IMHO.

DG2: Defense Grid 2 vs Nightside

DG2: Defense Grid 2 and Nightside 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. DG2: Defense Grid 2 (2014) is 1 year older than Nightside (2015). DG2: Defense Grid 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (85.7% positive) than Nightside (56.3% 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 DG2: Defense Grid 2

Choose DG2: Defense Grid 2 if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 1,787 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Nightside

Choose Nightside if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Nightside launched in 2015.

Both DG2: Defense Grid 2 and Nightside 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

DG2: Defense Grid 2 vs Nightside — Steam metadata comparison
DG2: Defense Grid 2 — Steam game coverDG2: Defense Grid 2Nightside — Steam game coverNightside
Released20142015
GenresStrategy, IndieStrategy, Indie
PlatformsWindowsWindows, Linux
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedUnrated
Price9.99 USD4.99 USD
Steam reviews85.7% positive (1,787 reviews)56.3% positive (64 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-opSingle-player only
DevelopersHidden Path EntertainmentOMNIDREAM CREATIONS

Side by side

DG2: Defense Grid 2 vs Nightside — FAQ

Should I play DG2: Defense Grid 2 or Nightside first?
If you want chronology, DG2: Defense Grid 2 (2014) came out before Nightside (2015). 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 Nightside 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 Nightside 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 Nightside 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. Nightside doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
DG2: Defense Grid 2 vs Nightside — Verdict (2026) · imho.run