Planetoid Pioneers Online

About

Planetoid Pioneers Online is a single player and multiplayer racing game. It was developed by Data Realms and was released on July 11, 2019. It received neutral reviews from players.

Physics-driven gameplay, animation, construction, destruction, damage, and deaths 12 different game modes at launch; more to come - both from developers and the community 2-4 player PvP, PvE, co-op, racing, building - something for everyone; see videos above Seamless online multiplayer resistant to cheating and lag on our own free servers Host or join easily and quickly with your fav Steam fri…

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41%

Audience ScoreBased on 96 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game has impressive physics and offers a unique multiplayer experience that can be fun with friends.
There is a lot of potential for creative gameplay and silly co-op fun, making it enjoyable in a group setting.
The developers are responsive and the game has a charming art style, which adds to the overall experience.

The game suffers from severe performance issues, including lag and low frame rates, making it difficult to play.
There is a lack of content and meaningful single-player modes, with many players finding it unplayable without friends.
The user interface is poorly designed, lacking essential features like key binding options and a proper tutorial, leading to a frustrating experience.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is characterized by innovative mechanics and a fun, dynamic physics system, but suffers from poor execution and a lack of depth. While local multiplayer and crafting elements are praised, players find the sandbox environment disorganized and the tutorial inadequate, leading to a frustrating experience overall. Despite its potential, many feel it falls short of being a cohesive game.
- “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, with an art style reminiscent of Hiroshige's block print landscapes, and improved over its predecessor, Cortex Command. However, the overall graphical fidelity is considered mediocre, lacking essential features like settings and a pause menu, which detracts from the experience. While the visuals have potential, they feel underutilized, especially in multiplayer scenarios where lag can hinder enjoyment.
- “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 further 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 me some story or anything like that.”
- “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 poor initial performance that deteriorates further over time, especially in multiplayer scenarios. Users experienced extreme lag, with frame rates dropping to as low as 5fps, and lengthy matchmaking times in the online version.
- “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 (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 5 fps.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game features a range of modes and maps that initially seem diverse, 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 main story, I found little incentive to dive back in; the lack of meaningful content makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “While the game has a few different modes, they quickly become repetitive and fail to offer anything new on subsequent playthroughs.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the game's monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, with players feeling disappointed by the lack of promised features and content. Many express frustration over the game's potential being squandered, leading to a sense of abandonment and dissatisfaction with the current offerings.
- “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.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find humor in the game's low FPS issues, often joking about the absurdity of the situation, particularly in relation to Cortex Command. Despite these flaws, many acknowledge the game's overall quality, though they note the absence of reconnection options and chat features as drawbacks.
- “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, making the experience even more enjoyable.”
- “The witty dialogue and hilarious situations keep me laughing, proving that even with its issues, the game knows how to entertain.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The music in the game is described as a blend of 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 visual 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 as an old man in space.”
- “The music is tolerable pseudo-retro synthpop, but it doesn't really enhance the experience.”
- “While the art style is very pretty, the music feels lackluster and uninspired.”
- “The soundtrack fails to capture the essence of the game, leaving it feeling flat and forgettable.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for significant glitches, including erratic character movements where players can unexpectedly jump backward when attempting to move in a different direction. Overall, users describe the experience as a "buggy mess" that detracts 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.”