Choose Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want a RPG experience. 51,728 Steam reviews back the pick.
Starbound vs Project Explore
Starbound and Project Explore 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 1 year older than Project Explore (2017). Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Project Explore (64.3% 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 Project Explore
Choose Project Explore if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. Project Explore launched in 2017.
Both Starbound and Project Explore sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, 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 |  Project Explore | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) | 64.3% positive (98 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Chucklefish | Fern Nigro |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Starbound (2016) is 1 year older than Project Explore (2017).
- Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Project Explore (64.3% positive).
- Project Explore is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (4.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Starbound vs Project Explore — FAQ
- Should I play Starbound or Project Explore first?
- If you want chronology, Starbound (2016) came out before Project Explore (2017). 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 Project Explore 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.
- Do both Starbound and Project Explore have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Starbound ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Project Explore ships Online Co-op, Co-op.