Choose CRYPTARK
Choose CRYPTARK if you want a Strategy, Indie, and Adventure game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 83% positive across 729 reviews.
CRYPTARK vs Project Lazarus
CRYPTARK and Project Lazarus 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. CRYPTARK (2017) is 6 years older than Project Lazarus (2023). CRYPTARK scores higher on Steam reviews (83% positive) than Project Lazarus (79.7% 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 Project Lazarus
Choose Project Lazarus if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Project Lazarus launched in 2023.
Both CRYPTARK and Project Lazarus sit in Action on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 CRYPTARK |  Project Lazarus | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure | Action, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 83% positive (729 reviews) | 79.7% positive (679 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Alientrap | Terapoly |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- CRYPTARK (2017) is 6 years older than Project Lazarus (2023).
- CRYPTARK scores higher on Steam reviews (83% positive) than Project Lazarus (79.7% positive).
- Project Lazarus is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than CRYPTARK (5.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- CRYPTARK has co-op; Project Lazarus does not.
- Both are Deck Verified.
CRYPTARK vs Project Lazarus — FAQ
- Which is better, CRYPTARK or Project Lazarus?
- On Steam reviews CRYPTARK scores higher (83% positive) than Project Lazarus (79.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, CRYPTARK is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play CRYPTARK or Project Lazarus first?
- If you want chronology, CRYPTARK (2017) came out before Project Lazarus (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 CRYPTARK and Project Lazarus 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.
- Does Project Lazarus have multiplayer like CRYPTARK?
- No. CRYPTARK supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Project Lazarus is listed as single-player only.
- Do CRYPTARK and Project Lazarus both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.