RODINA

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,240 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
RODINA Game Cover
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RODINA is a single-player Science Fiction Open World game created by a veteran of the games industry, featuring an intriguing story, good mechanics, exceptional graphics, and a stunning soundtrack. The game boasts a full-scale, seamless procedural solar system with four planets, 50 major asteroids, and one star, along with Xeno Bases and Mines to discover. With its unique atmosphere and wholesome story, RODINA offers a memorable space exploration experience.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,240 reviews
story271 positive mentions
stability16 negative mentions
  • Rodina offers a vast and immersive space exploration experience with a full-scale solar system and seamless transitions between space and planetary surfaces.
  • The game features a compelling story told through well-written text logs, which adds depth and intrigue to the gameplay.
  • The ship customization allows players to design their own interiors, enhancing the sense of ownership and creativity.
  • The game currently lacks content, with many planets feeling barren and offering little to do beyond collecting data logs and engaging in combat.
  • Combat mechanics can feel simplistic and repetitive, with limited enemy variety and no significant rewards for defeating them.
  • The graphics are basic and may not appeal to players looking for high-quality visuals, which could detract from the overall experience.
  • story781 mentions

    The story of "Rodina" is a compelling and immersive experience, primarily delivered through text-based logs and encrypted messages that players uncover while exploring a vast solar system. While the narrative is currently incomplete and can feel somewhat sparse, it is well-written and engaging, drawing comparisons to classic science fiction authors like Asimov and Heinlein. Players who enjoy deep lore and piecing together a narrative through exploration will find the story particularly rewarding, despite its reliance on extensive reading and the absence of traditional character interactions.

    • “The story is fantastic, albeit short, but the developer is constantly working on the game so new mechanics and story will be added.”
    • “Rodina is a massive (and when I say massive I mean massive) space exploration storytelling game.”
    • “The story is seriously just... it's worth getting Rodina just for the story.”
    • “All lore and story comes in the form of datapads or encrypted ship files, leaving the world feeling lonely and empty.”
    • “The story is unfinished and the gunplay and ship combat is basic, but overall everything here has great promise.”
    • “The story is rather short currently; I completed the main questline in a day in which I found myself incrementally engrossed in the adventure with each upgrade and story log, but I was completely satisfied with what I was able to play, and am eagerly looking forward to the additional content laid out in the development roadmap.”
  • music368 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with many reviewers highlighting its orchestral and atmospheric compositions that enhance the immersive experience of space exploration. Players appreciate the dynamic soundtrack that shifts according to gameplay, providing a fitting backdrop for both exploration and combat, while some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, elevating the game's emotional depth and sense of wonder.

    • “The soundtrack is incredible.”
    • “The music enhances the gameplay experience and sets a tone of adventure, wonder, and potential danger.”
    • “Rodina's soundtrack ranges from calming exploration music to the exact right tone of combat music for fighting and is done so well.”
    • “The music isn't that good, and it takes hours to get anywhere (maybe I am missing something).”
    • “Soundtrack gets a bit old after a while and I wish it was more in depth in combat.”
    • “The planets themselves, mixed with asteroids of various shapes and sizes are fun to explore for a few hours, especially coupled with the game's amazing, if not slightly repetitive soundtrack.”
  • gameplay304 mentions

    The gameplay in Rodina is characterized by its engaging space exploration and flight mechanics, which many players find immersive and enjoyable despite the game's simplistic graphics and somewhat repetitive content. While the combat can feel basic and the overall gameplay loop may lack depth, the intriguing story and atmospheric soundtrack enhance the experience, making it appealing for those who prioritize narrative and exploration over graphical fidelity. As the game is still in early access, players express hope for future updates that will expand gameplay mechanics and content.

    • “Rodina is a fun game with great gameplay and controls.”
    • “The physics and exploration mechanics are fun to learn and master, the combat is engaging, if in dire need of tweaking, and the story is interesting.”
    • “The gameplay is just so much fun and the ability to mod the game makes it even better.”
    • “The gameplay in Rodina is, as of now, mediocre for a space game.”
    • “Overall, the entire experience is rather simplified and lacking many details that would enhance the gameplay.”
    • “Now, the game does lack quite a bit in terms of the actual content for gameplay, but for me personally, I have a drive to learn the entire story and find out everything that's happening.”
  • graphics291 mentions

    The graphics of the game "Rodina" are generally described as simplistic and retro, reminiscent of 90s low-polygon games, which some players find charming and nostalgic. While many reviewers acknowledge that the visuals are not cutting-edge and may lack detail, they appreciate the unique art style and atmospheric effects that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the consensus is that the gameplay and story take precedence over graphics, making it a worthwhile experience for those who prioritize these elements.

    • “Rodina is fun, with enough content to keep you busy, and the graphics feel nostalgic.”
    • “A captivating soundtrack, engrossing story, challenging combat, and graphics that grow on you.”
    • “The graphics appear to be very plain and flat from the screenshots, but the beautiful lighting and atmospheric effects combine to provide breathtaking scenery, underscored by an unexpectedly powerful soundtrack of orchestral and synth space music which makes simply orbiting at speed above a planet feel profoundly emotional.”
    • “The graphics are meh, and content release is slow, but these are both simply results of a one-person development team.”
    • “You can make a procedurally generated game and there are tons of other ones out there but this 'unlimited', the limit is how long you can go without getting bored of the bad graphics and lame gameplay; this game is very limited.”
    • “The game in its current state is extremely spartan and the graphics lack any aesthetics.”
  • atmosphere267 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and intense experience, characterized by seamless transitions between space and planetary atmospheres, realistic atmospheric entry mechanics, and a captivating soundtrack. Players appreciate the sense of scale and danger as they navigate hostile environments, with many noting the emotional impact of atmospheric re-entries and the overall aesthetic quality of the game. However, some reviewers express a desire for more diverse planetary life and activities to enhance the already rich atmospheric experience.

    • “This has to be one of the best space games I've played, the story and atmosphere are extremely immersive and the soundtrack is incredible.”
    • “The atmosphere created by the ambient music is perfect.”
    • “The incomprehensible, lonely scale of everything and the clouds of hostile aliens around each world sell the impression that everything wants you dead -- even the planets' atmospheres.”
    • “I would've loved to see something living other than the normal enemies; even if it couldn't speak, having wildlife or anything populating the galaxy would add a lot to the game's atmosphere.”
    • “Graphically, Rodina looks very pretty, particularly when you dive down into the atmosphere of the vast planets; however, this is countered by far more blocky animations as seen during ship fires or firing up the limnal drive.”
  • optimization47 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and extensive graphical options, while others report issues like stuttering, lag, and frame rate drops, particularly during loading sequences or in specific modes. Although many users find it well-optimized for high-end PCs, there are notable complaints about performance inconsistencies and the need for further optimization to enhance the experience across a wider range of hardware. Overall, while the game shows promise in its performance capabilities, it still requires attention to address the reported optimization issues.

    • “Performance is nice and smooth, with tons of graphical options to suit your needs and preferences.”
    • “The game is well optimized for PC.”
    • “The scale of things is also insanely impressive and the fact that this game is so performance optimized while simultaneously containing such vast environments is endlessly commendable.”
    • “What isn't amazing is that the game is so poorly optimized that even on my gaming computer the frame rates took me out of the world that the game attempts to create.”
    • “But I've got a problem, I have a GeForce GT 755M 2GB, 12GB RAM, i7 quad-core 2.4 GHz, yet it has periodical lag. I don't know if I am the only one with the issue; I would love it to be fixed. I don't know if it's bad optimization, I love this game, and I want a fix.”
    • “The framerate gets really choppy when trying to load new enemies or regions, so that could be optimized.”
  • emotional26 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its combination of hard sci-fi and heartfelt storytelling, primarily conveyed through logs that resonate deeply with players. While some users report a lack of emotional impact, many others describe powerful experiences, often triggered by the game's evocative soundtrack and immersive atmosphere, which evoke feelings of nostalgia and connection to the characters. Overall, the game successfully elicits a range of emotions, from joy to melancholy, making it a memorable experience for those who engage with its narrative.

    • “It made me feel what it's like to be treated like a machine in a way that no book ever did.”
    • “I had to turn the music off because it made me cry [spoiler]in a good way[/spoiler] when it came on.”
    • “The combination of listening to the awesome soundtrack while reading the incredibly emotional dialogue in the encrypted communications...beautiful.”
  • stability24 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly during landing sequences, which can lead to frustrating experiences. However, some players note that the game runs well on low-end PCs and is surprisingly stable for an early access title, with only minor landscape glitches reported. Overall, while there are significant issues, they do not seem to detract heavily from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “That being said, this game is practically bug free.”
    • “Surprisingly bug free for an early access game.”
    • “Runs great.”
    • “The game is a bit buggy, but more than that it is laggy.”
    • “It's extremely buggy and the controls are unclear.”
    • “This game is insanely buggy; landing sends the ship into some sort of ghost mode where all you can do is sit back from the keyboard and watch your ship spin uncontrollably and phase through the ground, while the message 'the ship has landed' shows up repeatedly.”
  • humor20 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and absurd elements, such as exaggerated size proportions and amusing interactions with the environment, like using a fire extinguisher inappropriately. Players appreciate the witty and sarcastic writing found in the lore and logs, which adds depth while also providing heartfelt and humorous anecdotes. Overall, the combination of slapstick moments and clever storytelling creates a uniquely entertaining experience that resonates with players.

    • “The data sticks are these little bits of the story and surprisingly funny.”
    • “All the logs you can find in the game are both hilarious and heartfelt.”
    • “1) Load a save game, try to avoid what caused it to happen [lame .. and I'm guilty of doing this most often], 2) grab a 20th century fire extinguisher hanging from the wall and try to put it out by hand (lol .. honestly this is kind of funny, no ceiling mount sprinklers or anything?), or 3) if you're in space, run to an operations computer console and hit the emergency open all doors button to let all the oxygen out.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in ground combat where constant enemy fire makes engagement frustrating. While the game offers a high degree of freedom in exploration, the repetitive nature of combat and the dullness of planet surfaces detract from the overall experience.

    • “It gives (nearly) absolute freedom to go wherever you want, do whatever you want (aside from a minor planet-locking system, which is not grindy and well-done in my opinion).”
    • “Ground combat is tedious; some enemies just shoot constantly, and it's hard to avoid their bullets while hitting them with yours.”
    • “Still find the game slightly tedious and the planet surfaces boring, but I'll make my way to one of the new gravity bikes and try those out, if I can.”
    • “Just tedious.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has raised concerns among users, with fears that it may devolve into a cash grab, a common issue in the indie game market. Despite these worries, players express a strong appreciation for the game’s potential, hoping it will not follow the trend of prioritizing profit over quality.

    • “This is probably my favorite sandbox game I've ever played and really hope this isn't one of those cash grabs and run indie games because this game has the potential to be so much more.”
    • “I hope it does not become what many games have; a cash grab.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Players anticipate that the game's future updates will significantly enhance its content and overall experience, leading to increased replayability. Suggestions for improvement include adding immersive elements, such as player ship wrecks on planets, to further boost replay value.

    • “A while from now, the game will be much more developed in content and just generally improved, allowing vast replayability.”
    • “Another suggestion I'd have for a bit more immersion and replayability is to have spaceship wrecks on the planets, more specifically, wrecks of the player's ship.”
    • “A while from now, the game will be much more developed in content and just generally improved, allowing for vast replayability.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
18hAverage play time
4-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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