Choose Star Control I and II
Choose Star Control I and II if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. Star Control I and II launched in 2017.
Star Control I and II vs Bandits
Star Control I and II and Bandits both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Star Control I and II (2017) is 2 years older than Bandits (2019). Bandits scores higher on Steam reviews (81.8% positive) than Star Control I and II (80.7% 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 Bandits
Choose Bandits if you want the Shared/Split Screen Co-op and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Bandits launched in 2019.
Both Star Control I and II and Bandits sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (80.7% vs 81.8% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Star Control I and II |  Bandits | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 80.7% positive (140 reviews) | 81.8% positive (11 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Toys for Bob | Benerot |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Star Control I and II (2017) is 2 years older than Bandits (2019).
- Bandits scores higher on Steam reviews (81.8% positive) than Star Control I and II (80.7% positive).
- Star Control I and II is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Bandits (3.99 USD vs. 5.99 USD).
- Bandits has co-op; Star Control I and II does not.
Star Control I and II vs Bandits — FAQ
- Should I play Star Control I and II or Bandits first?
- If you want chronology, Star Control I and II (2017) came out before Bandits (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 Star Control I and II and Bandits similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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.