Choose X2: The Threat
Choose X2: The Threat if it's currently about 92% cheaper on the Steam Store. X2: The Threat launched in 2006.
X2: The Threat vs X4: Foundations
X2: The Threat and X4: Foundations 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. X2: The Threat (2006) is 12 years older than X4: Foundations (2018). Both sit near 79% positive on Steam (X2: The Threat: 209 reviews, X4: Foundations: 13,038). 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 X4: Foundations
Choose X4: Foundations if you want an Action and Simulation game with Adjustable Text Size, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's the newer release (2018) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 13,038 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both X2: The Threat and X4: Foundations sit in Strategy on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (79.4% vs 78.6% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 X2: The Threat |  X4: Foundations | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy | Action, Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Verified |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 12.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 79.4% positive (209 reviews) | 78.6% positive (13,038 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Egosoft | Egosoft |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- X2: The Threat (2006) is 12 years older than X4: Foundations (2018).
- Both sit near 79% positive on Steam (X2: The Threat: 209 reviews, X4: Foundations: 13,038).
- X2: The Threat is currently ~92% cheaper on Steam than X4: Foundations (0.99 USD vs. 12.49 USD).
- Steam Deck: X2: The Threat is Deck Unsupported, X4: Foundations is Deck Verified.
X2: The Threat vs X4: Foundations — FAQ
- Which is better, X2: The Threat or X4: Foundations?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: X2: The Threat sits at 79.4% positive (209 reviews), X4: Foundations at 78.6% (13,038). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play X2: The Threat or X4: Foundations first?
- If you want chronology, X2: The Threat (2006) came out before X4: Foundations (2018). 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 X2: The Threat and X4: Foundations 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.