Choose The Escapists 2
Choose The Escapists 2 if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. 11,196 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Escapists 2 vs Head Chef
The Escapists 2 and Head Chef both land in Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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 Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam. The Escapists 2 (2017) is 9 years older than Head Chef (2026). Both support cooperative play. 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 Head Chef
Choose Head Chef if you want a Casual game with DualShock Controller Support and Steam Input API Support. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Head Chef launched in 2026.
Both The Escapists 2 and Head Chef sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online 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
 The Escapists 2 |  Head Chef | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 91% positive (11,196 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | Team17, Mouldy Toof Studios | TrixHouse |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- The Escapists 2 (2017) is 9 years older than Head Chef (2026).
- Both support cooperative play.
- The Escapists 2 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Head Chef has no Deck rating yet.
The Escapists 2 vs Head Chef — FAQ
- Should I play The Escapists 2 or Head Chef first?
- If you want chronology, The Escapists 2 (2017) came out before Head Chef (2026). 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 The Escapists 2 and Head Chef similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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 The Escapists 2 and Head Chef have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: The Escapists 2 ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Head Chef ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Does The Escapists 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Escapists 2 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Head Chef doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.