Choose Zero-K
Choose Zero-K if you want an Indie, Simulation, and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 3,128 Steam reviews back the pick.
Zero-K vs Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Zero-K and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition 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. Zero-K (2018) is 1 year older than Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019). Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than Zero-K (93.9% 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 Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Choose Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition if you want the LAN PvP, LAN Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size side of the pairing. 60,009 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Zero-K and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (93.9% vs 95.1% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Zero-K |  Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Free To Play | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | 34.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.9% positive (3,128 reviews) | 95.1% positive (60,009 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Zero-K Team | World's Edge, Forgotten Empires, CaptureAge, Tantalus Media, Wicked Witch, Feral Interactive |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Zero-K (2018) is 1 year older than Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019).
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than Zero-K (93.9% positive).
- Zero-K is free; Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is paid (34.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Zero-K is Deck Unsupported, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is Deck Playable.
Zero-K vs Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition — FAQ
- Which is better, Zero-K or Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Zero-K sits at 93.9% positive (3,128 reviews), Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition at 95.1% (60,009). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play Zero-K or Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition first?
- If you want chronology, Zero-K (2018) came out before Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019). 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 Zero-K and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition 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.
- Do both Zero-K and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Zero-K ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op.
- Is Zero-K free?
- Yes — Zero-K is a free-to-play Steam title. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is paid (34.99 USD).