Idle Expanse

55%
Game Brain Score Based on 105 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
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Idle Expanse is a sci-fi themed incremental game where you play the role of the planet's most successful industrialist, whose greed knows no bounds. Your objective is to grow your wealth beyond what anyone has ever imagined, but why do it yourself when you can hire others to do it for you? Core gameplay revolves around hiring mercenaries, equipping them with the most "state of the bada** a…

  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

55%
Audience ScoreBased on 105 reviews
gameplay4 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game features nice pixel graphics and a solid core gameplay loop that can be engaging for idle game enthusiasts.
  • It offers a free-to-play model with no paywall for essential gameplay, allowing players to progress without spending money.
  • The soundtrack is enjoyable and fits well with the sci-fi theme, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The anti-cheat system is overly invasive, shutting down the game for legitimate applications, which can frustrate players.
  • Gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, especially after the initial stages, leading to a lack of engagement over time.
  • The game suffers from poor save functionality, with players losing progress due to crashes or improper saving mechanisms.
  • gameplay17 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a unique blend of casual idling and engaging mechanics, allowing players to manage multiple teams of space marines in fast-paced raids. While the tutorial effectively introduces the game, many players feel that the gameplay lacks depth and evolves too slowly, leading to a sense of stagnation. Despite its appealing visuals and humor, the overall experience is marred by awkward interfaces and repetitive tasks, making it less compelling compared to other real-time strategy games.

    • “Its tutorial lets me know everything I need to know about the quality of the gameplay.”
    • “Super engaging idle mechanics that keep you hooked for hours.”
    • “But they have very thorough gameplay features, nice variety, and a feel of accomplishment.”
    • “Gameplay stopped evolving after a fairly short time, so it didn't seem worth investing more time.”
    • “I found Idle Expanse lacking any real gameplay or features worth my time or effort.”
    • “Missions are short and the only 'idle' mechanic is on a ridiculously long timer, the tutorial doesn't explain a lot of things, menus feel clunky and constantly managing your merc's equipment is a chore.”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and suitability to the space theme, with many reviewers enjoying the soundtrack and its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. However, some users noted that the music is not frequent enough, which detracts from the experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, with many expressing a desire to support the team by purchasing it.

    • “I dig the art style and killer soundtrack; I could listen to the BGM forever!”
    • “For a space-themed game, the soundtrack is perfect.”
    • “Really enjoying the UI and art all around, as well as the soundtrack.”
    • “Most of the time you know a soundtrack is bad when it overpowers or doesn't match the design of the game; definitely not the case here.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the pixel art style, neat user interface, and cartoonish character designs. While the visuals are considered aesthetically pleasing and well-executed, some players feel that the overall gameplay does not match the quality of the graphics, leading to a perception of a lack of content and depth. Overall, the graphics are highlighted as a strong point, but they are not enough to elevate the game beyond its shortcomings in gameplay.

    • “I dig the art style and killer soundtrack; I could listen to the background music forever!”
    • “Well-designed interface with polished visuals.”
    • “Very nice graphics for an 'idle' game.”
    • “Those three have zero graphics, zero animation, and zero visuals.”
    • “Very poor graphics for an 'idle' game.”
  • story8 mentions

    The game's story is largely absent, with players noting a lack of dialogue, narrative, or overarching goals. Missions are described as boring and repetitive, requiring manual checks for contracts and bonuses, which detracts from engagement despite the automatic nature of monster slaying and resource collection. Overall, the gameplay feels more focused on mechanics than on storytelling.

    • “I imagine as the game progresses and the missions grow in length that will slow down a bit, but dang it's engaging.”
    • “Boring, repetitive missions.”
    • “There's no dialogue, storyline, or goal to speak of.”
    • “The repeating missions must be manually visited (at least once each time) to check for contracts, diamonds, bonus experience, and x2 speed boost.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding mechanics to be tedious, particularly due to the lack of automation for money generation and the repetitive nature of grinding the same planets. While some appreciate the idle aspects of the game, many feel that the active gameplay is overly grindy and could benefit from improvements to reduce frustration.

    • “Aspects like the base turret can't be automated for grinding money and require many clicks.”
    • “Grinding the same planet over and over doesn't have much benefit; it's always better to be on the highest level planet possible.”
    • “If you're going to lock the idle function a way back in, you should really make the active function less grindy and annoying up to that point.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization model of the game relies heavily on microtransactions and DLC purchases, leading to a perception of it being a low-quality cash grab. Players may feel pressured to spend money to access essential features and progress, with limited recourse for refunds under EU law, which further exacerbates concerns about its fairness.

    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel overly aggressive.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items for purchase without impacting gameplay.”
    • “The in-game purchases are optional and don't hinder the overall experience.”
    • “There are always downsides to free games that have microtransactions.”
    • “It requires you to buy DLCs for missing features and pay for progress through in-app purchases.”
    • “This is a very low-quality cash grab style game, and some people will get tricked out of their money by it as you're not allowed a refund for what you pay to progress within 30 days under EU law, which is the sole reason the payment for the game is laid out that way instead of a price tag.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its comical dialogue and quirky character interactions, which many players find amusing and entertaining. The cartoonish art style and diverse mercenary options further enhance the lighthearted tone. However, some players feel that the gameplay itself does not measure up to other real-time strategy games.

    • “The comical dialogue barks when your mercs are in battle made me laugh.”
    • “The mercs run around saying random quotes, it's hilarious!”
    • “I enjoyed the cartoonish character and environment art.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, particularly due to the randomized levels unlocked through "alternate realities," which can be accessed relatively quickly. This feature encourages players to revisit the game for new experiences.

    • “Randomized levels when you unlock 'alternate realities' (it's pretty quick to get there, to be honest) enhance the replay value even more.”
    • “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more; every playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
    • “With multiple character builds and strategies to explore, I find myself replaying the game just to try out different approaches.”
    • “The randomized levels when you unlock 'alternate realities' do increase the replay value, but getting there is pretty quick, which diminishes the long-term appeal.”
    • “Once you've experienced the main story, there's little incentive to replay the game, as the alternate realities feel more like a gimmick than a substantial addition.”
    • “While the game offers some variety, the lack of meaningful choices in alternate playthroughs makes replaying feel repetitive rather than engaging.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere is characterized as airy and atmospheric, providing a calming experience while incorporating moments of drive that keep the gameplay engaging and prevent it from becoming monotonous.

    • “The atmosphere is airy and atmospheric, but with enough drive at times to keep you engaged.”
    • “The game creates a captivating atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you on your toes.”
    • “The immersive atmosphere perfectly balances tranquility and excitement, making every moment feel alive.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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