IMHO.

Slay the Spire 2 vs Contested Space

Slay the Spire 2 and Contested Space both land in Strategy, Indie 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 on Steam. Slay the Spire 2 (2026) is 1 year older than Contested Space (2027). Both support cooperative play. 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 Slay the Spire 2

Choose Slay the Spire 2 if you want an Early Access game with Steam Leaderboards, Custom Volume Controls, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 54,616 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Contested Space

Choose Contested Space if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Contested Space launched in 2027.

Both Slay the Spire 2 and Contested Space sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op, 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

Slay the Spire 2 vs Contested Space — Steam metadata comparison
Slay the Spire 2 — Steam game coverSlay the Spire 2Contested Space — Steam game coverContested Space
Released20262027
GenresStrategy, Indie, Early AccessStrategy, Indie
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, Linux
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedUnrated
Price24.99 USDPrice unknown
Steam reviews93.5% positive (54,616 reviews)—
MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-opMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-op
DevelopersMega CritNull & Void Games LLC

Side by side

Slay the Spire 2 vs Contested Space — FAQ

Should I play Slay the Spire 2 or Contested Space first?
If you want chronology, Slay the Spire 2 (2026) came out before Contested Space (2027). 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 Slay the Spire 2 and Contested Space similar?
They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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 Slay the Spire 2 and Contested Space have co-op?
Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Slay the Spire 2 ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Contested Space ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
Does Slay the Spire 2 run on Steam Deck?
Yes — Slay the Spire 2 is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Contested Space doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
Slay the Spire 2 vs Contested Space — Verdict (2026) · imho.run