18 Games like Space Engineers that you should try

The thread back to Space Engineers runs through a sandbox world, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is combat: online features and base building.

What brings it close to Space Engineers is open world exploration, melee combat and a space setting, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and setting. The common ground extends to a first-person view and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is combat: ranged combat.

Same family as Space Engineers: exploration and discovery, a sandbox world, and single-player focus. Both also lean on a first-person view. The distance is in setting and game mode — its own ground is fantasy world and offline play.

Genre puts it alongside Space Engineers, and so does a sandbox world, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds co-op play and crafting mechanics. They part company on visuals and combat: this one brings magic-based combat and horror setting.

Genre puts it alongside Space Engineers, and so does a sandbox world, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. Where the two diverge is visuals and combat: 2D presentation.

Genre puts it alongside Space Engineers, and so does a sandbox world, multiplayer gameplay and crafting mechanics. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings fantasy world and pixel art.

Same family as Space Engineers: open world exploration, melee combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is setting and combat: ranged combat and horror setting.

The genre is the same as Space Engineers’s, and with it open world exploration, a sci-fi setting and single-player focus. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. They part company on game mode and visuals: this one brings 3D presentation.

With Space Engineers it shares a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. The common ground extends to a first-person view. Where the two diverge is progression: resource management.

The genre is the same as Space Engineers’s, and with it a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings a medieval setting and resource management.

The genre is the same as Space Engineers’s, and with it a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings a medieval setting and resource management.

Genre puts it alongside Space Engineers, and so does exploration and discovery, a sandbox world, and single-player focus. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is horror setting and 2D presentation.

The genre is the same as Space Engineers’s, and with it a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics. Both also lean on a third-person camera. The distance is in game mode and visuals — its own ground is an isometric view.

The genre is the same as Space Engineers’s, and with it a sandbox world, melee combat and single-player focus. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and a first-person view. Where the two diverge is setting and game mode: horror setting and 3D presentation.

On paper it is what Space Engineers is — a sandbox world, single-player focus and crafting mechanics — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. The distance is in setting and visuals — its own ground is a cartoon aesthetic and 2D presentation.