Planetoid Pioneers Online

About

"Planetoid Pioneers Online" is a physics-based adventure game where players explore procedurally generated planets, build and pilot vehicles, and battle alien creatures. Players can collaborate or compete in multiplayer mode, and share their creations with the community. The game features a sandbox environment with realistic physics and destructible terrain, providing endless possibilities for creativity and exploration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

42%

Audience ScoreBased on 96 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and goofy experience, especially when played with friends, providing hours of entertainment.
The physics engine is impressive, allowing for creative gameplay mechanics and interactions.
There is potential for the game to evolve into something great, with a variety of game modes that can be enjoyable with a good player base.

The game suffers from severe performance issues, including lag and low frame rates, making it difficult to play smoothly.
Many players report a lack of content and depth, with the game feeling more like a tech demo than a fully realized product.
The multiplayer experience is hampered by a low player base, making it hard to find games and enjoy the intended cooperative gameplay.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The gameplay is characterized by innovative mechanics and a strong emphasis on physics, offering a fun and dynamic experience, particularly in local multiplayer. However, players note that the game lacks structure, with poorly designed modes and inadequate tutorials, leading to a frustrating experience despite the potential for depth and creativity. Overall, while the mechanics are enjoyable, the execution leaves much to be desired.
- “Super fun and goofy game with challenging mechanics and teamwork.”
- “But this game has 2 things I love: local multiplayer, and a great execution when it comes to crafting mechanics and physics.”
- “The gameplay itself is fun and dynamic, centering around the physics the game is built on, but there isn't much depth from what I've tried.”
- “If you grab the mechanics you have now, and actually focus on making a game out of it, you will probably have one of the best physics games out there, but for now, it's the most horrible experience you don't want to start up.”
- “Tutorial does not explain game mechanics well, physics behave weirdly.”
- “I can appreciate some of the mechanics in this game, the way you make items, traps, guns, jet packs, etc. but it doesn't make up for the movement.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The graphics of the game are described as pretty but ultimately mediocre, lacking essential features like graphical fidelity settings and a pause menu. The art style draws inspiration from Hiroshige's block print landscapes, and while it shows improvement over previous titles from the same developers, it struggles with performance issues in multiplayer settings. Overall, the visuals are appealing but do not fully meet modern gaming standards.
- “Art style is very pretty, music is tolerable pseudo-retro synthpop, and the idea is that you're playing an old man in space.”
- “The game is a lot like Cortex Command (same devs) but with much better graphics and physics.”
- “Things that you'd take for granted in a modern game, such as graphical fidelity settings, key bindings, and even a pause menu, are absent.”
- “It's not bad, just mediocre; graphics and tutorial interactivity felt like it was going for more.”
- “The art style reminds me of Hiroshige block print landscapes; look it up.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
Users express a desire for single-player or co-op exploration maps that convey a story, but their experience has been hindered by significant lag during missions, particularly in bridge-building tasks, which prevented them from unlocking additional content.
- “I am looking for single-player or co-op exploration maps that tell a story or something similar.”
- “I am looking for single-player or co-op exploration maps that tell a story or anything like it.”
- “Played through all the introduction mission types with 2 friends, here's what we found out.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Both games suffer from significant optimization issues, with players reporting extremely poor performance that worsens over time, especially in multiplayer scenarios. Users experienced long matchmaking times and severe lag, with frame rates dropping to as low as 5fps, making gameplay frustrating.
- “Both games are poorly optimized; the online version is standalone, and searching for games took ages.”
- “Performance starts out poor and gets exponentially worse as the game runs, particularly as additional physics objects are added to the scene, which is a severe issue in a game where even player movement relies on the physics engine.”
- “I had extreme lag and performance issues in multiplayer, literally 5fps.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for feeling like a cash grab, with users expressing disappointment over its potential being squandered. Many feel that the game has been abandoned, lacking promised features such as a campaign mode and instead offering minimal content reminiscent of the demo version.
- “Feeling like a cash grab.”
- “The game had so much potential, only to be churned into abandonware and a cash grab.”
- “Seems like another cash grab, just like Cortex Command, which went through a 1.0 update and never got the promised campaign mode with factions and tech trees. Instead, we got a bare-bones hot seat against the computer featuring all the content from the demo version.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with players reporting frequent glitches that cause erratic character movements, such as jumping backward when attempting to move in a different direction. Overall, the experience is described as a "buggy mess," detracting from gameplay.
- “As for glitches, if you are moving one way but have the mouse in the other direction, you will jump backward.”
- “Just a buggy mess; you press 'D' to go right and you randomly jump.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The music in the game is described as a tolerable pseudo-retro synthpop, with some users finding it enjoyable and fitting for the game's aesthetic. Overall, while opinions vary, it is generally considered a good complement to the visually appealing art style.
- “The music is pretty good.”
- “Art style is very pretty, and the music features tolerable pseudo-retro synthpop, enhancing the experience of playing an old man in space.”
- “The music is just tolerable pseudo-retro synthpop, lacking any real depth or engagement.”
- “While the art style is very pretty, the music fails to leave a lasting impression.”
- “The soundtrack feels repetitive and uninspired, which detracts from the overall experience.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
While the game features a range of modes and maps that seem diverse at first, players find them to be quite basic, resulting in minimal replay value.
- “The various game modes and maps on offer, though initially impressive in their variety, are incredibly basic and have next to no replay value.”
- “After completing the game once, there’s little incentive to go back; the lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “While the game tries to introduce different scenarios, they all feel too similar, leading to a lack of excitement for multiple playthroughs.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find humor in the game's low FPS issues, often joking about it in relation to Cortex Command. Despite these flaws, many acknowledge the game has its merits, though they note the absence of reconnection options and chat features.
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, especially the funny reviews about low FPS and the quirky interactions with the Cortex Command.”
- “I love how the game pokes fun at its own flaws, like the lack of reconnection and chat features, while still being a blast to play.”
- “The witty dialogue and hilarious scenarios keep me laughing, making even the frustrating moments enjoyable.”