Choose Swarm Universe
Choose Swarm Universe if you want the Online PvP and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 38% cheaper on the Steam Store. Swarm Universe launched in 2017.
Swarm Universe vs Retrobot: 2085
Swarm Universe and Retrobot: 2085 both land in Action, 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 share Action, Indie on Steam. Swarm Universe (2017) is 9 years older than Retrobot: 2085 (2026). Swarm Universe is currently ~38% cheaper on Steam than Retrobot: 2085 (4.99 USD vs. 7.99 USD). 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 Retrobot: 2085
Choose Retrobot: 2085 if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and DualShock Controller Support side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Retrobot: 2085 launched in 2026.
Both Swarm Universe and Retrobot: 2085 sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player and 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
 Swarm Universe |  Retrobot: 2085 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.9% positive (18 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Dedication Games | Supergonk |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Swarm Universe (2017) is 9 years older than Retrobot: 2085 (2026).
- Swarm Universe is currently ~38% cheaper on Steam than Retrobot: 2085 (4.99 USD vs. 7.99 USD).
- Retrobot: 2085 has co-op; Swarm Universe does not.
Swarm Universe vs Retrobot: 2085 — FAQ
- Should I play Swarm Universe or Retrobot: 2085 first?
- If you want chronology, Swarm Universe (2017) came out before Retrobot: 2085 (2026). 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 Swarm Universe and Retrobot: 2085 similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.