Choose Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want an Action, RPG, and Casual game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 88.8% positive across 51,728 reviews.
Starbound vs Echo of the Wilds
Starbound and Echo of the Wilds both land in 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 Indie, Adventure on Steam. Echo of the Wilds (2014) is 2 years older than Starbound (2016). Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Echo of the Wilds (79.3% 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 Echo of the Wilds
Choose Echo of the Wilds if it's currently about 53% cheaper on the Steam Store. Echo of the Wilds launched in 2014.
Both Starbound and Echo of the Wilds sit in 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 |  Echo of the Wilds | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2014 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 6.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) | 79.3% positive (116 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Chucklefish | caiys |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Echo of the Wilds (2014) is 2 years older than Starbound (2016).
- Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Echo of the Wilds (79.3% positive).
- Echo of the Wilds is currently ~53% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (6.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Echo of the Wilds does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Starbound vs Echo of the Wilds — FAQ
- Which is better, Starbound or Echo of the Wilds?
- On Steam reviews Starbound scores higher (88.8% positive) than Echo of the Wilds (79.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Starbound is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Starbound or Echo of the Wilds first?
- If you want chronology, Echo of the Wilds (2014) came out before Starbound (2016). 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 Echo of the Wilds similar?
- They overlap on 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 Echo of the Wilds have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Echo of the Wilds is listed as single-player only.