Exoplanet: First Contact Game Cover
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In "Exoplanet: First Contact," players explore an alien world, building bases and gathering resources to advance their technology and communicate with Earth. Conflicts with hostile extraterrestrial life forms must be overcome using strategy and the player's arsenal of weapons. The ultimate goal is to establish peaceful relations with the planet's inhabitants and learn from their advanced culture.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux

Reviews

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 167 reviews
story18 positive mentions
stability11 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique space western concept that appeals to fans of the genre.
  • The graphics and atmosphere have improved over time, creating an engaging environment for exploration.
  • The developers are responsive to community feedback and actively work on updates and improvements.
  • The game has been in Early Access for several years with slow content updates, leading to frustration among players.
  • Gameplay mechanics, such as combat and AI, feel clunky and need significant polish.
  • Many players report bugs and performance issues that detract from the overall experience.
  • story79 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating its intriguing world-building and character backstories, while others find it hard to follow and lacking in depth. Many reviewers note that the quest system encourages exploration and requires players to pay attention to dialogue, but the absence of clear guidance can lead to confusion. Overall, while the narrative shows promise and has improved since previous versions, it still needs further development and refinement to fully engage players.

    • “The storytelling, gameplay, and graphics have improved the most since I last played in 2018, making it a completely different game now.”
    • “The story of the game appears decent, and the mechanics are generally everything I like in a game.”
    • “The game has an interesting story that draws players into the world.”
    • “The story isn't well developed and, if you skip the side stories, you can finish it within a few hours.”
    • “I have followed the story of Exoplanet: FC for quite some years now and am really disappointed with how this game has barely changed.”
    • “There is no backstory other than what you can pick up through talking to NPCs, which kind of takes away from the immersion.”
  • gameplay59 mentions

    The gameplay has seen significant improvements since its earlier versions, with enhanced storytelling and a more engaging environment, though it still suffers from clunky mechanics, particularly in melee and gunplay. While some players appreciate the RPG and survival elements, many criticize the primitive controls, lack of polish, and the need for better NPC AI and combat mechanics. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun concepts and immersive elements, but it remains in early access with ongoing issues that need addressing.

    • “I last played this game in 2018 for about 2.5 hours, it was a struggle & I had no clue about what the goal was but now in 2023 it's a completely different game & so far I've played for 8+ hours, I mean it's improved in so many ways...the storytelling, gameplay & graphics have improved the most.”
    • “The game is atmospheric with a cool premise, and many of the mechanics work quite well, although there are some obvious flaws.”
    • “Despite the game still being in early access, this game delivers a great gameplay experience even though I found some bugs.”
    • “Controls are primitive and broken, animations are cheap and do not connect properly, most sounds are absent, icons missing, mechanics are crippled and dumb, level design is horrible.”
    • “I don't know why there is even content being made for this as the very core and basic mechanics are either broken, nonexistent or of such garbage quality that I wonder how anybody could have given this a positive review.”
    • “Gameplay is still as atrocious as I remember it.”
  • graphics44 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant improvement and attention to detail compared to previous versions. While some praise the visuals as beautiful and fitting for an indie title, others criticize the dated appearance and limited graphical options, suggesting that the focus on graphics has overshadowed necessary improvements to the game's mechanics. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, but they are not without issues, including occasional glitches and performance concerns.

    • “The graphics are excellent, and there is a good size map to explore with at least 2 areas I have found that lead to what looks like they will be new maps to explore with new quests.”
    • “You can see the tremendous attention to detail and world-building the developers are putting into their world, even more awe-inspiring for the relatively dated graphics.”
    • “The graphics are actually pretty beautiful and run perfectly on a mediocre computer.”
    • “There has definitely been a graphical overhaul of the game, but everything under the hood is barely holding together, and it doesn't seem like that's changed based on what other reviewers (even positive ones) have said over the past several years.”
    • “I really cannot recommend this game because the screenshots are deceptive (not necessarily on purpose, but deceptive nonetheless) because it's received more graphical polish than polish to the engine of the game, and even for an early access game, the quality of said engine is rather poor.”
    • “Long story short, the game seems to have polish in graphical aspects, but it's alarming that the base mechanics of the game didn't receive attention before those aspects.”
  • stability11 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some players noting minor bugs and graphical glitches that do not significantly detract from the overall experience. While a few quests are reported as buggy and there are immersion-breaking framerate drops, many users appreciate the developers' commitment to frequent updates and improvements. Overall, it is considered relatively stable for an early access title, with most issues being manageable and not game-breaking.

    • “It breaks, bugs, glitches by a lot more than before.”
    • “If you're ok with a game that is buggy and deeply unfinished (this game is in alpha remember) and if you're willing to look past these shortcomings to enjoy what this game is and hopefully will be, then I can certainly recommend it.”
    • “A bit buggy, but the developers are working on it, and issuing frequent updates.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has been criticized for its poor performance, limited graphical settings, and various gameplay issues such as hitboxes and animations. Many users express concern that meaningful updates to address these problems may not be forthcoming, suggesting that the game requires significant optimization and polishing before it can be fully enjoyed. Players recommend waiting for improvements, especially if they are sensitive to performance issues common in early access titles.

    • “I recommend this game, but if you have issues with optimization or early access, just wait until the bugs are ironed out.”
    • “Need optimization and some polishing.”
    • “Unfortunately, after looking through other reviews and checking out the Discord, it doesn't look like there will be any meaningful updates to address any of the issues with the gameplay and performance anytime soon.”
    • “Poor hitboxes, poor animations, no crouch, poor terrain navigation, and poor performance.”
    • “I know my PC isn't the sprightly lass she used to be, but as with most early access games, the game really needs some optimization.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is richly crafted, blending the nostalgic charm of the old Wild West with sci-fi elements, creating a unique and immersive experience. Players appreciate the attention to detail in both dialogue and environment, complemented by a soothing guitar soundtrack that enhances exploration. Despite some early access roughness, the overall ambiance is captivating, evoking a sense of mystery and adventure.

    • “The game is soaked with the lovely atmosphere of the old Wild West, brilliantly combined with elements of 'space opera' and sci-fi.”
    • “This atmosphere is thoughtfully recreated with the help of hundreds of subtle details implemented in both dialogues and the environment.”
    • “A genuinely soothing guitar background track sets the atmosphere for exploring an alien world where I need to look everywhere and loot everything, where every one of the numerous nooks and crannies might hold a few more shells for that new shotgun I just took off that unlucky gunman who made me use up all my medikits but was finally bested by my last few .45 bullets...”
    • “Graphics well convey the atmosphere of an unknown and mysterious planet, featuring a desert oasis with green water and wonderful animals.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the clever dialogues, humorous item descriptions, and entertaining easter eggs. While some find the humor hit-or-miss, particularly in the absence of voice acting, many enjoy the comedic elements, including funny clichés and the ability to engage in witty banter. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor, though opinions on its effectiveness vary.

    • “Excellent game, great easter eggs, and funny too.”
    • “Sometimes it was hilarious to just be a smartass or rude or play dumb, and the humor probably would've failed on many of those conversations if it had been voiced dialogue.”
    • “+ Humorous dialogs and descriptions of items.”
    • “This game is pretty terrible; is it supposed to be funny?”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, making the humor cringe-worthy.”
    • “I expected a lot more laughs, but the humor just doesn't land.”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game is described as having a strong space western vibe, with a limited yet stylish soundtrack that effectively sets the mood. While some users note the absence of additional audio elements like voice acting and varied music during gameplay, the existing soundtrack is generally well-received and complements the game's atmosphere.

    • “Between the space western feel of the game and the fantastic space western music, it almost feels like a backstory for Jane.”
    • “The music theme of this game is limited in quantity but rich in style.”
    • “The soundtrack is limited, but fantastic and really sets the game's mood.”
    • “The music theme of this game is cheap in amount but rich in style.”
    • “- Western-ish background music.”
    • “I think in the future they will add more things, maybe like transportation (because the NPC mentions the hoverbike and transport animals), more variable missions, more weapon types, a new map, or some radio music while traveling around.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Reviewers note a significant improvement in combat mechanics, enhancing the overall playability of the game. This increased enjoyment suggests a higher level of replayability, indicating that players are likely to return for more experiences.

  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is well-integrated, featuring essential RPG elements such as crafting, cooking, and a quest system, complemented by engaging dialogues. These aspects contribute to a rich narrative experience, enhancing player immersion and character growth.

    • “The core elements for an RPG are in place, including crafting, cooking, a quest system, interesting dialogues with the right flavor, character development, and survival elements like hunger, thirst, and fatigue.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I was disappointed by the limited choices in character development; it feels like the characters don't evolve in any significant way.”
    • “Despite the game's potential, the character arcs are predictable and fail to engage the player emotionally.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received criticism due to a limited selection of weapons, including only a few pistols and rifles, and a lack of upgrade options, which detracts from the overall experience. Players express a desire for more diverse weaponry, particularly an ads sniper rifle, indicating that the current offerings feel inadequate.

  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the lengthy animations for actions like eating or picking up items, which disrupt the flow of gameplay.

    • “Stopping for 4 seconds to shove a melon in your face, or 1 second to pick up every single item from the ground feels a bit tedious.”
    • “The constant need to grind for resources makes the gameplay feel repetitive and dull.”
    • “Spending hours on end doing the same tasks just to progress is exhausting and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users express a desire for emotional depth in the game, highlighting the lack of female playable characters and minimal voice acting outside of cutscenes. There is a hope for future development to enhance emotional engagement, suggesting that current builds may not fully resonate with players.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Exoplanet: First Contact

Play time

9hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
7-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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