Choose Hex of Steel
Choose Hex of Steel if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Hex of Steel launched in 2020.
Hex of Steel vs Empire at Risk
Hex of Steel and Empire at Risk both land in Strategy, Indie 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, Indie on Steam. Hex of Steel (2020) is 6 years older than Empire at Risk (2026). Hex of Steel has co-op; Empire at Risk does not. 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 Empire at Risk
Choose Empire at Risk if you want the Color Alternatives side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Empire at Risk launched in 2026.
Both Hex of Steel and Empire at Risk sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and Online 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
 Hex of Steel |  Empire at Risk | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 96.6% positive (469 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | War Frogs Studio | BaroxxTech |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Hex of Steel (2020) is 6 years older than Empire at Risk (2026).
- Hex of Steel has co-op; Empire at Risk does not.
- Hex of Steel is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Empire at Risk has no Deck rating yet.
Hex of Steel vs Empire at Risk — FAQ
- Should I play Hex of Steel or Empire at Risk first?
- If you want chronology, Hex of Steel (2020) came out before Empire at Risk (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 Hex of Steel and Empire at Risk similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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.
- Does Hex of Steel run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hex of Steel is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Empire at Risk doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.