Starbound

This game is a missed opportunity. It had so much potential, such nice concepts, such style (visual & sound). The premise of "Terraria with interstellar space travel", while derivative and unfair as a description of any game that isn't a literal Terraria mod, would be enough to sell this concept to a lot of people. However, they managed to screw it up. In a sandbox game, you are locked into a multi-step main quest sequence with unskippable cutscenes from the start, a quest sequence that is repetitive, uninspired, and doesn't integrate well with the skills and tools the game provides to you except the "Inspect" functionality. There are other quests in the world, and they are mostly either very clear tutorialised sections (its fine to have tutorials, but maybe don't conflate them with quests or make them so obvious?) or repetitive MMO-style low-quality side-quests, along the lines of "kill X enemies", or "fetch me X item". It's understandable that a procedurally-generated vast universe like this would not be able to have good quests, but then why force quests into the game in the first place? They provide nothing to the game except a faux sense of progression, and that illusion quickly fades once you start getting the same quests back to back. The bounty hunter questline is more of this same level of quality, it's repetitive and uninspired stuff. Why is this here? Exploring the worlds is one the nicest initial activities in the game, as you get to see the beautiful art in the different enemies, buildings, plants, and blocks that each biome has. This variety of materials also makes building in this game have a nice potential, since you have such a large amount of options of blocks. However, there is nothing of substance underneath: you quickly start to get repeated biomes in different planets and everything else is still the same, enemies scale to you regardless of what they're visually like, most attack patterns are very similar, you always have some type of wood, maybe some unique liquid material that looks different but otherwise behaves the same, the underground is usually literally the same for the most part... So the wonder goes away very quickly. The final mechanical variation between planets, their environmental effects, also quickly goes away with the EPP item, which negates all negative status effects, swiftly erasing any thought you'd need to have about where you're going: it's all the same. I could keep criticising a lot of other individual systems in the game (like the underdeveloped character skills, which only have 3 effective variations; the fact that the mech is free and there's literally no reason not to keep spamming it to be immortal in the early game exploration; the clunky movement and extremely high fall damage; the terrible inventory and storage management; the many unexplained mechanics such as pets or elemental types; etc.) but instead I want to focus in the final nail in the coffin for this game: the multiplayer. Almost any game can be fun if you're playing it in good company, but honestly, this game doesn't even really have that going for it. I've never played a game with co-op that is less invested in even attempting to get you to ever interact with your friend. Quest progression is only for one player even if both players got the quest together and worked together through a quest instance to achieve it, a lot of quest locations are randomised so you and your friend will literally have to travel to different places to do the same quest that you are doing, loot and enemies are not scaled for the number of players present (so you get fights that are both too easy and too unrewarding if you play together), you have entirely separate spaceships (with different fuel tanks, storage, etc.), NOTHING about this multiplayer is cooperative. The game essentially incentivises you to each play your own singleplayer experience while co-existing in the same server, with the size of the massive star map almost guaranteeing you will never run into each other organically. I've literally never seen co-op be implemented worse than in this game. Do mods help save this trash experience? I've heard that that is the case, yes, but at the end of the day, that just means that Starbound is still a failed game, albeit one with an amazingly committed and enduring community. And I just can't recommend anyone to spend money on a game simply to be able to witness its community, joining their Discord is free after all. I really wish this game was what its Early Access promise seemed like it would be. I'd love to play "Terraria with interstellar space travel" with my friends, especially with visuals this customisable and pretty, with all this variety in biomes and enemies... But this ain't it lads. It ain't even it's own good thing, it's just a huge missed opportunity.

Terraria in space? Probably the closest to it anyway. I love exploring new worlds on this, and it's also cool knowing you could set up flags and come back to these places anytime. Each world is as memorable as you want it to be.

Will always and forever be in the shadows of Terraria, you've heard of this game because of Terraria and if you have played Terraria it'll always be in comparison during the whole playthrough. It has a ludicrously poor attempt of distinguishing itself with a half baked story filled with one of the monotonous gameplay cycles of scan-explore-scan-explore. If you look into the development history and company behind the game it is literally a evil mirror dimension of Re-Logic. filled with a history of labour abuse and exploitation.

I always find myself coming back to this game from time to time. It's fun, and I love the universe and alien species within it. There is a lot you can do. Exploring, building, space faring. Definitely would recommend.

Starbound is a sprawling, charming, and deeply engaging sandbox adventure that masterfully combines exploration, crafting, and storytelling within a procedurally generated universe teeming with life and mystery. Developed by Chucklefish, the game invites players to step into the shoes of a space traveler who, after fleeing their destroyed home planet, embarks on a journey across countless diverse worlds—each filled with unique biomes, creatures, civilizations, and secrets. What sets Starbound apart from many other sandbox titles is its seamless blend of open-ended gameplay and structured narrative elements, offering both freedom to create and meaningful progression through quests and lore. At its core, Starbound excels in delivering an expansive exploration experience. Each planet presents distinct environmental challenges, from icy tundras and lush jungles to radioactive wastelands and underwater realms, all crafted with pixel art that is colorful, detailed, and rich in atmosphere. The procedural generation ensures that no two planets are exactly alike, fostering a sense of wonder and discovery as players gather resources, encounter alien flora and fauna, and uncover ancient ruins or settlements. This variety keeps the game perpetually fresh and encourages curiosity and experimentation, whether you’re mining rare ores, building elaborate bases, or trading with diverse NPC factions. Crafting and building form a fundamental pillar of Starbound’s gameplay. The crafting system is robust and rewarding, with a vast array of materials and recipes that let players construct everything from basic tools and weapons to complex machinery and decorative furniture. Base building is highly flexible, allowing for personalized homes, shops, or entire colonies that reflect the player’s creativity and ambition. The game’s inventory and progression systems are well-designed, gradually unlocking new crafting blueprints and technologies that keep the gameplay loop engaging and satisfying. Beyond exploration and crafting, Starbound weaves an intriguing storyline that unfolds as players meet a cast of memorable characters and engage in quests that reveal more about the universe’s history and the fate of its inhabitants. The narrative is delivered in an accessible way that complements rather than constrains the sandbox nature of the game, giving purpose to exploration without overshadowing player freedom. Additionally, the game includes varied combat encounters with hostile creatures and factions, blending action and strategy as players wield an assortment of weapons and gadgets. Multiplayer support enhances Starbound’s appeal, allowing friends to explore, build, and survive together, which adds a dynamic social element to the experience. The cooperative gameplay is smooth and rewarding, with shared resources and collaborative construction projects fostering creativity and teamwork. The vibrant modding community further extends the game’s lifespan, offering new content, quality-of-life improvements, and customization options that enrich the base game. While Starbound is packed with content and creativity, it is not without minor flaws. The sheer scale and depth of the game can be overwhelming for newcomers, and the procedural generation sometimes results in repetitive or unremarkable planets. Some players may find the pacing uneven, particularly in early stages when resource gathering can feel slow or when the storyline advances gradually. Occasional bugs and interface quirks also surface, though ongoing updates have addressed many of these issues. In summary, Starbound is a captivating and richly textured sandbox adventure that offers a unique blend of exploration, crafting, and storytelling across a vast universe. Its beautiful pixel art, imaginative world-building, and deep gameplay systems create an experience that is both accessible and endlessly rewarding. Whether you’re a fan of sandbox creativity, sci-fi lore, or cooperative multiplayer adventures, Starbound provides a compelling journey that invites players to explore the stars and shape their own interstellar story. Rating: 8/10

great game (besides the constant crashing which may be my fault) but don't let that scare you its a very fun game

Sehr schönes Spiel mit guter Steuerung,Anspruchsvollen kämpfen und einer interessanten Story. Finde es toll dass einem sehr offen gestellt ist ob man jetzt die Story Spielen möchte,einfach nur Erkunden will oder was Bauen möchte. Auch die Musik und die Umgebung der Planeten ist sehr schön designed und wirken sogar Teilweise entspannend während des Spielens. Das einzige was etwas Gewöhnungsbedürftig ist sind die Baumechaniken. Zusammen gefasst ein schönes Spiel das ich Wärmstens empfehlen kann und mit einer soliden 9/10 bewerte👍

Just play Terraria. This game just feels unfinished. The concept is cool though and can very well go places but It seems abandoned. Also don't try to 100% it.

Gets stale real fast. Worlds are boring, combat is repetitive and frustrating. Feels unfinished

While the base game suffers from a lack of drive, the modded experience is great! And there's also ReShade configs that brighten it up considerably. Great thanks to the developers for building the base, and the modders to make it shine!

Extremely boring alone, extremely fun in multiplayer, but the multiplayer scene seems dead so make sure you bring friends. Comparing it to Terraria, Starbound is wide but shallow, whereas Terraria is narrow but deep. Frackin' Universe is required for the game to be even enjoyable in singleplayer.

Starbound is one of my all time favourites ♥ It can go from super relaxing to crazy intense, depending on how you want to play and what you want to do. There's so much to explore, and the system to do so isn't difficult to grasp, but still tough enough to make you treasure each opportunity you get- but every unique planet has so much to offer, and heckin' amazing aesthetics- so it's a win-win all round. The main story can be intense to conquer, it's always taken me a few attempts with each new character :') but there's so much that drives you get there, and it feels so good when you do ♥ I used to compare Starbound to Terraria a lot- just like a spacey version.. but I honestly couldn't get back into Terraria after getting hooked on Starbound :') It's amazing. No complaints. No negative feedback. Just admiration ♥

Good game with good potential. Too bad it's dead in the water. With the right mods its fun, but in vanilla its a game abandoned without updates. Although I did enjoy it, I do not recommend it.

like with spore a lot of potential gone. a story cut short will always be sad. i do like the idea of star cowboys so there is that to consider. at least the community has plenty of creativity that revived it somewhat. the idea was sound but the heart was lost. hopefully one day a passion built space themed build your own crew game will be made in full. as a prototype of what could have been it's a start. ZONE PURIFIED

I love space exploration and the character customization. Bosses can sometimes feel unfair and I find the survival elements a little unnecessary, but it is a very charming game.

It's pretty good for what it is, and the graphics are amazing. It can feel like dark souls at times but I really enjoy the overall grind along with the experience itself.

It's a casual game to explore and build which I find enjoyable. It is similar to Terraria which I also fully enjoyed and spent so much time at. I find Starbound has its own distinct plot and premise which will probably will hook me up to it.

I would not recommend this game as it by default, chucklefish dropped the ball HARD on this game and it hasn't been updated since 2019 for the PC version and the only updates console versions get anymore is bug fixes. All of this being said, the modding community has done a wonderful job at making this game into what it should've been

It might not be much on its own, but once you dive into the modding of this game, it becomes much clearer why this game is good. Play the way you want, because you've got plenty of options!

Abandoned this game to work on other shit games of theirs that barely got any downloads LOL. If you buy this don't get it at full price and use mods.

Honestly, Starbound is one of those games that looks really cool, and it might be a good game if you give it enough time, but it is just not what it looks like. The controls are really clunky and the general vibe of the game feels so old-school and janky. I want a refund for this game, but ended up playing more than 3 hours and it has been a few years since i bought this game and now it just collecting dust in my steam library. So yeah, save yourself from regret and just play Terraria lol

The game without mods is long and boring, with mods though it can be whatever you want it to be. Because of it's sandbox-nature and because it gets no more updates it's like a modder-paradise.

Absolute gem of a game. Beautiful ass soundtrack too

its literally just no mans sky but terraria AND its actually so fun

Played it a lot in 201x... The pirated versions... And bought it to replay and remember the old days. Cool game!

its just a fun sandbox game with nearly infinite modding capability. story and lore is kinda shit tho ngl

very relaxing game...til you die and cant get all your shit back but still good

I've owned this game pretty much from the point it was available on steam and have 1577 hours in it at the point I'm writing this review Vanilla in itself has enough content for the pricetag, but don't expect anything too complex. Vanilla gameplay is comparable to if Terraria tried to emulate the gameplay loop of No Man's Sky without the fancy bits, so be aware that if you don't enjoy lots of digging, fighting repetitive enemies, platforming or digging while fighting repetitive enemies on tiny platforms, this will probably be a boring experience for you, and it eventually was for me after like 50 hours and I think I only eventually finished the game because I was able to cram all base necessities into my ship, so I never needed to settle a base on a planet that I would later abandon in favor of a planet with high tier resources. After that, for a long time I enjoyed to just build houses from local building materials in random places and nicely decorate them. That's a thing that Starbound definitely does better than Terraria and Minecraft because you have so many more different themed building materials to chose from, depending on the planets you go to and what mini biomes they spawn. Then I discovered the Fracking Universe (FU) modpack and suddenly I have over 1500 hours. You can be pissed at the devs all you want about sins they allegedly committed. I got my money's worth and more out of this game and the rich modding community. Other people happily pay 80 Bucks for a game they play for 30 hours. 14€ for this really isn't wasted money The only real issue I experienced with this game is optimization. Usually I groan at people whenever they whine about a game being "badly optimized" because it "Doesn't run in 4k and 300fps on my 2000€ graphics card!!!", but what I'm talking about here is zone transitions. When you transition from one biome or depth zone to the next, the game is doing [i]something[/i] that might cause a lag spike that may or may not kill you if you're platforming over an abyss right that moment. The landscape also loads in sections outside of the viewport and a random lag spike might cause a section to not be loaded when you reach it, but that rarely happens. However those are really the only things in terms of optimization issues I noticed. At this point I can't distinguish between vanilla features and ones added by FU because I've been using the pack for so long. All I can say is that whatever boredom you eventually get from the vanilla gameplay loop will vaporize once you discover all the features the mods have to offer. The magnitude of improvements through mods is about comparable to Rimworld or Minecraft, both of which I consider almost unplayable without mods at this point, although it's less so with Rimworld tbh. And no, relying on mods to continue getting fun out of a game is not necessarily a bad thing. Just remember, if you can play a 12€ game like Starbound for more than 30hrs and have at least a little fun doing it, you've already won and it wasn't a waste.

Definitely the game id like most to get a return to either with a remake or a sequel, like it was just never finished but they definitly tried to make it work so many times and it really is a awesome world. The end product is good and fairly enjoyable its just not all there like its missing the glue to make it a whole complete experience. You know whats also funny is this game could have shown Starfield the pitfalls of having randomly generated worlds as this game suffers a very similar fate of monotony but id still take Starbound between the two any day. Also btw the game is locked and i mean actually engine hard-coded locked to 60 fps and 1x 2x and 3x zoom it makes me wanna die cuase 2x is too close and 3x is way too far, unlocked fps and variable zoom would do wonders for the game experience but not even mods will take a crack at it

It has a very convenient modding system with the steam workshop. Very expansive gameplay and exploration.

cool game, non toxic community, good modding support

Oyunu ne yazık ki finaline kadar oynayamadım. Sebebini net olarak bilemiyorum, temasından mıdır nedir oyun nedense hep sizi yalnız hissettiriyor. Fakat bu fiyatlara oynayabileceğiniz en iyi hayatta kalma oyunlarından dünyası çok geniş oynadıkça sürekli yeni şeyler keşfediceksiniz. Bu oyunu oynayın BFChickenGamers sayesinde öğrenmiştim yıllar önce

Works well with friends, but doesn't provide a long term amount of content to play with them.

Give it time. The first couple times I tried it I wasn't all that thrilled but this time, the variety of ships, stuff, NPC teammates and animals I can team with really clicked. Try one of the online "how to get started" and it will really help.

some people said that Starbound is similar to Terraria to an extend yes i can agree on a few part regarding that (mostly on visual) but honestly Starbound is actly different from Terraria i will say playing Vanilla, Starbound is prty boring u play as a Space Traveller/Survivor surviving from a catalyst that happen after a ceremony u can explore the stellar system, explore the planets, forage, loot and even break and get the Terrain blocks from that planet for u to collect with many purposes, this loot from each different type planet can be used to craft items and weapons, and some even required to advance ur Gear u also have mechs that can be tweaked like changing the weapon, chassis/body, gear, colors, etc but most of the time u use mechs only on space area, with purposes of traveling to a space system/zone like a friendly/hostile spaceship, ruins, ancient area and some specific Zone the mechs can be used on planets too but it is not recommended with how some of the Terrain on the map is and what's the point of using mechs if u still need urself to explore to the deeps underground of the planet anyway to mine minerals and extract some fluids after a while, this basic gameplay loop will absolutely feel boring and become bland bcz of how repetitive it is the planets u go will even feel empty (not to mention some of it are copy paste) the story is not engaging and interesting, u can easily lose interest on it prefers to do something else instead the world building despite how huge it is feels empty and not much to do in it combat is also a jank, akward and sometimes feel weird also when u reach endgame that fun of combat is gone bcz u basically have nothing to fear since ur enemy will atleast die in 1-2 attacks for melee and easily shredded with ranged guns however modded Starbound tho : with mods from workshop, the game can finally feel enjoyable and fun with some of those mods adding like more races to the galaxy, more gears and weapons, more factions, and even better gameplay mechanic and system i would recommend to play this game with mod rather than vanilla cuz it is really the only thing holding this game on its feet. for starter u should get "Frackin Universe", it will introduce a better progression system and mechanic to the game so u don't feel bored and make u actly need to do lots of stuff to progress it add more ingredient and materials required for crafting, more mechanic and method for u to get some of this materials & minerals, add more Planet & Solar system Threats like adding more natural/cosmic disaster to the planets like Hot & Cold Planet with its own dangerous temperature and even planet with heavy gravitational level that the pressure it gave will crush you overall Starbound is an interesting game with many missed oppurtinity and possibility i will say go give it a shot and if u wanna be more invested, go mod the game well.. knowing what happen to the development of this game its no suprise how it end up like this if u wanna know the context of how did this game failed u can search on YT regarding this mess of a development and its problematic Creator

kinda boring without mods, but good for a fun time especially if you're taking the time to learn

I cannot recommend a game that is so stupid as to make you drop your crap when you die but isn't good enough to give you a map. Not only that but in the underground sections of the game the enemies move with spazzy speed while you are trapped in tiny narrow spaces barely able to move. Its gonna get you killed and then you can't find your crap when you die. Totally fucking pointless! Worthless. Save your money for a game that isn't stupid.

4/10 game vanilla 8/10 game with mods (frackin universe)

Super immersive for a side-scroller, amazing world generation, and incredibly easy to spend lots of time on. Been playing this game for years and I still recommend it to people when I get the chance. So much fun solo, or with friends!

Objectively better than Terraria, unfortunately made by the media mill that is Chucklefish.

Chucklefish sucks and this game is draining. Meow :3 Don't play this.

Very good game just get openstarbound for a smooth experience

this is the best game ive ever had the luxury of playing..

I will NEVER be able to play this game like a normal person...

Alright without Mods. Phenomenal with Mods.

main story is actual garbage but the mods are good

I've lost too many hours in this game and I know there's still more of the game I haven't explored yet

ive played this game for many years, still one of my favorites.

This game never became what I wanted it to be.

Blunder by the devs, they ruined this one.