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In "Element: Date" , set in the 23rd century, you search for a compatible partner through a popular dating app in the Three Systems. With 9 diverse romantic interests, touch/mouse controls, and fully voiced narration, this sci-fi game offers a unique experience, avoiding combat and instead focusing on conversation and connection. Your choices lead to 1 of 18 potential endings, making for a personalized and immersive adventure.

Element: Date screenshot
Element: Date screenshot
Element: Date screenshot
Element: Date screenshot
Element: Date screenshot
Element: Date screenshot
Element: Date screenshot

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 320 reviews
story78 positive mentions
stability34 negative mentions

  • The game features interesting tactical battles that become more challenging as you progress, requiring strategic planning.
  • The graphics and animations are well-designed, providing an engaging visual experience.
  • The story has potential with intriguing characters and a sci-fi setting that keeps players invested.
  • The game suffers from significant bugs that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with combat mechanics and AI behavior.
  • There is a lack of a save feature between battles, forcing players to restart entire missions if they fail, which can be frustrating.
  • The difficulty spikes can be unbalanced, with players often facing overwhelming odds against multiple enemies.
  • story
    428 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally described as linear and somewhat simplistic, with many reviewers noting its potential for improvement and lack of depth. While some missions are engaging and feature interesting character interactions, the overall narrative is often seen as clichéd and not particularly original, leading to a mixed reception regarding its replay value. Additionally, technical issues and bugs detract from the storytelling experience, making it frustrating for players who wish to fully engage with the plot.

    • “The mission where you fight against a prince left me speechless.”
    • “Yes, there are a few bugs, and when there is narration, the character lips do not move with the voice acting, but despite all this, the story is compelling and immersive.”
    • “The storyline is very compelling even from the start.”
    • “The story is short and messy; there are no side quests or anything, it's just the old model of 'choose a planet, do a mission, reward, repeat.'”
    • “The story isn't anything to write home about, but I was definitely getting some Mass Effect 2 vibes here, with attempts to gather a crew to take on a hidden, shadow enemy.”
    • “What the game lacks is storytelling: while the story itself is good (although not that extraordinary but really in place for the setting), the way it is told is not that satisfying.”
  • gameplay
    124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a blend of tactical turn-based mechanics reminiscent of XCOM, featuring a dual action point system for movement and attacks, but it lacks depth and complexity, often feeling rudimentary and clumsy. While the game offers clear mechanics and an engaging sci-fi theme, players have noted issues with AI behavior, limited squad customization, and a frustrating lack of save options during challenging missions. Overall, it presents an entertaining experience for newcomers to the genre, but seasoned players may find it lacking compared to more established titles.

    • “If you like indie, turn-based, and some unusual gameplay experiments, just give it a try.”
    • “The gameplay is fluid, entertaining, and the close quarter combat mechanics add a little bit of flavor.”
    • “The graphics are great, the gameplay is nice (took a bit to get used to, but then it was smooth), and the story really keeps you wanting to play non-stop.”
    • “Game mechanics are very rudimentary and clumsy.”
    • “Main gameplay loop is lacking depth and just plain boring.”
    • “You make a great game and then you throw all the hard work out the window by forcing the player to go through a large chunk of very difficult gameplay without the ability to save, so that in the likely outcome that you fail, you have to do it all over again.”
  • graphics
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Element: Space" receive mixed reviews, with some praising the high production value, polished animations, and vibrant art direction, while others criticize the dated character models and inconsistent quality. Many players appreciate the aesthetic appeal and combat visuals, but some feel that the graphics serve as a distraction from gameplay issues. Overall, the game features a visually appealing design that enhances the sci-fi theme, though it may not meet the expectations set by genre leaders.

    • “High production value graphics, animations, sound effects, and music.”
    • “Awesome graphics, I especially like the world built for the game.”
    • “The graphics are great, the gameplay is nice (took a bit to get used to, but then it was smooth), and the story really keeps you wanting to play non-stop.”
    • “Dated graphics.”
    • “Poor graphics that look like they used 3D modeling tools from the 1990s (those graphics remind me of the FF7 era. This game looks like it predates FF7/PS1 days).”
    • “The character visuals up close, especially in the profile sections, lack detail.”
  • stability
    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly at launch. While some players have noted improvements due to ongoing updates from the developers, many still experience significant issues, including freezing and erratic gameplay. Overall, the game's stability remains a major concern for players, impacting their enjoyment and willingness to replay.

    • “Other than that, the game appears pretty polished and bug-free to me.”
    • “Too buggy to play.”
    • “Extremely buggy, locks up all the time.”
    • “This has so many glitches and crashes that you wonder how it was released.”
  • music
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its high production value and ability to evoke nostalgia for classic sci-fi. The soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, particularly during combat, although some users noted a lack of variety in battle tracks and awkward silences during dialogue. Overall, while the music is a standout feature, there are areas for improvement, particularly in sound effects and voice work.

    • “I absolutely love the intro music too.”
    • “The music is very good and is one of the aspects I like the most, bringing me back to the golden age of sci-fi of the 70s and 80s.”
    • “I'm not looking up the OST and downloading it, but it fits each moment well, it doesn't intrude on the experience and enhances the tension of combat really well.”
    • “Could use some improvements on voices and music.”
    • “My only real concern at the moment is what the length of the final finished game will be, and the sad lack of variety in battle tracks (though I really like the soundtrack so far, just want more of it).”
  • replayability
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the multiple endings and different character choices that enhance replay value, others find it limited due to fixed maps and a lack of engaging content between playthroughs. The inclusion of achievements aimed at encouraging multiple runs is seen as a weak attempt to boost replayability. Overall, the game offers some replay value, particularly for those who enjoy its combat mechanics, but many feel it falls short of its potential.

    • “Turn-based battles drenched heavily in story - with multiple endings for replayability.”
    • “This is a challenging turn-based combat game with a great deal of replayability. Choosing different companions not only allows for different combat styles but also different endings... make the wrong choices and you will end up losing it all.”
    • “You can make some different decisions during the campaign, so there is some replayability in terms of that and in terms of choosing what new characters to go after and add to your roster.”
    • “The game boasts replayability, but I don't see it.”
    • “Due to the use of fixed, 'hand-crafted' maps, and the requirement for your storyline character to always be part of your trio, replayability is somewhat limited.”
    • “Forced replayability: the lack of content in between that they tossed in fillers with reused content could've made it more satisfying if they allowed access to the other characters, rather than enforcing limits to how many characters you can unlock for each run.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the humor in the game to be a highlight, describing the gameplay as hilarious and entertaining despite a clichéd story. There is a strong potential for funny moments, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.

    • “Gameplay is hilarious and the story is cliche, but it entertains.”
    • “And with plenty of potential for funny moments.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight a mixed emotional response, with some players expressing a lack of emotional investment despite enjoying the challenge, while others appreciate the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, including tears, during intense moments. Overall, the emotional impact varies among players, with some finding it deeply moving and others less affected.

    • “The combats have some bugs, but I loved how they made me cry and sweat; it's good to see a challenge nowadays.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and boring, often requiring repetitive actions to progress. Many have expressed frustration with the need to complete tasks multiple times, leading to a sense of monotony and a lack of engaging gameplay.

    • “You have to do this 3 times and it's just tedious and boring.”
    • “- Failed a lot of times in this mission because I tried rushing it... Leeroy Jenkins style. Eventually, I realized that strategy just won't work and I had to take a rather tedious route (by killing all enemies) to complete the level.”
    • “You have to do this 3 times and it's just tedious and boring.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its captivating atmosphere, enhanced by impressive animations and environments. Despite being in early access, it is considered a unique gem that successfully blends old and new gameplay styles, contributing to an engaging overall experience.

    • “Great atmosphere, animations, and environments.”
    • “Normally I would stay away from early access games as a recommendation, but this game is a fresh and interesting gem with some great atmosphere and fun gameplay in a very old and new school way.”

Buy Element: Date

245h Median play time
305h Average play time
152-585h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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