Choose X4: Foundations
Choose X4: Foundations if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 13,038 Steam reviews back the pick.
X4: Foundations vs Shades
X4: Foundations and Shades both land in Action, Strategy, 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 Action, Strategy, Simulation on Steam. X4: Foundations is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Shades has no Deck rating yet. 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 Shades
Choose Shades if you want an Indie, Adventure, and Casual game with Steam Leaderboards, DualShock Controller Support, and HDR available.
Both X4: Foundations and Shades sit in Action, Strategy, and Simulation on Steam and both list Adjustable Text Size, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort, 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
 X4: Foundations |  Shades | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | — |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Simulation | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 12.49 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 78.6% positive (13,038 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Egosoft | Mamat Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- X4: Foundations is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Shades has no Deck rating yet.
X4: Foundations vs Shades — FAQ
- Are X4: Foundations and Shades similar?
- They overlap on Action, Strategy, 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.
- Does X4: Foundations run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — X4: Foundations is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Shades doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.