Choose Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want a RPG and Casual game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 51,728 Steam reviews back the pick.
Starbound vs Alien invasion
Starbound and Alien invasion both land in Action, Indie, 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, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Starbound (2016) is 3 years older than Alien invasion (2019). Alien invasion is currently ~93% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (0.99 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 Alien invasion
Choose Alien invasion if it's currently about 93% cheaper on the Steam Store. Alien invasion launched in 2019.
Both Starbound and Alien invasion sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure 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
 Starbound |  Alien invasion | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Chucklefish | JY |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Starbound (2016) is 3 years older than Alien invasion (2019).
- Alien invasion is currently ~93% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (0.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Alien invasion does not.
- Starbound is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Alien invasion has no Deck rating yet.
Starbound vs Alien invasion — FAQ
- Should I play Starbound or Alien invasion first?
- If you want chronology, Starbound (2016) came out before Alien invasion (2019). 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 Starbound and Alien invasion similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, 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.
- Does Alien invasion have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Alien invasion is listed as single-player only.
- Does Starbound run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Starbound is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Alien invasion doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.