Choose The Spatials
Choose The Spatials if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's currently about 94% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Spatials launched in 2015.
The Spatials vs Oxygen Not Included
The Spatials and Oxygen Not Included both land in Indie, Simulation 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 Indie, Simulation on Steam. The Spatials (2015) is 4 years older than Oxygen Not Included (2019). Oxygen Not Included scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than The Spatials (69.3% 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 Oxygen Not Included
Choose Oxygen Not Included if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96% positive across 48,352 reviews.
Both The Spatials and Oxygen Not Included sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam, 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
 The Spatials |  Oxygen Not Included | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, RPG | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 1.49 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 69.3% positive (189 reviews) | 96% positive (48,352 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Weird and Wry | Klei Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- The Spatials (2015) is 4 years older than Oxygen Not Included (2019).
- Oxygen Not Included scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than The Spatials (69.3% positive).
- The Spatials is currently ~94% cheaper on Steam than Oxygen Not Included (1.49 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Verified.
The Spatials vs Oxygen Not Included — FAQ
- Which is better, The Spatials or Oxygen Not Included?
- On Steam reviews Oxygen Not Included scores higher (96% positive) than The Spatials (69.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Oxygen Not Included is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play The Spatials or Oxygen Not Included first?
- If you want chronology, The Spatials (2015) came out before Oxygen Not Included (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 The Spatials and Oxygen Not Included similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation 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 The Spatials and Oxygen Not Included both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.