Choose Hearts of Iron III
Choose Hearts of Iron III if you want the Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. 2,730 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hearts of Iron III vs Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game
Hearts of Iron III and Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game 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. Hearts of Iron III (2009) is 2 years older than Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game (2011). Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game scores higher on Steam reviews (91.5% positive) than Hearts of Iron III (77.4% 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 Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game
Choose Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.5% positive across 929 reviews.
Both Hearts of Iron III and Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, 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
 Hearts of Iron III |  Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2011 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 2.49 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 77.4% positive (2,730 reviews) | 91.5% positive (929 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | Martin Ivanov |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Hearts of Iron III (2009) is 2 years older than Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game (2011).
- Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game scores higher on Steam reviews (91.5% positive) than Hearts of Iron III (77.4% positive).
- Hearts of Iron III is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game (2.49 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Hearts of Iron III has co-op; Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game does not.
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Hearts of Iron III vs Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game — FAQ
- Which is better, Hearts of Iron III or Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game?
- On Steam reviews Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game scores higher (91.5% positive) than Hearts of Iron III (77.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Hearts of Iron III or Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game first?
- If you want chronology, Hearts of Iron III (2009) came out before Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game (2011). 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 Hearts of Iron III and Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game 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.