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 Existence
Starbound and Existence 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 Existence (2019). Existence is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (4.99 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 Existence
Choose Existence if it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. Existence launched in 2019.
Both Starbound and Existence 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 |  Existence | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 4.99 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 | Sealab Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Starbound (2016) is 3 years older than Existence (2019).
- Existence is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (4.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Existence does not.
- Starbound is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Existence has no Deck rating yet.
Starbound vs Existence — FAQ
- Should I play Starbound or Existence first?
- If you want chronology, Starbound (2016) came out before Existence (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 Existence 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 Existence have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Existence is listed as single-player only.
- Does Starbound run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Starbound is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Existence doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.