Lew Pulsipher's Doomstar

About

In Lew Pulsipher's Doomstar, players control alien fleets in tactical combat, using unique abilities and upgrades to gain an edge. Objective-based missions offer varied challenges, while skirmish mode lets you customize battles. With a focus on strategy and replayability, it's a thinking-player's game of space conquest.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 15 reviews

music3 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Fans of Stratego will enjoy Doomstar, as it offers a similar strategic experience with unique space-themed mechanics.
The game features asynchronous multiplayer, allowing players to engage in matches at their own pace, which adds to its replayability.
The sound design and music are well-crafted, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

The single-player campaign is very short, essentially serving as a tutorial, which may disappoint those looking for a more substantial solo experience.
The user interface feels more suited for mobile devices, which may detract from the experience for PC players.
The AI can be unbalanced and lacks depth, making single-player skirmishes less challenging compared to multiplayer matches.

story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game's story is minimal, primarily serving as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. Players find the campaign mode to be more of a tutorial with unbalanced missions, lacking depth and a cohesive storyline, which detracts from the overall experience. While the mechanics are engaging, the absence of a substantial single-player narrative leaves much to be desired.
- “The campaign mode is mostly a tutorial to get you to understand the mechanics, and while I found some of the missions to be overwhelmingly difficult, the overall experience of the campaign doesn't do the game's depth justice.”
- “The game features a small campaign full of unbalanced missions, where the AI is given powerful ships in greater quantities, alongside more fair skirmishes against the AI and asynchronous online multiplayer.”
- “My current mission is to find the command ship before they find mine, which adds an exciting layer of strategy to every mission.”
- “There's no story.”
- “The campaign mode is mostly a tutorial to get you to understand the mechanics and, quite frankly, doesn't really deliver on its promise of being a campaign. Although I found some of the missions to be overwhelmingly difficult, the overall experience of the campaign doesn't do the game's depth justice.”
- “The game features a small campaign full of unbalanced missions (the AI is given powerful ships in greater quantities), more fair skirmishes against the AI, and asynchronous online multiplayer.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The gameplay combines strategic elements reminiscent of chess and Stratego, featuring grid-based movement and hidden unit attributes, but is marred by a significant luck factor. While the campaign mode serves as a tutorial, it fails to fully engage players and often presents overwhelming challenges, ultimately not reflecting the game's depth. Skirmish mode offers a more traditional experience, allowing for quicker gameplay with fewer units.
- “The mechanics are partly close to chess - move with one unit at a time on a grid, fleets come out face to face - but it has a significant luck factor too.”
- “The gameplay itself has skirmish, which is your classic Stratego-esque environment.”
- “The campaign mode is mostly a tutorial to help you understand the mechanics, and quite frankly, it doesn't really deliver on its promise of being a campaign. While I found some of the missions to be overwhelmingly difficult, the overall experience of the campaign doesn't do the game's depth justice.”
- “The mechanics are partly close to chess - you move with one unit at a time on a grid, and fleets come out face to face - but there is a significant luck factor involved as well.”
- “Doomstar incorporates the basic game rules of the classic board game Stratego (simple attack ratings, unknown ship attributes until attacked, highest ship number wins) with a reduced number of units for faster gameplay.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is consistently praised for being pleasant and well-suited to its space-themed, turn-based strategy setting. Reviewers highlight the music as a key element that enhances the overall experience, describing it as chill and flawless, contributing to the game's unique and enjoyable atmosphere.
- “The background music is nice, the idea behind the game is interesting and unique, and it plays like a charm.”
- “Doomstar is a nice, space-themed, turn-based casual strategy game with easy graphics and pleasing music, from a friendly dev.”
- “Both the music and sound design in the game are flawless.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game heightened by the strategic importance of the "queen," as losing this key piece can lead to a swift defeat, creating a sense of vulnerability and urgency. This mechanic adds tension and emotional stakes to each match, as players must protect their queen while navigating the battlefield.
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The graphics in Doomstar are described as simple yet appealing, complementing its space-themed aesthetic and casual gameplay. The overall visual presentation is considered easy on the eyes, enhancing the gaming experience alongside its enjoyable soundtrack.
- “Doomstar features stunning space-themed graphics that beautifully complement its turn-based gameplay.”
- “The visuals in Doomstar are captivating, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall gaming experience.”
- “The graphics are not only easy on the eyes but also contribute to the game's charming aesthetic, making it a joy to play.”
- “The graphics in Doomstar are quite simplistic and lack detail, making the overall experience feel underwhelming.”
- “While the game has a charming concept, the visuals are very basic and do not do justice to the potential of the gameplay.”
- “The art style feels outdated and fails to create an immersive atmosphere, which detracts from the enjoyment of the game.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight the game's clever mechanics and unique piece capabilities, contributing to its strong replayability, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.
- “The game features interesting and clever mechanics, and above all, it has great replayability.”
- “Each playthrough offers new strategies and experiences, making it highly replayable.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two games are ever the same, enhancing its replayability.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is not well-optimized for desktop platforms, leading to a subpar experience for users expecting better performance.
- “Don't go into this expecting an experience that is optimized for desktop.”
- “The game runs poorly on lower-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “There are significant performance issues that detract from the overall experience.”