Choose Stars in Shadow
Choose Stars in Shadow if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 77.2% positive across 589 reviews.
Stars in Shadow vs Pax Nova
Stars in Shadow and Pax Nova both land in Strategy, Indie 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, Indie on Steam. Stars in Shadow (2017) is 3 years older than Pax Nova (2020). Stars in Shadow scores higher on Steam reviews (77.2% positive) than Pax Nova (53% 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 Pax Nova
Choose Pax Nova if it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Pax Nova launched in 2020.
Both Stars in Shadow and Pax Nova sit in Strategy and Indie 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
 Stars in Shadow |  Pax Nova | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 4.49 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 77.2% positive (589 reviews) | 53% positive (266 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Ashdar Games | Grey Wolf Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Stars in Shadow (2017) is 3 years older than Pax Nova (2020).
- Stars in Shadow scores higher on Steam reviews (77.2% positive) than Pax Nova (53% positive).
- Stars in Shadow is currently ~82% cheaper on Steam than Pax Nova (4.49 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
Stars in Shadow vs Pax Nova — FAQ
- Which is better, Stars in Shadow or Pax Nova?
- On Steam reviews Stars in Shadow scores higher (77.2% positive) than Pax Nova (53% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Stars in Shadow is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Stars in Shadow or Pax Nova first?
- If you want chronology, Stars in Shadow (2017) came out before Pax Nova (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 Stars in Shadow and Pax Nova similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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.