Choose Pavlov
Choose Pavlov if you want the Online Co-op and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 89.3% positive across 30,993 reviews.
Pavlov vs Contractors
Pavlov and Contractors 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. Contractors (2018) is 6 years older than Pavlov (2024). Pavlov scores higher on Steam reviews (89.3% positive) than Contractors (83.4% 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 Contractors
Choose Contractors if you want a Simulation and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. 2,985 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Pavlov and Contractors sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 Pavlov |  Contractors | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2018 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89.3% positive (30,993 reviews) | 83.4% positive (2,985 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Vankrupt Games | Caveman Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Contractors (2018) is 6 years older than Pavlov (2024).
- Pavlov scores higher on Steam reviews (89.3% positive) than Contractors (83.4% positive).
- Contractors is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Pavlov (19.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Pavlov has co-op; Contractors does not.
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Pavlov vs Contractors — FAQ
- Which is better, Pavlov or Contractors?
- On Steam reviews Pavlov scores higher (89.3% positive) than Contractors (83.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Pavlov is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Pavlov or Contractors first?
- If you want chronology, Contractors (2018) came out before Pavlov (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 Pavlov and Contractors 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.