Choose Star Merc
Choose Star Merc if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Star Merc launched in 2017.
Star Merc vs Space Mercenary Defense Force
Star Merc and Space Mercenary Defense Force both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie, RPG on Steam. Star Merc (2017) is 6 years older than Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023). Star Merc is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Space Mercenary Defense Force (1.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD). 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 Space Mercenary Defense Force
Choose Space Mercenary Defense Force if it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Space Mercenary Defense Force launched in 2023.
Both Star Merc and Space Mercenary Defense Force sit in Action, Indie, and RPG 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
 Star Merc |  Space Mercenary Defense Force | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Action, Indie, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 1.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 42.9% positive (21 reviews) | 9 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | D247 Games | Tom Paradise |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Star Merc (2017) is 6 years older than Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023).
- Star Merc is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Space Mercenary Defense Force (1.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
Star Merc vs Space Mercenary Defense Force — FAQ
- Should I play Star Merc or Space Mercenary Defense Force first?
- If you want chronology, Star Merc (2017) came out before Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023). 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 Star Merc and Space Mercenary Defense Force similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.