IMHO.

IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 vs Wings of Prey: Special Edition

IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 and Wings of Prey: Special Edition both land in 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 are Simulation games on Steam. IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 (2008) is 2 years older than Wings of Prey: Special Edition (2010). IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 scores higher on Steam reviews (87.7% positive) than Wings of Prey: Special Edition (61.3% positive). 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 IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946

Choose IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 if you want the Multi-player, LAN PvP, and LAN Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 87.7% positive across 1,658 reviews.

Choose Wings of Prey: Special Edition

Choose Wings of Prey: Special Edition if you want the Custom Volume Controls, Stereo Sound, and Surround Sound side of the pairing. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Wings of Prey: Special Edition launched in 2010.

Both IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 and Wings of Prey: Special Edition sit in Simulation 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

IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 vs Wings of Prey: Special Edition — Steam metadata comparison
IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 — Steam game coverIL-2 Sturmovik: 1946Wings of Prey: Special Edition — Steam game coverWings of Prey: Special Edition
Released20082010
GenresSimulationSimulation
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableUnrated
Price9.99 USD9.99 USD
Steam reviews87.7% positive (1,658 reviews)61.3% positive (416 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, LAN Co-op, Co-opSingle-player only
Developers1C: Maddox GamesGaijin Entertainment Corporation

Side by side

IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 vs Wings of Prey: Special Edition — FAQ

Which is better, IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 or Wings of Prey: Special Edition?
On Steam reviews IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 scores higher (87.7% positive) than Wings of Prey: Special Edition (61.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 or Wings of Prey: Special Edition first?
If you want chronology, IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 (2008) came out before Wings of Prey: Special Edition (2010). 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 IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 and Wings of Prey: Special Edition similar?
They overlap on 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.
Does Wings of Prey: Special Edition have multiplayer like IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946?
No. IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, LAN Co-op, Co-op), while Wings of Prey: Special Edition is listed as single-player only.
Does IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 run on Steam Deck?
Yes — IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Wings of Prey: Special Edition doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.