Choose Maelstrom
Choose Maelstrom if you want a Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 1,821 Steam reviews back the pick.
Maelstrom vs Specters of the Void Sea
Maelstrom and Specters of the Void Sea both land in Action, 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 Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam. Maelstrom (2019) is 8 years older than Specters of the Void Sea (2027). Maelstrom is free; Specters of the Void Sea is paid (Price unknown). 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 Specters of the Void Sea
Choose Specters of the Void Sea if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2027) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Specters of the Void Sea launched in 2027.
Both Maelstrom and Specters of the Void Sea sit in Action, Strategy, and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, 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
 Maelstrom |  Specters of the Void Sea | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2027 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 82.9% positive (1,821 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Gunpowder Games, Inc., Tideturners | Vlad Bondarenco |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Maelstrom (2019) is 8 years older than Specters of the Void Sea (2027).
- Maelstrom is free; Specters of the Void Sea is paid (Price unknown).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Maelstrom is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Specters of the Void Sea has no Deck rating yet.
Maelstrom vs Specters of the Void Sea — FAQ
- Should I play Maelstrom or Specters of the Void Sea first?
- If you want chronology, Maelstrom (2019) came out before Specters of the Void Sea (2027). 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 Maelstrom and Specters of the Void Sea similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Do both Maelstrom and Specters of the Void Sea have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Maelstrom ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Specters of the Void Sea ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Maelstrom free?
- Yes — Maelstrom is a free-to-play Steam title. Specters of the Void Sea is paid (Price unknown).
- Does Maelstrom run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Maelstrom is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Specters of the Void Sea doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.