Choose Shadow Empire
Choose Shadow Empire if you want a Simulation and RPG experience. 1,123 Steam reviews back the pick.
Shadow Empire vs Small War
Shadow Empire and Small War both land in Strategy 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 Strategy games on Steam. Shadow Empire (2020) is 6 years older than Small War (2026). Small War is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than Shadow Empire (5.99 USD vs. 39.99 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 Small War
Choose Small War if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 85% cheaper on the Steam Store. Small War launched in 2026.
Both Shadow Empire and Small War sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen 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
 Shadow Empire |  Small War | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation, RPG | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 82.1% positive (1,123 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | VR Designs | ABCD |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Shadow Empire (2020) is 6 years older than Small War (2026).
- Small War is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than Shadow Empire (5.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Shadow Empire is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Small War has no Deck rating yet.
Shadow Empire vs Small War — FAQ
- Should I play Shadow Empire or Small War first?
- If you want chronology, Shadow Empire (2020) came out before Small War (2026). 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 Shadow Empire and Small War similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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 Shadow Empire and Small War have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Shadow Empire ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Small War ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.