Choose Runes of Magic
Choose Runes of Magic if you want an Action and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Runes of Magic launched in 2018.
Runes of Magic vs Paramount Hero
Runes of Magic and Paramount Hero both land in Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG 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 Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG on Steam. Runes of Magic (2018) is 4 years older than Paramount Hero (2022). Runes of Magic is free; Paramount Hero is paid (14.99 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 Paramount Hero
Choose Paramount Hero if you want an Indie and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Paramount Hero launched in 2022.
Both Runes of Magic and Paramount Hero sit in Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, 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
 Runes of Magic |  Paramount Hero | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play | Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 63.7% positive (617 reviews) | 3 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Runewaker Entertainment | Graham Darcey |
Side by side
- Both share Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG on Steam.
- Runes of Magic (2018) is 4 years older than Paramount Hero (2022).
- Runes of Magic is free; Paramount Hero is paid (14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Runes of Magic is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Paramount Hero has no Deck rating yet.
Runes of Magic vs Paramount Hero — FAQ
- Should I play Runes of Magic or Paramount Hero first?
- If you want chronology, Runes of Magic (2018) came out before Paramount Hero (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 Runes of Magic and Paramount Hero similar?
- They overlap on Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG 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 Runes of Magic and Paramount Hero have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Runes of Magic ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Paramount Hero ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Runes of Magic free?
- Yes — Runes of Magic is a free-to-play Steam title. Paramount Hero is paid (14.99 USD).
- Does Runes of Magic run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Runes of Magic is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Paramount Hero doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.