Choose Vampire Survivors
Choose Vampire Survivors if you want the Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 126,214 Steam reviews back the pick.
Vampire Survivors vs Space Mercenary Defense Force
Vampire Survivors and Space Mercenary Defense Force both land in Action, Indie, RPG 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, Indie, RPG on Steam. Vampire Survivors (2022) is 1 year older than Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023). Space Mercenary Defense Force is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Vampire Survivors (4.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Space Mercenary Defense Force
Choose Space Mercenary Defense Force if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Space Mercenary Defense Force launched in 2023.
Both Vampire Survivors and Space Mercenary Defense Force sit in Action, Indie, and RPG 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
 Vampire Survivors |  Space Mercenary Defense Force | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, RPG, Casual | Action, Indie, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98.5% positive (126,214 reviews) | 9 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | poncle | Tom Paradise |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Vampire Survivors (2022) is 1 year older than Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023).
- Space Mercenary Defense Force is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Vampire Survivors (4.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Vampire Survivors has co-op; Space Mercenary Defense Force does not.
- Vampire Survivors is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Space Mercenary Defense Force has no Deck rating yet.
Vampire Survivors vs Space Mercenary Defense Force — FAQ
- Should I play Vampire Survivors or Space Mercenary Defense Force first?
- If you want chronology, Vampire Survivors (2022) came out before Space Mercenary Defense Force (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 Vampire Survivors and Space Mercenary Defense Force similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, RPG 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 Space Mercenary Defense Force have multiplayer like Vampire Survivors?
- No. Vampire Survivors supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Space Mercenary Defense Force is listed as single-player only.
- Does Vampire Survivors run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Vampire Survivors is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Space Mercenary Defense Force doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.