Choose M.A.R.S.
Choose M.A.R.S. if you want a Massively Multiplayer and Free To Play game with MMO. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. M.A.R.S. launched in 2021.
M.A.R.S. vs battleMETAL
M.A.R.S. and battleMETAL both land in Action 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 are Action games on Steam. battleMETAL (2020) is 1 year older than M.A.R.S. (2021). battleMETAL scores higher on Steam reviews (66.7% positive) than M.A.R.S. (49.1% 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 battleMETAL
Choose battleMETAL if you want an Indie and Simulation game with LAN PvP and LAN Co-op. battleMETAL launched in 2020.
Both M.A.R.S. and battleMETAL sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online 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
 M.A.R.S. |  battleMETAL | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play | Action, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 49.1% positive (348 reviews) | 66.7% positive (21 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op |
| Developers | YingPei Games | battleMETALDevs |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- battleMETAL (2020) is 1 year older than M.A.R.S. (2021).
- battleMETAL scores higher on Steam reviews (66.7% positive) than M.A.R.S. (49.1% positive).
- M.A.R.S. is free; battleMETAL is paid (9.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- M.A.R.S. is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; battleMETAL has no Deck rating yet.
M.A.R.S. vs battleMETAL — FAQ
- Should I play M.A.R.S. or battleMETAL first?
- If you want chronology, battleMETAL (2020) came out before M.A.R.S. (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 M.A.R.S. and battleMETAL similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 M.A.R.S. and battleMETAL have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: M.A.R.S. ships Online Co-op, Co-op; battleMETAL ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.
- Is M.A.R.S. free?
- Yes — M.A.R.S. is a free-to-play Steam title. battleMETAL is paid (9.99 USD).