Starsector, originally named Starfarer, is an absolutely brilliant top-down 2D open-world space game that's been going for years and a huge new release is finally out. The gameplay carefully mixes together RPG mechanics, open-world exploration, tactical and exciting space combat with lots of ship and weapon variety and economics.
Here's just a small slice of what's new in the 0.95a release:
- Complete story missions and uncover some of the mysteries of the Sector
- Face new endgame enemies and acquire their technology, including new weapons and a unique capital-class ship
- Make playstyle-altering choices using a revamped skill system
- Customize your playthrough – mentor officers, specialize colonies, make permanent alterations to ships, and more
- Raid the core worlds for what you need using a targeted raid system
- Improve your colonies using lost technology
- Build relationships with contacts and gain new opportunities
- Take on many new types of bounties, choosing the challenge level you want
- Incorporate automated ships into your fleet
- UI scaling and support for 4k monitors
- Ship AI and combat balance/gameplay improvements
- Several new ships
This is easily one of my favourite indie games, it's been something I've personally followed since around 2011 and it was a personal purchase too because even back then it was impressive. It's the combat and the ship design that really pulls you in though, it's just awesome. It has some of the absolutely coolest looking spaceships in any 2D space game.
Some great audio went into the game too. If you want a look at some of the fun combat side of it, here's a quick walk-through of the basic tutorial. This gives you an idea into how deep the game goes, considering the many things you need to think about during ship to ship combat.
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If you love space combat and exploration, go get it. Currently though keep in mind it's not finished.
You can buy it from the official site.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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15 comments
This looks absolutely superb. Why on earth don't they sell through Steam, I wonder? I'd never heard of it until this article!
1 Likes, Who?
Linux support is one of the reasons why I got it back in the day. I remember I was trying to decide whether to get Starfarer or SPAZ and I went on the Starfarer IRC channel and talked with the guys a bit. Or maybe it was the SPAZ channel? I cannot remember.
Anyway, Starfarer had Linux support and although my main gaming rig ran Windows back then I've been doing most of my work on a Linux machine for many years by that point - never regretted this decision. Got SPAZ a few years later on a humble bundle sale or something and it was alright. Nowhere near as good as Starfarer. And the updates for this game have been amazing.
It's funny, though, how SPAZ 1 and 2 have had full releases while this is still in development.
Anyway, Starfarer had Linux support and although my main gaming rig ran Windows back then I've been doing most of my work on a Linux machine for many years by that point - never regretted this decision. Got SPAZ a few years later on a humble bundle sale or something and it was alright. Nowhere near as good as Starfarer. And the updates for this game have been amazing.
It's funny, though, how SPAZ 1 and 2 have had full releases while this is still in development.
1 Likes, Who?
Wow thank you ! I did not know about this game. Installing right now.
3 Likes, Who?
DebianUser Mar 30, 2021
Excellent game, i have discovered it only one year ago since a french known youtuber has made a letsplay on it.
Does the new features require to create a new world ?
Last edited by DebianUser on 30 March 2021 at 5:48 pm UTC
Does the new features require to create a new world ?
Last edited by DebianUser on 30 March 2021 at 5:48 pm UTC
0 Likes
First time i played this game was early 2012, and since then i’ve launched it at least once a year.
0 Likes
Great game. Also a purchase from years ago. I actually lost my key email, I bought it so long ago and when I reached out to them, they were super helpful in taking it down for me.
I haven't played in years, since they implemented the world map really. I've been waiting for it to finish and come out. Totally worth it.
I haven't played in years, since they implemented the world map really. I've been waiting for it to finish and come out. Totally worth it.
0 Likes
Craggles086 Mar 31, 2021
Will it be on Steam / will I get a Steam key later if I buy it now?
Putting the game on Steam is something I want to look at when the game is more or less “done”. It’s a complicated decision for various reasons – there are upsides and downsides, and it’s not something you can easily try and then back out of.
If the game ends up on Steam, and if Valve still allows developers to generate keys for this purpose, then I’d like to get keys to existing players. However, that’s too many ifs to make a promise, so I would recommend assuming “no Steam key” for any purchasing decision made now.
http://fractalsoftworks.com/faq/
Putting the game on Steam is something I want to look at when the game is more or less “done”. It’s a complicated decision for various reasons – there are upsides and downsides, and it’s not something you can easily try and then back out of.
If the game ends up on Steam, and if Valve still allows developers to generate keys for this purpose, then I’d like to get keys to existing players. However, that’s too many ifs to make a promise, so I would recommend assuming “no Steam key” for any purchasing decision made now.
http://fractalsoftworks.com/faq/
0 Likes
Will it be on Steam / will I get a Steam key later if I buy it now?
Putting the game on Steam is something I want to look at when the game is more or less “done”. It’s a complicated decision for various reasons – there are upsides and downsides, and it’s not something you can easily try and then back out of.
If the game ends up on Steam, and if Valve still allows developers to generate keys for this purpose, then I’d like to get keys to existing players. However, that’s too many ifs to make a promise, so I would recommend assuming “no Steam key” for any purchasing decision made now.
http://fractalsoftworks.com/faq/
Yep, it was this very (vague) wording on their FAQ that led me to post my question. Upsides? Downsides? Really odd, in this day and age, to sell your game directly rather than through a platform that boasts 100's of millions of active players every month. Can't really imagine what the downsides would be, other than risking a poor overall review rating, which would seem unlikely given how passionate people are about this one.
0 Likes
MisterPaytwick Mar 31, 2021
I guess I shall start over a session again. Sounds like the part when you start building up some power will be a bit more interesting, I may finally face the outer space horrors.
Let's disrupt commerce and sell space heroin to miners again.
Got a name here? I mean I did (re)discover the game (as I read once back in like 2015) with Sseth, but you got me curious here.
Let's disrupt commerce and sell space heroin to miners again.
Excellent game, i have discovered it only one year ago since a french known youtuber has made a letsplay on it.
Got a name here? I mean I did (re)discover the game (as I read once back in like 2015) with Sseth, but you got me curious here.
0 Likes
DebianUser Mar 31, 2021
I guess I shall start over a session again. Sounds like the part when you start building up some power will be a bit more interesting, I may finally face the outer space horrors.
Let's disrupt commerce and sell space heroin to miners again.
Excellent game, i have discovered it only one year ago since a french known youtuber has made a letsplay on it.
Got a name here? I mean I did (re)discover the game (as I read once back in like 2015) with Sseth, but you got me curious here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5fpZN6yFLM&list=PLT8d94Bi5BRYXM0WQpP8enpDfdLxHMTCU
Last edited by DebianUser on 31 March 2021 at 4:24 pm UTC
0 Likes
Looks really cool. I bought a copy and installed it. Walking through the tutorials now. Thanks for this, I had no idea it existed!
0 Likes
I bought the game. It's nice but I don't like the combat. They are slow and I can't understand how it works. I just take command of a ship that don't go in combat, let the AI play and go doing something else as they are not skipable
0 Likes
I bought the game. It's nice but I don't like the combat. They are slow and I can't understand how it works. I just take command of a ship that don't go in combat, let the AI play and go doing something else as they are not skipable
Later in the game, when you have a large fleet, you have to think much more about managing your ships, giving orders etc. but at the very beginning of the game you mostly have your own ship that you have to deploy and that you take full control of. You steer the ship with WASD and aim and fire using your mouse. Pressing shift and A or D lets you strafe in that direction rather than turn.
The combat, in my opinion, is a lot of fun in this game.
0 Likes
A few dozens of hour into the game I can make a more in depth review of this game.
Game is nice except for one main flaw : the rhythm. Game is too grindy, trip are too slow even on x2 mode and battle are far too slow due to a cautious AI and low precision of the weapon and low speed and maneuverability of the ships. Even by offering myself 1 milion credit by 5 hour grinding (via save edit) and using the mod to make battle far faster the game is still very slow.
That's a pity because beside that, the game could have been the Mount & Blade in space we deserve. What SPAZ 2 should have been. The simulation, exploration and mission are nice and interesting.
But the combat lack the speed of M&B, SPAZ or Reassembly and the depth of turn by turn combat like with the Sunrider franchise.
I hope some mod will solve thoose issues, this game has a lot of potential
Game is nice except for one main flaw : the rhythm. Game is too grindy, trip are too slow even on x2 mode and battle are far too slow due to a cautious AI and low precision of the weapon and low speed and maneuverability of the ships. Even by offering myself 1 milion credit by 5 hour grinding (via save edit) and using the mod to make battle far faster the game is still very slow.
That's a pity because beside that, the game could have been the Mount & Blade in space we deserve. What SPAZ 2 should have been. The simulation, exploration and mission are nice and interesting.
But the combat lack the speed of M&B, SPAZ or Reassembly and the depth of turn by turn combat like with the Sunrider franchise.
I hope some mod will solve thoose issues, this game has a lot of potential
0 Likes
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