Choose Frostpunk
Choose Frostpunk if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 92.7% positive across 38,272 reviews.
Frostpunk vs Buoyancy
Frostpunk and Buoyancy both land in Strategy 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 Strategy games on Steam. Frostpunk (2018) is 1 year older than Buoyancy (2019). Frostpunk scores higher on Steam reviews (92.7% positive) than Buoyancy (53.8% 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 Buoyancy
Choose Buoyancy if you want an Indie and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 57% cheaper on the Steam Store. Buoyancy launched in 2019.
Both Frostpunk and Buoyancy sit in Strategy 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
 Frostpunk |  Buoyancy | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 92.7% positive (38,272 reviews) | 53.8% positive (608 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | 11 bit studios | Devs on a Boat |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Frostpunk (2018) is 1 year older than Buoyancy (2019).
- Frostpunk scores higher on Steam reviews (92.7% positive) than Buoyancy (53.8% positive).
- Buoyancy is currently ~57% cheaper on Steam than Frostpunk (12.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Frostpunk is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Buoyancy has no Deck rating yet.
Frostpunk vs Buoyancy — FAQ
- Which is better, Frostpunk or Buoyancy?
- On Steam reviews Frostpunk scores higher (92.7% positive) than Buoyancy (53.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Frostpunk is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Frostpunk or Buoyancy first?
- If you want chronology, Frostpunk (2018) came out before Buoyancy (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 Frostpunk and Buoyancy similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.
- Does Frostpunk run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Frostpunk is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Buoyancy doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.