Choose Mad Sector
Choose Mad Sector if it's currently about 70% cheaper on the Steam Store. Mad Sector launched in 2017.
Mad Sector vs CRUEL
Mad Sector and CRUEL 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. Mad Sector (2017) is 8 years older than CRUEL (2025). CRUEL scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% positive) than Mad Sector (43.8% 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 CRUEL
Choose CRUEL if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 1,223 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Mad Sector and CRUEL sit in Action 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
 Mad Sector |  CRUEL | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 2.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 43.8% positive (16 reviews) | 94.5% positive (1,223 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | REKWARE | James Dornan |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Mad Sector (2017) is 8 years older than CRUEL (2025).
- CRUEL scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% positive) than Mad Sector (43.8% positive).
- Mad Sector is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than CRUEL (2.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- CRUEL is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Mad Sector has no Deck rating yet.
Mad Sector vs CRUEL — FAQ
- Should I play Mad Sector or CRUEL first?
- If you want chronology, Mad Sector (2017) came out before CRUEL (2025). 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 Mad Sector and CRUEL 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.