Choose Natural Selection 2
Choose Natural Selection 2 if you want an Action game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP. 5,398 Steam reviews back the pick.
Natural Selection 2 vs Nightside
Natural Selection 2 and Nightside 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. Natural Selection 2 (2012) is 3 years older than Nightside (2015). Natural Selection 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% positive) than Nightside (56.3% 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 Nightside
Choose Nightside if it's the newer release (2015) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Nightside launched in 2015.
Both Natural Selection 2 and Nightside 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
 Natural Selection 2 |  Nightside | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.9% positive (5,398 reviews) | 56.3% positive (64 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Unknown Worlds Entertainment | OMNIDREAM CREATIONS |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Natural Selection 2 (2012) is 3 years older than Nightside (2015).
- Natural Selection 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (84.9% positive) than Nightside (56.3% positive).
- Nightside is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Natural Selection 2 (4.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Natural Selection 2 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Nightside has no Deck rating yet.
Natural Selection 2 vs Nightside — FAQ
- Should I play Natural Selection 2 or Nightside first?
- If you want chronology, Natural Selection 2 (2012) came out before Nightside (2015). 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 Nightside 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.
- Does Nightside have multiplayer like Natural Selection 2?
- No. Natural Selection 2 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Nightside is listed as single-player only.
- Does Natural Selection 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Natural Selection 2 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Nightside doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.