Choose Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want the Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 51,728 Steam reviews back the pick.
Starbound vs Orion Sandbox Enhanced
Starbound and Orion Sandbox Enhanced 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 2 years older than Orion Sandbox Enhanced (2018). Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Orion Sandbox Enhanced (82.8% 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 Sandbox Enhanced
Choose Orion Sandbox Enhanced if it's currently about 87% cheaper on the Steam Store. Orion Sandbox Enhanced launched in 2018.
Both Starbound and Orion Sandbox Enhanced 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 Sandbox Enhanced | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) | 82.8% positive (93 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Chucklefish | y8.com |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Starbound (2016) is 2 years older than Orion Sandbox Enhanced (2018).
- Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Orion Sandbox Enhanced (82.8% positive).
- Orion Sandbox Enhanced is currently ~87% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (1.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Orion Sandbox Enhanced does not.
- Starbound is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Orion Sandbox Enhanced has no Deck rating yet.
Starbound vs Orion Sandbox Enhanced — FAQ
- Should I play Starbound or Orion Sandbox Enhanced first?
- If you want chronology, Starbound (2016) came out before Orion Sandbox Enhanced (2018). 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 Sandbox Enhanced 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 Sandbox Enhanced have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Orion Sandbox Enhanced is listed as single-player only.
- Does Starbound run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Starbound is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Orion Sandbox Enhanced doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.