When comparing The Cave vs Natural Selection 2, the Slant community recommends The Cave for most people. In the question“What are the best team-based games on Steam?” The Cave is ranked 3rd while Natural Selection 2 is ranked 21st. The most important reason people chose The Cave is:
The Cave supports up to 3 player local co-op play. Sadly there is no online co-op.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro 3 player local co-op
The Cave supports up to 3 player local co-op play. Sadly there is no online co-op.
Pro Cheesy jokes of the best kind
The Cave has a good sense of humor within, something expected when considering the game was created by the same people as The Secret of Monkey Island.
Pro Characters based on 7 deadly sins
Each character represents one of the seven deadly sins making the game a bit of a moral tale.
Pro Linux support
Natural Selection 2 has full Linux support.
Pro Integrates RTS elements on top of a shooter
The game has two completely different factions - the humans and an alien race called Kharaa. One player in each team can become a Commander, who then issues orders, RTS-style.
Pro The 2 sides have vastly different strategy and playstyles
Pro In-depth choice of equipment
There is a wide range of weapons for each side that allows for plenty of choice for the player.
Pro Teamwork is essential
To really advance and do well in the game teamwork is essential.
Pro Kharaa can evolve into 5, highly distinct classes
There are 5 different classes that the Kharaa can evolve into.
Pro Developed to be heavily modifiable
By utilizing LUA files the game is highly moddable.
Pro Community driven development
From the very beginning NS2 has had a very passionate community - they've contributed maps, designs and even core features (such as the Spectator Mode). And since build 265, the game's development has been handed off completely to a 14-man community development team (with oversight from UWE).
Pro Dynamic environments
During play levels will change and react, making for dynamic levels and environments.
Cons
Con Tedious level design
There is a lot of backtracking and lever pulling that gives a feeling of lazy level design to elongate the game.
Con Co-op may leave one or two players out on certain stages
Some stages do not offer gameplay for all co-op players. Although the co-op is drop in drop out, certain points of the game do not offer anything for the other players to do.
Con Learning curve
The learning curve for Natural Selection 2 feels unapproachable at times.
Con Really long loading
10 minute loading times to join matches is way too long to wait.