1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this. Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
SurvivalCraftingBase Building
$34.99 ~61.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 85.8% of 12k
The Squirrel's verdictThe Last Caretaker adds a survival-crafting layer onto derelict-ship exploration: you captain a mobile ship base, select which wrecks to visit, and craft from scavenged parts rather than clearing hulls against a checklist. Solo only. Very Positive on Steam at 85.8% positive; median playtime is 61.2 hours, though reviews flag performance issues and heavy combat in its current state.
Not for you if you want a co-op option, or prefer salvage work without survival mechanics like power management, scavenging, and combat layered on top.
2
Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
CyberpunkOpen WorldOpen World Survival Craft
Jank Tolerant Jank TolerantRough edges and bugs — rewarding if you don't mind them.
$19.99 ~59.2 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 80.6% of 3k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth games put you inside derelict ships doing hands-on salvage and repair work, but Ostranauts trades Ship Graveyard's guided cleanup tasks for open-ended survival: managing your own ship's systems, scavenging derelicts, and keeping yourself alive on a freeform loop. No co-op here, so this is a solitary-play alternative, not a multiplayer fix.
Not for you if you want the multiplayer bugs solved rather than sidestepped, or you need structured tasks instead of an open-ended, jank-prone survival sim.
3
SeaOrama: World of Shipping
PCMac
Colony SimEducationGrand Strategy
$19.99 ~12 hr median no co-op complexity: light 58.5% of 410
The Squirrel's verdictSeaOrama shifts from physical ship dismantling to shipping logistics: managing a fleet, running cargo routes, handling fuel and maintenance, and growing a company across a career progression. No co-op mode. Reviews report frequent bugs — engine failures, unexpected fuel loss, and premature game endings — despite full maintenance upkeep. Mixed-rated at 58.5% positive; median playtime is about 12 hours.
Not for you if you want the tool-based salvage tasks from Ship Graveyard rather than fleet management and business logistics, or expect a largely bug-free experience.
4
SpaceSci-fi4X
$29.99 ~58.8 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 55.3% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictStarDrive 2 is a 4X empire-management game covering fleet building, colonization, research, and diplomacy — a full genre shift away from Ship Graveyard Simulator 2's hands-on salvage loop. It has no co-op mode, so the multiplayer instability that defines the anchor's worst complaints simply isn't a factor. Solo only, Mixed-rated at 55.3% positive, with a median playtime of 58.8 hours.
Not for you if you want physical ship-dismantling work rather than empire-level strategy, or you find AI opponents that ignore fuel costs and economic limits frustrating.
5
Base-BuildingSpaceSurvival
Free ~20.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 50.4% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictWhere Ship Graveyard Simulator 2 centers on tool-based physical dismantling, Starship Theory replaces that with system design and colony-style ship management — resource gathering, building, and survival decisions all handled solo. No co-op exists here. It is free to play, Mixed-rated at 50.4% positive, with a median playtime of 20.2 hours.
Not for you if you want co-op play or the physical, tool-based salvage tasks that define Ship Graveyard Simulator 2's core loop.
6
TradingSpaceEconomy
$9.99 ~12.8 hr median no co-op complexity: light 48% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictCosmonautica keeps a solo-focused sim loop but replaces salvage yards with space trading and crew management aboard your own ship. There is no multiplayer mode, which sidesteps the co-op bugs that plague the anchor entirely. Reviews note a static economy, crashes, and abandoned development. Mixed-rated at 48.0% positive; median playtime is around 12.8 hours.
Not for you if you want co-op play, expect ongoing developer support, or need more than roughly 13 hours of core content.
7
SpaceSci-fi
$19.99 ~17.9 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 41.7% of 557
The Squirrel's verdictShip design is the core loop here: Starship Corporation has you build ships room by room, balancing layout, cost, and contracts rather than dismantling hulls for scrap. Solo only, so players who liked the anchor's single-player task focus will find a familiar structure, though the genre is construction and business management rather than salvage. Steam rating is Mixed at 41.7% positive; median playtime runs about 17.9 hours.
Not for you if you wanted to play with a friend, or prefer hands-on salvage work over ship design and contract management.
8
Space SimStrategy RPGExploration
$24.99 ~14.8 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 37.1% of 477
The Squirrel's verdictBase One shares the task-driven management loop and the reputation for launching rough: reviewers cite pathing bugs, crew getting stuck, and missions that stall out. There is no co-op to disappoint you here (facts confirm no multiplayer), just a solo space-station builder for players who tolerate unfinished-feeling mechanics for the core concept.
Not for you if you want a working multiplayer mode or a game where your crew reliably walks through doorways without getting stuck.