Lazerbait
- October 13, 2016
- Taylor Stapleton
Get on Steam"Lazerbait is a free VR arcade strategy game where players aim to capture all planets to produce ships and defeat enemies. With a god-like perspective, players can direct their fleet to take over planets, with the number of planets owned determining the size of the fleet. Up to 7 AI characters offer a challenge in free-for-all style, with customizable game settings and procedurally generated maps for varied gameplay."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Lazerbait is a fun and addictive VR strategy game that offers a simple yet engaging gameplay experience, reminiscent of classic titles like Eufloria.
- The game is free to play, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to enjoy a well-executed VR experience without any financial commitment.
- Players appreciate the intuitive controls and the immersive feeling of commanding fleets in a 3D space, which enhances the overall strategic gameplay.
- The graphics are simplistic and may not appeal to players looking for high-quality visuals, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Many players expressed a desire for additional features, such as multiplayer options and more complex gameplay mechanics, to enhance replayability.
- Some users reported issues with AI difficulty balancing, stating that the AI can sometimes cheat or behave unpredictably, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- graphics46 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and functional, with a stark and minimalist style that complements the gameplay. While some reviewers note that the visuals could benefit from more detail and polish, many appreciate the clean aesthetic and find it effective for the game's immersive experience. Overall, the graphics are considered adequate for a free game, allowing players to enjoy the fun and engaging gameplay despite their simplicity.
“The game's spartan and cold stark graphics style matches the gameplay, mood, and pace perfectly.”
“The graphics are pretty stellar and the music is atmospheric.”
“The visuals are nothing to write home about, obviously, but they just work and it still looks awesome watching the ships fly around the planets and attack each other.”
“The graphics could be better, the ships more detailed, and so forth.”
“The visuals don't have much to offer.”
“All visuals are not just simple, they're shoddy.”
- gameplay39 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, reminiscent of classic strategy games, and is enhanced by VR controls that make it intuitive and immersive. Players find it addictive and challenging, with a good balance of strategy and accessibility, although some desire more complexity and a campaign mode. Overall, the gameplay is well-received for its fun factor and replayability, despite its minimalist graphics.
“The gameplay is fantastic.”
“It's simple but yet complex; gameplay is easy to learn and hard to master.”
“Exciting gameplay mixed with fun and easy-to-learn controls, and few glitches make this one of my favorite games to play on the Vive.”
“The gameplay is deceptively easy at first but gets hard quickly once you increase the number of opponents and their speed/intelligence.”
“Gameplay and controls are pure gold, but the game screams for a campaign mode increasing complexity as you go, and the visuals leave some things to be desired.”
“While the gameplay is very simplistic, it's a challenge and workout to win.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its high replayability, with many users noting its simple yet engaging strategy mechanics that encourage multiple playthroughs. Suggestions for enhancements, such as online multiplayer and a custom map builder, indicate that players see potential for even greater replay value. Overall, it stands out as a free-to-play title that offers more replayability than many paid games.
“This game contains more replay value than most games I have played in VR.”
“It has tons of replayability and it is easy to understand, definitely worth a try!”
“With some fleshing out, this could go from an awesome tech demo game (that has plenty of replayability!) to a genre-defining game.”
“For more replayability, I'd love to see a custom map builder so players can create their own battlefields.”
“This game (free to play) contains more replay value than most games I have played in VR.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and polish, with many users noting the absence of a campaign or narrative development. While some players appreciate the game's DIY origins and express a desire for a more structured story in future updates, the current experience is primarily focused on skirmish gameplay without a significant narrative component.
“I have many more 'graphic' or 'story' intensive games and yet I am constantly coming back to this game.”
“But then to hear the story behind the game, how it was this, like, a DIY experiment... I am blown away and inspired.”
“It’s not particularly polished or have much depth… you only have one attack unit, and the only game mode is a configurable skirmish – no campaign or story or development to be found here.”
“>story=n/a”
“If the devs gave the game a story mode and/or multiplayer, and a bit of a graphical update, it could be incredibly fun and I'd certainly be happy to pay money for it.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as relaxing and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience, though some players feel that it lacks memorable tracks, particularly during battles. Additionally, there are limited options for customizing the music settings.
“The soundtrack is also pretty relaxing, too.”
“The graphics are pretty stellar and the music is atmospheric.”
“My qualms are: it doesn't seem to have any left-handed mode, nor any options at all other than toggling the music off.”
“Some cool battle music would be nice, but I did not remember any really good music.”
“Some cool battle music would be nice, but I did not remember any really good music.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is generally well-received, with users noting smooth performance even under heavy loads, such as large battles with numerous units. While some limitations are acknowledged to prevent crashes, the game maintains good dynamics and replayability without significant performance issues.
“Really great dynamics, good performance, and great strategy.”
“Runs smoothly on my hardware.”
“Free, fun, feasible gameplay and a very difficult AI system means lots of replayability. Retro graphics are cute and charming, and I only experienced a little performance hit on max settings with 1000+ ships fighting.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
“Despite the engaging gameplay, the optimization is lacking, resulting in frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
“The performance is disappointing, especially during large battles where the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a seamless transition from a relaxed vibe to intense moments, enhanced by stellar graphics and immersive music that contribute to its overall ambiance.
“The graphics are pretty stellar and the music is atmospheric.”
“It's a relaxed atmosphere that quickly turns intense.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and feel it requires significant time investment, often comparing it to needing a second life to manage the extensive farming and conquest activities.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I'm not into conquest or farming.”
“It will get tedious.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, likening their experiences to feeling vulnerable yet engaged, similar to the protagonist in "Ender's Game." This emotional depth contributes to a sense of connection and immersion in the narrative.
“This game made me feel vulnerable, and I liked it.”
“It made me feel like I was Ender.”
“It made me feel like the last third of Ender's Game.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly even at maximum settings and high ship counts, with minimal glitches reported. Players appreciate the seamless performance, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
“The game runs smoothly, even when pushing the limits with maximum ship count and visuals.”
“I am impressed by the stability; there are hardly any crashes or bugs during gameplay.”
“The performance is consistent, providing a seamless experience regardless of the settings.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization model is highly praised, as the game is available for free without any ads or in-app purchases, enhancing the overall user experience.
