Choose Onward
Choose Onward if you want a Strategy and Simulation game with Online PvP, SteamVR Collectibles, and PvP. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 68% positive across 7,203 reviews.
Onward vs Crunch Element
Onward and Crunch Element 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. Crunch Element (2020) is 5 years older than Onward (2025). Onward scores higher on Steam reviews (68% positive) than Crunch Element (57.7% 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 Crunch Element
Choose Crunch Element if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Crunch Element launched in 2020.
Both Onward and Crunch Element sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Tracked Controller Support, 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
 Onward |  Crunch Element | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Action, Indie, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 68% positive (7,203 reviews) | 57.7% positive (454 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Downpour Interactive | Dreamlab XR |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Crunch Element (2020) is 5 years older than Onward (2025).
- Onward scores higher on Steam reviews (68% positive) than Crunch Element (57.7% positive).
- Crunch Element is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Onward (19.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Onward vs Crunch Element — FAQ
- Which is better, Onward or Crunch Element?
- On Steam reviews Onward scores higher (68% positive) than Crunch Element (57.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Onward is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Onward or Crunch Element first?
- If you want chronology, Crunch Element (2020) came out before Onward (2025). 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 Onward and Crunch Element 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.
- Do both Onward and Crunch Element have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Onward ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Crunch Element ships Online Co-op, Co-op.