramble of early first-person shooter design that values speed above all else. Keep your head full and reach the end; Kill what you can to see it mend; Get the high score or try again.
MULLET MADJACK
WHY THIS
Shares weapon upgrades and an intense mood with CRUEL.
Reviewers of CRUEL cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
MULLET MADJACK is a HIGH-OCTANE-ACTION SHOOTER that put you directly inside a CLASSIC ANIME. Pick your favorite weapon and reach the last floor; Beat your best time or try again. Haste makes waste… OF YOUR ENEMIES!
Quake
WHY THIS
Shares resource management and a retro mood with CRUEL.
Reviewers of CRUEL cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Developed by the award-winning id Software, Quake® is the ground-breaking, original dark fantasy first-person shooter that inspires today’s retro-style FPS games. With Quake (Enhanced), experience the authentic, updated, and visually enhanced version of the original.
DOOM
WHY THIS
Shares an intense mood with CRUEL.
Reviewers of CRUEL cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Now includes all three premium DLC packs (Unto the Evil, Hell Followed, and Bloodfall), maps, modes, and weapons, as well as all feature updates including Arcade Mode, Photo Mode, and the latest Update 6.66, which brings further multiplayer improvements as well as revamps multiplayer progression.
Anger Foot
WHY THIS
Shares a funny mood with CRUEL.
Reviewers of CRUEL cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Anger Foot is a lightning fast action FPS where the only things harder than your ass kicking feet are the ass kicking beats.
Blood Red
WHY THIS
Reviewers of CRUEL cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Blood Red is a co-op survival horror game that can be played with 1-4 players. Figure out the demon and banish it using your special demon hunting kit!
Cheaper alternatives
Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below CRUEL at current Steam store prices.
Garry's Mod
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Indie with CRUEL.
Garry's Mod is a physics sandbox. There aren't any predefined aims or goals. We give you the tools and leave you to play.
Vampire Survivors
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you. Be the bullet hell!
Titanfall® 2
WHY THIS
Priced ~55% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Respawn Entertainment gives you the most advanced titan technology in its new, single player campaign & multiplayer experience. Combine & conquer with new titans & pilots, deadlier weapons, & customization and progression systems that help you and your titan flow as one unstoppable killing force.
Cookie Clicker
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Indie with CRUEL.
An idle game about making cookies! Originally released in 2013 on the web, and actively developed since then. This is the official version for Steam.
WEBFISHING
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Indie with CRUEL.
WEBFISHING a multiplayer chatroom-focused fishing game! Relax and fish (on the web!)
POSTAL 2
WHY THIS
Priced ~90% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Live a week in the life of "The POSTAL Dude"; a hapless everyman just trying to check off some chores. Buying milk, returning an overdue library book, getting Gary Coleman's autograph, what could possibly go wrong?
Buckshot Roulette
WHY THIS
Priced ~70% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Play Russian roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun. Four enter. One leaves. Roll the dice with your life. Good luck!
Brotato
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under CRUEL on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Brotato is a top-down arena shooter roguelite where you play a potato wielding up to 6 weapons at a time to fight off hordes of aliens. Choose from a variety of traits and items to create unique builds and survive until help arrives.
Free alternatives
Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with CRUEL.
The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
Life is Strange - Episode 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Episode 1 now FREE! Life is Strange is an award-winning and critically acclaimed episodic adventure game that allows the player to rewind time and affect the past, present and future.
Ultimate Custom Night
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Welcome to the ultimate FNAF mashup, featuring 50 selectable characters and custom difficulties!
ENA: Dream BBQ
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with CRUEL.
Experience surreal environments and inexplicable characters as ENA in a new wild world.
Indigo Park: Chapter 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Explore the abandoned childhood wonder of Indigo Park! Guided by Rambley the Raccoon, help restore power to the destroyed amusement park while you run from the reason it shut down.
The Looker
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with CRUEL.
You wake up, alone, on a strangely familiar island full of puzzles that will frustrate and annoy you.
Counter-Strike:Global Offensive
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Counter-Strike:Global Offensive (CS:GO) expands upon the team-based action gameplay that it pioneered when it was launched over 2 decades ago. CS:GO features new maps, characters, weapons, and game modes, and delivers updated versions of the classic CS content (de_dust2, etc.).
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Head-to-head comparisons
Plays great on Steam Deck
Valve-Verified or Playable picks from the similar pool — ready to go on Deck out of the box.
ODDCORE
WHY THIS
Shares roguelike progression, checkpoint based progression, boomer shooter and an intense mood with CRUEL.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
You have only 5 minutes to stylishly explode your way through the hordes of corrupted entities in a retro FPS, roguelike liminal-nightmare... and Timmee is here to help!
TROUBLE JUICE
WHY THIS
Shares perk selection with CRUEL.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action with CRUEL.
Trouble Juice is a Side Scrolling Shooter Roguelike set in a TV show tournament that is broadcasted across the universe. Use your character's special abilities, and unlock prizes in the Achievement Bingo. Become the ultimate champion and earn your place in the galaxy's hall of fame!
Ziggurat
WHY THIS
Shares perk selection and procedural generation with CRUEL.
Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with CRUEL.
Dungeon-Crawling First Person Shooting at its finest! Fast-paced combat! Dozens of perks, spells and enemies! Level ups! Random Dungeons! Traps! Badass bosses! Carrots!
Frequently asked about CRUEL
- Does CRUEL run on Steam Deck?
- CRUEL is rated Playable on Steam Deck — it runs, but expect some manual adjustments (control remapping, text size, or graphics settings) for the best experience.
- How much does CRUEL cost?
- CRUEL is listed on Steam at 9.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
- What games are most similar to CRUEL?
- Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside CRUEL are Shock and Gnaw, Immortal Redneck, ODDCORE.
- Who developed CRUEL?
- CRUEL was developed by James Dornan.
imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on CRUEL.
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