Well, I bought StarDrive while it was still in Beta and promised a paradise of gameplay. I love simulation games especially if they provide a scenery like StarDrive: The space. Bought the beta, played the beta, loved the beta. I got about 20 hrs gameplay of which about 18 are from the beta. It's not much I know but after 18 hrs of beta it got kinda boring and was too much frickling and tuning of the fleets. I hoped I get a Spacesimulation where you can prosper by trade, being completly neutral and just prosper. I was totally wrong:

Beta provided the player with one gamemode: Sandbox - It's a beta, I can live with that.
Release versions increased the number of gamemodes by 0! - Still Sandbox (You have to massacre all AI's to end the game, even those you established a peace treaty with)

Beta provided animated Cutscenes - Release doesn't even show me a picture anymore (There are actually Issues with the animation but I'd love to get at least a nice Picture of the race I'm talking to. For my eyes sake...)

I could go on and on but to summarize:
beta - pretty good for a beta
release - holy shmoly! Did the game degenerate into "Pre-release alpha somewhat not existent development state"?

It's very sad StarDrive evolved in something I would call a Beta-Heist. Throw a good beta (I really aprreciate the effort of the developer), cash in and relax. And the update released got a timespan of about: "What? What game is updating? StarDrive? Whats that?". Actually happened to me last update and happened to me when I missclicked the game in Steam. That's the reason why I'm writing this review now: played it, got bored after 20 minutes ingame.

For me it's a game I will play time to time (I think 20 minutes max) and keep it as a reminder: Never trust a pre-release.

Until the game is fixed and the developers find their love to the game they developed:
I do NOT and will NOT recommend this game. Period.

Well, I bought StarDrive while it was still in Beta and promised a paradise of gameplay. I love simulation games especially if they provide a scenery like StarDrive: The space. Bought the beta, played the beta, loved the beta. I got about 20 hrs gameplay of which about 18 are from the beta. It's not much I know but after 18 hrs of beta it got kinda boring and was too much frickling and tuning of the fleets. I hoped I get a Spacesimulation where you can prosper by trade, being completly neutral and just prosper. I was totally wrong: Beta provided the player with one gamemode: Sandbox - It's a beta, I can live with that. Release versions increased the number of gamemodes by 0! - Still Sandbox (You have to massacre all AI's to end the game, even those you established a peace treaty with) Beta provided animated Cutscenes - Release doesn't even show me a picture anymore (There are actually Issues with the animation but I'd love to get at least a nice Picture of the race I'm talking to. For my eyes sake...) I could go on and on but to summarize: beta - pretty good for a beta release - holy shmoly! Did the game degenerate into "Pre-release alpha somewhat not existent development state"? It's very sad StarDrive evolved in something I would call a Beta-Heist. Throw a good beta (I really aprreciate the effort of the developer), cash in and relax. And the update released got a timespan of about: "What? What game is updating? StarDrive? Whats that?". Actually happened to me last update and happened to me when I missclicked the game in Steam. That's the reason why I'm writing this review now: played it, got bored after 20 minutes ingame. For me it's a game I will play time to time (I think 20 minutes max) and keep it as a reminder: Never trust a pre-release. Until the game is fixed and the developers find their love to the game they developed: I do NOT and will NOT recommend this game. Period.