Choose Old World
Choose Old World if you want the Online PvP, Online Co-op, and Adjustable Text Size side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.3% positive across 3,708 reviews.
Old World vs Shadow Empire
Old World and Shadow Empire both land in Strategy, Simulation, 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 Strategy, Simulation, RPG on Steam. Shadow Empire (2020) is 2 years older than Old World (2022). Old World scores higher on Steam reviews (84.3% positive) than Shadow Empire (82.1% 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 Shadow Empire
Choose Shadow Empire if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 1,123 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Old World and Shadow Empire sit in Strategy, Simulation, and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP, 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
 Old World |  Shadow Empire | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation, RPG | Strategy, Simulation, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 39.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.3% positive (3,708 reviews) | 82.1% positive (1,123 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Mohawk Games | VR Designs |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation, RPG on Steam.
- Shadow Empire (2020) is 2 years older than Old World (2022).
- Old World scores higher on Steam reviews (84.3% positive) than Shadow Empire (82.1% positive).
- Shadow Empire is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Old World (39.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Old World is Deck Playable, Shadow Empire is Deck Unsupported.
Old World vs Shadow Empire — FAQ
- Which is better, Old World or Shadow Empire?
- On Steam reviews Old World scores higher (84.3% positive) than Shadow Empire (82.1% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Old World is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Old World or Shadow Empire first?
- If you want chronology, Shadow Empire (2020) came out before Old World (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 Old World and Shadow Empire similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation, 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.
- Do both Old World and Shadow Empire have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Old World ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Shadow Empire ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.