Choose Master of Orion
Choose Master of Orion if you want the Multi-player side of the pairing. 4,703 Steam reviews back the pick.
Master of Orion vs Stars in Shadow
Master of Orion and Stars in Shadow 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. Master of Orion (2016) is 1 year older than Stars in Shadow (2017). Stars in Shadow scores higher on Steam reviews (77.2% positive) than Master of Orion (76.1% 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 Stars in Shadow
Choose Stars in Shadow if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 85% cheaper on the Steam Store. Stars in Shadow launched in 2017.
Both Master of Orion and Stars in Shadow sit in Strategy on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (76.1% vs 77.2% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Master of Orion |  Stars in Shadow | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 3.74 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.1% positive (4,703 reviews) | 77.2% positive (589 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | NGD Studios | Ashdar Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Master of Orion (2016) is 1 year older than Stars in Shadow (2017).
- Stars in Shadow scores higher on Steam reviews (77.2% positive) than Master of Orion (76.1% positive).
- Stars in Shadow is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than Master of Orion (3.74 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Master of Orion is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Stars in Shadow has no Deck rating yet.
Master of Orion vs Stars in Shadow — FAQ
- Which is better, Master of Orion or Stars in Shadow?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Master of Orion sits at 76.1% positive (4,703 reviews), Stars in Shadow at 77.2% (589). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play Master of Orion or Stars in Shadow first?
- If you want chronology, Master of Orion (2016) came out before Stars in Shadow (2017). 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 Master of Orion and Stars in Shadow 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.
- Does Stars in Shadow have multiplayer like Master of Orion?
- No. Master of Orion supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Stars in Shadow is listed as single-player only.
- Does Master of Orion run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Master of Orion is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Stars in Shadow doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.