While the mechanics are pretty fun at first, I can't help but feel that the game falls flat in the long run. Sure, there's lots of tech to discover, but you'll get your hands on all of it in short order. The rest of the game is a long slog through its RPG elements just to equip it. SPAZ tries to present you with the impression of a galaxy-sized sandbox with hundreds of systems to play in, but there is not enough content or variation to support it. Every star system is a retread of the one that came before it, with the same two factions, the same twenty-ish missions, and largely unnoticeable variations in tech. The factions are just faceless retreads of each other and completely isolated to boot, leading to the debate of "which one do I hate more today" when entering a new system. The addition of the titular zombies in the endgame brings with it a new set of fifteen-ish missions to replace the old ones, a new set of time-consuming and annoying mechanics for dealing with their ships, and a swift kick to your carefully cultivated sandbox. None of the good will and system power you build up in the early game actually carries over to the endgame, despite it being integral to the final quest. In short, it's a long slog and a good way to burn hours upon hours, but SPAZ is best taken in bite-sized chunks in the tiniest randomized galaxy you can make. Unless you're a die-hard fan of the genre, the novelty will wear off quite fast.
