Choose Arma 2
Choose Arma 2 if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.1% positive across 1,612 reviews.
Arma 2 vs Arma Reforger
Arma 2 and Arma Reforger both land in Action, Strategy, 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 Action, Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Arma 2 (2009) is 14 years older than Arma Reforger (2023). Arma 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.1% positive) than Arma Reforger (78.7% 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 Arma Reforger
Choose Arma Reforger if you want the Online PvP, Online Co-op, and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 28,058 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Arma 2 and Arma Reforger sit in Action, Strategy, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player and 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
 Arma 2 |  Arma Reforger | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Simulation | Action, Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 12.99 USD | 39.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.1% positive (1,612 reviews) | 78.7% positive (28,058 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Bohemia Interactive | Bohemia Interactive |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Arma 2 (2009) is 14 years older than Arma Reforger (2023).
- Arma 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.1% positive) than Arma Reforger (78.7% positive).
- Arma 2 is currently ~68% cheaper on Steam than Arma Reforger (12.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Arma 2 vs Arma Reforger — FAQ
- Which is better, Arma 2 or Arma Reforger?
- On Steam reviews Arma 2 scores higher (84.1% positive) than Arma Reforger (78.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Arma 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Arma 2 or Arma Reforger first?
- If you want chronology, Arma 2 (2009) came out before Arma Reforger (2023). 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 Arma 2 and Arma Reforger similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy, 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.
- Do both Arma 2 and Arma Reforger have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Arma 2 ships Co-op; Arma Reforger ships Online Co-op, Co-op.