Choose Horizon
Choose Horizon if you want an Indie, Adventure, and Simulation experience. Horizon launched in 2014.
Horizon vs Space Empires II
Horizon and Space Empires II 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. Horizon (2014) is 6 years older than Space Empires II (2020). Horizon scores higher on Steam reviews (58.1% positive) than Space Empires II (53.8% 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 Space Empires II
Choose Space Empires II if it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. Space Empires II launched in 2020.
Both Horizon and Space Empires II sit in Strategy 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
 Horizon |  Space Empires II | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Free To Play | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 58.1% positive (258 reviews) | 53.8% positive (13 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | L3O Interactive | Malfador Machinations |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Horizon (2014) is 6 years older than Space Empires II (2020).
- Horizon scores higher on Steam reviews (58.1% positive) than Space Empires II (53.8% positive).
- Space Empires II is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Horizon (2.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
Horizon vs Space Empires II — FAQ
- Should I play Horizon or Space Empires II first?
- If you want chronology, Horizon (2014) came out before Space Empires II (2020). 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 Horizon and Space Empires II 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.