Choose The Howler
Choose The Howler if you want a Strategy and Casual experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. The Howler launched in 2014.
The Howler vs Nauticrawl
The Howler and Nauticrawl both land in Indie, Simulation 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 Indie, Simulation on Steam. The Howler (2014) is 5 years older than Nauticrawl (2019). Nauticrawl scores higher on Steam reviews (92.4% positive) than The Howler (73.3% 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 Nauticrawl
Choose Nauticrawl if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 92.4% positive across 262 reviews.
Both The Howler and Nauticrawl sit in Indie and Simulation 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
 The Howler |  Nauticrawl | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 73.3% positive (688 reviews) | 92.4% positive (262 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Antanas Marcelionis, Renė Petrulienė | Spare Parts Oasis |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- The Howler (2014) is 5 years older than Nauticrawl (2019).
- Nauticrawl scores higher on Steam reviews (92.4% positive) than The Howler (73.3% positive).
- The Howler is free; Nauticrawl is paid (14.99 USD).
The Howler vs Nauticrawl — FAQ
- Which is better, The Howler or Nauticrawl?
- On Steam reviews Nauticrawl scores higher (92.4% positive) than The Howler (73.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Nauticrawl is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Howler or Nauticrawl first?
- If you want chronology, The Howler (2014) came out before Nauticrawl (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 The Howler and Nauticrawl similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation 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.
- Is The Howler free?
- Yes — The Howler is a free-to-play Steam title. Nauticrawl is paid (14.99 USD).