Choose Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want a 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 Orion Trail
Starbound and Orion Trail 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. Orion Trail (2015) is 1 year older than Starbound (2016). Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Orion Trail (69.5% 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 Orion Trail
Choose Orion Trail if it's currently about 47% cheaper on the Steam Store. Orion Trail launched in 2015.
Both Starbound and Orion Trail 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 |  Orion Trail | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2015 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) | 69.5% positive (105 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Chucklefish | Schell Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Orion Trail (2015) is 1 year older than Starbound (2016).
- Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Orion Trail (69.5% positive).
- Orion Trail is currently ~47% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (7.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Orion Trail does not.
- Starbound is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Orion Trail has no Deck rating yet.
Starbound vs Orion Trail — FAQ
- Which is better, Starbound or Orion Trail?
- On Steam reviews Starbound scores higher (88.8% positive) than Orion Trail (69.5% 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 Orion Trail first?
- If you want chronology, Orion Trail (2015) 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 Orion Trail 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 Orion Trail have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Orion Trail is listed as single-player only.
- Does Starbound run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Starbound is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Orion Trail doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.