Choose Etherlords II
Choose Etherlords II if you want a RPG game with Multi-player. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 80.9% positive across 131 reviews.
Etherlords II vs Guards
Etherlords II and Guards both land in Strategy, Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. Etherlords II (2014) is 2 years older than Guards (2016). Etherlords II scores higher on Steam reviews (80.9% positive) than Guards (75.5% 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 Guards
Choose Guards if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Guards launched in 2016.
Both Etherlords II and Guards sit in Strategy, Indie, and Adventure 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
 Etherlords II |  Guards | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2016 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Strategy, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 80.9% positive (131 reviews) | 75.5% positive (110 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Nival | Battlecruiser Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Etherlords II (2014) is 2 years older than Guards (2016).
- Etherlords II scores higher on Steam reviews (80.9% positive) than Guards (75.5% positive).
- Guards is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Etherlords II (4.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Guards is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Etherlords II has no Deck rating yet.
Etherlords II vs Guards — FAQ
- Which is better, Etherlords II or Guards?
- On Steam reviews Etherlords II scores higher (80.9% positive) than Guards (75.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Etherlords II is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Etherlords II or Guards first?
- If you want chronology, Etherlords II (2014) came out before Guards (2016). 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 Etherlords II and Guards similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Adventure 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 Guards have multiplayer like Etherlords II?
- No. Etherlords II supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Guards is listed as single-player only.