Choose Ancient Frontier
Choose Ancient Frontier if you want the Color Alternatives, Adjustable Difficulty, and Save Anytime side of the pairing. Ancient Frontier launched in 2017.
Ancient Frontier vs Dark Times
Ancient Frontier and Dark Times both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Ancient Frontier (2017) is 8 years older than Dark Times (2025). Dark Times scores higher on Steam reviews (91.7% positive) than Ancient Frontier (63.3% 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 Dark Times
Choose Dark Times if you want an Indie game with Camera Comfort and Touch Only Option. On Steam, it's currently about 84% cheaper on the Steam Store. Dark Times launched in 2025.
Both Ancient Frontier and Dark Times sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Mouse Only Option, 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
 Ancient Frontier |  Dark Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 63.3% positive (98 reviews) | 91.7% positive (12 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Fair Weather Studios | Gromov Studio |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Ancient Frontier (2017) is 8 years older than Dark Times (2025).
- Dark Times scores higher on Steam reviews (91.7% positive) than Ancient Frontier (63.3% positive).
- Dark Times is currently ~84% cheaper on Steam than Ancient Frontier (3.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
Ancient Frontier vs Dark Times — FAQ
- Should I play Ancient Frontier or Dark Times first?
- If you want chronology, Ancient Frontier (2017) came out before Dark Times (2025). 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 Ancient Frontier and Dark Times similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.