EVERSPACE™

I don't know how to explain what is wrong with this game. It feels like I'm playing a demo or something, like there is going to be a big "And now the real game begins!" moment that never comes. Maybe I'm just not the target audience for this.

It's a rogue-like space shooter. Like all roguelikes, there's some frustration as you die and try again (and again and again.) But it's interesting, and I'll keep trying.

It's pretty, but uncomplicated - the levels are often simple and wind up feeling a bit repetitious after you've run past them a few times. Much like Rouge itself. Unlike Rouge perma-death doesn't mean loosing _everything_. You get to keep the money and spend it on upgrades for your ship and yourself. That said, if you're looking for a quick chance to blast some outlaws and aliens while looking at pretty painted backdrops of planets and nebula and then get kicked back to the starting point with more money and more time so the next time is just-that-little-bit-different ... you might enjoy this game.

Consider it a entry-level space sim. There are better space sims out there including its successor, all nebulously clouding over this game. But if youre orbiting around the idea of trying out a space sim without having to space out trying to learn rocket science. Give the game a try, You might just have a blast! That being said, the game itself is an action rougelite. You jump across levels leaving a trail of debris of what used to be space invaders. It requires exploration but doesnt necessarily reward it; It throws a bunch of enemies at you that are a challenge by themselves; the weapons you get are fairly generic only sepperated by stats; levels arent unique enough to be memorable; Near constant necessity for materials to keep yourself alive... In short the game is simple. So why the recommendation? The combat just shines. your ship handles amazing, even reacting differently from damage for each part. The AI fully utilizes the 3D environment making for interesting manuevers. If youre not carefull a fight with even a single grunt could be your end. If you can utilize the environment better than the AI, you'll live long... and prosper (lol). The combat just leaves me star-struck and over the moon. Again the game doesnt exactly contain everything in the universe. There are other games that are a bit more meteor (tho not a lot that run great on modern hardware without fixes and/or comes with controller or stick support). you'll likely gravitate to those titles. But if its an entry-level game or a quick run at the speed of delight, nothing quite eclipeses it!

TL;DR: Slow burn, slow-to-learn dungeon crawler... in space! It balances poking around in beautiful places with spastic dogfights, and the difficulty settings let it be engaging for all skill types. Really solid game all around. Even the story, though it was described to me as "barebones" and "functional", is fun and definitely not neglected. In fact, no elements are noticeably neglected. The game decided to include a specific set of features and fleshed them out satisfyingly, and then some. Most every mechanic to do with RNG is paved over by player skill. Even the worst consequences of bad luck, like ship component damage or running out of fuel, can be mitigated (purchasing perks and preying on neutral parties, respectively). Even in the face of a worst case scenario, and here's my advice: play to your odds from the beginning. Set up your own safety nets. At worst, get the perk that allows you to scavenge your last ship. Yes, your ship talks to you. And the protagonist is a huge dork. But they're just charming enough to evade my ire of such things. My only complaints are: Screenshots are impossible in fullscreen and the game was highly unstable in windowed mode (Win 7, R9 GPU, i5 CPU, 8GB). The UI can get cluttered and being able to find what you need to focus on is a skill you must develop. The alternate ships are not as different as they could be and seem generally underpowered compared to the default. Other than that, this is a fantastic product for those who enjoy star-crossed space adventures but also have a need for some kinds of permanent progression. A lot of care was put into this overall. Bonus points for a great soundtrack and decent voice acting!