Choose Natural Selection 2
Choose Natural Selection 2 if you want a Strategy game with Online PvP, PvP, and Valve Anti-Cheat enabled. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.9% positive across 5,398 reviews.
Natural Selection 2 vs NS2: Combat
Natural Selection 2 and NS2: Combat both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie on Steam. Natural Selection 2 (2012) is 2 years older than NS2: Combat (2014). Natural Selection 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% positive) than NS2: Combat (58.9% 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 NS2: Combat
Choose NS2: Combat if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. NS2: Combat launched in 2014.
Both Natural Selection 2 and NS2: Combat sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, 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
 Natural Selection 2 |  NS2: Combat | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie | Action, Indie, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 84.9% positive (5,398 reviews) | 58.9% positive (197 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Unknown Worlds Entertainment | Faultline Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Natural Selection 2 (2012) is 2 years older than NS2: Combat (2014).
- Natural Selection 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% positive) than NS2: Combat (58.9% positive).
- NS2: Combat is free; Natural Selection 2 is paid (4.99 USD).
- Natural Selection 2 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; NS2: Combat has no Deck rating yet.
Natural Selection 2 vs NS2: Combat — FAQ
- Which is better, Natural Selection 2 or NS2: Combat?
- On Steam reviews Natural Selection 2 scores higher (84.9% positive) than NS2: Combat (58.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Natural Selection 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Natural Selection 2 or NS2: Combat first?
- If you want chronology, Natural Selection 2 (2012) came out before NS2: Combat (2014). 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 Natural Selection 2 and NS2: Combat similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Is NS2: Combat free?
- Yes — NS2: Combat is a free-to-play Steam title. Natural Selection 2 is paid (4.99 USD).
- Does Natural Selection 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Natural Selection 2 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. NS2: Combat doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.