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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 verdictBoth put you in direct command of a crew that won't act without orders, managing stations under pressure while systems fail around you. Space Haven trades Space Crew's short mission runs for continuous survival: you design the ship yourself, manage food and power long-term, and face slow attrition instead of instant mission failure. Median playtime runs 47 hours.
Not for you if you want tight mission-based combat rather than open-ended ship design and resource survival with a rough UI and tutorial.
2
Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
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 verdictRun a ship and crew across a sprawling sandbox campaign of trade, combat, and crew management — that's the core of Star Traders: Frontiers. Where Space Crew runs mission-to-mission in real time, Star Traders resolves encounters through RNG-heavy skill checks across a long-form campaign averaging 70.9 hours. Reviews warn of a missing tutorial and difficulty that compounds losses rather than allowing recovery.
Not for you if you want tight scripted missions rather than an open-ended campaign with layered systems and no tutorial.
3
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 put you in direct control of a small ship where every system failure is your problem to solve manually. Space Crew is mission-based arcade management with a crew you micromanage in short bursts; Ostranauts is single-character, single-ship survival, inventory-heavy, procedural, and open-ended, built around scavenging derelicts and keeping one fragile hull running over long stretches.
Not for you if you want structured missions rather than freeform scavenging, or a crew to command instead of one character doing everything.
4
SpaceExplorationTrading
Moral Weight Moral WeightHard choices with real consequences are central here. Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
Free ~18.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 80.7% of 228
The Squirrel's verdictNaev swaps Space Crew's frantic multi-station micromanagement for solo-ship command across an open universe: you fly one vessel, take missions, trade, and upgrade outfits rather than juggling a crew mid-combat. Combat still involves outgunned odds and finicky systems, but the core loop is exploration and progression, not real-time crisis management.
Not for you if you want the tense multi-crew coordination of Space Crew rather than solo navigation, trading, and slower jump-gate travel.
5
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
Rogue-liteSpaceSurvival
$25.99 ~40.2 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 76.9% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictRoguelike runs replace Space Crew's linear campaign here: Shortest Trip to Earth sends you sector by sector with permadeath, module-swapping builds, and the same real-time crew-station juggling when disasters stack up. Median playtime sits at 40.2 hours, though reviews note victories are rare and the learning curve is steep by design. Suits players who want the crew-management chaos in self-contained runs.
Not for you if you want manageable difficulty rather than a steep learning curve with rare victories and permadeath runs.
6
SpaceSci-fiBase-Building
$19.99 ~29.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 75.4% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictSpace Crew puts you in charge of a fixed crew running mission-to-mission through scripted objectives. The Last Starship shifts the core loop to designing and building the ship itself, then crewing and defending it as scale increases. Combat and real-time crew-task micromanagement carry over, but the emphasis moves from mission grinding to construction and system design. No co-op.
Not for you if you want tight mission-based crew combat rather than ship construction, or need a finished endgame — reviewers cite missing endgame content and bugs.
7
Space Commander: War and Trade
PCMacLinux
ActionRPGBase-Building
Free ~9.5 hr median no co-op complexity: light 67.8% of 701
The Squirrel's verdictSpace Crew's grind and slow-drip upgrades carry over here, but the frame shifts from single-ship crew micromanagement to open trading and combat across systems, closer to Freelancer. You buy and outfit ships, run cargo, and fight with turrets rather than assign crew stations. Fits players who wanted the grind without the crew-babysitting.
Not for you if you're tired of repair and fuel costs outpacing mission rewards, since reviews describe the same escalating-difficulty-flat-payout grind Space Crew had.
8
Interstellaria
PCMacLinux
SpaceExplorationDiplomacy
$9.99 ~9.1 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 55.9% of 410
The Squirrel's verdictSame crew-management core: assign stations, manage a ship under fire, deal with fires and boarding while juggling limited hands. Interstellaria adds free-roam space flight, planet exploration, and an open-world plot Space Crew doesn't attempt, but reviews describe heavy grinding, UI friction, and bugs. Fits players who want FTL-style crew combat wrapped in a bigger, rougher world.
Not for you if you want the tight, contained mission structure of Space Crew rather than an open-world game reviewers call buggy and grind-heavy.