Choose Alien Swarm
Choose Alien Swarm if you want a Free To Play game with Surround Sound. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 10,259 Steam reviews back the pick.
Alien Swarm vs Deep Rock Galactic
Alien Swarm and Deep Rock Galactic both land in Action 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 are Action games on Steam. Alien Swarm (2010) is 10 years older than Deep Rock Galactic (2020). Deep Rock Galactic scores higher on Steam reviews (97.9% positive) than Alien Swarm (94.7% 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 Deep Rock Galactic
Choose Deep Rock Galactic if you want the Online Co-op, Subtitle Options, and Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 97.9% positive across 169,164 reviews.
Both Alien Swarm and Deep Rock Galactic sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort, 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
 Alien Swarm |  Deep Rock Galactic | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2010 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Free To Play | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 94.7% positive (10,259 reviews) | 97.9% positive (169,164 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Valve | Ghost Ship Games |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Alien Swarm (2010) is 10 years older than Deep Rock Galactic (2020).
- Deep Rock Galactic scores higher on Steam reviews (97.9% positive) than Alien Swarm (94.7% positive).
- Alien Swarm is free; Deep Rock Galactic is paid (29.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Alien Swarm vs Deep Rock Galactic — FAQ
- Which is better, Alien Swarm or Deep Rock Galactic?
- On Steam reviews Deep Rock Galactic scores higher (97.9% positive) than Alien Swarm (94.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Deep Rock Galactic is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Alien Swarm or Deep Rock Galactic first?
- If you want chronology, Alien Swarm (2010) came out before Deep Rock Galactic (2020). 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 Alien Swarm and Deep Rock Galactic similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 Alien Swarm and Deep Rock Galactic have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Alien Swarm ships Co-op; Deep Rock Galactic ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Alien Swarm free?
- Yes — Alien Swarm is a free-to-play Steam title. Deep Rock Galactic is paid (29.99 USD).