Dust Fleet
- August 23, 2023
- Orbiting Disco
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamCheck out Forgotten Seas!https://store.steampowered.com/app/2168260/Forgotten_Seas/ About the Game It's the 24th century and the colonization of space is not going well. Hyperspace opened the door to the stars, but habitable worlds are few and far in between, overpopulation is still rampant, and our civilization's appetite for resources has only increased. For over a hundred years, the incred…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features enjoyable space combat with a blend of tactical positioning and strategic planning, reminiscent of Homeworld.
- The user-friendly GUI and ship customization options enhance the gameplay experience, making it accessible for both new and veteran players.
- The developer is responsive to player feedback and is committed to adding more content and improving the game over time.
- The campaign is notably short, often completed in under 8 hours, leaving players wanting more content and replayability.
- There are significant issues with AI behavior and ship pathfinding, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences during battles.
- The lack of autosaves and difficulty settings can make the game punishing, as mistakes can lead to losing progress without the option to revert.
- story24 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as basic and somewhat formulaic, focusing on time-sensitive missions that involve rescuing solar systems while facing overwhelming forces. While some players appreciate the strategic depth and fleet customization, they note that the campaign is short and may not justify the price for those primarily seeking a rich narrative. Overall, the gameplay offers engaging battles and tactical elements, but the story lacks depth and can feel like a prologue rather than a complete experience.
“I'm more of a strategy and tactics guy, but there is a story as well for those of you who are humans with human emotions.”
“Despite the jankiness, I'm enjoying the campaign story; the battles are still fun, and there is an excitement to building my fleets up and unlocking those massive capital ships.”
“Its captivating story, tactical depth, stunning visuals, and customization options make it a must-play for fans of space strategy games.”
“The storyline expects you to plow through systems, rescue solar systems and stations, and at the same time defend against an overwhelming force that you cannot defend against while completing time-sensitive missions.”
“I had some fun playing this game; overall, it is a good experience, but if you only play games for the story, the campaign is way too short for the price.”
“More like a prologue for the main story.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Dust Fleet features a mix of tactical and strategic elements, though the integration of these mechanics has received criticism for its lack of coherence. While fleet combat is enjoyable and accessible, with a focus on detail and engagement, the sector map and interplanetary mechanics are seen as underdeveloped, leading to some frustration. Overall, the game offers a fun experience with opportunities for experimentation, but it suffers from UI issues and a need for more narrative depth.
“Dust Fleet is a good game: very enjoyable space combat, relatively easy to jump into and understand the game mechanics.”
“Whether you're engaged in a small-scale dogfight or commanding a massive fleet, the battles in Dust Fleet are a testament to the game's attention to detail and commitment to delivering thrilling gameplay.”
“This element keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging, encouraging experimentation and replayability.”
“Very small tactical space to play in; ships built in tactical have to be scrapped for balancing against strategic gameplay.”
“I love what the game is trying to do, but the way strategic and tactical gameplay is mixed doesn't make sense.”
“The sector map gameplay is a bit of a letdown, but fleet combat can be fun.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally described as decent, with some reviewers highlighting stunning visuals and dynamic camera angles that enhance the experience of space battles. The game's 3D space environments and ship designs meet expectations for a homeworld-style game, providing a visually captivating experience that complements its tactical gameplay.
“The full 3D space battles are a visual treat, with stunning graphics and dynamic camera angles that make every skirmish a cinematic experience.”
“The good are space battles, nice visuals with the usual big, medium, small, and fighter class ships fighting out; the whole 3D space thing works properly, etc. It's what you would expect from a Homeworld-style game.”
“Its captivating story, tactical depth, stunning visuals, and customization options make it a must-play for fans of space strategy games.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including a buggy user interface and combat mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. While the gameplay has potential, it feels incomplete and plagued by bugs, leading to a frustrating user experience.
“Half-baked homeworld clone with a limited technology tree and a buggy UI, plus no confirmation before you click or buy things.”
“This is a really good game, but it is buggy.”
“The combat is neat, but it is very simplistic and buggy.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and disorganized, particularly criticizing the ship management and movement mechanics, which contribute to a frustrating experience due to a lack of control over formations and behavior.
“What takes me aback about this game is that it is exceedingly tedious and very disorganized.”
“Tedious is what ship management is... ship movement is tedious. Also, formations and even behavior are something I have absolutely no control over.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features a main campaign alongside a random campaign generator, enhancing replayability by providing varied experiences and encouraging players to experiment with different scenarios. This combination keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.
“The game comes with a main campaign and offers replayability by also providing a random campaign generator.”
“This element keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging, encouraging experimentation and replayability.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its good performance, indicating effective optimization that allows for smooth gameplay.
“The game's optimization is impressive, ensuring smooth performance even on lower-end hardware.”
“I was pleasantly surprised by how well-optimized the game is; it runs flawlessly without any noticeable lag.”
“The developers have done a fantastic job with optimization, allowing for a seamless gaming experience.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it surprisingly good, although there are suggestions for improvement in the sound quality of weapon effects. Voice acting also receives positive remarks.
“I enjoy the voice acting, and the music is surprisingly good too!”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find humor in a quirky bug that allows them to issue orders to enemy ships after capturing them, adding an unexpected and amusing twist to gameplay.
“When you capture enemy ships, there's a hilarious bug that allows you to give orders to all enemy ship types of that class still under enemy AI control.”
