1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this.
Base-BuildingSpaceColony Sim
$24.99 ~47.1 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 85.8% of 11k
The Squirrel's verdictShip design and crew management are central here too, but Space Haven replaces roguelike runs and permadeath with persistent colony-sim building — you grow one vessel over many hours rather than restarting after each death. Reviews cite a rough tutorial and a clunky UI as the main barriers, not difficulty. Median playtime runs 47.1 hours.
Not for you if you want tight roguelike runs with permadeath stakes rather than open-ended ship building and long-term colony management.
2
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
Rogue-liteSpacePerma Death
Moral Weight Moral WeightHard choices with real consequences are central here.
$19.99 ~36.7 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 94.3% of 4k
The Squirrel's verdictBoarding actions are the tactical focus Void War leans into hardest — crew-level combat in a grimdark setting with mutants, psykers, and daemons filling the role of enemy factions. Reviewers describe it as FTL with more granularity and a heavier grimdark atmosphere, and note that the developer has added substantial content post-launch. Median playtime is 36.7 hours.
Not for you if you want a difficulty level as punishing and unforgiving as Shortest Trip — reviewers find Void War's learning curve noticeably gentler.
3
Sci-fiTactical RPGTrading
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$14.99 ~70.9 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 83.6% of 4k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth are punishing space sims where systems overlap into unpredictable failure states and losing runs teach you more than winning ones. Star Traders swaps Shortest Trip's single-ship internal management for a persistent open world of crews, contracts, and RNG-driven skill checks across a full map. Median playtime runs 70+ hours, for players who want the grind extended, not shortened.
Not for you if you want a clear tutorial or predictable outcomes instead of heavy RNG skill checks deciding most encounters.
4
Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
Space SimOpen WorldAction
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$9.99 ~42.6 hr median no co-op 80.2% of 672
The Squirrel's verdictNewtonian dogfighting and RTS-scale fleet expansion define Void Destroyer 2's identity: you start with a single fighter and build toward commanding large fleets across an open map, with a ship and upgrade count reviewers describe as overwhelming. The learning curve is steep and the game is unstable — reviews cite frequent crashes that worsen as fleet size grows, and only 0.7% of owners have completed the campaign. Median playtime runs 42.6 hours.
Not for you if you need a stable, polished experience — reviews report persistent crashes and bugs even after years.
5
Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander (LIGHTSPEED EDITION)
PCMacLinux
4XTactical RPGTurn-Based
$14.99 ~20.4 hr median no co-op 79% of 839
The Squirrel's verdictHalcyon 6 centers on defending a space station you build and research over time, with squad-based JRPG turn combat as the main tactical layer. Progression is persistent — crew, upgrades, and research carry forward rather than resetting on death. Reviews note that the management depth is shallower than it appears, with resource and research decisions rarely feeling consequential. Median playtime is 20.4 hours.
Not for you if you want deep strategic decisions or roguelike permadeath — reviewers find the management systems thin and combat repetitive.
6
ActionSci-fiAdventure
$15.99 ~14.7 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 74.4% of 3k
The Squirrel's verdictFixed missions with persistent crew and unlock progression define Space Crew's structure: you run the same mission types repeatedly, managing crew stations and damage in real time while grinding toward ship improvements. Reviewers flag slow unlock pacing, a misleading tutorial, and hidden progression systems as friction points. Median playtime is 14.7 hours.
Not for you if you want roguelike run-and-restart structure — this is a linear mission campaign with grind-heavy unlock pacing.
7
SpaceSci-fiBase-Building
$19.99 ~29.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 75.4% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictThe Last Starship shares Shortest Trip's focus on internal system management and crew placement, but removes the roguelike run structure entirely — one persistent ship you build and modify over time, with no sector-jumping under permadeath pressure. Reviews flag an underdeveloped endgame and bugs that reviewers describe as inconsistent with a full release. Median playtime is 29.2 hours.
Not for you if you came for permadeath tension and repeated roguelike runs — reviews describe thin endgame content and performance problems once ships get large.
8
Rogue-liteBase-BuildingSpace
$9.99 ~12.1 hr median no co-op complexity: light 77.5% of 231
The Squirrel's verdictRogue Station layers Rimworld-style base-building onto internal-ship combat: skill trees per ship part and roguelite unlocks between runs soften the single-run harshness of Shortest Trip. Reviews flag door and weapon bugs as real obstacles to stability. At $9.99 with a median playtime around 12 hours, it's a lower-stakes entry into the genre.
Not for you if you want polished, stable systems — reviews report bugs that can brick runs or make weapons non-functional.