Choose Hearts of Iron IV
Choose Hearts of Iron IV if you want the Multi-player and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 120,833 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hearts of Iron IV vs Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages
Hearts of Iron IV and Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages both land in 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 Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Hearts of Iron IV (2016) is 1 year older than Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages (2017). Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages (49.3% 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 Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages
Choose Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages if you want a RPG game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages launched in 2017.
Both Hearts of Iron IV and Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages sit in Strategy 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
 Hearts of Iron IV |  Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.1% positive (120,833 reviews) | 49.3% positive (69 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | HeroLabs |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Hearts of Iron IV (2016) is 1 year older than Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages (2017).
- Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages (49.3% positive).
- Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Hearts of Iron IV (14.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Hearts of Iron IV has co-op; Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages does not.
- Hearts of Iron IV is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages has no Deck rating yet.
Hearts of Iron IV vs Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages — FAQ
- Should I play Hearts of Iron IV or Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages first?
- If you want chronology, Hearts of Iron IV (2016) came out before Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages (2017). 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 Hearts of Iron IV and Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages similar?
- They overlap on 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 Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages have multiplayer like Hearts of Iron IV?
- No. Hearts of Iron IV supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op), while Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages is listed as single-player only.
- Does Hearts of Iron IV run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hearts of Iron IV is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Strategy & Tactics: Dark Ages doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.