IMHO.

Starbase vs SPACERIFT: Arcanum System

Starbase and SPACERIFT: Arcanum System both land in Action, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer 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 Action, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. SPACERIFT: Arcanum System (2020) is 1 year older than Starbase (2021). Starbase scores higher on Steam reviews (55.1% positive) than SPACERIFT: Arcanum System (53.6% 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 Starbase

Choose Starbase if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 4,344 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose SPACERIFT: Arcanum System

Choose SPACERIFT: Arcanum System if you want an Indie, Adventure, and RPG game with Online Co-op, Adjustable Text Size, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's currently about 43% cheaper on the Steam Store. SPACERIFT: Arcanum System launched in 2020.

Both Starbase and SPACERIFT: Arcanum System sit in Action, Simulation, and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (55.1% vs 53.6% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.

Side-by-side comparison

Starbase vs SPACERIFT: Arcanum System — Steam metadata comparison
Starbase — Steam game coverStarbaseSPACERIFT: Arcanum System — Steam game coverSPACERIFT: Arcanum System
Released20212020
GenresAction, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, Early AccessAction, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Early Access
PlatformsWindowsWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableDeck Playable
Price34.99 USD19.99 USD
Steam reviews55.1% positive (4,344 reviews)53.6% positive (28 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-playerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-op
DevelopersFrozenbyteArcanum Team

Side by side

Starbase vs SPACERIFT: Arcanum System — FAQ

Should I play Starbase or SPACERIFT: Arcanum System first?
If you want chronology, SPACERIFT: Arcanum System (2020) came out before Starbase (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 Starbase and SPACERIFT: Arcanum System similar?
They overlap on Action, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer 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.
Starbase vs SPACERIFT: Arcanum System — Verdict (2026) · imho.run