Choose Hearts of Iron IV
Choose Hearts of Iron IV if you want a Simulation game with Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.1% positive across 120,833 reviews.
Hearts of Iron IV vs Age of History II
Hearts of Iron IV and Age of History II both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Hearts of Iron IV (2016) is 2 years older than Age of History II (2018). Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Age of History II (86.5% 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 Age of History II
Choose Age of History II if you want the Shared/Split Screen PvP and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 88% cheaper on the Steam Store. 9,188 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Hearts of Iron IV and Age of History II sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, 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 |  Age of History II | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 49.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.1% positive (120,833 reviews) | 86.5% positive (9,188 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | Łukasz Jakowski |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Hearts of Iron IV (2016) is 2 years older than Age of History II (2018).
- Hearts of Iron IV scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than Age of History II (86.5% positive).
- Age of History II is currently ~88% cheaper on Steam than Hearts of Iron IV (5.99 USD vs. 49.99 USD).
- Hearts of Iron IV has co-op; Age of History II does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Hearts of Iron IV vs Age of History II — FAQ
- Which is better, Hearts of Iron IV or Age of History II?
- On Steam reviews Hearts of Iron IV scores higher (91.1% positive) than Age of History II (86.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Hearts of Iron IV is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Hearts of Iron IV or Age of History II first?
- If you want chronology, Hearts of Iron IV (2016) came out before Age of History II (2018). 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 Age of History II similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.