Choose Krieg
Choose Krieg if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Krieg launched in 2017.
Krieg vs Synth Riders
Krieg and Synth Riders 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. Krieg (2017) is 2 years older than Synth Riders (2019). Synth Riders scores higher on Steam reviews (92.9% positive) than Krieg (76.9% 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 Synth Riders
Choose Synth Riders if you want a Casual experience. 1,006 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Krieg and Synth Riders sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and 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
 Krieg |  Synth Riders | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Early Access | Action, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | Free to play | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.9% positive (26 reviews) | 92.9% positive (1,006 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Evan Davis, Bryce Davis, Gehrig Gosselin, BOT Jungle Productions | Kluge Interactive |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Krieg (2017) is 2 years older than Synth Riders (2019).
- Synth Riders scores higher on Steam reviews (92.9% positive) than Krieg (76.9% positive).
- Krieg is free; Synth Riders is paid (24.99 USD).
- Synth Riders is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Krieg has no Deck rating yet.
Krieg vs Synth Riders — FAQ
- Should I play Krieg or Synth Riders first?
- If you want chronology, Krieg (2017) came out before Synth Riders (2019). 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 Krieg and Synth Riders 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.
- Is Krieg free?
- Yes — Krieg is a free-to-play Steam title. Synth Riders is paid (24.99 USD).