Choose Planet Explorers
Choose Planet Explorers if you want an Adventure and RPG experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 3,861 Steam reviews back the pick.
Planet Explorers vs Space Engineers
Planet Explorers and Space Engineers both land in Action, Indie, Simulation 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, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Planet Explorers (2016) is 3 years older than Space Engineers (2019). Space Engineers scores higher on Steam reviews (89.9% positive) than Planet Explorers (59.8% 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 Engineers
Choose Space Engineers if you want a Strategy game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 89.9% positive across 67,178 reviews.
Both Planet Explorers and Space Engineers sit in Action, Indie, and Simulation 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
 Planet Explorers |  Space Engineers | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | Free to play | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 59.8% positive (3,861 reviews) | 89.9% positive (67,178 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op |
| Developers | Pathea Games | Keen Software House |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Planet Explorers (2016) is 3 years older than Space Engineers (2019).
- Space Engineers scores higher on Steam reviews (89.9% positive) than Planet Explorers (59.8% positive).
- Planet Explorers is free; Space Engineers is paid (9.99 USD).
- Space Engineers has co-op; Planet Explorers does not.
- Steam Deck: Planet Explorers is Deck Playable, Space Engineers is Deck Unsupported.
Planet Explorers vs Space Engineers — FAQ
- Which is better, Planet Explorers or Space Engineers?
- On Steam reviews Space Engineers scores higher (89.9% positive) than Planet Explorers (59.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Space Engineers is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Planet Explorers or Space Engineers first?
- If you want chronology, Planet Explorers (2016) came out before Space Engineers (2019). 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 Planet Explorers and Space Engineers similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Simulation 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 Planet Explorers have multiplayer like Space Engineers?
- No. Space Engineers supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op), while Planet Explorers is listed as single-player only.
- Is Planet Explorers free?
- Yes — Planet Explorers is a free-to-play Steam title. Space Engineers is paid (9.99 USD).