Deep Sky Derelicts

So as the title says, this game is great. A kind of more open exploration version of Darkest Dungeon with more generous loot, a different, imo, more interesting combat system and no mental stress mechanic. The balance is good and the game is a lot of fun to play, so definitely worth a go if the issues below aren't deal breakers for you. I'm playing on Windows 7 64bit and the game crashes every time I alt tab or it loses focus for any reason. Autosaves are reasonably frequent and you can also manually save, so not too much of an issue unless you need to alt tab a lot or are used to watching Netflix whilst playing (like me :P). Workaround I use is to save and quit instead of alt+tab. The learning curve is a bit steep. A LOT of game terms aren't really explained (off the top of my head; recycling, focus and what the stats do is not obvious to a new player and explanations are hard to come by). In addition, some item effects use a keyword that might not be obvious to a new player and they're not explained. Honestly, apart from those minor niggles, I'm having a blast and would recommend people pick this game up.

I originally got this game because it was on offer on GOG, but once I started playing it, I quickly bought all its expansions. The game is quick, easy and fast-paced, but at the same time leaves lot of space for strategy and RPG elements such as quests, skill trees, classes and equipment optimisation. Fully recommended to anyone who likes sci-fi themed games!

Like the title says, I got the base game on giveaway (don't intend to get DLC/add-on packs), and I quite enjoyed it. When I played Darkest Dungeon, it got too difficult and stressful on the default difficulty so I quit, but Deep Sky Derelicts feels like a non-stressful version of Darkest Dungeon in space on the default difficulty. I don't like playing games that stress me out, so this game was a good fit for me. I beat the game after 17 hours with just a couple team deaths that didn't set me back much. I really enjoyed the comp I started with and stuck with it to the end. I had a bruiser, a leader, and a technician as my comp, and the bruiser felt the most important due to all the damage skills followed closely by the leader who was essential for buffing the party and debuffing/crowd-controlling enemies. The technician provided shield and defense boost support, but it felt like it could be replaced with another class. I found it difficult to consistently get the shield manipulation skill, which I found to be the most useful for the technician, and the technician didn't feel that useful against biological enemies. Does the game have good replay value? I think yes, it would be decent to play again with a different comp or to play arena mode, but with the backlog of other games I have to play, I don't think I will be playing it again for any long while. But for a single playthrough, I thoroughly enjoyed my 17 hours. Progression felt okay and the difficulty spikes (especially going from level 3 to level 4 derelicts) did not feel unmanageable. Also, the graphics/art style is appropriately good and appealing, and so is the music. If any cons worth mentioning, I'd say the game could do a better job of explaining mechanics, status effects, and tools available (I wasn't aware of the scan ability until quite a ways in). Overall, I recommend this game with a solid 4/5.

Nice art style, writing isn't bad. The basic mechanics, the classes, the basic gameplay loop are all good - this could be a great game. But you fight mostly harmless groups often consisting of only one enemy type, so the fights become bland very quickly. The game has a lot of potential but doesn't live up to it.

Picked this up on a whim since it was under $10 for the full edition and I'm incredibly pleased with it so far. Obviously, the first thing you notice is the incredible retro sci-fi aesthetic, very similar to 1980s Heavy Metal or 2000AD comic style. Character/NPC designs are great and the fight animation is above average, if a little repetitive at times. The lore reminds me of a cross between Phantasy Star and Borderlands. It's fun to pick up a datapad and read some about how a background character got his nickname or to come across a floor that wants you to get an NPC to stop stomping on it because it's painful (yes, this is a thing that happens). There's a definite learning curve in terms of gameplay, as there really isn't a true tutorial in this - your character is just sort of given his mission and let lose with some narrative bubbles to explain the basics. This is enough to get you through the first derelict (level) without a problem but it's up to the player to finesse their way their each progressively more difficult derelict and deal with environmental conditions, branching missions, and more difficult enemies. It wasn't until the third derelict that I learned you can draw cards (basically actions) from the environment, as well as your weapons and equipment. The card system is well integrated and, unlike some others, I don't think it was included as a gimmick. Part of the fun is getting new cards from weapons, equipment, specializations, and leveling and figuring out which characters benefit most from what cards, as well as what combos work best. If you're a fan or retro RPGs, I recommend this.