Choose Iron Brigade
Choose Iron Brigade if you want a Strategy game with Steam Leaderboards and Online Co-op. On Steam, it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. Iron Brigade launched in 2012.
Iron Brigade vs EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair
Iron Brigade and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair 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. Iron Brigade (2012) is 4 years older than EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair (2016). EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair scores higher on Steam reviews (96.4% positive) than Iron Brigade (85.9% 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 EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair
Choose EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair if you want the Shared/Split Screen side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.4% positive across 5,855 reviews.
Both Iron Brigade and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair sit in Action on Steam and both list Multi-player and 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
 Iron Brigade |  EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.9% positive (688 reviews) | 96.4% positive (5,855 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Double Fine Productions | SANDLOT |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Iron Brigade (2012) is 4 years older than EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair (2016).
- EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair scores higher on Steam reviews (96.4% positive) than Iron Brigade (85.9% positive).
- Iron Brigade is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Iron Brigade is Deck Unsupported, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair is Deck Playable.
Iron Brigade vs EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair — FAQ
- Which is better, Iron Brigade or EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair?
- On Steam reviews EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair scores higher (96.4% positive) than Iron Brigade (85.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Iron Brigade or EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair first?
- If you want chronology, Iron Brigade (2012) came out before EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair (2016). 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 Iron Brigade and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair 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.
- Do both Iron Brigade and EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Iron Brigade ships Online Co-op, Co-op; EARTH DEFENSE FORCE 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair ships Co-op.