Garry's Mod vs ARK: Survival Evolved
Garry's Mod and ARK: Survival Evolved 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 11 years older than ARK: Survival Evolved (2017). Garry's Mod scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than ARK: Survival Evolved (80.8% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Side-by-side comparison
 Garry's Mod |  ARK: Survival Evolved | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2017 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.1% positive (526,190 reviews) | 80.8% positive (253,840 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Facepunch Studios | Studio Wildcard, Instinct Games, Efecto Studios, Virtual Basement LLC |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Garry's Mod (2006) is 11 years older than ARK: Survival Evolved (2017).
- Garry's Mod scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than ARK: Survival Evolved (80.8% positive).
- Garry's Mod is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than ARK: Survival Evolved (4.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Garry's Mod is Deck Playable, ARK: Survival Evolved is Deck Verified.
Garry's Mod vs ARK: Survival Evolved — FAQ
- Which is better, Garry's Mod or ARK: Survival Evolved?
- On Steam reviews Garry's Mod scores higher (97.1% positive) than ARK: Survival Evolved (80.8% 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 ARK: Survival Evolved first?
- If you want chronology, Garry's Mod (2006) came out before ARK: Survival Evolved (2017). 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 ARK: Survival Evolved 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 ARK: Survival Evolved have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Garry's Mod ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; ARK: Survival Evolved ships Co-op.