Choose Ascent - The Space Game
Choose Ascent - The Space Game if you want an Indie experience. Ascent - The Space Game launched in 2016.
Ascent - The Space Game vs Elite Dangerous
Ascent - The Space Game and Elite Dangerous both land in Strategy, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer 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, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. Elite Dangerous (2015) is 1 year older than Ascent - The Space Game (2016). Elite Dangerous scores higher on Steam reviews (76.7% positive) than Ascent - The Space Game (67.6% 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 Elite Dangerous
Choose Elite Dangerous if you want an Action, Adventure, and RPG game with VR Supported and Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 76.7% positive across 52,491 reviews.
Both Ascent - The Space Game and Elite Dangerous sit in Strategy, Simulation, and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player and MMO, 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
 Ascent - The Space Game |  Elite Dangerous | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2015 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer | Action, Strategy, Adventure, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 67.6% positive (256 reviews) | 76.7% positive (52,491 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Co-op |
| Developers | Fluffy Kitten Studios | Frontier Developments |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- Elite Dangerous (2015) is 1 year older than Ascent - The Space Game (2016).
- Elite Dangerous scores higher on Steam reviews (76.7% positive) than Ascent - The Space Game (67.6% positive).
- Elite Dangerous is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Ascent - The Space Game (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Elite Dangerous has co-op; Ascent - The Space Game does not.
- Elite Dangerous is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Ascent - The Space Game has no Deck rating yet.
Ascent - The Space Game vs Elite Dangerous — FAQ
- Which is better, Ascent - The Space Game or Elite Dangerous?
- On Steam reviews Elite Dangerous scores higher (76.7% positive) than Ascent - The Space Game (67.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Elite Dangerous is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Ascent - The Space Game or Elite Dangerous first?
- If you want chronology, Elite Dangerous (2015) came out before Ascent - The Space Game (2016). 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 Ascent - The Space Game and Elite Dangerous similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer 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.