Choose Oxygen Not Included
Choose Oxygen Not Included if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96% positive across 48,352 reviews.
Oxygen Not Included vs Starmancer
Oxygen Not Included and Starmancer both land in Indie, 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 Indie, Simulation on Steam. Oxygen Not Included (2019) is 2 years older than Starmancer (2021). Oxygen Not Included scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than Starmancer (62.8% 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 Starmancer
Choose Starmancer if you want a Strategy and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 40% cheaper on the Steam Store. Starmancer launched in 2021.
Both Oxygen Not Included and Starmancer sit in Indie and Simulation 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
 Oxygen Not Included |  Starmancer | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2021 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96% positive (48,352 reviews) | 62.8% positive (602 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Klei Entertainment | Ominux Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Oxygen Not Included (2019) is 2 years older than Starmancer (2021).
- Oxygen Not Included scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than Starmancer (62.8% positive).
- Starmancer is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Oxygen Not Included (14.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Oxygen Not Included is Deck Verified, Starmancer is Deck Playable.
Oxygen Not Included vs Starmancer — FAQ
- Which is better, Oxygen Not Included or Starmancer?
- On Steam reviews Oxygen Not Included scores higher (96% positive) than Starmancer (62.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Oxygen Not Included is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Oxygen Not Included or Starmancer first?
- If you want chronology, Oxygen Not Included (2019) came out before Starmancer (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 Oxygen Not Included and Starmancer similar?
- They overlap on Indie, 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.