Stardew Valley vs Valheim
Stardew Valley and Valheim both land in Indie, RPG 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 Indie, RPG on Steam. Stardew Valley (2016) is 5 years older than Valheim (2021). Stardew Valley scores higher on Steam reviews (98.9% positive) than Valheim (94.7% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Side-by-side comparison
 Stardew Valley |  Valheim | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98.9% positive (384,187 reviews) | 94.7% positive (254,749 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | ConcernedApe | Iron Gate AB |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Stardew Valley (2016) is 5 years older than Valheim (2021).
- Stardew Valley scores higher on Steam reviews (98.9% positive) than Valheim (94.7% positive).
- Stardew Valley is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than Valheim (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Verified.
Stardew Valley vs Valheim — FAQ
- Which is better, Stardew Valley or Valheim?
- On Steam reviews Stardew Valley scores higher (98.9% positive) than Valheim (94.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Stardew Valley is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Stardew Valley or Valheim first?
- If you want chronology, Stardew Valley (2016) came out before Valheim (2021). 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 Stardew Valley and Valheim similar?
- They overlap on Indie, RPG 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.
- Do both Stardew Valley and Valheim have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Stardew Valley ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Valheim ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Do Stardew Valley and Valheim both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.