Choose Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Choose Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) if you want the Online PvP and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 97.3% positive across 6,146 reviews.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) vs Per Aspera
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Per Aspera 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. Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) is 7 years older than Per Aspera (2020). Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Per Aspera (76.9% 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 Per Aspera
Choose Per Aspera if you want an Indie game with Online Co-op and Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 2,488 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Per Aspera sit in Strategy and Simulation 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
 Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) |  Per Aspera | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.3% positive (6,146 reviews) | 76.9% positive (2,488 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Firefly Studios | Tlön Industries |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) is 7 years older than Per Aspera (2020).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Per Aspera (76.9% positive).
- Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Per Aspera (9.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Per Aspera has co-op; Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) vs Per Aspera — FAQ
- Which is better, Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) or Per Aspera?
- On Steam reviews Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) scores higher (97.3% positive) than Per Aspera (76.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) or Per Aspera first?
- If you want chronology, Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) (2013) came out before Per Aspera (2020). 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 Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) and Per Aspera 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.