Choose Circle Empires Rivals
Choose Circle Empires Rivals if you want a Strategy, Indie, and Casual game with Steam Leaderboards. Circle Empires Rivals launched in 2020.
Circle Empires Rivals vs Lightphobe
Circle Empires Rivals and Lightphobe sit side-by-side in player discussions even though their catalogue tags only partly overlap. 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: Circle Empires Rivals (2020) is 5 years older than Lightphobe (2025). Circle Empires Rivals scores higher on Steam reviews (89.6% positive) than Lightphobe (88.5% positive). Lightphobe is free; Circle Empires Rivals is paid (15.99 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 Lightphobe
Choose Lightphobe 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. Lightphobe launched in 2025.
Both Circle Empires Rivals and Lightphobe ship Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op on Steam, so either pick lands close enough that the choice is taste, not category. Steam reviews are nearly tied (89.6% vs 88.5% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Circle Empires Rivals |  Lightphobe | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Action, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 15.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 89.6% positive (425 reviews) | 88.5% positive (26 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, LAN Co-op |
| Developers | Luminous | Allan Chew |
Side by side
- Circle Empires Rivals (2020) is 5 years older than Lightphobe (2025).
- Circle Empires Rivals scores higher on Steam reviews (89.6% positive) than Lightphobe (88.5% positive).
- Lightphobe is free; Circle Empires Rivals is paid (15.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Circle Empires Rivals is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Lightphobe has no Deck rating yet.
Circle Empires Rivals vs Lightphobe — FAQ
- Should I play Circle Empires Rivals or Lightphobe first?
- If you want chronology, Circle Empires Rivals (2020) came out before Lightphobe (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.
- Do both Circle Empires Rivals and Lightphobe have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Circle Empires Rivals ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Lightphobe ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.
- Is Lightphobe free?
- Yes — Lightphobe is a free-to-play Steam title. Circle Empires Rivals is paid (15.99 USD).
- Does Circle Empires Rivals run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Circle Empires Rivals is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Lightphobe doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.