Choose CrossCells
Choose CrossCells if you want a Strategy and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 40% cheaper on the Steam Store. CrossCells launched in 2017.
CrossCells vs Cypher
CrossCells and Cypher both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. CrossCells (2017) is 1 year older than Cypher (2018). Cypher scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than CrossCells (84% 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 Cypher
Choose Cypher if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 88.8% positive across 383 reviews.
Both CrossCells and Cypher sit in Indie 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
 CrossCells |  Cypher | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 2.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84% positive (544 reviews) | 88.8% positive (383 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Matthew Brown | Matthew Brown |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- CrossCells (2017) is 1 year older than Cypher (2018).
- Cypher scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than CrossCells (84% positive).
- CrossCells is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Cypher (2.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
CrossCells vs Cypher — FAQ
- Which is better, CrossCells or Cypher?
- On Steam reviews Cypher scores higher (88.8% positive) than CrossCells (84% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Cypher is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play CrossCells or Cypher first?
- If you want chronology, CrossCells (2017) came out before Cypher (2018). 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 CrossCells and Cypher similar?
- They overlap on 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.