Choose The Ascent
Choose The Ascent if you want a RPG game with Color Alternatives and Playable without Timed Input. 12,117 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Ascent vs NINE ROUNDS RAPID
The Ascent and NINE ROUNDS RAPID both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. The Ascent (2021) is 6 years older than NINE ROUNDS RAPID (2027). 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 NINE ROUNDS RAPID
Choose NINE ROUNDS RAPID if you want the LAN Co-op, DualShock Controller Support, and DualSense Controller Support side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2027) and ships with the modern feature baseline. NINE ROUNDS RAPID launched in 2027.
Both The Ascent and NINE ROUNDS RAPID sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online 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
 The Ascent |  NINE ROUNDS RAPID | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2027 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 29.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 77.1% positive (12,117 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op |
| Developers | Neon Giant | SOUTH WESTERLY GAMES |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- The Ascent (2021) is 6 years older than NINE ROUNDS RAPID (2027).
- Both support cooperative play.
- The Ascent is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; NINE ROUNDS RAPID has no Deck rating yet.
The Ascent vs NINE ROUNDS RAPID — FAQ
- Should I play The Ascent or NINE ROUNDS RAPID first?
- If you want chronology, The Ascent (2021) came out before NINE ROUNDS RAPID (2027). 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 Ascent and NINE ROUNDS RAPID similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Ascent and NINE ROUNDS RAPID have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: The Ascent ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; NINE ROUNDS RAPID ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Does The Ascent run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Ascent is rated Deck Playable by Valve. NINE ROUNDS RAPID doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.