September 24, 2024
Sam Enright

Beyond Galaxyland

Featuring relatable characters, including a rocket launcher-wielding guinea pig, an in-depth story, exciting quests, and an immersive world, Beyond Galaxyland is an adventure that you won’t want to miss.

89%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, replayability

90% User Score Based on 258 reviews

Critic Score 87%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Beyond Galaxyland" is a 2.5D adventure-RPG inspired by classic sci-fi movies, where you play as high-schooler Doug, who's transported to a zoo-like solar system to save Earth. Accompanied by a pistol-wielding guinea pig and a sentient robot, you must defend against the all-powerful 'The End' and explore vibrant planets filled with unique characters and challenges. Character count: 210.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 258 reviews

story74 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

Beyond Galaxyland offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic 90s RPGs, with engaging humor and beautiful pixel graphics.
The game features a unique blend of turn-based combat and creature capturing mechanics, providing depth and strategy to battles.
Players appreciate the vibrant world-building, charming characters, and a well-crafted story that keeps them hooked throughout the game.

The game is criticized for its abrupt ending, leaving players feeling like the story is incomplete and lacking closure.
Many players noted the absence of Steam cloud saves, which hampers the ability to switch between devices seamlessly.
Some found the combat system to be slow and tedious, with issues related to ability point management and a lack of engaging mechanics.

story
166 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The story of "Beyond Galaxyland" is a blend of humor, heart, and sci-fi elements, following teenage Doug as he navigates a vibrant universe after Earth faces destruction. While the narrative is engaging and features intriguing characters, it suffers from pacing issues and an abrupt ending that leaves some plot threads unresolved. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its charm and creativity, though some aspects feel underdeveloped and predictable.
- “The environments are stunning, the characters amusing, and the story intriguing enough to make me come back for more and more and not want to stop.”
- “The story combines humor, heartache, and peril, creating a compelling and cinematic experience that feels closer to a movie than a traditional game.”
- “Beyond galaxyland is a delightful blend of classic RPG elements with a rich story and a charming cast of characters.”
- “The story in some parts is a bit poorly written, but overall decent.”
- “Nothing irritates me more than when a game I've been thoroughly enjoying begins to pick up in terms of character development, story, and world building, just to abruptly cease for no apparent reason.”
- “That's how the game ends; after all of the struggles, all of the build-up, and the sudden emotional twist in the story bringing you closer and closer to each character, it's over.”
gameplay
102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
65%
3%
The gameplay is a blend of traditional turn-based combat with modern mechanics, offering a mix of exploration, puzzles, and diverse mini-games that keep the experience engaging. While some players appreciate the active defense mechanics and the variety of gameplay elements, others find certain aspects, like the monster capture system, to be slow or clunky. Overall, the game is praised for its solid mechanics, beautiful art design, and a compelling story, making it a recommended choice for fans of JRPGs and sci-fi adventures.
- “The gameplay is equally delightful, offering a perfect mix of challenge and fun with its smooth controls and creative mechanics.”
- “The game has extremely varied gameplay with diverse minigames galore, so you'll never get bored.”
- “The active turn-based combat system elevates the gameplay, blending strategy with time-responsive mechanics.”
- “The gameplay itself is mostly the average turn-based combat game, but there are some interesting additions.”
- “This is also normally a fine mechanic, however the way it's implemented in this game just ends up making the combat feel slow, the party shares AP, and if you fail to get a timed button press right, you lose AP.”
- “I'm a sucker for turn-based RPGs, but Beyond Galaxyland didn't do it for me. The gameplay felt slow and the music during combat even slower.”
music
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its catchy and unique soundtrack, blending genres like trap, dubstep, and pop, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. While many players find the music outstanding and memorable, some note that it can become repetitive over time, particularly during extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The soundtrack is so good I bought it off sale at full price.”
- “Fantastic game, especially the music is great and it's nice to have games like this in comparison to the AAA titles that often don't have the same amount of enthusiasm put into.”
- “The music, the art, and the gameplay all mesh well together to create a memorable experience as you traverse the galaxy.”
- “The music tracks, while they are fine at first, get a bit repetitive if the player wants to spend time in an area for a longer time.”
- “The OST is well made and often fits the environments, but it's just so sluggish most of the time.”
- “I'm a sucker for turn-based RPGs, but Beyond Galaxyland didn't do it for me. The gameplay felt slow and the music during combat even slower.”
graphics
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
23%
5%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their gorgeous pixel art and beautiful art style, which enhance the immersive world-building and overall aesthetic experience. Many reviewers highlight the vibrant visuals, engaging animations, and effective use of lighting, making the game visually appealing on larger screens. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in character design, the overall sentiment is that the graphics are a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The pixel graphics are gorgeous!”
- “The world building is awesome and the art style is very beautiful.”
- “The writing is great, the graphics aren't done justice in screenshots because of the way everything is layered, lit, and all the little animations are the cherry on top.”
- “The graphics are charming, but stop trying to put aspects of platforming into non-platforming games.”
- “The graphics are charming, the story, as far as I got, was somewhat interesting.”
- “[eye-catching graphic design, solid combat mechanics, nostalgic soundtrack.]”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
The humor in the game is well-received, with many players appreciating its blend of funny writing and heartfelt moments within a vibrant universe. Characters like Martybot and Boom Boom, the super-intelligent guinea pig, add charm and comedic relief, reminiscent of classic JRPGs. However, the humor's appeal may vary, as some players feel it can be overly self-referential, suggesting a specific audience may enjoy it more than others.
- “I haven't finished it yet but so far the game's engaging story pulls you in from the start, blending humor and heartfelt moments in a vibrant, imaginative universe.”
- “Boom Boom, the super-intelligent guinea pig, steals the show with his humor and heart.”
- “Beyond Galaxyland feels like stepping into the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, blending humor, adventure, and a quirky sense of wonder.”
- “It's not bad music; I just wish it wasn't constantly reminding me that 'this game is supposed to be funny'.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
64%
Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some find it necessary for leveling up and unlocking abilities, others describe it as a slow and tedious process, particularly when managing under-leveled party members. However, several users noted that the grinding never feels excessively burdensome, allowing for a more enjoyable experience overall.
- “You'll kinda spend two turns grinding enough AP to remove an enemy's shield, only to have to do it again for the next two enemies - so it's just a slow grind through the battle.”
- “The party member is not scaled to your level and starts at level 1. By the time you can get him, you'll be at least 10 levels ahead, so if you decide to use him, you need to spend some extra time grinding levels with him.”
- “While some grinding is necessary to level up monsters and unlock their abilities, it never feels overly tedious.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional storytelling, featuring well-rounded characters and a narrative that effectively blends humor with heartfelt moments. Players are drawn into an engaging and imaginative universe, culminating in a powerful emotional twist that enhances the overall experience. Overall, it is celebrated as a triumph in indie game development, delivering a compelling and visually stunning journey.
- “That's how the game ends, after all of the struggles, all of the buildup, and the sudden emotional twist in the story bringing you closer and closer to each character; it's over.”
- “I haven't finished it yet, but so far the game's engaging story pulls you in from the start, blending humor and heartfelt moments in a vibrant, imaginative universe.”
- “The story is filled with well-rounded characters and emotional narrative payoffs, and as much as Enright's galactic adventure is a collection of stylistic and mechanical homages, it doesn't feel like a patchwork of fan service.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers minimal replayability, primarily serving as a means to obtain missed achievements rather than providing a fresh experience. Players note that the short length of the game, which can be completed in about 27 hours, further limits its replay value.
- “For me, the only downside is that the game is fairly short (it took me 27 hours to 100%) and has little to no replay value.”
- “I tried New Game+, not sure what I expected. There is zero replayability in it other than if you want to get any achievements you missed the slow way, rather than just getting them on your main save.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting that the graphics and soundtrack effectively enhance the overall experience. The music, though simple, complements the gameplay without being intrusive, contributing positively to the immersive environment.
- “The atmosphere, graphics, and soundtrack are all great.”
- “The music, while simple, complements the gameplay and adds to the atmosphere without being overbearing.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration when character development in a game shows promise but then abruptly halts, leaving them feeling unsatisfied with the narrative progression and emotional investment. This inconsistency can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, indicating a high level of stability on that platform.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck!”