IMHO.

Crystal Crisis vs Cylinder: Puzzles Returned

Crystal Crisis and Cylinder: Puzzles Returned both land in Action, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Crystal Crisis (2019) is 5 years older than Cylinder: Puzzles Returned (2024). Cylinder: Puzzles Returned scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Crystal Crisis (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.

Which should you pick?

Choose Crystal Crisis

Choose Crystal Crisis if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Crystal Crisis launched in 2019.

Choose Cylinder: Puzzles Returned

Choose Cylinder: Puzzles Returned if it's currently about 35% cheaper on the Steam Store. Cylinder: Puzzles Returned launched in 2024.

Both Crystal Crisis and Cylinder: Puzzles Returned sit in Action and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, 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

Crystal Crisis vs Cylinder: Puzzles Returned — Steam metadata comparison
Crystal Crisis — Steam game coverCrystal CrisisCylinder: Puzzles Returned — Steam game coverCylinder: Puzzles Returned
Released20192024
GenresAction, CasualAction, Casual
PlatformsWindowsWindows, macOS
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedDeck Verified
Price19.99 USD12.99 USD
Steam reviews80.8% positive (78 reviews)100% positive (15 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-playerMulti-player
DevelopersNicalis, Inc.Mighty Rabbit Studios

Side by side

Crystal Crisis vs Cylinder: Puzzles Returned — FAQ

Should I play Crystal Crisis or Cylinder: Puzzles Returned first?
If you want chronology, Crystal Crisis (2019) came out before Cylinder: Puzzles Returned (2024). 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 Crystal Crisis and Cylinder: Puzzles Returned similar?
They overlap on Action, Casual 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 Crystal Crisis and Cylinder: Puzzles Returned both run on Steam Deck?
Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.
Crystal Crisis vs Cylinder: Puzzles Returned (2026) · imho.run