Mixed feelings on this game

[WRXKiller-GM]

(Started playing at 1.0 because friend recommendation)

So I’m writing this here instead of a review mostly because there’s only positive or negative review not mixed review and honestly that’s how I feel about this game. It’s definitely fun when you’re able to play it with some friends and you were able to be working well with each other. But even then the game is surprisingly hard and not really in the fun rogue like way just hard. Because I know some people have already countered the complaint of others saying that it’s hard by saying that it’s a rogue like but what mostly I don’t really see that with this game with how it plays out.

A good rogue like would be in my opinion something like slay the spire or Hades or well what this game was inspired by FTL One big thing all three of those games have over this one I would say is that they actually have a good amount of meta-progression. Especially the second example that I stated. This game it’s meadow progression is different loadouts of the same to ships and small skill bonuses. Don’t even think you can call the starting bonus alloy meta progression either if it literally takes you until max level to actually get a handful.

Biggest thing I can say about this game is that a lot of these problems that I’m talking about are definitely stuff that affects Single player more than multiplayer. Even though they are still problems even then. I just really feel like this game is really nice and fun to play both with friends and without but despite having a good amount of Contant it doesn’t feel like it’s nearly enough. Both in shape variety and the ability to actually improve your victory chances.

I was talking about it with a friend of mine and we both can very much agree that the game very much depends on you having really damn good luck getting either some of them busted relics or enough building material that it doesn’t matter. If you don’t get either of those by the end of the third area at least then you should just restart the run right then and there because you’re not making it any further heck it would even be a surprise if you made it that far without that stuff.

The games I listed earlier as examples definitely do have luck to them like slay the spire or FTL but not to this extent and it could always be mitigated. Slay the spire with seeds, FTL with well actual difficulty mode. Hence why if I would make a review that was truly my feelings it would be mixed or neutral. Because this game definitely feels like it has beautiful building blocks for something amazing fun and enjoyable both solo and with friends.

But the high skill ceiling and little building blocks to help you surpass it harms it way too much for me to honestly feel like I would recommend it to other friends of mine. Maybe in future updates things will change and that is definitely what I’m hoping and I’m definitely hoping the developer see this message. But for now I think the lack of permanent upgrades and ship variety arm this game way too much for me to keep on playing. Which is honestly very upsetting to say. : (

PS writing this after finish typing everything up no I do not think missions ranging from normal hard in sane is actually different difficulty mode. That is just different levels of mission variety in the same difficulty. When I say this game could use some difficulty mode stuff I mean like a setting to make the game easier by making the resources you get from recycling stuff more profitable. Or buildings or in things cheaper. Like again that same difficulty setting in FTL. Just that simple extra 25% scrap and FTL changes the game quite a lot for people who want to have a fun space adventure time. Pretty sure after yellow even has a hard mode that makes it so scrap is even tighter by a lot for the people who also really want that stuff.

So yeah if this game really takes inspiration from FTL then taking inspiration from their difficulty setting would definitely go along way for me to actually recommend this game to other people.

[Friedrich Bär]

only problem for singleplayers is that currently you can only "build" two types of weapon while having about 5-6 weapons you just can't use because you're stuck helming, then again, the game is just 1.0 so in the future there could be more BRAIN modules or maybe a BRAIN "upgrade" to socket into other weapons or who knows what else

you don't need to have busted relics to win a single run, having a good helm and at minimum a mk. II weapon with some mk. II modules, if you feel like it, greatly helps, remember that you can upgrade your fabricator for 25 alloys and get a mk. II weapon for 25 alloys as well, 50 alloys is easy to get before the first boss

if you have a full crew, one other problem at the start is that the 4th player will most likely twiddle his thumbs unless you decide to not get a mk. II gun and keep two mk. I instead until you can manage your power situation

as far as I saw concerning missions "difficulty", the only difference I could notice would be the amount of "elite" units spawning

[WRXKiller-GM]

Originally posted by Friedrich Bär:

only problem for singleplayers is that currently you can only "build" two types of weapon while having about 5-6 weapons you just can't use because you're stuck helming, then again, the game is just 1.0 so in the future there could be more BRAIN modules or maybe a BRAIN "upgrade" to socket into other weapons or who knows what else

you don't need to have busted relics to win a single run, having a good helm and at minimum a mk. II weapon with some mk. II modules, if you feel like it, greatly helps, remember that you can upgrade your fabricator for 25 alloys and get a mk. II weapon for 25 alloys as well, 50 alloys is easy to get before the first boss

if you have a full crew, one other problem at the start is that the 4th player will most likely twiddle his thumbs unless you decide to not get a mk. II gun and keep two mk. I instead until you can manage your power situation

as far as I saw concerning missions "difficulty", the only difference I could notice would be the amount of "elite" units spawning

Well the problem that I’ve been experiencing is that the large amount of damage I take before I even get to the point that I can have those kinds of weapons prevents me from being successful at all. And with the fact that the boss of the area very much just instant murders me when I’m playing solo also doesn’t make it feel good. You’re definitely right about the whole weapon problem and there are other differences with The different intensities of missions. For example anything above normal for salvage missions just ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ spams the entire map with invisible hard to see land mines.

Either way I definitely agree with you that this game very much is just 1.0 and I’m hoping these problems are addressed by the time they reach newer versions of the game me putting it here at most it’s me putting the problem out there for hopefully the developers to find and look at. Things don’t change/get better if you don’t make your voice heard.

[Peredur]

Originally posted by WRXKiller-GM:

I was talking about it with a friend of mine and we both can very much agree that the game very much depends on you having really damn good luck getting either some of them busted relics or enough building material that it doesn’t matter.

I have to agree that, to me, luck feels too high a factor on how your run will go.
I see people talking about their runs but I never encountered such runs (solo or multi). ^^'
Even the thread from the devs giving advices for how to play solo (https://steamcommunity.com/app/1063420/discussions/0/4626980894528324700/), they casually tell what to build and what relics to pick. But I never got the ressources to build all that. And I can't really pick the relics I want...

Once, by luck, we looted two items to upgrade a module within the first areas. More too often, we don't get much loot on the prime objective and don't get a secondary objective (or is it always there but we don't necessarily see it?).

There is some learning. There is some meta progression. But I don't know if it's enough to compensate a bad start caused of a lack of luck.

[WRXKiller-GM]

Originally posted by Peredur:

Originally posted by WRXKiller-GM:

I was talking about it with a friend of mine and we both can very much agree that the game very much depends on you having really damn good luck getting either some of them busted relics or enough building material that it doesn’t matter.

I have to agree that, to me, luck feels too high a factor on how your run will go.
I see people talking about their runs but I never encountered such runs (solo or multi). ^^'
Even the thread from the devs giving advices for how to play solo (https://steamcommunity.com/app/1063420/discussions/0/4626980894528324700/), they casually tell what to build and what relics to pick. But I never got the ressources to build all that. And I can't really pick the relics I want...

Once, by luck, we looted two items to upgrade a module within the first areas. More too often, we don't get much loot on the prime objective and don't get a secondary objective (or is it always there but we don't necessarily see it?).

There is some learning. There is some meta progression. But I don't know if it's enough to compensate a bad start caused of a lack of luck.

exactly couldnt have said it better myself

[Alistair MacBain]

The game isnt that luck dependend. At least with at least 2 players. But you need to pick a loadout with a litany pretty much. Any other weapon and you are seriously on hard mode till you get going.

[Mosey]

Getting the best stuff in the game possible might require some modicum of 'luck' but the game is quite playable and 'beatable' with default ships equipment. Especially with 4 players since more players equals more gene tree unlocks right at the start when you are weakest.

Solo might not be great, but it's doable as well. It's more a problem of party games aren't a lot of fun by yourself, much like how actual parties aren't fun by yourself. You can certainly throw one for yourself, but it kind of defeats the purpose they are designed for.