Choose Operation swat
Choose Operation swat if it's currently about 96% cheaper on the Steam Store. Operation swat launched in 2017.
Operation swat vs Lock In
Operation swat and Lock In both land in Action, Strategy 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, Strategy on Steam. Operation swat (2017) is 8 years older than Lock In (2025). Operation swat is currently ~96% cheaper on Steam than Lock In (0.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD). 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 Lock In
Choose Lock In if you want an Indie and Early Access game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Lock In launched in 2025.
Both Operation swat and Lock In sit in Action and Strategy on Steam, 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
 Operation swat |  Lock In | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy | Action, Strategy, Indie, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 35.5% positive (31 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player |
| Developers | WhackAKey Games | Mythic Arc LLC |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy on Steam.
- Operation swat (2017) is 8 years older than Lock In (2025).
- Operation swat is currently ~96% cheaper on Steam than Lock In (0.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
Operation swat vs Lock In — FAQ
- Should I play Operation swat or Lock In first?
- If you want chronology, Operation swat (2017) came out before Lock In (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 Operation swat and Lock In similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy 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.
- Does Operation swat have multiplayer like Lock In?
- No. Lock In supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Operation swat is listed as single-player only.