Choose Solar 2
Choose Solar 2 if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91% positive across 1,141 reviews.
Solar 2 vs Starbound
Solar 2 and Starbound both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Solar 2 (2011) is 5 years older than Starbound (2016). Solar 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (91% positive) than Starbound (88.8% 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 Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want a RPG game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2016) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 51,728 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Solar 2 and Starbound sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam, 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
 Solar 2 |  Starbound | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2011 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91% positive (1,141 reviews) | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Murudai | Chucklefish |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Solar 2 (2011) is 5 years older than Starbound (2016).
- Solar 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (91% positive) than Starbound (88.8% positive).
- Solar 2 is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Starbound (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Solar 2 does not.
- Steam Deck: Solar 2 is Deck Verified, Starbound is Deck Playable.
Solar 2 vs Starbound — FAQ
- Which is better, Solar 2 or Starbound?
- On Steam reviews Solar 2 scores higher (91% positive) than Starbound (88.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Solar 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Solar 2 or Starbound first?
- If you want chronology, Solar 2 (2011) came out before Starbound (2016). 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 Solar 2 and Starbound similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Solar 2 have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Solar 2 is listed as single-player only.