Choose Fantasy Tales Online
Choose Fantasy Tales Online if you want a RPG and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Fantasy Tales Online launched in 2016.
Fantasy Tales Online vs Zero-based World-从零开始
Fantasy Tales Online and Zero-based World-从零开始 both land in Indie, Massively Multiplayer, Early Access 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 Indie, Massively Multiplayer, Early Access on Steam. Fantasy Tales Online (2016) is 4 years older than Zero-based World-从零开始 (2020). Fantasy Tales Online is free; Zero-based World-从零开始 is paid (18.99 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 Zero-based World-从零开始
Choose Zero-based World-从零开始 if you want an Action, Adventure, and Simulation game with Online PvP, Online Co-op, and PvP. On Steam, it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Zero-based World-从零开始 launched in 2020.
Both Fantasy Tales Online and Zero-based World-从零开始 sit in Indie, Massively Multiplayer, and Early Access on Steam and both list Multi-player and MMO, 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
 Fantasy Tales Online |  Zero-based World-从零开始 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Indie, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play, Early Access | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 18.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66% positive (332 reviews) | 7 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Cold Tea Studio | zerogame |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Massively Multiplayer, Early Access on Steam.
- Fantasy Tales Online (2016) is 4 years older than Zero-based World-从零开始 (2020).
- Fantasy Tales Online is free; Zero-based World-从零开始 is paid (18.99 USD).
- Zero-based World-从零开始 has co-op; Fantasy Tales Online does not.
Fantasy Tales Online vs Zero-based World-从零开始 — FAQ
- Should I play Fantasy Tales Online or Zero-based World-从零开始 first?
- If you want chronology, Fantasy Tales Online (2016) came out before Zero-based World-从零开始 (2020). 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 Fantasy Tales Online and Zero-based World-从零开始 similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Massively Multiplayer, Early Access 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.
- Is Fantasy Tales Online free?
- Yes — Fantasy Tales Online is a free-to-play Steam title. Zero-based World-从零开始 is paid (18.99 USD).