Choose No Man's Sky
Choose No Man's Sky if you want the Online PvP, PvP, and Tracked Controller Support side of the pairing. 180,011 Steam reviews back the pick.
No Man's Sky vs Subnautica 2
No Man's Sky and Subnautica 2 both land in Action, 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 Action, Adventure on Steam. No Man's Sky (2016) is 10 years older than Subnautica 2 (2026). Subnautica 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (91.2% positive) than No Man's Sky (81.6% 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 Subnautica 2
Choose Subnautica 2 if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.2% positive across 114,540 reviews.
Both No Man's Sky and Subnautica 2 sit in Action and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size, 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
 No Man's Sky |  Subnautica 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure | Action, Adventure, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 59.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 81.6% positive (180,011 reviews) | 91.2% positive (114,540 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Hello Games | Unknown Worlds Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- No Man's Sky (2016) is 10 years older than Subnautica 2 (2026).
- Subnautica 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (91.2% positive) than No Man's Sky (81.6% positive).
- Subnautica 2 is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than No Man's Sky (29.99 USD vs. 59.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Verified.
No Man's Sky vs Subnautica 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, No Man's Sky or Subnautica 2?
- On Steam reviews Subnautica 2 scores higher (91.2% positive) than No Man's Sky (81.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Subnautica 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play No Man's Sky or Subnautica 2 first?
- If you want chronology, No Man's Sky (2016) came out before Subnautica 2 (2026). 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 No Man's Sky and Subnautica 2 similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Do both No Man's Sky and Subnautica 2 have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: No Man's Sky ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Subnautica 2 ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Do No Man's Sky and Subnautica 2 both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.