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SHIPS AT WAR similar games & best alternatives

SHIPS AT WAR

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2021

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Quick resume

Sink player-made battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines in this physics-based game. Use pre-built ships and sink the enemy by deploying aircraft, torpedoes, depth charges or shells. Or built your own ships in the extensive ship-editor.

Global score

77/100

Genres

Action, Simulator, Strategy, Early Access

Similar games

    Pros

    • Creative ship building
    • Fun naval combat
    • Potential for growth
    • Active early access development
    • Community sharing creations

    Cons

    • Many bugs and crashes
    • Clunky ship editor
    • Lack of tutorials
    • Long matches can be boring
    • Game appears abandoned with few updates

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Expression. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Story, Value.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have freedom to build custom ships and choose their own strategies in combat, though some limitations and bugs restrict full autonomy."

    • Competence
      2

      "Building ships and combat require skill and experimentation, but buggy physics and inconsistent mechanics reduce the feeling of mastery."

    • Competition
      1

      "There is combat against AI and other ships, but no strong evidence of ranked or leaderboard competition."

    • Continuation
      -2

      "Many reviews mention bugs, crashes, and lack of updates leading to boredom and abandonment, reducing long-term engagement."

    • Cooperation
      -3

      "Gameplay focuses on individual ship building and combat; no clear cooperative multiplayer or teamwork features reported."

    • Creativity
      5

      "Strong emphasis on creating and customizing ships, with a detailed ship editor and community sharing creations."

    • Domination
      -1

      "Some combat involves overpowering opponents, but no reports of toxic behavior or social dominance."

    • Escapism
      3

      "Players enjoy the naval combat and ship building as a fun distraction and stress relief."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, not due to obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Players frequently try new ship designs and tactics, exploring game mechanics despite bugs."

    • Exploration
      -2

      "Game is focused on battles and ship design rather than exploring new environments or secrets."

    • Expression
      4

      "Customization of ships allows for personal expression, though limited by editor usability issues."

    • Fantasy
      1

      "Game features historical and fictional naval combat with some unrealistic physics, blending fantasy and realism."

    • Fellowship
      -3

      "Limited social interaction; community exists but is described as unresponsive and small."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players learn ship building and combat mechanics, though bugs and lack of tutorials hinder smooth progression."

    • Health
      -5

      "No physical activity involved; sedentary gameplay."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Gameplay requires active attention; matches can be long but not background or idle play."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Minimal social or emotional connections; mostly solo play and limited community engagement."

    • Leadership
      Insufficient data
    • Progression
      3

      "Players accumulate ships, upgrades, and parts; progression is present but limited by bugs."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "Some players find the game relaxing despite bugs, but others report frustration and tension."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Visual and auditory feedback from ship combat provides sensory stimulation, though graphics are basic."

    • Status
      -3

      "No strong social recognition or status systems reported."

    • Story
      -4

      "No narrative or campaign; gameplay is context-free battles and sandbox building."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Combat and ship design require planning and problem solving, though simplified by bugs and AI limitations."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Combat provides some excitement and suspense, but unpredictability due to bugs reduces consistent thrill."

    • Value
      -3

      "Many players feel the game is overpriced for its current content and buggy state."

    • Violence
      4

      "Core gameplay involves naval combat with destruction of ships and weapons."

    • Survival
      2

      "Players manage ship damage and avoid sinking, involving resource and damage management."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026