Choose DG2: Defense Grid 2
Choose DG2: Defense Grid 2 if you want an Indie game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 1,787 Steam reviews back the pick.
DG2: Defense Grid 2 vs We Are the Universe
DG2: Defense Grid 2 and We Are the Universe both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. DG2: Defense Grid 2 (2014) is 9 years older than We Are the Universe (2023). We Are the Universe is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than DG2: Defense Grid 2 (4.99 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 We Are the Universe
Choose We Are the Universe if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. We Are the Universe launched in 2023.
Both DG2: Defense Grid 2 and We Are the Universe sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 DG2: Defense Grid 2 |  We Are the Universe | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2023 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.7% positive (1,787 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Hidden Path Entertainment | Uncle Grouch Gaming |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- DG2: Defense Grid 2 (2014) is 9 years older than We Are the Universe (2023).
- We Are the Universe is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than DG2: Defense Grid 2 (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- DG2: Defense Grid 2 has co-op; We Are the Universe does not.
- DG2: Defense Grid 2 is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; We Are the Universe has no Deck rating yet.
DG2: Defense Grid 2 vs We Are the Universe — FAQ
- Should I play DG2: Defense Grid 2 or We Are the Universe first?
- If you want chronology, DG2: Defense Grid 2 (2014) came out before We Are the Universe (2023). 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 DG2: Defense Grid 2 and We Are the Universe similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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 We Are the Universe have multiplayer like DG2: Defense Grid 2?
- No. DG2: Defense Grid 2 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op), while We Are the Universe is listed as single-player only.
- Does DG2: Defense Grid 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — DG2: Defense Grid 2 is rated Deck Verified by Valve. We Are the Universe doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.