FTL: Advanced Edition

I can't stop playing. This is so incredibly awesome. I encourage everyone to try it, it has casual qualities in the beginning as well as a deep hardcore depth for strategy fans like me in late game. One of the few games I could compare it to in this regard is Plants vs. Zombies, although I feel that had a way easier endgame.

Despite having not even beat the final boss on easy difficulty, I find this game to be one of the best I've ever played. Simple but endearing 2D graphics, random events and layouts with every new game, and intuitive yet challenging game mechanics keep me coming back for more FTL. I can't wait for updates and/or a sequel!

I got FTL a while back, small crew, repel internal attacks from enemy ships to visiting various new star systems. This games design in music is not bad, it is select crew member with point and click into that station to operate. You visit planets and star systems while along the away answering distress calls etc etc. You will see traders and space stations to get more fuel, ammo, crew and weapons yet the decisions you choose with the limit resources you have till a next visit to a destination is crucial. You can add extra shield strength, unlock new ships after you reach your final destination, systems and events are different all the time, so replay ability is there and fun. Do get this game at this price, it is a bargin.

At first glance, I said, "not my cup of tea" and had no interest in buying this. I admit that freely. Then, at one of the sales I got the game as part of a deal. It took a while to generate the interest to try it. Once I did, I was hooked. Every day on the train to and from LA, I plug my computer in on the train and take off to the universe of FTL. If you want something that is part table-top board game, a little bit (and I stress a little bit) Roguelike, and ultimately very original it its design, give this one a try. Despite them being little more than stick figures, you actually become attached to your crew members. I had to stop for a while when one of my helmspeople died because I was so distraught. She gave her life to fix the oxygen, and she saved the rest of the crew. I retired that name and will not name any new crewmembers after her. I did name a ship after her, though, and the Emma lasted for a long time and destroyed many rebel ships and pirates. Give this one a try if you like space opera, and maybe you can even write your own space operas as you command your cosmic crews.

As much as I love FTL, I just cannot give it 5 stars, My biggest critique is, that everything in this game is dictated purely on luck. Every resource is scarse, so you are constatly forced engaging dangerous events and fight enemy ships. But you have no way of knowing, how much is it dangerous, or if loot is even worth it. Some percentage showing success rate would be very helpful here considering these random events. And when you lose this "dice roll", you are punished very hard - crew member dies, ship takes damage etc. And its usually hard to recover from this loss. When things are going well, you get some nice new weapon, you get that "unbetable" feeling - but very next enemy ship having one extra shield will proove you wrong. Suddenly your hull is damaged, and you realise this battle is lost. You escape, but from this moment its downward spiral. You have no money for hull repair, maybe no missiles, and you are too weak to fight new enemy ship to gain some more prescious resources. Then your last attempt is drifting through space, and hoping for good luck event to come. Which comes very scarsly. Anyway, great game, but the randomness of everything bugs me.