Choose Squad
Choose Squad if you want a Strategy and Indie game with Valve Anti-Cheat enabled. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.1% positive across 82,330 reviews.
Squad vs Escape from Tarkov
Squad and Escape from Tarkov both land in Action, Massively Multiplayer 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, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. Squad (2020) is 5 years older than Escape from Tarkov (2025). Squad scores higher on Steam reviews (84.1% positive) than Escape from Tarkov (60.2% 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 Escape from Tarkov
Choose Escape from Tarkov if you want a Simulation and RPG game with MMO, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 10,183 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Squad and Escape from Tarkov sit in Action and Massively Multiplayer 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
 Squad |  Escape from Tarkov | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Massively Multiplayer | Action, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 49.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.1% positive (82,330 reviews) | 60.2% positive (10,183 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Offworld | Battlestate Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- Squad (2020) is 5 years older than Escape from Tarkov (2025).
- Squad scores higher on Steam reviews (84.1% positive) than Escape from Tarkov (60.2% positive).
- Squad is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Escape from Tarkov (39.99 USD vs. 49.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Squad is Deck Playable, Escape from Tarkov is Deck Unsupported.
Squad vs Escape from Tarkov — FAQ
- Which is better, Squad or Escape from Tarkov?
- On Steam reviews Squad scores higher (84.1% positive) than Escape from Tarkov (60.2% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Squad is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Squad or Escape from Tarkov first?
- If you want chronology, Squad (2020) came out before Escape from Tarkov (2025). 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 Squad and Escape from Tarkov similar?
- They overlap on Action, Massively Multiplayer 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 Squad and Escape from Tarkov have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Squad ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Escape from Tarkov ships Online Co-op, Co-op.