Choose The Expanse
Choose The Expanse if you want a Casual and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Expanse launched in 2021.
The Expanse vs ShadowStorm
The Expanse and ShadowStorm both land in Action, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. The Expanse (2021) is 2 years older than ShadowStorm (2023). The Expanse is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than ShadowStorm (5.99 USD vs. 14.99 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 ShadowStorm
Choose ShadowStorm if you want the Online PvP side of the pairing. ShadowStorm launched in 2023.
Both The Expanse and ShadowStorm sit in Action and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, 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
 The Expanse |  ShadowStorm | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Casual, Early Access | Action, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 5.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 1 reviews | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Phoebus76 | Still connect |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- The Expanse (2021) is 2 years older than ShadowStorm (2023).
- The Expanse is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than ShadowStorm (5.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
The Expanse vs ShadowStorm — FAQ
- Should I play The Expanse or ShadowStorm first?
- If you want chronology, The Expanse (2021) came out before ShadowStorm (2023). 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 The Expanse and ShadowStorm similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure 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 The Expanse and ShadowStorm have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: The Expanse ships Online Co-op, Co-op; ShadowStorm ships Online Co-op, Co-op.