Choose Garry's Mod
Choose Garry's Mod if you want a Simulation and Casual game with Includes Source SDK, LAN PvP, and LAN Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 97.1% positive across 526,190 reviews.
Garry's Mod vs Rust
Garry's Mod and Rust both land in Indie 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 Indie games on Steam. Garry's Mod (2006) is 12 years older than Rust (2018). Garry's Mod scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than Rust (86.7% 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 Rust
Choose Rust if you want an Action, Adventure, and Massively Multiplayer game with MMO, Adjustable Text Size, and Subtitle Options. On Steam, it's the newer release (2018) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 519,643 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Garry's Mod and Rust sit in Indie 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
 Garry's Mod |  Rust | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2018 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.1% positive (526,190 reviews) | 86.7% positive (519,643 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Facepunch Studios | Facepunch Studios |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Garry's Mod (2006) is 12 years older than Rust (2018).
- Garry's Mod scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than Rust (86.7% positive).
- Garry's Mod is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Rust (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Garry's Mod is Deck Playable, Rust is Deck Unsupported.
Garry's Mod vs Rust — FAQ
- Which is better, Garry's Mod or Rust?
- On Steam reviews Garry's Mod scores higher (97.1% positive) than Rust (86.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Garry's Mod is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Garry's Mod or Rust first?
- If you want chronology, Garry's Mod (2006) came out before Rust (2018). 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 Garry's Mod and Rust similar?
- They overlap on Indie 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 Garry's Mod and Rust have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Garry's Mod ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Rust ships Online Co-op, Co-op.