Choose FTL: Faster Than Light
Choose FTL: Faster Than Light if you want a Simulation experience. 46,262 Steam reviews back the pick.
FTL: Faster Than Light vs Don't Panic!
FTL: Faster Than Light and Don't Panic! both land in Strategy, Indie 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) is 5 years older than Don't Panic! (2017). Don't Panic! is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than FTL: Faster Than Light (0.99 USD vs. 9.99 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 Don't Panic!
Choose Don't Panic! if it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. Don't Panic! launched in 2017.
Both FTL: Faster Than Light and Don't Panic! sit in Strategy and Indie 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
 FTL: Faster Than Light |  Don't Panic! | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.5% positive (46,262 reviews) | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Subset Games | V34D4R, YELTYSH |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) is 5 years older than Don't Panic! (2017).
- Don't Panic! is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than FTL: Faster Than Light (0.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- FTL: Faster Than Light is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Don't Panic! has no Deck rating yet.
FTL: Faster Than Light vs Don't Panic! — FAQ
- Should I play FTL: Faster Than Light or Don't Panic! first?
- If you want chronology, FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) came out before Don't Panic! (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 FTL: Faster Than Light and Don't Panic! similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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 FTL: Faster Than Light run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — FTL: Faster Than Light is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Don't Panic! doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.