Crying Suns

As a tactical rogue-lite, Crying Suns feels kind of unique. It has some things in common with FTL, but really it’s very much its own beast.

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Crying Suns is a tactical rogue-lite game where you lead a space fleet in the aftermath of a intergalactic war. The "Last Orders" update, available on May 17, 2023, adds two new character factions, Prag Mah and Phalanx, each with their own playstyle, officers, items, events, and more. This update is free for existing and new players, enhancing the game's rich storyline and strategic combat experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,760 reviews

story678 positive mentions

grinding34 negative mentions

Engaging and imaginative storyline with strong sci-fi influences, reminiscent of Dune and Foundation.
Beautiful pixel art and atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
Tactical combat system that allows for strategic decision-making and varied playstyles.

Repetitive random events and encounters that diminish replayability after the first playthrough.
Combat can feel simplistic and lacks depth compared to other tactical games, leading to predictable strategies.
Loss of all upgrades and progress between chapters can be frustrating and detracts from the sense of progression.

story
1,577 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Crying Suns" is a central highlight, praised for its depth, engaging narrative, and strong character development, often drawing comparisons to classic sci-fi works like "Dune" and "Foundation." While many players appreciate the intricate world-building and plot twists, some criticize the repetitive nature of encounters and the pacing, particularly in later chapters, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a rich, story-driven experience within a roguelike framework, despite some gameplay limitations.
- “The story is amazing, worth buying and playing just for that.”
- “Crying suns is a small real-time based tactic game supported by an intriguing, detailed and big space opera story which will somewhat remind you of Dune from Frank Herbert in its plot.”
- “The story is engrossing, the music is deeply atmospheric, and the pixel art is some of the most gorgeous I've ever seen -- combine that with tactical, but fast-paced, combat and a deep sense of progression and you're left with a hell of an experience.”
- “I'm not going to play multiple runs to discover new events that are inconsequential to the overarching plot or ending.”
- “The story is bland, the combat even more so.”
- “The main flaw of the game though is that it is 'story-driven' and the story is both very boring and constantly cropping up.”
gameplay
649 mentions
34 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Crying Suns" is often compared to "FTL," featuring a mix of tactical ship combat and roguelite mechanics, but it tends to be criticized for its repetitiveness and lack of depth. While many players appreciate the engaging story and beautiful visuals, they note that the core gameplay loop can become tedious over time, with some mechanics feeling shallow or unbalanced. Overall, the game offers a solid experience for those who enjoy narrative-driven gameplay, but it may not satisfy players seeking intricate mechanics or high replayability.
- “The pixel art is absolutely gorgeous, the gameplay is simple to learn but has some fun depth to play around with, and the central narrative is engaging and well-maintained throughout the game.”
- “The gameplay is unique, a tricky real-time strategy puzzle that feels easy, up until it forces you to adapt.”
- “Great story and gameplay loop.”
- “The gameplay loop becomes very tedious and repetitive, and the game is very easy, so much so that you don't really get challenged even on hard.”
- “The gameplay is unfortunately everything, and slapping a fairly mediocre game of rock-paper-scissors whack-a-mole on top of combat doesn't make up for this game's deficiencies in design.”
- “The gameplay is solid but becomes repetitive right about at the time when the storyline ends, so the pacing's pretty good, overall.”
graphics
330 mentions
61 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning pixel art style, which combines retro aesthetics with modern design elements, creating an immersive and atmospheric experience. Reviewers noted the smooth animations, vibrant color palettes, and engaging visual effects that enhance the overall gameplay, likening it to a blend of classic sci-fi themes and contemporary storytelling. While some players found the graphics to be a highlight, others mentioned that the gameplay could become repetitive, yet the visuals and sound design consistently drew them back into the game.
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the music is excellent, and the world-building and writing seem pretty solid.”
- “The visuals are wonderfully expressive with the right amount of pixelated simplicity, the color palette is a foreboding futuristic neon, and the sound design is top notch.”
- “The art style is fantastic, and it has a compelling atmosphere.”
- “The graphic style is sort of pointless too.”
- “Guys, please get back to your drawing boards and give us at least some cartoon-y graphics: in the current pixel soup, it is almost impossible to make out the eyes, hairdo, clothes, and even sometimes the gender of a character.”
- “The only thing this game really nails really well is its aesthetic and art design; everything else seems a bit hollow.”
music
183 mentions
63 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience with a blend of moody, synth-heavy tracks that complement the visuals and narrative. While many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of excellent music and stunning pixel art contributes significantly to the game's unique atmosphere and storytelling.
- “The combination of deep lore, moody art style, and wonderful soundtrack just perfectly hits the spot.”
- “The atmospheric music adds an incredible layer of depth, as well.”
- “The music is excellent and sets the tone for each encounter, be it a story event, a mini boss, or a sector boss encounter.”
- “The music does get a little repetitive, and none of it sticks out in the same memorable way as FTL's tunes, but it never becomes obnoxiously noticeable, so I have no complaints there.”
- “The music is very atmospheric, but the lack of unique tracks has it getting a bit repetitive.”
- “While I believe the music does well to blend in the different screens you will be mingling about, it does begin to grow ever so repetitive. This might be due to the nature of the game with you reaching the same screen types repeatedly on your quest, however I believe it also includes the similarity between some tracks.”
replayability
153 mentions
24 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many reviewers noting that it falls short compared to classics like FTL. While there are elements such as different ships, crew members, and randomized events that offer some replay value, the repetitive nature of encounters and a linear story structure significantly limit the incentive to replay. Many players enjoyed the initial experience but expressed disappointment in the lack of depth and variety for subsequent playthroughs.
- “Loads of replay value, especially if you have a desire to get all the achievements.”
- “The chance element makes for great replayability as every mission is different.”
- “Replayability is built into this game with lots of unlocks, new officers, new ships, difficulty modes, and randomized events.”
- “The replayability feels very, very low - far too low for a roguelike, in any case.”
- “There is pretty much no replayability as the novelty of the writing wears off when you encounter previously encountered text.”
- “Ultimately I'm feeling like I wasted my money on a game that is both not very replayable - despite its attempts to fix that with multiple ship options and random events - nor is the story satisfying.”
atmosphere
110 mentions
76 % positive mentions
21 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, immersive qualities, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and stunning visuals that evoke a sense of mystery and existential dread. Many reviewers note the game's strong narrative and world-building, drawing comparisons to classic sci-fi influences like Dune and Asimov's works. However, some critiques mention that repetitive gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “A compelling story with a well-crafted atmosphere and very enjoyable core gameplay.”
- “The atmosphere, the lore, the characters, it gives you so much more of this than any roguelike has a right to, and it stands out.”
- “The visuals and atmosphere are straight up amazing, it's like FTL on steroids in that department.”
- “The steam page has a line about 'a dark and disturbing atmosphere'; in reality, the game has these encounters with some extreme content that don't really leave you with anything to contemplate.”
- “The problem with the story is the characters don't feel very believable, the special officers that you find during missions aren't fleshed out (they have no character arcs) and it doesn't feel rewarding rescuing them as they offer nothing additional to the gameplay or story. The story, while more complicated, is not suited to the medium; for instance, in story-driven narrative games we often get different atmosphere-changing music, environments that reflect the mood of the character, different subtle changes to the camera so that we can see emotional changes in the characters or to shift the perspective of the camera to emphasize the importance of a scene or to elicit shock, but instead we see the back of the admiral's head the entire game, the same three songs played constantly, and no shift or deviation from a set camera angle ever.”
- “This makes immersion into the universe difficult and breaks the atmosphere.”
grinding
36 mentions
3 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the rewarding moments that come from grinding, many express frustration with the lack of challenge and the slow, unskippable elements that contribute to a feeling of monotony. Despite these criticisms, some players still find value in the story and atmosphere, suggesting that the game may appeal to those who are willing to endure the grind for the narrative payoff.
- “If you enjoyed FTL's limited map decisions and roguelike qualities but wanted more story, if you enjoyed Orion Trail's away missions but not the tedious RNG, and if you don't mind the hex-based combat a la Civ games, you will enjoy this game.”
- “I guess, yeah, it's just the extremely tedious and boring gameplay loop where the only difficulty comes from the end stage bosses, yet you need to go through all the planets before them looking for a random item to complete your build with no idea whether you are going to find it.”
- “The gameplay, special encounters, and expeditions get tediously repetitive pretty quick, and only the urge to find out how all of it would end drove me forward.”
- “Gameplay and design are poor; a lot of encounters and random events are very tedious and repetitive, and the combat is pretty shallow and simple.”
humor
28 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of dark and witty, with moments of clever banter and amusing dialogue that add value to the overall experience. While some players appreciate the humor's ability to lighten the dark themes, others feel it occasionally misses the mark or becomes repetitive. Overall, the writing is noted for its interesting twists and engaging character interactions, though opinions vary on how effectively the humor integrates with the game's serious elements.
- “The game is somewhat dark, yet has a sense of humor.”
- “Lots of great events, lots of fun flavor and humor.”
- “The dialogues are funny, the lore is very interesting though the ending is a bit of a headscratcher.”
emotional
20 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mixed experience, with some players finding it messy and lacking depth, particularly in character development and impactful choices. While the aesthetic and music evoke strong feelings, the narrative's execution leaves some players feeling unfulfilled, especially regarding the payoff at the end. Conversely, others appreciate the emotional weight of difficult decisions and the connection to the story, highlighting moments that genuinely elicit feelings and engagement.
- “It felt messy and heartbreaking.”
- “I really enjoyed the pitch of being a clone, not being in touch with your emotional memories and the pursuit of a large goal.”
- “After playing hundreds of games, I'm happy to discover another gem that made me feel _something_ while playing it.”
stability
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
Overall, user reviews on stability are mixed; while some players report a smooth and bug-free experience, others encounter minor glitches and issues with ship balance. The game is generally considered well-optimized, but certain inconsistencies, such as disappearing upgrade bars and incorrect pricing, have been noted.
- “Solid gameplay, bug-free, love the aesthetics of pretty much everything.”
- “Runs great, very optimized (running on a laptop with a GeForce MX150).”
- “Sometimes it seems like glitches kill you.”
- “Ship balance is awful and buggy.”
- “Small glitches in many places, like appearing and disappearing upgrade bars, or showing wrong/outdated upgrade price.”
optimization
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally smooth, with no significant performance issues or bugs reported, and a surprisingly small file size. However, players note a lack of depth in gameplay optimization and design flaws that become apparent during longer playthroughs, making it less compelling compared to similar titles like FTL.
- “On the plus side, I encountered no bugs or performance issues.”
- “Speaking of the management in the game: it runs smoothly.”
- “You move forces across a hex grid with little chance for optimization with the rest of the ship's systems.”
- “Upon longer playthroughs (aka the whole point of roguelikes), the seams show - obvious 'solves' for gameplay optimization, thin content, and some boneheaded design decisions make it feel hard to recommend in the same breath as games like FTL.”
- “The file size was surprisingly small for those who care about hard drive space, and performance for me was a non-issue.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development is effectively executed, enhancing the dark narrative of the game.
- “The character development is well done and feeds into the ever grim story.”
- “The depth of each character's backstory adds layers to the gameplay experience.”
- “I love how the characters evolve based on the choices I make, making every decision feel impactful.”