Choose Above the Stars
Choose Above the Stars if you want a Free To Play game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Above the Stars launched in 2020.
Above the Stars vs Burning Skies
Above the Stars and Burning Skies both land in Action, Casual 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 Action, Casual on Steam. Above the Stars (2020) is 6 years older than Burning Skies (2026). Above the Stars is free; Burning Skies is paid (Price unknown). 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 Burning Skies
Choose Burning Skies if you want an Indie and Early Access game with DualShock Controller Support. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Burning Skies launched in 2026.
Both Above the Stars and Burning Skies sit in Action and Casual on Steam, 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
 Above the Stars |  Burning Skies | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Free To Play, Casual | Action, Indie, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 90% positive (20 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | ArmanDoesStuff | NukGames |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Casual on Steam.
- Above the Stars (2020) is 6 years older than Burning Skies (2026).
- Above the Stars is free; Burning Skies is paid (Price unknown).
Above the Stars vs Burning Skies — FAQ
- Should I play Above the Stars or Burning Skies first?
- If you want chronology, Above the Stars (2020) came out before Burning Skies (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 Above the Stars and Burning Skies similar?
- They overlap on Action, Casual 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.
- Is Above the Stars free?
- Yes — Above the Stars is a free-to-play Steam title. Burning Skies is paid (Price unknown).