Choose RICO
Choose RICO if it matches what drew you to this matchup. RICO launched in 2019.
RICO vs Sci-Fantasy Defence
RICO and Sci-Fantasy Defence 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. RICO (2019) is 3 years older than Sci-Fantasy Defence (2022). Sci-Fantasy Defence is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than RICO (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 Sci-Fantasy Defence
Choose Sci-Fantasy Defence if you want a Strategy and Simulation game with Steam Leaderboards, Tracked Controller Support, and VR Supported. On Steam, it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Sci-Fantasy Defence launched in 2022.
Both RICO and Sci-Fantasy Defence sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op, 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
 RICO |  Sci-Fantasy Defence | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 62.2% positive (275 reviews) | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Ground Shatter | Ivan Chernyakov |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- RICO (2019) is 3 years older than Sci-Fantasy Defence (2022).
- Sci-Fantasy Defence is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than RICO (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- RICO is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Sci-Fantasy Defence has no Deck rating yet.
RICO vs Sci-Fantasy Defence — FAQ
- Should I play RICO or Sci-Fantasy Defence first?
- If you want chronology, RICO (2019) came out before Sci-Fantasy Defence (2022). 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 RICO and Sci-Fantasy Defence 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.
- Do both RICO and Sci-Fantasy Defence have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: RICO ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Sci-Fantasy Defence ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.