Cosmoteer

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 11,528 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Cosmoteer Game Cover
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Cosmoteer is a starship design and battle simulation game. Build and customize your own unique space fleet using a modular ship editor, then command them in real-time tactical combat. Manage resources, hull breaches, and crew morale in intense space battles.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 11,528 reviews
gameplay380 positive mentions
story112 negative mentions
  • gameplay1,074 mentions

    The gameplay of Cosmoteer is characterized by its engaging ship-building mechanics and a satisfying core loop of designing, battling, and upgrading ships. While the game offers a wealth of customization options and encourages creativity, many players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, particularly in its campaign mode. Despite its early access status, the game shows promise with a solid foundation and potential for future content and improvements.

    • “The gameplay is engaging and fun, letting you design and command your own starship.”
    • “Really fun gameplay loop - ability to use scraps from ships you defeat to customize and develop your own ship is unique.”
    • “The core gameplay loop (build ship, test ship in combat, improve ship) is already very polished.”
    • “The campaign mode feels extremely grindy and boring, and when enemies randomly fight you, gameplay quickly boils down to spamming right click to target specific enemy ship parts, or just blowing up and losing everything.”
    • “Unfortunately my problem is it's a little short on the 'progression' I wanted from the experience, and the gameplay loop didn't really hook me in, leaving me feeling objective-less and direction-less after leaving the first solar system.”
    • “The gameplay gets repetitive and stagnant as you do not have to manage resources and can hoard everything for yourself.”
  • story1,064 mentions

    The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many players noting that it lacks a compelling narrative or overarching goals. Most missions revolve around repetitive tasks such as combat and resource collection, leading to a grindy experience without meaningful progression or character development. While the gameplay mechanics and ship-building elements are praised, the consensus is that the game would greatly benefit from a more engaging story and diverse mission types to enhance player motivation and immersion.

    • “The story mode is off to a promising start.”
    • “I love this game, I only wish that there was a compelling storyline; it would make it over the top!”
    • “Great game, I hope they add a main quest as another reason to cross the galaxy, and perhaps with rare/unique rewards.”
    • “The only thing is that the career / story mode is incomplete.”
    • “It's just lacking any overall goals or story that keeps me interested.”
    • “Currently there's no game story, but there's a large galaxy to explore.”
  • music282 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its dynamic and immersive qualities, with many players praising its ability to adapt to gameplay situations, enhancing the overall experience. While some reviews noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, the majority found it to be catchy, atmospheric, and reminiscent of classic space-themed music, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset, contributing to the game's addictive nature and emotional engagement.

    • “The ability to build ships and maintain a fleet all while listening to an incredible music score makes this game an experience you won't soon forget.”
    • “The music really makes this game; they mix and blend the songs so well it subtly changes your mood and excitement throughout the game as you play.”
    • “Every song in the game has like three or four variants based on the things mentioned above and it's glorious; I'd argue it's one of the best implementations of music in a video game I've ever experienced.”
    • “My only complaint is that the music sucks.”
    • “Seriously, it's one of the worst video game soundtracks I've ever heard, not a single one I enjoy.”
    • “The music in this game is pretty bland and repetitive.”
  • graphics266 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally well-received, characterized by a colorful and appealing 2D art style that effectively supports gameplay mechanics. While some players note that the visuals are simple and reminiscent of retro games, they appreciate the clarity and charm that enhance the overall experience, particularly during ship battles and customization. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong fit for the game's design, contributing to its fun and engaging gameplay without the need for high-end realism.

    • “The colorful and detailed 2D graphics, combined with smooth animations, enhance the overall experience and bring the vastness of space to life.”
    • “Cosmoteer's visuals are crisp and colorful, and the sound design adds depth to the immersive space battles.”
    • “The graphics are clean and crisp, and the combat manages to be fun and rewarding for building your own ship layouts.”
    • “I kinda overlooked this game because of the graphics.”
    • “At first the graphics and music made me think of FTL, but I went back to FTL to compare and this isn't really on the same level and sounds kinda depressing.”
    • “Up till about level 12 (ish) it works fine but the frame rate gradually gets so slow it's unplayable. The graphics card isn't being used much so I think it's all CPU based (code issues) as CPU is also not at 100%.”
  • grinding188 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially after the initial stages. While some appreciate the depth it adds to ship building and resource management, others feel it detracts from overall enjoyment, leading to frustration and boredom after extended play. Overall, the game is described as heavily grind-focused, requiring significant time investment for progression, which can be both engaging and exhausting.

    • “Can be as slow or as fast paced as you like it, as grindy or not grindy as you see fit.”
    • “Can be as slow or as fast paced as you like it, as grindy or not grindy as you see fit.”
    • “Can be as slow or as fast paced as you like it, as grindy or not grindy as you see fit.”
    • “You can unlock everything in the first 30 minutes, and past that it's just grinding to make a bigger ship, but not really much point to it.”
    • “However, the game is a bit grindy, there is no overall story, and it gets old at about the 20 hour mark.”
    • “I think it is quite appalling when a game uses grinding as a central feature; it's very boring and many gamers will attest to that.”
  • optimization184 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players praising its potential for deep customization and ship design, while others report significant performance issues, especially in mid to late game scenarios involving larger ships and multiplayer. Many users note that while recent updates have improved performance, there are still critical areas needing refinement, such as memory management and crew simulation, which can lead to severe frame rate drops. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further optimization to enhance the experience, particularly for those who enjoy building complex ships.

    • “There's ample opportunities for optimization in every aspect of play, which makes finding optimal combinations and strategies immensely satisfying.”
    • “Great game, you can get very in-depth with ship design, piloting, and optimization.”
    • “You can optimize forever, but there is no perfect ship, meaning the variety of high-performance ships you can build is astronomical.”
    • “Game is extremely unoptimized; I am playing on Ryzen 9 7950X3D with RTX 4080, and game FPS dips below 60. Plus, the game doesn't feature more than 8x time multiplier, probably because the current generation of CPUs aren't powerful enough to run a 2D game.”
    • “The performance takes some really big hits quite early on in the game, and it doesn't get much better.”
    • “Atrocious performance, especially in multiplayer; the game doesn't particularly respect your time, and the world is unvaried and dead.”
  • replayability70 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its extensive ship customization, mod support, and varied gameplay mechanics that encourage different strategies and tactics. While some players note a lack of depth in certain areas, many find the sandbox nature and evolving modes, including multiplayer, contribute to an engaging experience with nearly infinite replay potential. However, a few reviews mention that the game can become repetitive over time, suggesting that additional features could enhance its longevity.

    • “All in all, this is a very engaging, fun game that is almost infinitely replayable - every battle is different and your tactics can always improve.”
    • “Good game with a lot of potential, nearly infinite replayability due to the fact you handcraft every ship you fly, and if you get bored with that, there is full mod support with some great mods on the workshop.”
    • “Cosmoteer is, to me, a near perfect blend of that slow-paced, satisfying logistics management that Factorio itches with the in-depth combat and ship customization mechanics that gives it near endless replayability.”
    • “There's not any real replay value here.”
    • “To get the last point, the game really needs more replay value.”
    • “However, there are multiple problems with the game that aren't bad enough to not recommend the game, though they definitely decrease the replayability of the game.”
  • humor52 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying the comedic elements of space combat, such as amusing ship designs and unexpected gameplay moments. Many find the interactions and mechanics, like moving starbases or the ability to accidentally self-destruct, to be particularly funny, contributing to a lighthearted gaming experience. Overall, the game is described as a fun and entertaining sandbox that offers plenty of laughs, especially when played with friends or through mods.

    • “Moving starbases to the sun is the most hilarious thing!”
    • “Very funny you can kill yourself by flying into the sun and then force your friends to go back a save that was 30 mins ago.”
    • “Been watching this game grow for years and must say the attention to detail and solid gameplay keep me returning time and time again to build new super detailed streamlined ships or hilarious experiments to wipe out friends or just for a laugh.”
  • stability46 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting significant bugs, lag, and freezes, particularly after extended playtime. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay and minimal issues, others describe it as a "horrifically buggy" experience that detracts from the fun. Overall, the game shows promise but still requires substantial improvements to its stability, especially given its early access status.

    • “The game runs great, I've not come across any bugs in my short playtime, the tutorial is great.”
    • “This is a great game, it's still in early access, but still very enjoyable and seemingly bug free so far.”
    • “Good concepts well implemented and bug free.”
    • “About 30 casual hours into the game, it becomes a hot mess of lag, pauses, and freezes.”
    • “The fact that I'm still playing after 5 unrecoverable freezes in 10 hours really speaks to the quality of the gameplay itself.”
    • “It's frustrating because it is fun, but when the game freezes for a minute at a time every 3 or 4 minutes, it sucks.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally uplifting, thanks to its charming graphics and flawless music that enhance the overall experience. While the unique mechanics and modding options are praised, there is a consensus that the game could benefit from deeper emotional storytelling and character development to fully engage players. Overall, the game shows great potential for emotional resonance but currently lacks narrative depth.

    • “The game mechanics are just so nice and unique and allow you to fool around and think freely of your ship designs. The music is just perfect and flawless, giving a nice magic to the game and providing an emotional lift as you play, while also being charming and engaging at the same time.”
    • “Overall, I'm very excited to see where this game goes. It has a great opportunity to be the next iteration of FTL, but it needs some random quest lines, choices, and story elements. Hopefully, the developers hire a writer because this looks like a case where the developer is an incredible programmer but needs some emotional elements.”
    • “This game is wholesome and offers an endless amount of hours to be spent designing ships and painting them, while combat plays like an RTS with time control and pause to give commands. The community support for modding and ship blueprints adds to the emotional engagement.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization model is praised for its great value, with no microtransactions involved, and a developer that actively engages with the player community. Reviewers appreciate that the game does not feel like a "cash grab," despite some aspects not being highlighted in the advertising.

    • “Build a ship, go fight, fix damage, upgrade, mine, trade, etc... great price, no microtransactions, and a developer that listens to the players.”
    • “I didn't see this point in the advertising, but please note:”
    • “But I also wouldn't call it a 'cash grab'.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, particularly for its amazing and atmospheric music, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the diverse approaches to problem-solving, although some note that their builds tend to look similar.

    • “The atmosphere is incredible, enhanced by the amazing music.”
    • “The music creates a truly atmospheric experience.”
    • “The atmosphere is immersive, with a fantastic soundtrack.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

19hMedian play time
36hAverage play time
10-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 148 analyzed playthroughs

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