IMHO.

I Hate Running Backwards vs Serious Sam: Tormental

I Hate Running Backwards and Serious Sam: Tormental 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. I Hate Running Backwards (2018) is 4 years older than Serious Sam: Tormental (2022). Serious Sam: Tormental scores higher on Steam reviews (75.5% positive) than I Hate Running Backwards (70.8% 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 I Hate Running Backwards

Choose I Hate Running Backwards if you want the Shared/Split Screen PvP and PvP side of the pairing. I Hate Running Backwards launched in 2018.

Choose Serious Sam: Tormental

Choose Serious Sam: Tormental if you want the Shared/Split Screen side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Serious Sam: Tormental launched in 2022.

Both I Hate Running Backwards and Serious Sam: Tormental sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op, 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

I Hate Running Backwards vs Serious Sam: Tormental — Steam metadata comparison
I Hate Running Backwards — Steam game coverI Hate Running BackwardsSerious Sam: Tormental — Steam game coverSerious Sam: Tormental
Released20182022
GenresAction, IndieAction, Indie
PlatformsWindows, LinuxWindows
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedDeck Verified
Price14.99 USD11.99 USD
Steam reviews70.8% positive (113 reviews)75.5% positive (94 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-opMulti-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op
DevelopersBinx Games, Croteam Incubator, CroteamGungrounds (Macanga Games j.d.o.o.), Croteam

Side by side

I Hate Running Backwards vs Serious Sam: Tormental — FAQ

Should I play I Hate Running Backwards or Serious Sam: Tormental first?
If you want chronology, I Hate Running Backwards (2018) came out before Serious Sam: Tormental (2022). 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 I Hate Running Backwards and Serious Sam: Tormental 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 I Hate Running Backwards and Serious Sam: Tormental have co-op?
Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: I Hate Running Backwards ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Serious Sam: Tormental ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.
Do I Hate Running Backwards and Serious Sam: Tormental 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.
I Hate Running Backwards vs Serious Sam: Tormental · imho.run