Endless Sky

About

Endless Sky is a 2D space trading and combat game inspired by the Escape Velocity series. Explore a vast galaxy filled with hundreds of star systems, planets, and alien species, while completing missions, trading goods, and upgrading your ship. With a strong focus on customization and open-ended gameplay, Endless Sky offers a rich and immersive space exploration experience. The game is free, open-source, and available on multiple platforms.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,864 reviews

story460 positive mentions

grinding126 negative mentions

Endless Sky is a fantastic spiritual successor to the Escape Velocity series, offering a rich universe to explore with engaging storylines and diverse missions.
The game is completely free and open-source, allowing for extensive customization and modding, which enhances replayability and community involvement.
Players can choose their own path, whether as a trader, pirate, or explorer, providing a flexible gameplay experience that caters to different play styles.

The combat mechanics can feel clunky and unbalanced, often leading to frustrating encounters with pirates that can result in frequent deaths and reloads.
The user interface can be overwhelming for new players, with a steep learning curve and a lack of clear guidance on how to progress through the story and missions.
Some players have reported issues with the game being repetitive and grindy, particularly in the early stages where making money and upgrading ships can feel tedious.

story
2,173 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
75%
4%
The story in "Endless Sky" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its depth and engaging writing. While the game currently features one main storyline focused on the Free Worlds, players can also explore numerous side missions and lore-rich descriptions for various planets, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users express frustration with the lack of clear guidance on how to progress in the story and the potential to miss critical missions, which can lead to a disjointed narrative experience.
- “This game has a massive scale, uncountable secrets, fun combat in which you can be both predator and prey at any point in the game, an in-depth upgrade system, and an epic storyline.”
- “The story is also quite well done, though I wish there were more character interactions, but that is nitpicking a great free game.”
- “The story is very well written and the gameplay is fun too.”
- “The mission log is not clear and informative enough.”
- “You need a photographic memory to remember all the different aliens with weird names and people, factions, where they are, what they are doing, etc. and even then you still may not know what to do to get or progress a mission.”
- “The story is a bit vague though.”
gameplay
547 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The gameplay of "Endless Sky" is characterized by its solid mechanics and addictive nature, offering a blend of trading, combat, and exploration in a 2D space environment. While the game features a simple and sometimes repetitive gameplay loop, it rewards players with depth through ship customization and strategic decision-making. Despite some clunky mechanics and a steep learning curve for newcomers, the overall experience is engaging, especially for fans of the "Escape Velocity" series, and is enhanced by its free-to-play model and open-source nature.
- “Even though it seems simplistic, there is surprising depth to the mechanics, strategy, and story.”
- “The lore is relatively rich, the gameplay is fun, and tinkering with making your ships as efficient as possible is addictive.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, the story is fun, and the options offer so many different routes to play.”
- “Some mechanics can feel a bit clunky, and the learning curve can be steep for new players.”
- “The entire control scheme of the game is obtuse and the majority of the mechanics are massively obtuse, so not only are you limited by what weapon you can put into a weapon slot, but you're also limited by the weight of the weapon.”
- “The gameplay is very minimalistic - jumping between systems and landing on planets to interact with trade menus and mission boards.”
graphics
282 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
57%
6%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet charming, with a retro 2D aesthetic that appeals to fans of classic space games like Escape Velocity. While some players appreciate the polished visuals and improved sprites over time, others find the graphics to be basic and reminiscent of older titles, lacking the depth and detail of modern AAA games. Overall, the visuals serve the gameplay well, emphasizing story and mechanics over graphical fidelity, making it accessible for a wide range of hardware.
- “The graphics are great for a 2D top-down game.”
- “I've always loved the aesthetics of the game, but the background, sprites, and other elements have become beautiful in recent years as well.”
- “The graphics are decent, though I will say there's much I do miss about EV Nova and the warpgates you could use.”
- “The graphics are worse than EV Nova, which came out 15 years ago, but that's the least objectionable part of the game.”
- “The graphics aren't amazing, but it's a lot of game, especially for being free.”
- “The graphics are basic, but in this instance, it never bothers you.”
grinding
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
2%
97%
The reviews indicate that the game features significant grinding, particularly in the early stages, where players often find themselves performing repetitive tasks to earn money and upgrade their ships. While some players appreciate the grind as a means to achieve long-term goals and enjoy the gameplay, many others find it tedious and monotonous, leading to frustration. Overall, the grinding aspect is a double-edged sword, with opinions varying widely on its impact on the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “A time when free games were not grindy idle simulators, or strung up with microtransactions or necessary DLCs.”
- “It's just constant monotonous grinding for cash.”
- “There was no goal except 'try to get rich running freight', which while novel at first, quickly exposed itself as nothing more than grinding.”
- “The game is fairly large for a free game, if a little bit grindy.”
music
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The game is widely criticized for its complete lack of music, which many players feel detracts from the overall experience. While some users have found ways to enhance their gameplay by playing their own music in the background, the absence of an in-game soundtrack is noted as a significant shortcoming. Despite this, the game's atmosphere and charm are appreciated, with players suggesting that the addition of music could greatly improve immersion and enjoyment.
- “The pixel art style is charming, and the soundtrack complements the game's atmosphere perfectly, creating an immersive experience as you travel through space.”
- “One of the best games I've ever played; runs on about any computer and gives a chill experience with really well thought content and good stories. All that is missing is some music for the mood - that said, you can just play sci-fi style on your computer and it adds to it perfectly!”
- “I recommend listening to Ben Prunty’s (the guy who made FTL’s soundtrack) album 'Color Sky', 'Fragments' or 'Deep Space Deluxe' while playing.”
- “Lack of any music whatsoever, although the audio overall is pretty consistent.”
- “Es isn't perfect though: the most blatant problem for most people will probably be that there's no music.”
- “The only possible downside I've noticed is a lack of music and sound assets on planets and stations, but putting on Holst: The Planets in the background fixes that.”
replayability
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
6%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players noting the depth, variety of gameplay styles, and modding potential that enhance the experience. While some reviews mention limitations in content and repetitive missions, the ability to explore different strategies and the promise of future updates contribute to its enduring appeal. Many users report spending numerous hours in the game, making it a worthwhile addition for those seeking extensive replay value.
- “Overall, I can say that this is a great game with hours of playtime and a ton of replayability!”
- “It's dynamic, highly replayable, and surprisingly in-depth - a potentially terminal time-sink for those with actual responsibilities, but one that I couldn’t recommend more.”
- “Quite easily the most addictive game I have ever played with endless replay value due to the endless number of ways that you can play the game.”
- “And the fact that after the campaign you have all the money you could ever need, so it's just a slog to get a high enough combat rating to dominate planets, and after you have dominated them all, there is next to no replay value.”
- “On the downside, as it is right now, the game doesn't have much 'immediate' replayability.”
- “Replayability is a bit on the low side, as progression is a bit slow and you end up doing very similar missions over and over until you have a ship capable of actually fighting pirates, which can take a while to get.”
humor
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
8%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players noting its clever comedic timing, funny dialogue, and entertaining quests that often lead to unexpected laughter. Many found the quirky characters and situations, such as humorous space bugs and amusing random events, to be highlights that enhance the overall experience. While some players mentioned occasional bugs affecting quest progression, the game's charm and humor kept them engaged and entertained throughout.
- “I didn't expect to be laughing so much while playing this game; it genuinely has a great sense of humor and comedic timing.”
- “Even the spaceport random commentary is often hilarious.”
- “If you've got the eye for it, you can spot all the funny little puns and references.”
- “The humor in this game falls flat and fails to elicit any genuine laughs.”
- “I found the jokes to be stale and unoriginal, lacking any real wit.”
- “The attempts at humor feel forced and often miss the mark completely.”
monetization
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
78%
8%
The game is praised for its complete lack of monetization, featuring no in-app purchases, microtransactions, or advertisements, which is a refreshing departure from typical free-to-play models. Reviewers highlight that it offers a full gaming experience without any hidden costs or paywalls, making it feel more like a premium title despite being free. Overall, players appreciate the game's integrity and value, often expressing surprise at its quality given its zero-cost status.
- “For being a free-to-play game with no in-game purchases, there is so much packed into it.”
- “This game is a real gem and totally free (no in-game purchases).”
- “One of those free-to-play games that you should get not because it's free, but because it's a really fun complete game with no in-game purchases, no catches, just a really fun game.”
- “Free-to-play: an interactive advertisement for something you can hopefully convince people to pay for, preferably on a regular basis.”
- “Mostly when people hear free to play they think some big company that shoves microtransactions down your throat.”
- “Overall, I feel like I would have happily paid up to about $10 to support the devs of this game; I am still perplexed as to how it is 100% free of even microtransactions.”
optimization
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
22%
13%
The game is praised for its exceptional optimization, running smoothly even on low-end hardware, making it accessible to a wide range of players. Users appreciate the lightweight nature of the game, which allows for seamless gameplay and customization of ship performance. While there are minor issues with controls and occasional bugs, the overall performance is considered impressive, enhancing the gaming experience.
- “It's a wonderful little open-source game with criminally good performance and the insanely low price of [free].”
- “The performance is impeccable, the game is lightweight and stayed smooth no matter what.”
- “A free open-source space story-sim with great performance (works with a potato, literally) and solid + balanced mechanics more than works for me.”
- “I don't know what the developers have done with it, but I suspect they're just pandering to the users with the top performance PCs, which would be a pity because this game used to be a great little game that worked fine on pretty much any machine.”
- “The graphics aren't spectacular (either performance or graphics so I guess I can't complain).”
- “As seen in the description, this is a spiritual successor of sorts to Ambrosia's Escape Velocity and Escape Velocity Override, optimized for what gamers expect as the basics of more modern games.”
stability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
5%
82%
The stability of the game is mixed, with many users reporting minor glitches and bugs that can occasionally disrupt gameplay, but most find them manageable thanks to a robust save system and community support. While some players experience significant issues, others report a smooth experience, particularly on platforms like Steam Deck and Gentoo Linux. Overall, the game is seen as a commendable effort given its open-source nature, though it is not without its flaws.
- “Excellent space sim, runs great on Steam Deck!”
- “The story is so incredibly rich and detailed, and the game is so polished and bug-free that it's hard to believe it was made by community volunteers in their spare time, for no profit at all.”
- “No bugs, no glitches, just seemingly endless 2D space exploration.”
- “Every top down space game wishes it was this good, however since this is open source it's extremely buggy, so expect to waste dozens of hours on nothing.”
- “The first is that sometimes there are game-breaking glitches, such as when attempting to board a ship my screen would go black and I could no longer interact with anything, or when I sell the ship I'm currently piloting, but have one parked offworld and I am immediately sent to that ship.”
- “Expect some glitches and bugs; there is no autosave and the current save system is completely weird.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
20%
15%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming pixel art style, immersive soundtrack, and well-crafted narrative, which together create a captivating experience as players explore diverse worlds. The detailed descriptions and engaging dialogue enhance the sense of adventure, making even mundane tasks enjoyable. While some players note a grindy aspect, the overall atmosphere remains a highlight, contributing to a fun and atmospheric gameplay experience.
- “The pixel art style is charming, and the soundtrack complements the game's atmosphere perfectly, creating an immersive experience as you travel through space.”
- “The writing is surprisingly good, and along with all the different worlds and quests, it helps build the atmosphere.”
- “Immersive atmosphere and great narrative.”
- “It has its own atmosphere, but the whole game is empty, random, and grindy.”
- “For instance, there's a reason Escape Velocity prevented you from making a hyperspace jump too close to the center of a system: without this restriction, traffic moves too fast, and systems lack a sense of structure and atmosphere.”
- “Play some nice space background music on YouTube while you play for better atmosphere.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional investment in the game, often feeling a strong connection to characters and the world, which is described as vibrant and alive. The writing enhances this emotional engagement, making interactions meaningful and evoking feelings of nostalgia and attachment, even leading some to take breaks from the game due to its impact. Overall, the game fosters a sense of belonging and adventure that resonates strongly with players.
- “I don't know how many times I've gotten emotionally invested in it, especially because someone harmed someone I cared about, in this case, Agent Katya.”
- “This game has made me feel more like a part of the world than almost any other game has. The world feels alive, and the amazing writing really breathes life into this world, making every interaction you have at a spaceport, job center, or bank feel truly alive.”
- “It makes me want to cry writing this because I uninstalled it out of boredom, but I am reinstalling it and at some point will play it again.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Reviewers note that there is a sense of progression and character development throughout the game, indicating that characters evolve and grow as the story unfolds.
- “But it does feel like there's progression and character development.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired.”
- “There is little to no growth in the characters throughout the game.”