I bought this game years ago for $2.00 and I got nearly 1200 hours out of it. Best $2 I ever spent.

Space Pirates and Zombies (SPAZ) is a hybrid 2-D space simulation crossed with a real-time strategy game. It has been developed and published by the company MinMax Games Ltd.

Pro & contra:

+ Large amount of ships with creative designs guarantee a lot of variety. Each ship offers different customization options for weapon and auxiliary systems, which benefits the tactical spectrum of the game. Fluent combat mechanics create a dynamic battlefield with focus on tactical positioning.

+ The salvage and mining mechanics keep up the motivation to explore new star systems. Late game introduces an ever shifting equilibrium of power.

o The faction system adds an interesting dimension to the game, but it has little impact on the behaviour or decision making of the player.

- Amount of side missions and randomly generated events throughout the galaxy are limited and repetitive. The musical background lacks variety. Very little voice acting during the entire game.

Summary:

Minmax Games succeeded in creating a well-rounded game with only a few rough edges. SPAZ delivers much more action and tactics than one might expect of this indie title. The urge to unlock the next ship class, spending points on the elaborate skill tree or collecting credits for the next weapon upgrade will keep you up late into the night. And the entertaining zombie plot will come around the corner when you least expect it.

Achievements:

Estimated time for 100 % completion: +50 hours

Singleplayer achievements: 48
Multiplayer achievements: none

I play many different sorts of games, i'm 50 years old and i'm picky, but this game is just great. The graphics, the lore, the way you can customize your ship. I'm pretty lazy also, i don't like steep learning curves, and here its so easy, everything is self explaining and i found myself now several times thinking: wow, good luck that i found this one.
There are 5 sizes of ships and every size has around 10 types of ships you can built but first you have to kill the shiptype to drop a part for reverse engineering..if you have all parts, you can build it.
Plans for weapon and armor you buy in space stations, which is fun also.
If you like space games and if you are ok that some dexterity is needed(not much, but enough to have fun) and if you like the way you have to handle your ship(check vids in youtube where they fight, so you can imagine) then just get it. It's worth much more money.
Enjoy !

Space Pirates and Zombies (SPAZ) is a top-down, open world space sandbox set in a distant future where humanity already has colonized a large part of our galaxy. Thanks to the technological advancements enabled by Rez, a complex natural element, it was possible to build warp gates to traverse many light years instantly. Players impersonate the crew of the Clockwork, a massive spaceship built after the Lockdown Wars by a team of prospectors looking for fortune in the Rez harvesting business. What seems like an average prospecting venture soon becomes a full-blown conflict that will decide the fate of humanity.

SPAZ Version 1.605 - May 2020

🟩 Pros

• Great 2D graphics that use plenty of quality effects and physics to create spectacular scenes.
  
• Complete freedom of approach, boosted by great variety of weapons, equipment and ship designs.
  
• Plenty of optional missions and arena challenges to earn good rewards while doing something different.
  
• Excellent combat system that manages to decently balance a wide variety of weapons and mechanics,
  
• Evolving gameplay as the story progresses, introducing new mechanics and obstacles.
  
• Good story that becomes serious when needed but also has a generally lighthearted mood.

🟥 Cons

• The "Data Debt" mechanic doesn't make much sense and is very annoying.
  
• The fact Booster Modules can stack creates overpowered combinations in late/end game phases.

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https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2097275852

Let's start with the good things. First of all, the graphical style of SPAZ is commendable as it manages to create spectacular battles, landscapes and space scenes while using "just" a 2D engine instead of modern 3D. The complexity, detail and quantity of effect and elements on screen during your average battle is impressive, yet runs smoothly with debris flying all over the place among explosions and wrecks. The freedom given to players is near absolute, as they can freely design their fleet of ships, blow up traders if short on cash, and freely roam the galaxy without limits.

Aside from exploration, there also are plenty of quests, some of which rewarding unique crew members or other special items: test your mettle in the Bounty Hunter Arena challenges for great rewards, or finish the various quest-lines as the story progresses. The combat is complex, yet it's made accessible and immediate compared to other space games, rewards piloting skill and tech level equally. The gameplay formula changes a bit with each chapter, introducing strategy and management elements as the story evolves, making it interesting in every chapter.

For the bad parts, the biggest issue resides in the Debt mechanic, which basically penalizes you for respecing a tech tree by making you repay all the XP needed as a negative debt. This mechanic makes no sense as it penalizes players who want to try different ship setups, technologies or weapon classes to see what they like best, and goes against the freedom SPAZ uses as one of its main strengths. Other than that, the fact Booster modules can stack together creates OP weapon configurations later on, and should be definitely nerfed.

Overall SPAZ is a really excellent space sandbox game, that manages to nail all the core gameplay concepts for this genre but also add its own personality to each of them. It took me around 35 hours to complete a run on Expert difficulty, but depending on approach and difficulty it can vary anywhere between 30 and 40 hours of content. For the budget price of 10€, and excellent quality, I can definitely recommend buying at full price.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2097788896

🎮 Gameplay Analysis
The gameplay divides into Exploration, Fleet Management, Quests and Combat.

Exploration
Is done using the Galaxy Map, Sector Map and Local Map. The first allows you to see the whole galaxy and travel between warpgates to reach a new system. The second is an overview of the system you're currently in, and displays all quests, faction outposts or other special events occurring around you at that moment. Each event has an expiration date calculated in "jumps", meaning each time you move towards a location, one "jump" passes (as a time unit). The Local map is used during the piloting phase, and shows all the space debris, ships, data clusters and anomalies in your vicinity.

Each system of the galaxy has a Tech focus, meaning it will offer different technology for sale (or plunder), and also a Level, the higher its is, the more powerful all ships in that sector will be - which can be a great opportunity to find new designs and tech... or die quickly. Each sector has UTA and CIV factions, fighting each other and having their own relationship with you, which can be improved by completing quests, bribes, or destroying major outposts of the opposing faction.

Fleet Management
Consists mainly in designing your custom ships, basing on hull designs acquired by defeating enemies. Each new ship type you encounter drops a blueprint when destroyed, get enough of them to unlock that hull for yourself, and proceed to customize it with all the weapons and technology you unlocked so far. Composing a balanced fleet by understanding each hull's strengths and weaknesses is fundamental to win battles.

Other than this, you can also assign Specialists to your mothership, which can give major passive bonuses and level up as you complete quests. Using specialists that complement your playstyle and technologies can give excellent results. Collecting Data from enemies and quests grants 3 points each time you level up, to spend in one of the 15 skill trees, each focused on a specific technology. Ships cost Rez to build and repair, so be sure to keep a good supply of it to not run short in battle.

Quests
Are divided in Main and Side, and are about various tasks such as escort, item recovery, even stealth. Some quests are repeating in each system while others are unique and happen only once. Completing quests can give great rewards, improve faction relations, and award unique powerful specialists sometimes. The bounty hunter arena is a great place to test your skill with pre-made ship builds and special conditions in every battle.

Combat
Plays out in a top-down shooter fashion, with many weapons such as plasma cannons, lasers, missiles or drones for example. Each weapon is more or less effective against Shields, Hull or Armor, while also has its own energy consumption rate and eventual special counters. Considering all this while designing your ship is extremely important. It is also recommended to focus on a couple weapon techs instead of being a jack of all trades. In battle, you can command your fleet via the map, and assume direct command of each ship in any moment, while the others are managed by the (competent) AI. Battles are chaotic, fast paced and satisfying to play.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2100245743

Technical
PC Specs: RTX2080Ti, Ryzen 3900X, 32GB RAM DDR4
Critical Problems: None.
Optimization: No issues.
Performance: Runs without issues in 1440p, 85Hz.
Bugs: No significant bugs to report.
Other issues: None.

SPAZ is an amazing space sandbox game that unites great freedom with deep gameplay mechanics and vast content amounts, all for a budget price too. Any sci-fi RPG and space game fan will surely love it.

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When I first got SPAZ, I remember playing about 5 minutes and just not being interested; I never gave it a chance and now I really regret my initial judgements.
Space Pirates and Zombies is a top-down, twin stick style shooter set in a randomly generated solar system. You operate out of a main “mothership” and tackle quests and missions piloting smaller craft alongside AI Wingmen. The combat is difficult, but rewardingly so, and requires thought and sound tactics especially at the later stages of the game. I definitely judged this book by it’s cover when it was first released, but it is certainly no run of the mill twin stick shooter.
The RPG elements are shockingly deep; you gain levels, rescue crew specialists upgrade weapons, collect ship designs, outfit your wingmen, and participate in a simple but very effective economy trading rez (currency), goons (crew) and data (xp).
Visually the art is great, lots of vibrant colors, really unique ship designs, combat effects are satisfyingly meaty, characters are well drawn and the dialogue, while crude, is interesting and humorous.
The only issue I have come across is playing SPAZ via in home streaming. Considering the visual fidelity of the game, it seems like my gaming rig has an abnormally hard time encoding the video of it. I’ve found that using “DirectX Compatibility” and “Capture Mouse” helps make it playable, but there are still numerous visual artifacts and glitching seen on the remote computer.
Overall a brilliant game, and I’m truly looking forward to the sequel!

SPAZ is an awesome game, you gather resources and manage your own fleet of starships, everything can be customized, from engines to missiles. Took me about 22 hours to finish the campaign, the map is huge, the more you explore the more ships and technologies you unlock, and to complete the package the game support mods, you can simply download a Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica mod that will customize all your ships!

SPAZ does almost everything right as a 2D arcade space shooter. The game is fun, features a considerably deep ship designer; as challenging as you wish it to be and it looks good. The low points are the dialogue, which is thankfully sparse; early balance (good luck getting anywhere if you choose to research beam weapons instead of cannons!); lack of information regarding the effectiveness of your ship design and, for some, though not for me, the control scheme. These issues, however, do not detract from the experience in a significant way. 8/10, looking forward to the sequel.

I finished this game in 64 hours. That wasn't a wasted time, not at all. Because I like tactical strategies and I like RPGs. This game is mainly strategy with active pause. RPG elements is mostly for technical purposes like skills and leveling. So don't expect tons of talking.
But be prepared for tons of space explosions, destroyed and captured star bases, lasers, missiles, dozens of skills, upgrades, ships and all that stuff which should be in game like that. Yes, this game has it all. And all of that in open, procedurally generated world.

VERDICT:
If you like space adventures, you will like this one.
If you don't, better change your mind.
If you really don't, why the hell did you start to read this at all?

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Wow. I've spend about 5 days straight playing this one, and I still hungered for more.

SPAZ, or Space Pirates and Zombies (And Bounty Hunters) feels unique. You've got a small fleet of spaceships, and your objective is to reach the center of the galaxy, in search of a fabled load of Rez, an exceptional element discovered in the future capable of being transformed into any metal you need - starting ALL THE WAY BACK from the edge of the Perseus arm, where Earth is currently situated. You can assume direct control of any of your ships at any time in the field - being able to switch back and forth at a moment's notice, while the AI takes care of your other ships for you. You also have a Tactics panel, from which you can evaluate the situation of the entire battlefield and give orders to your fleet, set action stances, order reinforcements, etc. You can also DESIGN each and every one of your ships - you can unlock different hulls, weapons, modules, you name it.

You'll find yourself dragged into a MARATHON once you get a hold of it. There's only one problem, though: the game is a bit grindy. The Milky Way is ENORMOUS, so there can be quite an expanse between your location and your objective in it. You'll find yourself battling through a load of star systems just to reach your next mission or unlock the newest upgrade, and that takes time and resources - most of which you'll be grinding out of mining stations/enemy fleets if you're careless. If it weren't for the grinding, this game would be perfect on my book. But still, it's VERY enjoyable.

Has a great story - but I don't want to spoil it. Play your cards right and the game will go easy on you. Screw up, and expect to spend a few hours grinding for Rez.

DEFINITELY recommend. You'll need some patience, though.

I love SPAZ! This is a game that I played endlessly for a long time and hand a Ton of fun. You know that game where you check on steam and it says you've played 200+ hours and you are just like.... holy.... That's this game.

Btw If you are a soldier and you are deploying to the land of crappy internet. This is a must buy. It will really help pass some of that extra time you've got.