Choose Stormbound
Choose Stormbound if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Stormbound launched in 2018.
Stormbound vs HexLab
Stormbound and HexLab 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. Stormbound (2018) is 1 year older than HexLab (2019). Stormbound is free; HexLab is paid (7.99 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 HexLab
Choose HexLab if you want a Casual experience. HexLab launched in 2019.
Both Stormbound and HexLab sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and 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
 Stormbound |  HexLab | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Free To Play | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 69.1% positive (634 reviews) | 9 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Paladin Studios, Stormbound Games | Satur Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Stormbound (2018) is 1 year older than HexLab (2019).
- Stormbound is free; HexLab is paid (7.99 USD).
Stormbound vs HexLab — FAQ
- Should I play Stormbound or HexLab first?
- If you want chronology, Stormbound (2018) came out before HexLab (2019). 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 Stormbound and HexLab 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.
- Is Stormbound free?
- Yes — Stormbound is a free-to-play Steam title. HexLab is paid (7.99 USD).