Abandon Ship
- October 22, 2019
- Fireblade Software
- 11h median play time
Get on Steam"Abandon Ship" is a tactical naval combat game set in a fantastical world inspired by the Age of Sail. Explore diverse, story-filled regions, from haunted seas to spider islands, and engage in vicious battles against enemy ships, fortifications, and sea monsters. The permadeath system adds an extra layer of challenge to the game, as death is permanent but the journey continues.
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Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and art style that enhances the immersive experience.
- Engaging combat mechanics that allow for various strategies and crew management.
- Decent story with interesting lore and a unique premise involving a Kraken-worshipping cult.
- Repetitive gameplay that can become tedious after a few hours.
- Frustrating save system that can lead to losing significant progress due to permadeath.
- Lack of variety in encounters and ship upgrades, making the game feel linear.
- story217 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players praising its engaging narrative and rich lore, particularly its Lovecraftian elements and pirate themes. However, some critiques highlight issues such as repetitive gameplay, a lack of urgency in the main quest, and a desire for deeper character connections and more varied side quests. Overall, while the story captivates many, its execution can feel drawn out and at times shallow, leading to mixed feelings about its depth and engagement.
“The story is engaging enough but the combat is so dull, the gameplay is so repetitive to the point that I don't even care enough to try out the small guns build though I have all the guns I want.”
“The story had me hooked from the start and I'm genuinely enjoying this game.”
“The story flows well and the gameplay is addicting.”
“The narrative progression could be more engaging, and some players might find themselves yearning for a deeper connection with the characters and storyline.”
“The story had promise and is the only reason that I even bothered to finish this because I wanted to see how it ended, and it's left a sour taste in my mouth.”
“The story is worn out Cthulhu cult forced into a 'pirate' genre... yawn.”
- gameplay161 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players enjoying the strategic ship-to-ship combat and exploration mechanics reminiscent of titles like FTL, but also noting a tendency towards repetitiveness and grind. While the visuals and atmosphere are praised, some mechanics feel underdeveloped or poorly explained, leading to a learning curve that can overwhelm newcomers. Overall, the game offers engaging moments and a solid foundation, but suffers from issues that can detract from long-term enjoyment.
“Overall, the game was fun. I am not a big fan of rogue-likes, but this game drew me in because of the gameplay and exploration of the map.”
“One of the areas this game shines is in its strategic gameplay.”
“Its captivating visuals, strategic gameplay, and the thrill of commanding your own ship on the high seas make for an enjoyable experience.”
“The learning curve can be steep, and newcomers might find themselves overwhelmed by the various mechanics and intricacies of ship management.”
“There's mechanics that should result in variation and depth at strategic map level and in tactical ship battles, but it seems to not be fully developed or well thought out -- ultimately there's an optimal approach to both, and the game becomes very repetitive and monotonous.”
“Repetitive combat mechanics and unimaginative map play combine to make one hell of a boring journey.”
- graphics77 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning, oil painting-like art style that enhances the seafaring atmosphere, drawing comparisons to classic PlayStation titles. While many reviewers appreciate the unique visuals and overall aesthetic, some note that the graphics may not significantly impact gameplay depth or complexity. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing to an enjoyable experience despite some criticisms regarding interface mechanics and gameplay repetitiveness.
“The visuals in Abandon Ship are striking, featuring a stylized art style that beautifully captures the atmosphere of a seafaring adventure.”
“The graphics are stunning to behold and awe-inspiring the first time you encounter a heavy storm!”
“The artwork and presentation are very nice.”
“Very tedious game, shame should and could have been better, no effort in graphics nor scenery.”
“So in summary: graphics are terrible - reminiscent of 1990s, storyline is okay, gameplay while fun is extremely hard on the easiest settings, and the save system sucks given how difficult the game is and unforgiving.”
“This is a badly made FTL knockoff with graphics from a PlayStation 1 cutscene.”
- grinding40 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive. While some enjoy the challenge of grinding in roguelike games, others feel that the lengthy battles and slow progression detract from the overall experience, making the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable adventure. Players seeking a casual, story-driven experience are advised to look elsewhere, as the grinding mechanics can lead to frustration and boredom.
“If you want a casual story-filled game with little to no grinding, you're barking up the wrong tree.”
“Some people just want to enjoy the story, not grind for hours only to start over again just to get back to their previous state because of a small mistake.”
“Restarting from scratch and grinding 10+ hours to get back to where I was is a no for me.”
“Honestly a fun game with interesting mechanics...but the main campaign gets very boring and grindy to the end.”
“After some time you have seen all that can happen and sailing around a map, clicking locations, just so you can continue, becomes very tedious.”
- music25 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting its situational use that avoids repetitive loops. The soundtrack is described as polished and immersive, complementing the game's visuals and narrative effectively, while some users noted its dramatic and engaging nature reminiscent of cinematic scores. Overall, the music is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's ambiance and enjoyment.
“The music is good and atmospheric; text prompts and events are equal parts harrowing, amusing, and serious.”
“For an indie release, the game is beautifully polished, with a great looking naval painting style aesthetic, and a soundtrack that could have come from a title with many times the budget.”
“It’s a far cry from your typical pirate game; there are no stereotypical sea shanties or squawking parrots, but there is a heavily stylized world that’s been cleverly realized, accompanied by some epic musical scores that support the feel and flow of the game perfectly.”
“Poor, repeatable music.”
“The title just fails to 'pop' in any outstanding way, besides just having Cthulhu bolted onto the side in such a way that almost feels like an afterthought.”
“The soundtrack and art style work well together, and the voice acting isn't overdone.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the reviews indicate a mixed perception of replayability in the game. While some players appreciate its unique storyline and engaging gameplay that encourages multiple playthroughs, many others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking significant replay value, particularly after completing the main content.
“Everything is perfect and it's replayable; simply a must-buy if you like pirates.”
“Unique storyline, good visuals, lots of replayability, and decent gameplay.”
“Strongest suit is true replayability and it delivers a great ambiance through music and art direction.”
“Zero replayability.”
“Low replayability.”
“I've seen a lot of comparisons to FTL, and while the game mechanics are similar, there is less replayability because of the small number of weapon variants (regular, fire, acid) and that boarding seems significantly more effective than using cannons at this point.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 77 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Abandon Ship" is widely praised for its striking visuals and stylized art that effectively captures the essence of a seafaring adventure. The combination of atmospheric music, engaging story elements, and thoughtful details enhances the immersive experience, creating a captivating and moody environment. While the game excels in atmosphere, some reviewers note that it lacks depth in strategy and tactics.
“The visuals in Abandon Ship are striking, featuring a stylized art style that beautifully captures the atmosphere of a seafaring adventure.”
“The developers have captured so much atmosphere in this game!”
“So much thought has gone into the little details of the game; from how each enemy crew member reacts, to whether the enemy ship wants to stay close or far from you in battle, to the music and sounds that so perfectly top the game off.”
“Which is above average, as it could have been pixel graphics and nothing about the atmosphere would have changed.”
- stability8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting significant bugs, particularly in the tutorial and specific gameplay stages. However, others praise the finished release as largely bug-free, highlighting its solid gameplay and beautiful artwork. Overall, while there are notable issues, many users find the game stable and enjoyable after the initial early access phase.
“I would ignore the early access reviews as the finished release game is very good and bug free.”
“The game looks and feels good, and it's not buggy.”
“Beautiful artwork, solid gameplay, and bug free so far.”
“A little buggy, and ultimately feels like a mobile game.”
“Currently, the tutorial is super buggy.”
“Be warned it is buggy; after 50 minutes of play, there seems to be a bug between the Kraken and the 'find port' stage.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is perceived as hit-or-miss; while some players find it amusing initially, the repetitive nature of crew knockouts can quickly become frustrating rather than funny, leading to a shift from enjoyment to tedious micromanagement.
“Having six crew members and getting them leveled up is pretty much the difference between laughing in the face of enemies and frantic, annoying micromanagement.”
“The humor in the dialogue is so sharp that I found myself chuckling at the most unexpected moments.”
“The game’s quirky characters and their hilarious interactions kept me entertained throughout my entire playthrough.”
“It was okay the first few times, but when every second event knocks out one of your crew, that's absolutely not funny for me.”
“The jokes felt forced and repetitive, making it hard to enjoy the humor.”
“I expected clever wit, but instead, I got tired clichés that fell flat.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has received mixed feedback, with some users appreciating the inclusion of ads for adding a "pirate flavor" to the experience, while others express dissatisfaction.
