Choose Crusader Kings II
Choose Crusader Kings II if you want a RPG and Free To Play game with Multi-player. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 47,614 Steam reviews back the pick.
Crusader Kings II vs Age of Enlightenment
Crusader Kings II and Age of Enlightenment both land in Strategy, 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 share Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Crusader Kings II is free; Age of Enlightenment is paid (Price unknown). Crusader Kings II is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Age of Enlightenment has no Deck rating yet. 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 Age of Enlightenment
Choose Age of Enlightenment if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment.
Both Crusader Kings II and Age of Enlightenment sit in Strategy and 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
 Crusader Kings II |  Age of Enlightenment | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | — |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation, RPG, Free To Play | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 91% positive (47,614 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | GSG Johan |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Crusader Kings II is free; Age of Enlightenment is paid (Price unknown).
- Crusader Kings II is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Age of Enlightenment has no Deck rating yet.
Crusader Kings II vs Age of Enlightenment — FAQ
- Are Crusader Kings II and Age of Enlightenment similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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 Age of Enlightenment have multiplayer like Crusader Kings II?
- No. Crusader Kings II supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Age of Enlightenment is listed as single-player only.
- Is Crusader Kings II free?
- Yes — Crusader Kings II is a free-to-play Steam title. Age of Enlightenment is paid (Price unknown).
- Does Crusader Kings II run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Crusader Kings II is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Age of Enlightenment doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.