Choose Hearts of Iron IV
Choose Hearts of Iron IV if you want a Simulation game with Multi-player and Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 120,833 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hearts of Iron IV vs The Great Fantasy Struggle
Hearts of Iron IV and The Great Fantasy Struggle 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 The Great Fantasy Struggle (2018). The Great Fantasy Struggle is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Hearts of Iron IV (4.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD). 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 The Great Fantasy Struggle
Choose The Great Fantasy Struggle if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Great Fantasy Struggle launched in 2018.
Both Hearts of Iron IV and The Great Fantasy Struggle sit in Strategy 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 |  The Great Fantasy Struggle | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.1% positive (120,833 reviews) | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Paradox Development Studio | Alina Digital |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Hearts of Iron IV (2016) is 2 years older than The Great Fantasy Struggle (2018).
- The Great Fantasy Struggle is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Hearts of Iron IV (4.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Hearts of Iron IV has co-op; The Great Fantasy Struggle does not.
- Hearts of Iron IV is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Great Fantasy Struggle has no Deck rating yet.
Hearts of Iron IV vs The Great Fantasy Struggle — FAQ
- Should I play Hearts of Iron IV or The Great Fantasy Struggle first?
- If you want chronology, Hearts of Iron IV (2016) came out before The Great Fantasy Struggle (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 The Great Fantasy Struggle 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.
- Does The Great Fantasy Struggle have multiplayer like Hearts of Iron IV?
- No. Hearts of Iron IV supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op), while The Great Fantasy Struggle 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. The Great Fantasy Struggle doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.