Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga

About

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga is a single player shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Unsigned Double Collective and was released on August 26, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

You are Hadley Orah, the pilot of a mining craft from a South African space colony. Going through a portal with an untested piece of tech leaves you stranded and alone in a distant alien galaxy. An unlikely hero, you must portal jump your way home, with Nia as your guide, to defeat the DraadMek and save the universe. This game balances electrifying action with heart and soul. You’ll fight over…

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga screenshot

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 43 reviews

story13 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Engaging twin-stick roguelite shooter with satisfying and fun combat mechanics.
Outstanding art style, unique South African flavor, and an amazing soundtrack that enhances the game atmosphere.
Intriguing story with relatable, quirky characters and well-written dialogue that adds depth to gameplay.

Enemy variety is limited, causing repetitiveness especially with recurring bosses and similar enemy types.
Meta-progression can feel grindy and the upgrade system sometimes lacks meaningful impact on gameplay.
Some players find pacing uneven with instances of too much dialogue and occasional unfair environmental hazards.

story
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
48%
10%
The story in this game is widely praised for being engaging, humorous, and well-integrated with the gameplay, featuring interesting world-building and compelling characters. Its persistent narrative, with themes of uncertainty and connection, enriches the roguelite experience, though some players note it is relatively short and suggest more streamlined storytelling options. Overall, the combination of a captivating storyline with strategic combat and customization creates a memorable and enjoyable experience.
- “Hadley's run tells a story of uncertainty, love, entropy, kindness, and nonexistence amid the pulse of a stellar soundtrack.”
- “Hadley's run: a starship saga is an awesome roguelite with an amazing art style and intriguing story.”
- “The combination of strategic gameplay, intense combat, and a captivating storyline makes it a standout title in the genre.”
- “It’d be nice if there were an option to have only the important text pop up, or a “skip all except mission specific text”, but that’s just me nitpicking.”
- “The comparisons to Hades are true enough in that it’s got a story that persists over runs; that said, it only takes two completions to get the final credits with a few more little quests that remain after that.”
- “The campaign's story is fine and all, but I think because the gameplay feels just like arcade mode with extra steps, it isn't very encouraging to continue making attempts in the campaign when the arcade mode lets you focus on the best parts.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The music in this game is widely praised for its amazing, memorable, and atmospheric quality, perfectly complementing the fast-paced, intense gameplay. It features a distinctive South African flavor and a vibrant, techno-noir aesthetic, making it a standout aspect alongside the art and story. Many players highlight the soundtrack as a major highlight, often recommending purchasing it separately.
- “The pulsing music is sublime and ear-wormy and perfectly complements the frenetic shoot-'em-up gameplay.”
- “A challenging yet fun little shoot-'em-up/roguelite with a great soundtrack and a distinctly South African flavour to its dialogue and aesthetic.”
- “Hadley's Run tells a story of uncertainty, love, entropy, kindness, and nonexistence amid the pulse of a stellar soundtrack.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
The game features a vibrant, original, and colorful art style with a unique tech-noir and comic-book aesthetic that vividly brings deep space to life. Its stunning visuals, spectacular effects, and charming character designs create an immersive and memorable atmosphere, complemented by a distinctive South African influence. Overall, the graphics are praised for enhancing the fast-paced, intense gameplay and contributing to the game's engaging and unforgettable experience.
- “The art style is original, vivid, and colorful, with spectacular explosions that light up the cold, dark reaches of deep space like beautiful fireworks.”
- “Hadley's Run has a lot of charm both in its characters and its art style that make it a treat to play.”
- “The game combines slick graphics and effects, fast-paced arcade gameplay, and a story full of colorful characters and worlds.”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
39%
23%
The gameplay is generally fun and engaging, combining strategic combat with roguelike mechanics and a satisfying upgrade system. While some find it repetitive or slow, elements like environmental hazards and perk choices add variety, and the game’s blend of intense action and humor enhances the overall experience. However, a few users feel the upgrades lack impactful synergy, and the campaign mode doesn’t significantly differentiate itself from arcade mode.
- “Environmental hazards shake up the gameplay and keep it decently fresh through the entire game.”
- “Gameplay contains elements of the popular “horde survival” games because you get to pick perks and buy upgrades after each cleared level.”
- “Great rogue-like with fun mechanics and a satisfying upgrade system.”
- “Gameplay: repetitive and slow.”
- “I can't help but feel like there is a little bit missing though, legendary level upgrades don't change the gameplay that significantly; I'd like to see some more wild synergies between upgrades and combinations of chosen equipment.”
- “The campaign's story is fine and all, but I think because the gameplay feels just like arcade mode with extra steps, it isn't very encouraging to continue making attempts in the campaign when the arcade mode lets you focus on the best parts.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever puns, quirky dialogue, and hilarious story, adding a vibrant and enjoyable layer to the overall experience. Players appreciate the witty character interactions and fun suggestions, contributing to a memorable and entertaining gameplay.
- “Besides, the story here is actually quite good, and hilarious to boot!”
- “Great humor, great characters, great gameplay, and a soundtrack that you will never forget.”
- “Fun, quirky, humorous, challenging... that's a pretty legit combo!”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
Players appreciate the game's exploration and character development for adding replayability, but suggest improvements like encouraging diverse builds and small enhancements to boost long-term engagement. While generally satisfied with their playtime, some desire more incentives to keep replaying.
- “The game's emphasis on exploration and character development adds depth and replayability, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and rewarding.”
- “Another thing that could improve replayability is incentivising the player to use other builds, because once I found a build I liked I never switched off of it.”
- “Another thing that could improve replayability is incentivizing the player to use other builds, because once I found a build I liked I never switched off of it.”
- “Just little things like that could improve the replay value.”
- “In the end it probably doesn't have the replay value I'd want to keep with it for a longer period of time, but I'm satisfied with the amount of time I got out of it.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is notably present, especially for unlocking all upgrades, making certain achievements feel grind-heavy. However, increased boss rewards have somewhat alleviated the grind. Despite this, the meta-progression is considered poorly designed and time-consuming compared to similar games.
- “Being able to buy all the upgrades can be a grind.”
- “This achievement is quite grindy, but it helps that the rewards from the bosses have been increased.”
- “Unlike similar games where you can improve almost everything and get better the longer you play, this game has bad and grindy meta-progression and doesn't respect your time.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users praise the game's immersive atmosphere, highlighting its stunning visuals and memorable characters, complemented by music that perfectly enhances the overall mood.
- “The game's immersive atmosphere, stunning visuals, and memorable characters make it a truly unforgettable experience.”
- “Music is amazing and really fits the atmosphere well.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's strong focus on character development enhances depth and replayability, making each playthrough feel fresh and rewarding.
- “The game's emphasis on exploration and character development adds depth and replayability, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and rewarding.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga is a shooter game with science fiction theme.

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga is available on PC and Windows.

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga was released on August 26, 2024.

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga was developed by Unsigned Double Collective.

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga is a single player game.

Similar games include Voids Vigil, EVERSPACE, Ruiner, Have a Nice Death, Snezhinka:Sentinel Girls2 and others.

Hadley's Run: A Starship Saga

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