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Darkstar OneVSStarMade

Which is the smarter buy right now? We crunched all the metrics.

Darkstar One

Darkstar One

Quality
76Popularity
23Value
81
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
Ends in≈4d
-84% $1.47
Buy Now
VS
StarMade

StarMade

ActionStrategyIndieSimulationEarly AccessAdventureRPG
Quality
56Popularity
27Value
77
KinguinBetter Deal· Kinguin
Ends in≈1d
-71% $4.29
Buy Now

Too Close to Call

These games are very evenly matched across all metrics

6
Darkstar One
6 of 12 metrics
StarMade
6 of 12 metrics
6

Head-to-Head Metrics

Direct metric-by-metric breakdown · no weights applied

Value
Pricing & Deals
Current Best Price (USD)
$1.47 Wins
$4.29 -
Historical Low Price (USD)
$1.75 Wins
$4.02 -
Best Current Discount
-84% Wins
-71% -
Sales Frequency
51 price changes -
64 price changes Wins
Quality
Critical & User Reception
Metacritic
71/100 Wins
N/A -
Steam Review Score
83.4% positive Wins
66.3% positive -
Total Steam Reviews
579 -
2.2K Wins
Positive Steam Reviews
483 -
1.5K Wins
Negative Steam Reviews
96 Wins
739 -
Popularity
Community & Activity
Average Concurrent Players (14 days)
2
2
Steam Recommendations
574 -
2.2K Wins
Features
Features & Content
Supported Languages
1 languages -
9 languages Wins
Release Date
Feb 2008 -
Dec 2014 Wins
GameValio Recommendation
MaybeDarkstar One

Worth keeping an eye on. Currently sitting in a decent spot, but not quite a must-buy just yet.

MaybeStarMade

Worth keeping an eye on. Currently sitting in a decent spot, but not quite a must-buy just yet.

Statistics Over Time

Synchronized historical data for both games

Time Range:
Darkstar One
StarMade

Player Count Trends

— Concurrent players over time

Review Score Trends

— Positive review ratio over time

Review Volume Trends

— Total reviews accumulated over time

Price Comparison

Current deals and best prices side by side

Darkstar One

Darkstar One

4 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin -84% $1.47Buy Now
Steam
Steam +22% $1.79View
Green Man Gaming
Green Man Gaming +512% $8.99View
GamersGate
GamersGate +512% $8.99View
StarMade

StarMade

2 Stores
Kinguin
Kinguin -71% $4.29Buy Now
Steam
Steam +249% $14.99View

Score Breakdown

Side-by-side value analysis for each game

Darkstar One

Quality

Most players came away satisfied — more positives than negatives.

83% positive (578 reviews) — mostly positive
Metacritic 71/100 — generally favorable from critics
578 reviews — decent but potentially skewed

Value

Very attractive price — excellent value for money right now.

$1.47 — very accessible price
84% off — massive discount
Near historical low ($1.40)

Popularity

Declining player base — could be a problem for multiplayer-dependent games.

5 concurrent players — niche audience

StarMade

Quality

Splits opinions — likely to click if you're already a genre fan.

66% positive (2,191 reviews) — mixed opinions
2,191 reviews — solid data foundation

Value

Acceptable value right now — fair price for the content.

$4.29 — very accessible price
71% off — solid discount
Near historical low ($3.81)

Popularity

Lost much of its active player base — community is quiet.

3 concurrent players — niche audience

Game Details

Release information and metadata

Game DetailsDarkstar OneStarMade
Release Date
February 13, 2008
December 4, 2014
Developers
Ascaron Entertainment ltd.
Schine GmbH
Publishers
Strategy First
Schine GmbH
Platforms
Windows
Linux, Windows, MacOs

System Requirements

PC minimum and recommended specs

Darkstar One

No PC requirements data available

StarMade

Recommended

Recommended:
  • OS *: Windows 7/8/10 - 64 bit
  • Processor: Intel Core i7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz | AMD FX-8320 Eight-Core @ 3.5 GHz or equivalent
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 560, 650 Ti, 750 | AMD Radeon HD 5850, 6870, 7790 (or equivalent)
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Storage: 3 GB available space

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Darkstar One or StarMade?

Darkstar One and StarMade are extremely close, with nearly identical results across all metrics. Both are excellent choices.

How is the comparison calculated?

The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table — no weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.

Is Darkstar One worth buying over StarMade?

Based on the metrics, Too Close to Call won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.

Which game has better player reviews?

Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.

Which game offers better value for money?

The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. Darkstar One currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.

Analysis updated: Jun 4, 2026, 06:03 AM UTC

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Disclaimer

Data sourced from Steam, Metacritic, and various stores. Not affiliated with Valve Corporation. Scores updated daily to keep recommendations fresh.

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