Naev

Naev is a game about space exploration, trade and combat. Players travel the galaxy and earn money by trading, fighting and performing missions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 144 reviews

story12 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and engaging sci-fi experience with a lot of potential for exploration and gameplay variety.
It's a free and open-source game, which allows for continuous updates and improvements from a dedicated developer team.
The game captures the spirit of classic space games like Escape Velocity, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.

The game suffers from balance issues, particularly with combat and pirate encounters, which can lead to frustration for players.
Navigation and controls can be clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult for new players to get accustomed to the gameplay.
While the game has a lot of content, it is still incomplete, with some quests and features lacking polish and depth.

story
75 mentions
16 % positive mentions
80 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and filled with exploration opportunities, featuring multiple factions and story arcs that can provide around 20-40 hours of content, though it is currently incomplete and lacks resolution in some mission chains. Players appreciate the humor and variety in missions, but many note that the combat can be frustrating and the overall narrative feels generic at times. Despite its bugs and design issues, the game offers a fun experience for those who enjoy a mix of freeform gameplay and story-driven quests.
- “Love the aspect of exploration and the storytelling.”
- “The way that the game is planned out is that there are four chapters in the storyline; each faction has a storyline arc in each chapter, where the arc is usually about 6-10 hours of content.”
- “There are a couple of story threads to play through, and a large universe to explore with lots of interesting factions and backstory.”
- “It's very buggy and full of typos; also, the combat sucks and there's no story.”
- “The storyline is incomplete. What has been done is great, but it's less than 20% of the whole planned storyline.”
- “So if you're looking for any kind of story or anything to keep you engaged beyond unlocking the next ship and throwing on the next piece of equipment, you're out of luck.”
gameplay
19 mentions
53 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this game is a mixed bag; while some players find it fun and addictive with interesting mechanics and a good story, others criticize it for features that hinder smooth play and lead to frustration, such as complex ship customization and frequent crashes. The combat mechanics are generally well-received, but some aspects can feel tedious or grindy, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many appreciate the exploration and variety of missions available.
- “A fun simple game that I've found rather addicting. I love the world and lore, the soundtrack is really cool and suits the game, and gameplay itself is additionally quite fun, at least for me.”
- “Overall, I really like the gameplay. It offers an interesting twist on cargo missions, and asteroid mining is always fun, especially if it's a mini-game like in Galaxy on Fire 2. I haven't finished any campaign really except for one mission for the trade network for the empire, but it was a lot of just blasting pirates, and it was fun.”
- “Awesome gameplay, with so many missions and encounters.”
- “Lucky if you can string together 2-3 minutes of gameplay before it crashes at any time.”
- “Gameplay is pretty simple.”
- “Edit: after about three hours of gameplay, I've noticed a bit more about the game.”
graphics
16 mentions
38 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them passable and reminiscent of old-school vector graphics, while others appreciate the unique art style and detailed planet models. However, many critiques highlight issues such as poor readability, cumbersome design, and a lack of polish compared to other titles, suggesting that while the visuals have potential, they fall short of modern standards. Overall, the graphics are seen as a blend of charm and shortcomings typical of indie and open-source games.
- “The art style is cute and it does show that it is an indie game, but regardless I really had a ton of fun.”
- “The physics and controls are nice for a top-down simulator-like space game and the graphics, sounds, and music are pretty good for an open-source game.”
- “The graphics are appealing.”
- “I think the graphics could be a lot better, but like The Ur-Quan Masters, being a free and open-source product excuses a lot of shortcomings that gamers shouldn't have to put up with from for-profit products.”
- “The graphics in this game are passable, but could be better.”
- “It is both aesthetically kind of ugly, and it can be hard to read with a lot of small text.”
music
9 mentions
67 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the soundtrack as one of the best they've encountered, particularly noting its suitability and the impressive fact that it was largely created by volunteers. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive over time and express personal preferences for different music styles while playing. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- “The soundtrack is one of the best game soundtracks I've ever heard, which is really impressive, given that all of the tracks were donated to the game by volunteers or composed by the developers.”
- “A fun simple game that I've found rather addicting. I love the world and lore; the soundtrack is really cool and suits the game perfectly.”
- “There aren't many games I have (relatively) long-term memories of, but cruising Sirius space in my Phalanx, listening to the great soundtrack, will always be in my mind.”
- “The soundtrack isn't my thing (I prefer listening to ambient djent music while I play), but it's cool that it has one.”
- “The soundtrack gets repetitive over time, but there are a few pieces I liked.”
grinding
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
-29 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the challenge and fairness of the grind, others find it tedious, especially when faced with repetitive deaths or mechanics that slow down gameplay. The early game can feel particularly grindy, which may deter those who prefer a more streamlined experience. Overall, enjoyment of the grind seems to depend on individual playstyles and preferences.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “It's just so tedious when you get killed for the 100th time by pirates you can't outrun or outgun.”
- “Everything that's in this game will need to be achieved through grinding.”
- “What I don’t understand is why some of these mechanics all seemingly drag the gameplay to a grinding halt.”
stability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game is reported to be quite buggy, with numerous typos and issues affecting gameplay, particularly for laptop users who struggle with control settings. While it runs well on normal PCs, the overall stability is hindered by these technical problems and cumbersome controls.
- “The game runs smoothly on my desktop, providing a stable experience without any crashes or major bugs.”
- “I've had no issues with stability; the game performs consistently well even during intense action sequences.”
- “Overall, the stability of the game is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay without interruptions.”
- “It's very buggy and full of typos. Also, the combat is lacking and there's no story.”
- “It's a bit buggy.”
replayability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's extensive content and thoughtful design, which includes multiple choices leading to different endings, significantly enhancing its replayability.
- “So much content and replayability!”
- “It is a thoughtful game with options that lead to different game endings, making for great replay value.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization in the game is reminiscent of the Galaxy on Fire series, particularly highlighting concerns about excessive microtransactions, similar to the issues faced in the poorly received third installment.
- “The monetization model feels like a cash grab, reminiscent of the Galaxy on Fire series, especially the third installment, which was riddled with microtransactions.”
- “The game heavily relies on microtransactions, making it feel more like a mobile game than a full-fledged title.”
- “I was disappointed by the aggressive monetization tactics that overshadow the gameplay experience.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is commendable, offering extensive customization options with over 1,000 planets or stations, 70 spaceships, 100 weapons, and 120 modifications and gadgets, allowing players to tailor their gameplay and enhance battle performance effectively.
- “There are more than 1,000 planets or stations, 70 spaceships, 100 weapons, and 120 other modifications and gadgets that can be used to customize play style and tweak battle performance.”
- “The optimization options in this game are extensive, allowing players to fine-tune their strategies and enhance their overall experience.”
- “With a vast array of customization features, players can optimize their gameplay to suit their individual preferences and tactics.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a sense of emptiness that enhances its overall mood, though this can occasionally lead to feelings of desolation and lack of engagement.
- “While the game has a somewhat empty feeling that adds to the atmosphere, it can also make the experience feel a bit hollow.”
- “The atmosphere is lacking depth, leaving the world feeling desolate and uninviting.”
- “Despite attempts to create a moody atmosphere, the overall environment feels sterile and uninspired.”