Choose Second Wave
Choose Second Wave if you want an Indie and Early Access game with Online Co-op and Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Second Wave launched in 2024.
Second Wave vs Starward
Second Wave and Starward both land in Action, Adventure, RPG 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, Adventure, RPG on Steam. Both released in 2024. Starward scores higher on Steam reviews (76.5% positive) than Second Wave (63.3% 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 Starward
Choose Starward if you want a Massively Multiplayer and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Starward launched in 2024.
Both Second Wave and Starward sit in Action, Adventure, and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 Second Wave |  Starward | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Early Access | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | Price unknown | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 63.3% positive (60 reviews) | 76.5% positive (824 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Challengers Games Corp. | Game Blender |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure, RPG on Steam.
- Both released in 2024.
- Starward scores higher on Steam reviews (76.5% positive) than Second Wave (63.3% positive).
- Starward is free; Second Wave is paid (Price unknown).
- Second Wave has co-op; Starward does not.
- Steam Deck: Second Wave is Deck Unsupported, Starward is Deck Playable.
Second Wave vs Starward — FAQ
- Are Second Wave and Starward similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure, RPG 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.
- Is Starward free?
- Yes — Starward is a free-to-play Steam title. Second Wave is paid (Price unknown).