Choose AI War 2
Choose AI War 2 if you want the Multi-player, Online Co-op, and LAN Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. AI War 2 launched in 2019.
AI War 2 vs Near Sol
AI War 2 and Near Sol both land in Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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, Simulation on Steam. AI War 2 (2019) is 3 years older than Near Sol (2022). Near Sol is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than AI War 2 (7.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 Near Sol
Choose Near Sol if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Near Sol launched in 2022.
Both AI War 2 and Near Sol sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation 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
 AI War 2 |  Near Sol | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89.2% positive (950 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Arcen Games | LTide |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- AI War 2 (2019) is 3 years older than Near Sol (2022).
- Near Sol is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than AI War 2 (7.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- AI War 2 has co-op; Near Sol does not.
- AI War 2 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Near Sol has no Deck rating yet.
AI War 2 vs Near Sol — FAQ
- Should I play AI War 2 or Near Sol first?
- If you want chronology, AI War 2 (2019) came out before Near Sol (2022). 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 AI War 2 and Near Sol similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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 Near Sol have multiplayer like AI War 2?
- No. AI War 2 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Near Sol is listed as single-player only.
- Does AI War 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — AI War 2 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Near Sol doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.