Choose Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Choose Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition if you want the Online PvP, LAN PvP, and LAN Co-op side of the pairing. 60,009 Steam reviews back the pick.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition vs Arrival of Beasts
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Arrival of Beasts 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. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019) is 4 years older than Arrival of Beasts (2023). Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than Arrival of Beasts (91.7% 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 Arrival of Beasts
Choose Arrival of Beasts if you want an Indie game with Camera Comfort, Stereo Sound, and Surround Sound. On Steam, it's currently about 63% cheaper on the Steam Store. Arrival of Beasts launched in 2023.
Both Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Arrival of Beasts sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Custom Volume Controls, 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
 Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition |  Arrival of Beasts | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2023 |
| Genres | Strategy | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 34.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.1% positive (60,009 reviews) | 91.7% positive (12 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | World's Edge, Forgotten Empires, CaptureAge, Tantalus Media, Wicked Witch, Feral Interactive | FreeTimeDevelopment |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019) is 4 years older than Arrival of Beasts (2023).
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (95.1% positive) than Arrival of Beasts (91.7% positive).
- Arrival of Beasts is currently ~63% cheaper on Steam than Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (12.99 USD vs. 34.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Arrival of Beasts has no Deck rating yet.
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition vs Arrival of Beasts — FAQ
- Should I play Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition or Arrival of Beasts first?
- If you want chronology, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (2019) came out before Arrival of Beasts (2023). 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 Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Arrival of Beasts 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.
- Do both Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Arrival of Beasts have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition ships Online Co-op, LAN Co-op; Arrival of Beasts ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Arrival of Beasts doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.