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If you want cinematic space combat with a story campaign, STAR WARS: Squadrons is the closest match among the games covered here. For a single-player shooter with more exploration, loot, and RPG progression, choose EVERSPACE 2. Neither is a one-to-one substitute for Squadron 42: they take different approaches to story, combat, and progression.
What makes a game like Squadron 42?
The Steam description for Squadron 42 presents it as a story-led, single-player adventure about a crew and military space combat. Its settings range from fighter cockpits to capital ships, stations, and frontier outposts. That combination—not just the presence of spaceships—is a useful benchmark when choosing an alternative.
The games below overlap with that premise, but differ in four practical ways: how much they emphasize a campaign, whether combat stays in a fighter cockpit, how central multiplayer is, and whether progression comes through customization or RPG-style loot and exploration.
Which games are closest to Squadron 42?
| Game | Best fit | What to expect | How it differs from Squadron 42 |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAR WARS: Squadrons | First-person starfighter combat with a campaign | EA describes a single-player campaign as well as multiplayer space dogfights and fleet battles. StarWars.com also highlights ship customization and multiplayer modes. | A focused starfighter game set in the Star Wars universe, with multiplayer as a prominent part of the offering. |
| EVERSPACE 2 | Single-player space combat with exploration and RPG progression | ROCKFISH Games describes space and planetary exploration, a story campaign, loot, RPG elements, mining, and crafting. Its FAQ lists HOTAS support. | It is structured more like an open-world RPG and looter shooter than a cockpit-focused space sim. ROCKFISH Games explicitly says it is not a space sim. |
STAR WARS: Squadrons: for a cockpit-first campaign
STAR WARS: Squadrons is the most direct choice if the appeal of Squadron 42 is piloting a fighter through cinematic battles. EA describes its campaign and multiplayer modes on the official game page; StarWars.com’s game page covers customization and multiplayer as well.
#1 Best Overall
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Choose it for a focused starfighter experience, not for the broader mix of crew, capital ships, stations, and frontier locations in Squadron 42. The official descriptions establish that both a campaign and multiplayer are part of the package, so it is not solely a single-player alternative.
EVERSPACE 2: for exploration and loot-driven progression
EVERSPACE 2 is the better fit if you want to fly and fight in space while exploring, collecting gear, and developing your character through RPG systems. The official game page describes its campaign, exploration, loot, mining, and crafting. For a clear statement of its genre, ROCKFISH Games’ official FAQ says: “EVERSPACE 2 is NOT a space sim, but rather a narrative-driven single-player open world RPG with looter shooter elements.”
Rank #2
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That distinction matters if you are specifically looking for a military cockpit experience. The game shares space combat and a narrative campaign with the comparison point, but its open-world RPG and looter-shooter structure makes it a different kind of alternative.
How to choose between them
- Prioritize first-person fighter combat and a campaign: Start with STAR WARS: Squadrons.
- Prioritize a single-player focus, exploration, and loot: Look at EVERSPACE 2.
- Want cockpit-style controls: A HOTAS flight stick and throttle are optional. The EVERSPACE 2 FAQ lists HOTAS support, and a TIME review describes HOTAS among the control options for STAR WARS: Squadrons. Check the current platform requirements and your specific device’s compatibility before buying; support can vary by platform and hardware.
Is Squadron 42 available to play?
The comparison above treats Squadron 42 as the experience to match, not as a currently available game. Its RSI support page describes downloading it after development, testing, and release are complete. Check the current official status before making plans based on availability.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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Rank #3
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
