Choose Shadow Empire
Choose Shadow Empire if you want a RPG game with Shared/Split Screen, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 1,123 Steam reviews back the pick.
Shadow Empire vs Sovereign Stars
Shadow Empire and Sovereign Stars both land in Strategy, Simulation 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 Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Shadow Empire (2020) is 4 years older than Sovereign Stars (2024). Sovereign Stars is currently ~88% cheaper on Steam than Shadow Empire (4.99 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 Sovereign Stars
Choose Sovereign Stars if you want a Casual game with Online PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 88% cheaper on the Steam Store. Sovereign Stars launched in 2024.
Both Shadow Empire and Sovereign Stars sit in Strategy and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player and 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 |  Sovereign Stars | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation, RPG | Strategy, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 82.1% positive (1,123 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | VR Designs | KYDEN |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Shadow Empire (2020) is 4 years older than Sovereign Stars (2024).
- Sovereign Stars is currently ~88% cheaper on Steam than Shadow Empire (4.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Shadow Empire has co-op; Sovereign Stars does not.
- Shadow Empire is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Sovereign Stars has no Deck rating yet.
Shadow Empire vs Sovereign Stars — FAQ
- Should I play Shadow Empire or Sovereign Stars first?
- If you want chronology, Shadow Empire (2020) came out before Sovereign Stars (2024). 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 Sovereign Stars similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation 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.