IMHO.

The Battle of Polytopia vs Chess 2

The Battle of Polytopia and Chess 2 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. The Battle of Polytopia (2020) is 6 years older than Chess 2 (2026). Chess 2 has co-op; The Battle of Polytopia does not. 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 The Battle of Polytopia

Choose The Battle of Polytopia if you want an Action, Indie, and Adventure game with Steam Turn Notifications. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 3,178 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Chess 2

Choose Chess 2 if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Online Co-op, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Chess 2 launched in 2026.

Both The Battle of Polytopia and Chess 2 sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, 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

The Battle of Polytopia vs Chess 2 — Steam metadata comparison
The Battle of Polytopia — Steam game coverThe Battle of PolytopiaChess 2 — Steam game coverChess 2
Released20202026
GenresAction, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, CasualStrategy
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedUnrated
Price14.99 USDPrice unknown
Steam reviews95.1% positive (3,178 reviews)—
MultiplayerMulti-player, Cross-Platform MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op
DevelopersMidjiwan ABProper Puppy

Side by side

The Battle of Polytopia vs Chess 2 — FAQ

Should I play The Battle of Polytopia or Chess 2 first?
If you want chronology, The Battle of Polytopia (2020) came out before Chess 2 (2026). 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 The Battle of Polytopia and Chess 2 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.
Does The Battle of Polytopia run on Steam Deck?
Yes — The Battle of Polytopia is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Chess 2 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
The Battle of Polytopia vs Chess 2 — Verdict (2026) · imho.run