Power of Ten

About

Power of Ten is a single player arcade shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by laikaproj and was released on January 11, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

"Power of Ten" is a challenging space-shooter where you pilot a starfighter to save civilians from a destructive armada. With procedurally crafted star systems, each run offers unique challenges to overcome. Unlock 10 ships, discover over a hundred weapon combinations, and test your skills against diverse enemy ships, all while gathering resources to power up your ship.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 193 reviews

gameplay25 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Gameplay is engaging with a solid core loop of resource management, combat, and exploration, providing a satisfying challenge.
The developer is responsive to feedback and actively works on updates, showing commitment to improving the game.

The pacing can feel slow, with too much time spent on resource gathering and not enough engaging combat.
Controls can be unintuitive, especially for new players, leading to frustration during gameplay.
The game lacks variety in missions and objectives, which can make it feel repetitive over time.

gameplay
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
50%
8%
The gameplay is generally praised for its enjoyable mechanics, smooth controls, and engaging core loop reminiscent of classic space trading and combat games. However, some players express concerns about pacing, resource management, and a lack of variety, which can lead to repetitiveness. While the game offers a fun experience with unique mechanics, it also faces criticism for certain frustrating elements, such as aiming mechanics and bugs that detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “It feels good to shoot and fight ships, it feels great to get new upgrades and unlock new ships, and it has an enjoyable FTL-like gameplay loop which is easy to get into.”
- “The core gameplay loop is very fun, and really sells the feeling of playing old space trading & combat sims while somehow condensing that into a tight roguelike form.”
- “The controls are tight, the gameplay loop is satisfying, and the art is pretty as all getout.”
- “The virus mechanic is absolute BS though.”
- “Hoping there's more to it, but for now not really satisfied with the gameplay; feels like a proof of concept at this point.”
- “Currently there's way too much downtime where you spend nearly more time shooting asteroids than engaging in combat; this makes the core gameplay loop sluggish and boring.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
47%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their mesmerizing and charming pixel art style, which effectively captures the essence of space and enhances the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the deep visuals and the seamless integration of aesthetics with gameplay, although some note occasional confusion regarding object interactions. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The graphics and audio are mesmerizing and terrifying at times, and set the vibes perfectly.”
- “Their gorgeous graphics make you feel like you're actually in space.”
- “Feels like I'm playing Everspace with poorer graphics.”
- “It's hard to understand what objects I can shoot to gain materials; in fact, I have not found any rule to the visuals indicating whether an object is only background or actually there.”
- “The graphics, despite being pixel art, can be absolutely stunning to look at.”
music
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
31%
10%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and comfy qualities, often compared to the works of Ben Prunty, enhancing the overall experience with its chill and immersive sound design. While many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to build tension and complement the gameplay, some note a desire for more variation and balance in volume. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's aesthetic and enjoyment, making it a standout feature despite minor critiques.
- “The music reminds me of some of Ben Prunty's work (FTL and Into the Breach especially).”
- “There's this big pause in the music right before the enemy ship arrives which creates this heightened sense of tension.”
- “Great soundtrack, fits well with the overall feel of the game, some really pretty backgrounds too and interesting ship designs.”
- “However, even though I enjoy this part, it could use a bit of variation with the soundtrack.”
- “A game can have amazing gameplay, but if it lacks good sound design and music, it falls short.”
- “Not enough music; it's a bit too loud sometimes.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The game's story begins with a compelling premise involving a couple on a troubled expedition, but many players find the narrative disjointed and lacking coherence as it progresses, particularly in its connection to gameplay. While some appreciate the inclusion of a storyline in a genre often criticized for its repetitiveness, others feel that the overarching plot is minimal, focusing instead on individual missions and background elements. Overall, the narrative has moments of intrigue but struggles to maintain a cohesive and engaging thread throughout the experience.
- “Hades is the most glaring example of a game with amazing gameplay that was amplified by the fact that it also had an amazing story.”
- “The game starts with you communicating with your family you left at home as you go on a mission, but as you go deeper in your voyage, your connection gets less and less reliable until all lines have been cut off.”
- “In short, it is a wonderful game that truly makes you feel like a hero both in story and in gameplay.”
- “The story at the beginning didn't make much sense as it's completely disregarded.”
- “There are random small things like merchants who want a certain object you can find, or a broken ship whose crew you can rescue, but no overall 'story' besides you saving entire planets from being murdered.”
- “This game is also a masterclass of the 'story is told exclusively in the background'.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its phenomenal pixel art and immersive sound design, creating a comfy and moody experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of atmospheric music and visual aesthetics as key elements that enhance the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “The atmosphere, art, and sound design are phenomenal!”
- “I love the atmosphere, music, and sound design, which is what makes a good game for me.”
- “All of this happens with a washed-out, pixelated, strangely moody atmosphere.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the strong rogue-like elements and diverse weapon systems that enhance replay value, others feel that subsequent playthroughs offer a similar experience to the first. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the game provides good content for its price, particularly in early access.
- “Great game so far, lots of replay value for the price.”
- “For the price, you get a very good rogue-like with strong replay value; it isn't easy, but it doesn't claim to be, either.”
- “Fun weapon system and good weapon designs (you can find single weapons or weapons mashed together), which gives a nice bonus to replayability. Also, there are melee weapons for your spaceship, and I am a sucker for melee weapons.”
- “The replayability sucks because you'll get a near identical experience as your first playthrough.”
- “Pretty decent game, for early access it's quite polished and has an alright amount of content and replay value.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and dull, with many noting that resource collection from asteroids and salvage feels repetitive and slows down progression.
- “This game is very dull, and getting to the point where you die is tedious.”
- “It's kind of grindy with having to collect resources from asteroids and salvage to progress through levels.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been reported to have stability issues, with users experiencing bugs such as disappearing cursors and other glitches that necessitate restarts. Overall, these problems have led to negative feedback regarding its stability.
- “My only criticism at this time is that the game is a bit buggy (e.g., my cursor disappeared after leaving the game paused for a few minutes, so I had to restart).”
- “Mostly voting down because it's buggy.”