wish they weren't british
In theory, this game is doing a lot of really cool stuff. The art direction is phenomenal, I love the atmosphere and the little quirks, but it never takes any of its individual components far enough to really feel good to play. If it had leaned just slightly harder into being a roguelike imsim, if it had made the runs feel even slightly more varied, I think it would've doubled my interest. As it is, it's worth trying for sure, but literally three runs in it starts to feel repetitive as you realize you're just doing the same thing but with new equipment that makes it slightly easier to run through a room opening all the drawers and then running back to your ship.
Even though the content of Void Bastards quickly runs thin, an expertly crafted loop and eye catching aesthetic is enough to make players invested in the galactic journey. Everything in Void Bastards revolves around your decisions and risk mitigation. Do you need food, fuel, resources, or upgrade parts enough to engage with the threats on each ship? Are you out of options and have to take on an unfavorably rolled ship anyway? These are the questions players face every turn, with consequences for those decisions perhaps appearing as soon as the next ship. Even on the ships themselves, players have to constantly weigh whether continued looting is worth the hit to their health or ammo.
Yet, when decisions do go sideways, Void Bastards is forgiving. Upon death, players retain all item upgrades and materials and are placed only a few ships back from the next objective. It may hurt to loose a character with great perks and a mound of food or ammo, but it is relatively frictionless to start again know each run has made progress.
Which is a blessing since the game’s RNG can birth ships with wacky attributes that are truly fun and some that are complete BS. Runs can be ruined by a bad succession of RNG. Further, the game itself, while delightful with its cell-shaded art, almost immediately starts becoming repetitious in its use of art assets, locations, and gameplay encounters.
Thus, it is necessary that Void Bastards keeps the pace that it does. Its risk/reward tension never ceases to be engaging and overall the game’s duration doesn’t outstay its welcome. It’s not for everyone, but there is fun to be had for those that enjoy this decision making loop and seeing the games systems interact in surprising ways.
Yet, when decisions do go sideways, Void Bastards is forgiving. Upon death, players retain all item upgrades and materials and are placed only a few ships back from the next objective. It may hurt to loose a character with great perks and a mound of food or ammo, but it is relatively frictionless to start again know each run has made progress.
Which is a blessing since the game’s RNG can birth ships with wacky attributes that are truly fun and some that are complete BS. Runs can be ruined by a bad succession of RNG. Further, the game itself, while delightful with its cell-shaded art, almost immediately starts becoming repetitious in its use of art assets, locations, and gameplay encounters.
Thus, it is necessary that Void Bastards keeps the pace that it does. Its risk/reward tension never ceases to be engaging and overall the game’s duration doesn’t outstay its welcome. It’s not for everyone, but there is fun to be had for those that enjoy this decision making loop and seeing the games systems interact in surprising ways.
I love the concept of the game and it can be rather satisfying at points, but areas are disappointingly samey (aside from highly contextual gimmicks) and the basic gameplay is just that, basic, to the point where it kills my drive to go on very often. These factors make starting a new run after death a miserable endeavor instead of the new beginning that it is in many other roguelikes.
What I've said so far probably sounds much more negative than my rating does, but I must emphasize how wonderfully novel the concept is and how engrossing it can be when your resources are running dry and you make a clutch, last moment escape. There's a huge amount of untapped potential here, though having more in depth moment to moment gameplay would risk fracturing the game too hard in an Aztez-like situation, but at the very least more interesting level generation and more deliberately constructed level pieces could've gone a long way.
What I've said so far probably sounds much more negative than my rating does, but I must emphasize how wonderfully novel the concept is and how engrossing it can be when your resources are running dry and you make a clutch, last moment escape. There's a huge amount of untapped potential here, though having more in depth moment to moment gameplay would risk fracturing the game too hard in an Aztez-like situation, but at the very least more interesting level generation and more deliberately constructed level pieces could've gone a long way.
Playtime: 12 Hours
Score: 7/10
Been wanting to play this game for a while since it came out, and it was free on Epic, so I finally gave it a playthrough. I was interested in this game since it came to us from some of the devs who worked on the System Shock and Bioshock games, with the latter in particular being one of my favorite game series of all time. Plus I am someone who reads comics and have been passionate about them all my life, so the comic book art style was something that attracted me to this game as well! its basically like System Shock, if it were a roguelike.
Playing the game, it will definitely feel familiar to those who have played System shock, with the enemy types, the feeling of isolation in space, and the ships you move through. They definitely nailed the atmosphere and the feeling you could die at any moment. Each time you die, you play as a new character with their own traits. It is possible to swap traits out at specific machines or find these gene altering anomalies in space, which change your traits when you fly your ship near them. The gameplay loop involves your going from ship to ship, looting items, trying to find the main item you need and then hightailing it back to your ship. You also need to keep track of resources like fuel for your ship and food for your character. Each ship is procedurally generate with its own specific traits, that can work both against and for you. E.g. security bots being on your side, hazards like electrical wires, fire and radiation leaks.
I definitely enjoyed the gameplay loop of this game and the weapons are all fun to use. You do at the very least keep your weapons and upgrades when you die and just lose your ammo and supplies (but you start out with a small amount at the start of each run). I love the comic book art style and the soundtrack is also pretty awesome! The game can also be very funny at times, with some very dry British humor.
Some of the things I didn't like was the RNG aspects of it. You can have some runs where you get lucky and your having a great time playing, and other times where the dice doesn't roll in your favor and you just get frustrated. I don't mind RNG in games like Borderlands because its just specifically tied to the weapons you find, and not the levels themselves. I much prefer handcrafted levels that all feel unique from one another. After a while the ships all start to look the same and the gameplay starts to feel repetitive but the game ended for me right about when that started to set in, so it balanced itself out. I also just wish this game had a proper story campaign to hook me, as the games story is pretty basic and is just there to give the player urgency. Even if they perhaps included audio logs or lore entries for you to find, that explained why the universe is the way is, would have helped, but I understand that wouldn't really work with the games RNG nature.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this game and I can recommend it to fans of System Shock or roguelike games. It does require a lot of RAM to play properly on PC, so if you don't have a gaming pc, I'd say check it out on console.
Score: 7/10
Been wanting to play this game for a while since it came out, and it was free on Epic, so I finally gave it a playthrough. I was interested in this game since it came to us from some of the devs who worked on the System Shock and Bioshock games, with the latter in particular being one of my favorite game series of all time. Plus I am someone who reads comics and have been passionate about them all my life, so the comic book art style was something that attracted me to this game as well! its basically like System Shock, if it were a roguelike.
Playing the game, it will definitely feel familiar to those who have played System shock, with the enemy types, the feeling of isolation in space, and the ships you move through. They definitely nailed the atmosphere and the feeling you could die at any moment. Each time you die, you play as a new character with their own traits. It is possible to swap traits out at specific machines or find these gene altering anomalies in space, which change your traits when you fly your ship near them. The gameplay loop involves your going from ship to ship, looting items, trying to find the main item you need and then hightailing it back to your ship. You also need to keep track of resources like fuel for your ship and food for your character. Each ship is procedurally generate with its own specific traits, that can work both against and for you. E.g. security bots being on your side, hazards like electrical wires, fire and radiation leaks.
I definitely enjoyed the gameplay loop of this game and the weapons are all fun to use. You do at the very least keep your weapons and upgrades when you die and just lose your ammo and supplies (but you start out with a small amount at the start of each run). I love the comic book art style and the soundtrack is also pretty awesome! The game can also be very funny at times, with some very dry British humor.
Some of the things I didn't like was the RNG aspects of it. You can have some runs where you get lucky and your having a great time playing, and other times where the dice doesn't roll in your favor and you just get frustrated. I don't mind RNG in games like Borderlands because its just specifically tied to the weapons you find, and not the levels themselves. I much prefer handcrafted levels that all feel unique from one another. After a while the ships all start to look the same and the gameplay starts to feel repetitive but the game ended for me right about when that started to set in, so it balanced itself out. I also just wish this game had a proper story campaign to hook me, as the games story is pretty basic and is just there to give the player urgency. Even if they perhaps included audio logs or lore entries for you to find, that explained why the universe is the way is, would have helped, but I understand that wouldn't really work with the games RNG nature.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this game and I can recommend it to fans of System Shock or roguelike games. It does require a lot of RAM to play properly on PC, so if you don't have a gaming pc, I'd say check it out on console.
What are we some kind of Suicide Squad?
Rating: 6.8/10 - Average
The roguelike elements are pretty good but the gunplay and enemy designs need rework.
The roguelike elements are pretty good but the gunplay and enemy designs need rework.
great aesthetic wasted on a bare bones game
Extremely cool aesthetic and mechanical framework for a game in desperate need of a stronger rogue loop or a better story.
really fun and unique rougey. great style and design, a great timewaster. easily can lose myself in this for hours just poking around every ship.
amazing and unique artstyle, not so amazing gameplay
RATING: Hazy
Desperately needed some more content to keep the experience fresh - the core gameplay is nice, but it gets repetitive quick. It's almost a good game, but frustratingly not quite.
Desperately needed some more content to keep the experience fresh - the core gameplay is nice, but it gets repetitive quick. It's almost a good game, but frustratingly not quite.
This is a game i came back to after a year then finished. I admire it for being that level of pick-up-and-play while still having some depth. Critics might say it gets a bit repetitive but, I loved that i could pick it up, play a level in 5-15 minutes, then put it back down.
The humor seems staunchly British and might not have hit me so hard because I’m a yank, but I still got a bleak chuckle out of the game’s bureaucratic nightmare.
Critics might also say that the games balance is off or that the combat is random and hectic. And theyre right. However on the other the nature of the roguelite genre is to sometimes be stacked and other times be starved. The combat IS awkward at times, but the game tries to tell you that you should be trying to avoid combat or be stealthy. Make smart use of locking doors after you go through them. Lock down sections of ships with warps as much as possible.
Some enemies seem OP, but they all have a counter. Screws can be stunned. The bookish lady’s can be mind-controlled or taken out with explosives from behind.
I liked it. If anything, I wish there were more.
The humor seems staunchly British and might not have hit me so hard because I’m a yank, but I still got a bleak chuckle out of the game’s bureaucratic nightmare.
Critics might also say that the games balance is off or that the combat is random and hectic. And theyre right. However on the other the nature of the roguelite genre is to sometimes be stacked and other times be starved. The combat IS awkward at times, but the game tries to tell you that you should be trying to avoid combat or be stealthy. Make smart use of locking doors after you go through them. Lock down sections of ships with warps as much as possible.
Some enemies seem OP, but they all have a counter. Screws can be stunned. The bookish lady’s can be mind-controlled or taken out with explosives from behind.
I liked it. If anything, I wish there were more.
Took a while to warm up to it but once I did this was a pretty solid Roguelite. I thought that the gameplay was actually pretty fun, specifically the loot system and permanent upgrades were pretty good. I saw people complain the combat and while it was odd at first (an FPS with no Aim-Down Sights is always pretty jarring) once o got used to it was fun. Was always a "one more run" type of game largely since you could always get a major upgrade out of a run or two even if you botched it
The biggest issue by far was the variety. Weapon variety was decent but could use some more, but man, enemy variety was mediocre at best with only 6 or 7 basic types that had harder variants of themselves in later levels), and worst of all was the level design. Again there were only roughly 10 ship types, with only things like door locations, loot drops and locations, and enemy and security differences. The addition of + and - modifiers (both on characters and ships) helped add a decent amount of variety to each run but after a while when you've seen every ship layout 20 times it became stale
I think if they supported this game with a ton of DLC ship layouts, enemies, and weapons (which they already did 1 DLC that came with 1 of each) this could easily become a 4.5 or even 5 game for me
The biggest issue by far was the variety. Weapon variety was decent but could use some more, but man, enemy variety was mediocre at best with only 6 or 7 basic types that had harder variants of themselves in later levels), and worst of all was the level design. Again there were only roughly 10 ship types, with only things like door locations, loot drops and locations, and enemy and security differences. The addition of + and - modifiers (both on characters and ships) helped add a decent amount of variety to each run but after a while when you've seen every ship layout 20 times it became stale
I think if they supported this game with a ton of DLC ship layouts, enemies, and weapons (which they already did 1 DLC that came with 1 of each) this could easily become a 4.5 or even 5 game for me
7,3/10
Cool concept, but weak realisation of straregy shooter.
But amazing visual.
Cool concept, but weak realisation of straregy shooter.
But amazing visual.
Cool concept that wears off after a while.
very good, little replay value imo despite its 'genre'
fantastic ideas, lovely roguelike but i just find the gameplay loop very tiring and uninteresting. i liked the art style too. wish i liked it more but i cant force myself to play this anymore
A rather fun action/shooter/rougelike with some unique mechanics and gimmicks. Not too mechanically deep so it's rather easy to get into, but can really ramp up the challenge, which is sometimes extremely unbalanced.
The art style is great, controls smooth, and this game can seemingly run on a toaster, so there's no excuse to give this a try.
The art style is great, controls smooth, and this game can seemingly run on a toaster, so there's no excuse to give this a try.
Starts off making you think it'll be an interesting system/bioshock type game, by the end a numbers game I couldn't wait to finish
Iba con ganas de que me gustase, y las primeras 3 h son perfectas. El juego es bonito, me voy encontrando nuevos enemigos, las naves son casi todas diferentes, las armas son interesantes.... Pero poco después los nuevos enemigos se acaban y se dedican a recolorear a los que ya hay. Empiezan a ser esponjas de balas en un juego donde no sobran y las armas no se sienten super cómodas. Empiezan a aparecer enemigos con muchísima vida a puñaos que le quitan cualquier atisbo de diversión. Y mil cosas así.
Personalmente que a las 3 h un roguelike se me empiece a hacer tan repetitivo me sorprende para mal. Una pena, al principio me veía echándole decenas de horas.
Personalmente que a las 3 h un roguelike se me empiece a hacer tan repetitivo me sorprende para mal. Una pena, al principio me veía echándole decenas de horas.
It's a survival shooter. Hahahaha, just kidding it's a roguelike. I'm not against roguelikes, I just despise them with every fiber of my being I hate them I hate them Grrr Grrr!!!!!
A fun, casual rogue-like shooter with a great art style and janky audio issues, Void Bastards lays a solid enough foundation for a follow up or DLC to add on to for a more in depth experience.
Repetitivo e ao mesmo tempo divertido, é daorinha
i'm out of bullets so i can't silence the camera quickly enough before it alerts security. the doors lock me in with a Screw, who i'm trying to kite around the room as a turret spits rockets at me. i'm nearly out of oxygen so i open up the map in between dodging rockets to find a clean route to the atmo room. i bumble into more turrets and use my last 2 zapper shots to disable them, but now the Secbot has caught up with me so i have to keep sprinting as i refill my air.
when this game gets going, there's so many panicked improvisations and fast decisions to be made. it's run-n-gun while lost in a maze. it pushes you hard enough that you aren't always sure you can pull it off, but somehow you make it through with a sliver of health and a few seconds to spare, and it feels fucking incredible.
the comic book art direction is brilliant and permeates the whole game; this is what borderlands wishes it could be. the megacorp satire shtick is perhaps overdone, but it's still done well and i chuckled at the enemy voice responses from time to time. the visual design is clear and well-organized, which is crucial for a game that wants to push you. there's many strategies to take and styles of play, but it's not some deus ex choose-your-hallway bullshit.
when this game gets going, there's so many panicked improvisations and fast decisions to be made. it's run-n-gun while lost in a maze. it pushes you hard enough that you aren't always sure you can pull it off, but somehow you make it through with a sliver of health and a few seconds to spare, and it feels fucking incredible.
the comic book art direction is brilliant and permeates the whole game; this is what borderlands wishes it could be. the megacorp satire shtick is perhaps overdone, but it's still done well and i chuckled at the enemy voice responses from time to time. the visual design is clear and well-organized, which is crucial for a game that wants to push you. there's many strategies to take and styles of play, but it's not some deus ex choose-your-hallway bullshit.
What a game! I recently subscribed to Humble Choice and decided to complete the games that are going to be removed on February the 15th. This game is one of them. It wasn't on my radar and I hardly knew anything about it. Having played and completed the main objectives, I can confidently say that it's a hidden gem. I'm surprised not to have heard anything about it up to this point.
It's a rogue lite with an interesting twist. Most of the progress is kept after you die. The difference is you get to play with a new character with unique traits that might be good or bad. The different characters are justified in the story. You also get to lose some of the resources you got along the way. The weapon, armor upgrades, ammo and other resources are kept. The main point is to pillage ships to get resources in order to survive. It's a FPS mixed with resource management and making strategic decisions. The ships are manned by enemies who will rightfully kill you for daring to steal. The amount of enemies, security and hazards are all factors that you need to take into account. It might not be worth it if the enemies are too strong. You get some general intel before entering a ship in order to make your decision. But you also can't skip too many ships because you need fuels and food in order to survive. I love the risk and reward aspect in this game. The characters and setting are also very well realized. It has a unique and dark charm mixed with British humor. I love it!
In terms of flaws. I would have liked a type of training mode to test out the weapons and gadgets you unlock. It feels a bit too risky to try out new toys when it's a matter of life and death.
Honestly, there are so many things that I haven't mentioned. The mechanics can go pretty deep if you want to. There are also pirates and other enemies when you're moving your ship. Just know that it's a game worth playing if you keep an open mind. Its style is not necessarily mainstream but definitely give it a try if you're even mildly interested.
It's a rogue lite with an interesting twist. Most of the progress is kept after you die. The difference is you get to play with a new character with unique traits that might be good or bad. The different characters are justified in the story. You also get to lose some of the resources you got along the way. The weapon, armor upgrades, ammo and other resources are kept. The main point is to pillage ships to get resources in order to survive. It's a FPS mixed with resource management and making strategic decisions. The ships are manned by enemies who will rightfully kill you for daring to steal. The amount of enemies, security and hazards are all factors that you need to take into account. It might not be worth it if the enemies are too strong. You get some general intel before entering a ship in order to make your decision. But you also can't skip too many ships because you need fuels and food in order to survive. I love the risk and reward aspect in this game. The characters and setting are also very well realized. It has a unique and dark charm mixed with British humor. I love it!
In terms of flaws. I would have liked a type of training mode to test out the weapons and gadgets you unlock. It feels a bit too risky to try out new toys when it's a matter of life and death.
Honestly, there are so many things that I haven't mentioned. The mechanics can go pretty deep if you want to. There are also pirates and other enemies when you're moving your ship. Just know that it's a game worth playing if you keep an open mind. Its style is not necessarily mainstream but definitely give it a try if you're even mildly interested.
Um Roguelike bem legal e com personalidade em seu visual
i like how it mixes the comic book style with stealthy doom like combat, VERY GOOD
Everything this game has to offer feels really good moment to moment. The mechanics work together in fun emergent ways, but there aren't enough of those interactions to feel satisfying. The loot/craft cycle is compelling, but tromping around samey ships and fighting more and more annoying version of the same goons got old after about ten hours. Dropped soon after completing the third action item.
I wanted to like this game. It has a great look and a neat, simple hook for a rogue-like. But there are too many issues for me to want to push on with it. The shooting is rather barebones and just not fun. Each ship feels a bit samey and I'm not really interested in exploring them. However, my biggest gripe is that ammo seems so scarce and you have no way to fight the enemies without bullets. With no melee attack, it just feels like I can go through a few rooms of a ship before feeling like everything is too stacked against me to continue on.