Choose Root
Choose Root if you want an Indie and Simulation game with Shared/Split Screen and Shared/Split Screen PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 35% cheaper on the Steam Store. 3,117 Steam reviews back the pick.
Root vs Ark Nova
Root and Ark Nova 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. Root (2020) is 5 years older than Ark Nova (2025). Both sit near 93% positive on Steam (Root: 3,117 reviews, Ark Nova: 322). 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 Ark Nova
Choose Ark Nova if it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Ark Nova launched in 2025.
Both Root and Ark Nova sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Steam Turn Notifications, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (92.7% vs 93.5% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Root |  Ark Nova | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 22.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 92.7% positive (3,117 reviews) | 93.5% positive (322 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player |
| Developers | Dire Wolf | Dire Wolf |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Root (2020) is 5 years older than Ark Nova (2025).
- Both sit near 93% positive on Steam (Root: 3,117 reviews, Ark Nova: 322).
- Root is currently ~35% cheaper on Steam than Ark Nova (14.99 USD vs. 22.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Root is Deck Verified, Ark Nova is Deck Playable.
Root vs Ark Nova — FAQ
- Which is better, Root or Ark Nova?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Root sits at 92.7% positive (3,117 reviews), Ark Nova at 93.5% (322). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play Root or Ark Nova first?
- If you want chronology, Root (2020) came out before Ark Nova (2025). 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 Root and Ark Nova 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.