HighFleet

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 7,311 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
HighFleet Game Cover
HighFleet has appealing vision, but breaks down due to opaque systems and lack of difficulty options.
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HighFleet is a single-player Science Fiction Action game with an intriguing story, stunning visuals, and a masterful soundtrack. As a commander, you'll engage in strategic combat with thousand-ton military ships, demanding careful exploration, resource management, and diplomacy. Despite some grinding, bugs, and humor, HighFleet offers a unique atmosphere and high replayability, with the potential for a greater destiny in a land full of mysterious prophecies.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,311 reviews
gameplay540 positive mentions
stability110 negative mentions
  • gameplay1,610 mentions

    The gameplay of *Highfleet* is characterized by its unique blend of strategic planning and tactical combat, offering a deep and immersive experience that rewards players who invest time in mastering its complex mechanics. While the game features a rich aesthetic and engaging world, many players find the steep learning curve and lack of clear tutorials challenging, often requiring external resources to fully grasp the intricacies of gameplay. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative mechanics and rewarding gameplay loop, but it can be frustrating due to its punishing difficulty and occasional bugs.

    • “The superb immersion and layered strategy creates always brings you back for another campaign, one of my all-time favorite games. I recently just finished the campaign after 317 hours of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is unique and immersive.”
    • “The strategic layers are deep; there's a real skill to the mechanics and active combat.”
    • “It is an understatement to say that Highfleet is a hard sell due to its pricing and self-justifying, esoteric gameplay where players must rely on experimenting with and reloading saves or if they choose difficulty modes above easy.”
    • “The presentation, worldbuilding, sound design, everything aesthetics wise about the game is absolutely immaculate, but the gameplay itself is counter to the name; it's less of a Highfleet and more of a Highoneship.”
    • “The gameplay itself is a real time with pause game of cat and mouse in which you need to manage your budget and the time you spend in a single location, and lead your fleet (which you can split into strike groups), interspersed with real time battles with Newtonian physics in which the ships in your group take turns fighting all of the enemy fleet at the same time.”
  • graphics934 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and unique aesthetic, blending elements of dieselpunk and a post-apocalyptic setting. Players appreciate the immersive atmosphere created by the art style, sound design, and visual effects, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. However, some critiques mention a lack of graphical options and occasional visual glitches that can detract from gameplay clarity.

    • “The graphics are gorgeous and moody.”
    • “The visuals are rich and enticing.”
    • “The art style & direction is simply amazing, I can't get enough of that dither & the game just looks spectacular from the oppressive control/map screen to the battles & landing sequences with impressive smoke & dust effects, explosions & all kinds of over the top on-screen effects.”
    • “It's not as graphically polished and it doesn't have a story other than the one you make in your own head as you play.”
    • “Then you are supposed to use pencils and rulers and all that to calculate a bearing of other ships but there is so much screen clutter and graphical vomit it's not worth the eye strain.”
    • “Unfortunately, the ui is unintuitive as fuck (but pretty), you can't change resolution, the game is locked to 50 fps, saving is based on checkpoints, the graphics settings are slider, and time controls are finicky.”
  • story858 mentions

    The story of Highfleet is described as immersive and engaging, drawing inspiration from works like Dune, with a rich setting that combines elements of dieselpunk and post-apocalyptic themes. While many players appreciate the depth and complexity of the narrative, some feel it lacks polish, with abrupt endings and a sense of unfinished business. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its atmosphere and character development, though it can sometimes feel overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and repetitive elements.

    • “Highfleet is one of those monumental games that tell an epic, even biblical story, that got me hooked at the first glimpse.”
    • “The story is compelling, filled with interesting twists, characters, ships, decisions, and a couple of mountains of challenges, which are all somehow topped by the finale; which really adds a sense of desperation to the mission.”
    • “The story and aesthetic are surprisingly good; I just wish there was more!”
    • “As I mentioned, the story ends quite abruptly and with zero closure.”
    • “There's no satisfaction to gain there unfortunately, and the story itself is very loose.”
    • “The story feels pretty tedious to go through, constant references to made up names and places smashed together with various Russian words and odd references to the odd thing here and there.”
  • atmosphere398 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is universally praised as immersive, unique, and richly detailed, often described as a masterclass in world-building and artistic vision. Players highlight the combination of stunning visuals, evocative sound design, and a compelling narrative that creates a foreboding and intense experience, reminiscent of classic sci-fi influences like "Dune." Despite some critiques regarding gameplay mechanics and UI complexity, the overall consensus is that the game's atmosphere significantly enhances its appeal and engagement.

    • “Absolute masterclass in atmosphere and immersion.”
    • “The atmosphere, suspense, world-building, fleet management, and ship tinkering all work together in support of a unique, compelling, and well-executed artistic vision of gameplay.”
    • “Highfleet is incredibly atmospheric, with incredible art direction.”
    • “The world, the atmosphere, the attention to detail... all of that is simply outstanding and it is up there with some of the greatest games in terms of world building and immersion - it is utterly let down by its refusal to explain and or present things intuitively.”
    • “This game works very hard on trying to create atmosphere to make it seem like it is more than it is.”
    • “Two huge ones have been lack of resolution options and extremely intense effects (rain, glitching, etc.) designed to create a frantic and intense atmosphere in combat, but understandably making the game both very hard, and also potentially just being straining, overwhelming, and painful for some players.”
  • music326 mentions

    The music in the game has been widely praised for its immersive quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional soundtrack that complements the game's unique dieselpunk aesthetic. Tracks are noted for their emotional impact, effectively amplifying tension during gameplay and contributing to the game's world-building. While some users mentioned limitations in the variety of music, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature that significantly enriches the gaming experience.

    • “Surprisingly immersive and has a great soundtrack with tracks that can amplify your confidence or dread depending on how much things are going to plan.”
    • “The soundtrack, audio, visuals, all of it just builds this engrossing world that keeps you engaged.”
    • “The atmospheric nature of the game and its intriguing lore coupled with its amazing soundtrack make this masterpiece even more enjoyable to play.”
    • “Music that's there is 'ok', but low on the production quality.”
    • “The thing that finally broke me is the soundtrack.”
    • “Hey, fun idea to have some ethnic music playing, but that intense repetitive music during the combat burns a hole in your brain.”
  • replayability128 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its high replay value due to features like random map generation, ship customization, and varied difficulty levels, while others criticize it for limited replay options after completing the campaign. Many reviews highlight the potential for replayability through different strategies and ship designs, but some express disappointment in the repetitive nature of gameplay after initial runs. Overall, the game offers a range of experiences that can appeal to different players, but it could benefit from additional content to enhance long-term replayability.

    • “It truly creates a unique experience, with immense replayability thanks to a huge amount of random events and the ship editor system.”
    • “The replayability factor is very high with randomly generated map layouts, enemy compositions, and multiple difficulties—not to mention the intricate but incredibly rewarding shipbuilding aspect.”
    • “Huge replay value as each campaign map is randomly generated, not to mention you can design and build your own custom ships.”
    • “No replay value.”
    • “When you finish the game for the first time, it feels like the replay value would be quite low.”
    • “Replayability value is eh - you can do it and it is fun, but once you go through all that and complete a campaign there really isn't much to call you back in.”
  • stability110 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly detract from the overall experience. Many players describe it as "buggy as hell" and "unfinished," with issues ranging from graphical glitches to problematic save systems. While some acknowledge recent patches have improved stability, the consensus is that the game still requires substantial polishing to reach its full potential.

    • “This game is unfinished and very buggy.”
    • “The game is great, but it's buggy as hell right now.”
    • “A lot of features of the game are buggy and broken and can easily ruin your game or at least set you back a lot through no fault of your own when they do something glitchy and weird.”
  • grinding90 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with many players finding the various mini-games and resource management mechanics to be more of a chore than an engaging challenge. While some elements, like combat and ship customization, initially seem interesting, they quickly become burdensome due to their repetitive nature and lack of meaningful rewards. Overall, the game struggles to balance its strategic elements with enjoyable gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game isn't hard if you play it 'right', just horribly tedious since trying to use strategic weapons means you run out of resources because you can't salvage most of the loot from your kills unless you're right on top of them.”
    • “This is fun for the first few minutes of gameplay, but it quickly becomes a tedious, unrewarding chore.”
    • “There's a story in this somewhere, but you don't get to experience it because you're constantly putting out fires from this tedious, annoying charade of a 'good game' that seems great at first until you actually spend some time with it.”
  • optimization56 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on systems like the Steam Deck and is not resource-intensive, players have reported significant performance issues following updates, particularly with ship mechanics and AI. Many feel that the lack of quality-of-life features and the limited control over performance settings hinder the experience, especially for low-end systems. Despite these drawbacks, mastering ship optimization can be rewarding, and the community remains active in sharing strategies and builds.

    • “The game engine runs smoothly and the gameplay seems stable.”
    • “Once you understand what all the parts do and how they all fit together, mastering ship optimization is really satisfying.”
    • “If you are the type of person that likes optimization and systems games like Factorio, RimWorld, etc., you are going to love this.”
    • “Repeated increases to armor weight and the latest decrease to engine thrust power have, in an attempt to prevent players from building custom super-fast armor bricks, rendered the non-optimized vanilla designs nearly unusable; many vanilla cruisers including the mandatory starter flagship Sevastopol would indeed have been unable to fly with these changes, but they had holes ripped in their armor and new engine banks slapped on so they could take off.”
    • “1.16 is horrible; count this as a 'small update' with no patch notes at all, which drops the performance of ships by 50% straight out of the bat, half the range, half the speed.”
    • “It lacks many quality of life features and is unoptimized.”
  • humor36 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players appreciating its absurdity and quirky mechanics, such as recruiting characters in a tongue-in-cheek "dating sim" style and engaging in battles with hilariously mismatched enemy ships. The blend of different gameplay styles and the bizarre premise—like methane-burning airships in a sci-fi setting—contributes to a comedic experience that resonates with players, often enhanced by amusing soundtracks and unexpected scenarios. Overall, the humor is integral to the game's charm, making it a memorable and entertaining experience.

    • “Funny little global warming ships go brrrt, boom boom!”
    • “I was reluctant to buy this game but I saw that Ssethtzeentach video on YouTube, brilliant and funny 'review' if you want to call it that, and I had to have it.”
    • “The landing sequence is one of my favorite parts of the game, which is funny since it involves no combat, just positioning and orienting your ship onto a landing pad.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    The game evokes a strong emotional response, engaging players deeply through its heartfelt storytelling and challenging gameplay mechanics. Players report feeling genuine stress and excitement during critical moments, such as landing spacecraft, while also experiencing a sense of nostalgia for classic gaming. The combination of emotional investment and the game's unique design elements leads to profound moments, with some players even moved to tears.

    • “It provides a heartfelt and honest delivery of a game from a bygone era, without the squinting at a 480p screen or lamenting the lack of save states.”
    • “Only 8 hours in and many defeats, but not one of those defeats made me feel frustrated or angry.”
    • “This game made me cry.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization of the game is viewed positively, as it is not seen as a cash grab but rather as a genuine indie title with a focus on fun gameplay rather than exploitative DLC practices. Reviewers appreciate its authenticity and hope for a resurgence of similar games that prioritize player experience over aggressive monetization strategies.

    • “I do hope that more people are encouraged to come up with games like this so we can finally get back to a time where games were actually fun and worth of a cult following instead of the cash grabbing, bad DLCs that are now.”
    • “It's more fun than the advertisements look, and has 2-3 primary focuses to grab you, but if that niche/aesthetic does not grab you, its flaws will drag you down.”
    • “This isn't a cash grab; it's an indie darling with a publishing deal.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development is highlighted by superb character and ship designs that reflect the unique styles of the game's prominent fictional cultures. These designs effectively immerse players in the war-torn diesel-punk desert setting, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

    • “The character design is superb, with both of the prominent fictional cultures having their own unique style.”
    • “The character designs and sprites help sell the world for what it is: a war-torn diesel-punk desert earth.”
    • “The character design is cool, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

59% average critic score

Buy HighFleet

Play time

30hMedian play time
163hAverage play time
10-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 74 analyzed playthroughs

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