Astroneer

Astroneer nicely builds on the Early Access release. The world is much more polished and it finally gives players something to do beyond simply digging up the earth and crafting new techs.

83%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

stability, grinding

92% User Score Based on 44,980 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 10 reviews

Platforms

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About

Explore and exploit distant worlds in a game of aerospace industry and interplanetary exploration. With your gun you can reshape the landscape around you and gather resources. On your journey you come across special artifacts that will provide you with research points, in order to unlock new technologies. These include rovers and spaceships, in order the expand your reach on the planets in the sol…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 44,990 reviews

gameplay1.3k positive mentions

stability1.5k negative mentions

gameplay
3,372 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
57%
5%
The gameplay of Astroneer is characterized by its relaxing exploration and crafting mechanics, allowing players to gather resources, build bases, and terraform environments across various planets. While the game features a charming art style and intuitive controls, many players note that the gameplay can become repetitive after a few hours, with limited content and some frustrating mechanics, particularly related to vehicles and inventory management. Overall, it offers a unique and enjoyable experience, especially in multiplayer, but may require patience due to its bugs and lack of depth in certain areas.
- “The gameplay is engaging, the levels of progression make sense, and the exploration is engaging and can be challenging.”
- “The gameplay loop is simple: gather resources / research items >> construct objects / research >> explore with greater ease.”
- “The core gameplay revolves around exploring and crafting, and there is definitely a lot to see.”
- “Gameplay is clunky, interaction is sometimes involved, and the spatiality of things always feels a bit weird.”
- “Gameplay loop was boring: find materials to craft oxygen poles to gather more materials to craft more objects.”
- “The gameplay gets a bit stale after 50+ hours.”
graphics
3,231 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The graphics of Astroneer have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant, low-poly art style that creates a charming and inviting atmosphere. Players appreciate the game's colorful visuals and unique aesthetic, which enhance the overall exploration and crafting experience. However, some users have noted performance issues and a lack of detailed graphics settings, which can hinder gameplay on lower-end systems. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point of the game, contributing to its relaxing and enjoyable nature.
- “The visuals are breathtaking, the lore is addictive, and I cannot wait for more content updates.”
- “Gorgeous visuals and art style.”
- “The graphics are stunning, with colorful planets and cute little characters that look like they belong in a Pixar movie.”
- “The struggle to rotate your view is unreal... I've got double the specs that this game requires and I had to turn the graphics down... how can I play Valheim with the highest settings and have no issues meanwhile this game I struggled with 15 fps.”
- “The graphics suck and are a complete eyesore... I literally got sick from the horrible pink sheets of something that call themselves graphics the first minute into the game and had to refund.”
- “Despite the terribly primitive graphics from early 2000s, game-breaking bugs, poor performance and absence of tutorials and manuals, the game actually has some potential.”
story
1,794 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
74%
9%
The story aspect of "Astroneer" has received mixed feedback from players. While some appreciate the light narrative and the sense of exploration it provides, many feel that the game lacks a substantial storyline or clear objectives, often describing it as a sandbox experience with minimal plot. The recent addition of missions has been seen as a positive step towards providing direction and enhancing gameplay, but some players still desire a deeper, more engaging narrative to accompany the exploration and crafting elements. Overall, the game is enjoyed for its mechanics and visuals, but the story remains a secondary feature that could benefit from further development.
- “Great game, good storyline to help with progression, also fun side missions if you want a break from the grind.”
- “The bite-sized story delivery is very good and enticing once I got around to reading them after stabilizing my resource needs.”
- “The game throws various missions at us, letting us dive into the story of the world we're in.”
- “The story is pretty lame, but maybe they updated it.”
- “The game lacks a clear story or objective.”
- “The missions help give you more direction and bring you rewards along the way.”
stability
1,605 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The stability of the game has been a significant point of contention among players, with many noting that it is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, particularly in multiplayer mode. While some players find the glitches amusing and part of the game's charm, others report severe issues that can disrupt gameplay, such as vehicles getting stuck, items disappearing, and frequent crashes. Overall, while the game shows promise and offers enjoyable experiences, its current state is considered unstable and in need of further refinement.
- “Very chill digging and building game, runs great on older PCs.”
- “Performance-wise, the game runs great, and you only start running into issues when you blow tons of things up at once.”
- “The game still looks and runs great.”
- “Multiplayer is still extremely buggy and broken.”
- “The amount of glitches in this game is ridiculous.”
- “Good game, very buggy though - bugs exist in the game for years and seemingly never been fixed.”
music
1,106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
43%
1%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall exploration experience with a serene and atmospheric soundtrack. Many players find it beautifully complements the game's visuals, creating a relaxing environment that encourages long play sessions. However, some reviews mention that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, suggesting a desire for more variety. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The soundtrack complements the serene yet adventurous atmosphere, creating an immersive backdrop for your cosmic escapades.”
- “The music and soundtrack are magical, immersing you into the vastness of the space universe.”
- “This game is so relaxing and adorable, the soundtrack is beautiful, and you get transported to such a calm and low-stakes world to just explore and build.”
- “The game's soundtrack is so annoying, I've turned it off in the first 5 minutes.”
- “The soundtrack is basically just ambiance, not really music.”
- “The music is lackluster and doesn't add much to the experience.”
grinding
855 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
11%
88%
The reviews for "grinding" in the game highlight a mixed experience, with many players noting that while the game involves significant resource gathering and crafting, it often feels tedious and repetitive, especially in the late game. Some players appreciate the grind as a relaxing and rewarding aspect of gameplay, particularly when playing with friends, while others find it excessively monotonous and lacking clear objectives. Overall, the game is described as enjoyable but can become overly grindy, especially for solo players.
- “This game is like if No Man's Sky was actually good, not grindy, and incredibly cute.”
- “Fantastic chill exploration game, progression is cool and exciting, not too grindy since it takes small amounts of new resources to create new tools; environments and general aesthetic are awesome, co-op is fun.”
- “The progression system isn't too grindy or complex.”
- “It's basically just a fun little experience, until you reach end-game and it becomes a tedious chore.”
- “The gameplay loop can feel sometimes a bit tedious when you have to rebuild your base on every planet but the progression system feels impactful enough that it gets easier the more time you play.”
- “The game requires hours and hours of grinding so if you are into that, this game is super fun!”
optimization
805 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players praise its performance and improvements over time, particularly on higher-end systems, many report significant issues, especially in late-game scenarios and multiplayer modes, where frame rates drop and stuttering occurs. Overall, while there are notable advancements in optimization, further improvements are still needed to enhance the experience for players on lower-end hardware and during extensive gameplay sessions.
- “Honestly, a really good game, great optimization and progression.”
- “I've been playing this game since it came out and the amount of optimization made the game so much more enjoyable.”
- “The game is well-optimized, has appealing visuals, and piles of things to do.”
- “The only thing that is still kinda trash is the multiplayer performance (hosting game with friends joining you, not dedicated servers, those should be fine).”
- “By the end, I was slogging through ridiculous glitches, crashes, and abysmal performance, hating the game and my time with it, just so I could wrap up the main questline and wash my hands of it.”
- “The game is not really optimized and I could not get more than 60 fps running a GTX 1080.”
atmosphere
490 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
40%
1%
The atmosphere in "Astroneer" is widely praised for its ethereal and immersive qualities, characterized by a calming soundtrack and vibrant, low-poly visuals that enhance the exploration experience. Players appreciate the unique atmospheres of each planet, which contribute to a relaxing and whimsical environment, making it ideal for both solo and cooperative play. Despite some technical issues, the game's overall ambiance fosters a sense of discovery and tranquility, drawing players into its beautifully crafted universe.
- “The soundtrack complements the serene yet adventurous atmosphere, creating an immersive backdrop for your cosmic escapades.”
- “The game's vibrant, low-poly aesthetic creates a whimsical atmosphere that feels simultaneously otherworldly and inviting.”
- “The atmosphere, artwork, and music are all beautiful.”
- “Very simple game, very cliché concept, very barren atmosphere, lacking content.”
- “The atmosphere really takes the cake here.”
- “The atmosphere, sounds, exploration, base building and organization always lead me back to this game.”
humor
433 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in this game is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the hilarious antics that arise from both gameplay mechanics and bugs. Many reviews mention the joy of playing with friends, where unexpected glitches and silly situations lead to laughter, such as vehicles launching into space or characters suffocating in comical ways. Overall, the game is described as a fun, lighthearted experience that thrives on its quirky humor and entertaining multiplayer interactions.
- “But beware, it's not all serious space science here; we're about to take a cosmic rollercoaster ride with a dash of humor!”
- “Whether you're accidentally launching your buddy into orbit or suffocating because you forgot to bring oxygen, you'll be laughing so hard you'll wonder if you've been hit by a laughing gas meteorite.”
- “The game is very funny, the environment is so fabulous and also has a nice background sound when you're going to collect something like some type of resource.”
- “So bad, it's actually funny.”
- “The bugs in this game are not funny; they kill you and steal your stuff.”
- “Finally, the inventory system is definitely creative but not funny once your sandbox hoarding habit kicks in, and you realize that it's in vain since there is not much to work towards.”
monetization
296 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
64%
30%
The monetization aspect of the game has received significant criticism, primarily due to the introduction of microtransactions for cosmetic items in a paid game, which many players view as a cash grab. While some users appreciate that these purchases do not affect gameplay, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment, with complaints about high prices, a predatory currency system, and a perceived lack of meaningful content updates. Many reviewers express a preference for traditional DLC over microtransactions, highlighting a growing frustration with monetization practices in the gaming industry.
- “The monetization is very reasonable, and utterly unobtrusive to the actual gameplay, only affecting your suit design.”
- “The developers have continued to work on the game and to freely provide new content since the release, and have opted for voluntary in-game purchases of entirely cosmetic choices for the player character, which is fair enough.”
- “Yes, there are microtransactions, but they are only for some wacky cosmetics.”
- “Cannot recommend this game anymore with their overpriced microtransactions/DLC; it feels more like a cash grab scam for outfits/skins than actual playable game content.”
- “The addition of microtransactions, overpriced cosmetics, and EULA abuse has made any future gameplay bitter and melancholy.”
- “They added microtransactions when they never stated they might do so one day, and it didn't have them at first.”
replayability
247 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
49%
13%
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with many players praising the game for its high replay value, especially in multiplayer settings and due to procedural generation. However, several users express concerns about limited replayability after completing the game, citing a lack of new content, linear progression, and repetitive gameplay. Overall, while some find it endlessly enjoyable, others feel it lacks depth for long-term engagement.
- “This is truly an amazing game, awesome soundtrack, beautiful graphics, super replayable.”
- “It has a very high level of replayability since each time you start a save it's procedurally generated.”
- “Definitely a nice game to play with endless replayability, where you can constantly automate, improve, build, craft and explore to your heart's content.”
- “The absence of new content and reliance on a cash shop for cosmetics diminishes its replay value.”
- “The big problem with it is that even when no two save files are the same, the replayability is practically zero, because you do all the same things in mostly the same order.”
- “Once they are fixed and multiplayer is more playable for all, this will become one of the best co-op games I have ever played.”
emotional
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The emotional aspect of the game is frequently described as heartwarming and wholesome, with many players expressing feelings of nostalgia and joy during their exploration. Despite some criticisms regarding the simplicity of the story, several reviews highlight moments that evoke strong emotions, including tears during key events and a sense of connection with the game's aesthetic and community. Overall, players appreciate the game's ability to provide a relaxing yet emotionally engaging experience, often recommending it for shared play with loved ones.
- “Even though the story is very basic, it almost made me cry near the end.”
- “I highly recommend this game to anyone who wants to have a meaningful and emotional experience with someone they love.”
- “It's such a heartwarming little survival game and you can tell from the devblogs and updates that the developers put their heart and soul into this project.”
- “Now 2 years later, the developers have added a few seasonal events with cosmetic rewards and created newer blueprints to provide a fully autonomous production line, but there are no new planets or resources and the same boring story.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
22%
33%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its vibrant and whimsical character designs, which are described as cute and fun, contributing to a visually pleasing experience. Players appreciate the colorful art style and improved vehicle controls, although some find the character design a bit clunky. Overall, the combination of charming aesthetics and engaging gameplay elements enhances the overall character experience.
- “The character design is adorable, the controls are fairly intuitive, the landscapes are awesome, and there's a decent amount to do given the fact that the game is not complete.”
- “The art style is very pretty, the character designs are all very cute and fun, base building is cool, the vehicles' controls have definitely improved over time, now they're fun to whip around and bore holes and stuff.”
- “The style is unlike any other space game with its bright colors, squishy character designs, and happy music as you suffocate or get crushed by debris in a sandstorm.”
- “Colorful, a vibrant palette, great functional character design - although a little clunky; curious objects, etc. the landscape and horizon create a beautiful combination and did not grow boring at any time.”
- “New vehicles, new buildings, new character designs.”