Games like Desperate Times
Below are 14 hand-picked alternatives to Desperate Times for fans of action, indie, ranked by imho.run's hybrid recommender. Each pick is scored on three signals: collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries (which players who logged hours in Desperate Times also play), content overlap on genres, categories, and storefront tags, and review-mined "vibe" embeddings that catch tonal similarity even when the genre label differs. Sections below cover closest matches, reviewer cross-mentions, cheaper alternatives, free-to-play picks, more from Yokcos. No login required — these picks work anchor-only.
Get personalized picks →About Desperate Times: Use a variety of wonderful weaponry to annihilate literally thousands of enemy ships while dodging the unfathomable curtain of bullets they hurl in your direction. Defeat five epic bosses to claim your ultimate victory.
Cheaper alternatives
Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below Desperate Times at current Steam store prices.
POSTAL 2
WHY THIS
Priced ~80% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with Desperate Times.
Live a week in the life of "The POSTAL Dude"; a hapless everyman just trying to check off some chores. Buying milk, returning an overdue library book, getting Gary Coleman's autograph, what could possibly go wrong?
The Test
WHY THIS
Priced ~60% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Desperate Times.
You will answer a series of questions that will reveal truths from deep within. These questions may make you uncomfortable, but with great knowledge comes great sacrifice. Can you make it all the way through The Test, and if you do, are you sure you want the answers you seek?
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk
WHY THIS
Priced ~70% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Desperate Times.
A short story about what sort of challenges everyday little things can be. Help the girl buy milk, be the first not to disappoint her.
Blood and Bacon
WHY THIS
Priced ~80% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Action with Desperate Times.
This Co-op Shooter , has Day and Night levels, multiple maps, players will take on 25 enemy types and numerous bosses, like Gargantuan Monsters and Minibosses every 10 days as you explore, shoot and run for your life against the onslaught of porcine monstrosities.
STAR WARS™ Republic Commando™
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Action with Desperate Times.
You are the leader of an elite squad of Republic Commandos, your mission is to infiltrate, dominate, and ultimately, annihilate the enemy. Your squad will follow your orders and your lead, working together as a team - instinctively, intelligently, instantly. You are their leader. They are your weapon.
shapez
WHY THIS
Priced ~80% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Desperate Times.
shapez is an easy-going, minimalistic factory building game about the automation of shapes through extraction and satisfying production lines. Adapt to increasingly complex shapes and grow your factory across an infinitely expanding map. Your only limitation is your creativity!
STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy™
WHY THIS
Priced ~50% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Action with Desperate Times.
Forge your weapon and follow the path of the Jedi Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is the latest installment of the highly acclaimed Jedi Knight series. Take on the role of a new student eager to learn the ways of the Force from Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.
The Test: Hypothesis Rising
WHY THIS
Priced ~60% under Desperate Times on Steam right now. Shares Indie with Desperate Times.
The second chapter in The Test trilogy. Answer a series of in-depth questions to reveal hidden truths about yourself and unlock secrets to discover how your life can change drastically with just a few, slight modifications. ...But are you sure you want the answers you seek?
Free alternatives
Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with Desperate Times.
The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.
Life is Strange - Episode 1
WHY THIS
Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action with Desperate Times.
Episode 1 now FREE! Life is Strange is an award-winning and critically acclaimed episodic adventure game that allows the player to rewind time and affect the past, present and future.
More from Yokcos
Other recommendable Steam games by Yokcos, ranked by review count so the studio's hits land first.
Fishticuffs
WHY THIS
Another title from Yokcos, the studio behind Desperate Times. Shares Action and Indie with Desperate Times.
A bullet hell fishing game, this / Bop fish with your hook, do not miss / With loot from the blue / a way is paved to / a fishing apotheosis.
Frequently asked about Desperate Times
- How much does Desperate Times cost?
- Desperate Times is listed on Steam at 4.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
- Who developed Desperate Times?
- Desperate Times was developed by Yokcos.
imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on Desperate Times.
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