My core recommendation of Colony Ship is that it is a well-designed and self-contained RPG.

The closest comparison I can provide is the original Fallout, another game relying on traditional pen-and-paper RPG roots. It is designed to replicate a single campaign that one might play on a tabletop RPG, one that can be replayed multiple times with different character builds and decisions for a variety of experiences and endings. It rewards thoughtful players, who put effort into character design and manage their expectations about what any one character can accomplish. It also delivers a good and well-rounded story, one that pays off well based on choices made throughout a playthrough, without needing to be epic in scope.

The combat design is tough and slower-paced than many RPGs, but it is rewarding to master and has options to explore. It is a matter of understanding the combat system and building a character with a narrow focus that takes advantage of compatibilities within the system. It is not a power fantasy, and the limits on what a single character can accomplish creates interesting changes when replaying the game with different character builds.

The graphical side of the game is good without being outstanding. There is a surprising amount of detail if you look closely, with environments that can be surprisingly vast and varied. At the same time, you won’t mistake this as anything other than an independent game, despite being a nice looking one at that. The music is nice, conveying an appropriate theme for each area, though it can get repetitive for areas that you spend large amounts of time in.

Overall, Colony Ship is an extremely solid entry into the canon of Western RPGs. While it may not be revolutionary for the genre, its overall quality puts it into the upper echelon. It is aimed at fans of a specific genre and I’d strongly recommend it for such fans. If isometric, Western RPGs with turn-based combat are your cup of tea, you won’t go wrong with Colony Ship.

My core recommendation of Colony Ship is that it is a well-designed and self-contained RPG. The closest comparison I can provide is the original Fallout, another game relying on traditional pen-and-paper RPG roots. It is designed to replicate a single campaign that one might play on a tabletop RPG, one that can be replayed multiple times with different character builds and decisions for a variety of experiences and endings. It rewards thoughtful players, who put effort into character design and manage their expectations about what any one character can accomplish. It also delivers a good and well-rounded story, one that pays off well based on choices made throughout a playthrough, without needing to be epic in scope. The combat design is tough and slower-paced than many RPGs, but it is rewarding to master and has options to explore. It is a matter of understanding the combat system and building a character with a narrow focus that takes advantage of compatibilities within the system. It is not a power fantasy, and the limits on what a single character can accomplish creates interesting changes when replaying the game with different character builds. The graphical side of the game is good without being outstanding. There is a surprising amount of detail if you look closely, with environments that can be surprisingly vast and varied. At the same time, you won’t mistake this as anything other than an independent game, despite being a nice looking one at that. The music is nice, conveying an appropriate theme for each area, though it can get repetitive for areas that you spend large amounts of time in. Overall, Colony Ship is an extremely solid entry into the canon of Western RPGs. While it may not be revolutionary for the genre, its overall quality puts it into the upper echelon. It is aimed at fans of a specific genre and I’d strongly recommend it for such fans. If isometric, Western RPGs with turn-based combat are your cup of tea, you won’t go wrong with Colony Ship.