Aetherspace

About

Aetherspace is a single player and multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Munchkin's Lair and was released on July 3, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Aetherspace is a game about turn-based battles between outlaw gangs. In space. With starships.

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73%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

graphics2 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

Aetherspace offers a fun and challenging turn-based strategy experience with diverse missions and engaging gameplay mechanics.
The game features a unique management system that allows players to build and customize their crew and ships, providing a rewarding sense of progression.
As a free-to-play title, Aetherspace is accessible to a wide audience, making it worth trying for those interested in space combat and strategy games.

The tutorial is poorly designed and fails to adequately teach new players the game mechanics, leading to confusion during gameplay.
Many features and content are locked behind paywalls, which can frustrate players who expect a truly free-to-play experience.
The user interface can be clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to navigate menus and control ships effectively during battles.

story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The game's story is minimal, focusing more on diverse mission types and crew management rather than a cohesive narrative. Players engage in various missions, from combat to cargo theft, while developing their pilots and ships, but some express frustration with mission constraints and bugs that disrupt gameplay. Overall, while the content is engaging, the lack of a strong story and occasional technical issues detract from the experience.
- “I was so impressed and entertained by the first few tutorial missions; I simply had to write this first-look review.”
- “Playing the first few missions, you learn a lot and it's challenging but also rewarding with fast level-ups for your pilots and new gear to buy/loot.”
- “You are in a gang, and you have pilots who use starships to battle enemies on missions, from rescue to gladiator fights to stealing cargo or gang fights. You can skill up your pilots as they level, making them killing machines, and you also get lots of upgrades for your ships. My favorite is the railgun and scattergun mix.”
- “Love the game, but I decided to abandon the story at the 'escort' mission. It refuses to allow me to play my way, and I would also like to be able to buy better ships than the first three. I'm filthy rich and have nothing to spend it on.”
- “It's easy to learn, there's quite a bit of content, and although there isn't much of a story, it has a diverse series of missions and ways to go about building your crew, their abilities, their teamwork, and their ships.”
- “My one con for this game is that some of the dialogue is spelled incorrectly or seems to be missing some words. For example, 'loose' when it should be 'lose', and there was one bit of dialogue in the tutorial that had a very broken sentence that made little sense until I read it a few times and added a few words to it. I believe the sentence went something like 'if happens it, do will.'”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The gameplay is characterized by interesting mechanics and a unique turn-based space battle system that is easy to learn, though some players find certain mechanics cumbersome due to menu navigation. The music enhances the overall experience, and while the game is enjoyable for casual play, it may lean towards pay-to-win elements. Overall, the interface is intuitive, making it accessible for players who engage with the tutorials.
- “The game has some interesting gameplay mechanics.”
- “A fun game and a nice addition to my library to play in my downtime; it is a unique turn-based space battle game with many easy-to-learn mechanics as long as you read the dialogue in the tutorials.”
- “This game has slick graphics and inspired gameplay.”
- “Eh.. tried it out, concept is simple enough and the gameplay requires a bit of common sense and nothing more.”
- “Some of the mechanics are a bit cumbersome/annoying but are still easy to learn and remember.”
- “I am not saying these are bad mechanics and the only reason I say they are cumbersome/annoying is that you have to hover over your ship and go through menus to do this and in order to hover over the ship you must have the ship centered around the middle of your screen.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it uninspired and not fitting the tone of the gameplay, while others appreciate its energetic style, particularly in relation to turn-based mechanics. Overall, there is a desire for a more engaging and fitting soundtrack.
- “The music really sets the tone for the gameplay.”
- “Additionally, changing the music, I like power metal; I don't like it when it sounds so uninspired.”
- “The background music can be better.”
- “The music choice threw me for a bit, but all that aside.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics of the game are praised for being slick and visually appealing, complementing its inspired gameplay and solid game system. Overall, players appreciate the high-quality visuals that enhance the gaming experience.
- “This game has slick graphics and inspired gameplay.”
- “Good graphics, fine game system.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players report a stable experience with no significant glitches or issues encountered during gameplay.
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the overall experience while expressing concerns about the character design, suggesting it may not resonate with everyone.
- “I'd say it's a pretty good game for those who enjoy these types of games, but I think the character design is a bit off.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through witty dialogue from pilots and AI, with one standout moment involving a "wrench" that is particularly memorable and amusing. Overall, players find the comedic elements to be engaging and entertaining, contributing significantly to the game's charm.
- “Even the dialogue of your pilots and AI is humorous and entertaining. If you don't laugh when the 'wrench' is applied, then you wouldn't know what funny was if it smacked you upside the head.”