Shortest Trip to Earth

About

"Shortest Trip to Earth" is a roguelike spaceship simulator where you navigate through a procedurally generated universe. Manage your crew, ship systems, and resources while encountering various alien species and events. Your goal is to reach Earth, but with permadeath and randomly generated challenges, each playthrough is a unique journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+13

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,795 reviews

gameplay100 positive mentions

grinding92 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a mix of resource management, exploration, and tactical combat.
Offers a deeper experience than FTL with more customization options for ships and crew.
The fate point system rewards players for their actions, adding a layer of progression to each run.

The user interface is cluttered and can be confusing, making it difficult to manage crew and resources effectively.
Combat can feel unbalanced, with some encounters being overwhelmingly difficult and reliant on luck.
Micromanagement of crew assignments and module swapping can become tedious and detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

gameplay
321 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The gameplay of "Shortest Trip to Earth" is characterized by its complex mechanics and heavy micromanagement, which some players find engaging while others deem tedious and frustrating. While it expands on the beloved elements of "FTL: Faster Than Light" with deeper resource management and strategic planning, the overwhelming number of systems and a steep difficulty curve can detract from the overall enjoyment. Players appreciate the innovative mechanics and customization options, but many express concerns about balance issues and the lack of clarity in gameplay flow.
- “In order to win you'll need to play smart and consider every mechanic the game throws at you.”
- “The gameplay is so engaging that when you fail a deep run, it hurts.”
- “While it will remind you a lot of FTL in the way the gameplay is handled, its depth of complexity and variety of encounters has a more engrossing feel that has you feeling less like you're racing to the end, and more like you're just trying to keep your ship and crew in one piece.”
- “Shortest Trip to Earth tries to jam in a lot of systems without thinking too much about how gameplay should flow.”
- “The micro management mechanics were not fun; it just felt like the designer had no idea what sort of game they wanted to make, and the micro management mechanics were just a way to have the player spend all their time doing something... unfortunately that something is extremely tedious and unfun.”
- “The majority of the gameplay is managing resources and frequently rearranging module/personnel placement to maximize your chance to win battles that are mostly based on luck.”
story
153 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The game's story is often described as linear and lacking depth, with many players expressing a desire for more engaging narratives and side quests to enhance replayability. While some appreciate the interesting story elements and character backstories, others find the overall plot to be bland and repetitive, leading to a feeling of stagnation in the gameplay experience. Overall, the potential for a richer narrative is recognized, but many hope for future updates to expand and deepen the storytelling aspects.
- “The writing is fantastic and I wouldn't normally care about that so much for this kind of game, but it makes exploration a delight and turns it into a better story generator than FTL ever was.”
- “Honestly a fantastic game that very much scratches that FTL itch, and in my opinion does a better job than FTL itself, adding more layers of complexity, and removing some of that RNG in favor of strategy, and actually managing to get me invested in the story.”
- “The game has interesting story elements that get you eager to get to the next sector.”
- “And there's not much story to the game.”
- “Also, the plot and writing are paper thin and would have greatly helped the game if they had invested in a rich narrative-driven experience.”
- “The storyline is fine, but it doesn't change for each sector, ever.”
graphics
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
64%
14%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique art style and immersive aesthetics, while others criticize the clarity and detail, describing them as inconsistent and sometimes difficult to interpret. Many comparisons are made to a similar game, FTL, with some noting that FTL's visuals are cleaner and more appealing. Overall, while the game has its visually pleasing moments, it struggles with graphical artifacts and interface issues that detract from the experience.
- “My first impression of this game was visually gorgeous; albeit, it is related to another game with almost similar mechanics, however, aesthetically this game got me hooked with plenty of content to immerse yourself in.”
- “Its aesthetically pleasing and immersive.”
- “The art style and music are well composed; simple enough to easily see what's going on, and diverse enough to keep things interesting.”
- “The artwork and clarity from the visuals are the biggest letdown; it is easy to get lost when looking for something or clicking on a module versus a person in the room. It can be hard to find people or tell the difference between people and robots.”
- “The graphics are a little weak (dollhouse-ish?) and the game does appear to be ever-so slightly tainted by the politics of postmodernism in a variety of different ways.”
- “Graphics are pretty mediocre and indistinct; ships are not very well drawn at all.”
grinding
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and unfun, with players expressing frustration over excessive micromanagement and repetitive tasks that detract from the overall experience. Many reviews highlight that the game feels more like a chore, requiring constant resource management and crew assignments, which can lead to a sense of futility and boredom rather than challenge or engagement. While some players appreciate the depth and potential for enjoyment, the overwhelming consensus is that the grind often overshadows the game's positive elements.
- “It's a grindy game with little to no pay-off for your efforts.”
- “The micro management mechanics were not fun, it just felt like the designer had no idea what sort of game they wanted to make and the micro management mechanics was just a way to have the player spend all their time doing something.. unfortunately that something is extremely tedious and unfun.”
- “I would enjoy late systems to be smaller, more dangerous, require a more strategic approach than grinding everything and fighting almost all fights.”
replayability
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
52%
16%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the variety of weapons, augments, and crew combinations that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some criticize the lack of unique ship features and the predetermined sector order, which limits the overall replay value. While there are unlocks and achievements that enhance replayability, many feel that the game could benefit from additional content and balancing to fully realize its potential.
- “Stte is very replayable even though the sector lore/goals/bosses are fixed - there's a huge variety of weapons, augments, components, and crew that let you play with different builds.”
- “The game also has a really high replay value, as every run you get to unlock one ship provided you get through the sector, and a perk for every sector you go through.”
- “Don't let some of the more negative reviews fool you, there is depth and replayability here, with seemingly plenty of viable strategies.”
- “No sandbox/endless mode which makes this game limited in replayability.”
- “The progression feels terrible and it's meant to have replay value but there isn't any.”
- “Lacks somewhat in replayability due to the mission being static.”
music
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
52%
14%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its relaxing and diverse qualities, while others find it dull and repetitive compared to the standout soundtrack of FTL. Many players appreciate the unique style and composition, noting that it enhances the gameplay experience, though some express a desire for more variation and consistency in the audio. Overall, while the music is generally well-received, it does not reach the heights of its predecessor, FTL.
- “The art team and the musicians did a marvelous job.”
- “But yeah, the music is incredible for this game and totally matches the gameplay perfectly.”
- “Graphically it is simple but stylish and atmospheric, the soundtrack is pretty trippy with some nice phasing effects and the controls are very responsive and easy to get the hang of.”
- “Sadly, there's this major problem: the music.”
- “Music is the weakest point here; it's dull and repetitive.”
- “The music loops so quickly it's actually annoying.”
stability
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
85%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs, particularly with AI pathing, crew management, and UI issues. While some players have experienced only minor glitches, the overall consensus is that the game remains quite buggy, affecting gameplay coherence and enjoyment. Despite these issues, some players still find the game enjoyable, especially considering its low price and potential for fun.
- “It is not really buggy, although I have experienced one or two minor bugs.”
- “I want to close off by saying that my short time with the game has been bug-free, and I can vouch for it working on Linux (Ubuntu 18.04 - latest kernel, NVIDIA) via Steam Play.”
- “Please remember that unless the video was made after around the 27th of August 2019, the version of the game they are playing in the video is not the bug-free, content-rich version with 10 sectors, which can take from 10-15 hours or more for each run.”
- “This game is extremely buggy.”
- “But right now it's way too buggy and broken.”
- “As of right now, it deserves a 'meh' rating due to buggy AI pathing, minor UI issues, and a few bits of mechanical jankiness that get in the way.”
humor
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and subtlety, appealing to fans of shows like *Futurama* and *Final Space*. Players appreciate the blend of quirky, hilarious moments with serious themes, although some find certain jokes, particularly those about orgies and drugs, to be less effective. Overall, the writing is noted for its ability to evoke laughter while maintaining a balance with the game's challenging mechanics.
- “The game is full of good humor without getting silly, and fans of shows like Futurama or Final Space will feel at home.”
- “I've had loads of fun playing it - it is actually a really funny game, the humor in much of the text encounters had me laughing out loud many times (especially the importance of the ship's cat).”
- “The game is actually quite difficult, but also very humorous, and can still manage to pull at your heartstrings.”
- “There's lots of flat, ham-fisted jokes about orgies and drugs which I guess were supposed to be funny, but they just come off as lame.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
15%
15%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive and dynamic qualities, with engaging writing and a stylish aesthetic that enhances exploration of planets and space stations. While some players find the atmosphere comparable to FTL, others note a lack of depth in gameplay and repetitive experiences across different locations. Overall, the soundtrack and visual design contribute significantly to the game's unique mood, making it enjoyable for many players despite some criticisms.
- “Very nice attention to mood and atmosphere of the game.”
- “It's atmospheric yet spacey, has elements of both of the mentioned games, and dang I just can't stop playing.”
- “What I want to point out first and foremost, the whole atmosphere and feel is incomparable to any other game I played in the past.”
- “Also no immersion or atmosphere.”
- “The whole atmosphere and feel is incomparable to any other game I played in the past.”
- “The planets you visit are almost exactly the same, with only minor changes in 'flavor text', but the outcomes are exactly the same.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to their crew in this FTL-like game, highlighting the heartbreak of losing key characters, such as the captain. The recent addition of skill leveling for crew members enhances this emotional investment, allowing players to engage more deeply with the story and their characters' development.
- “It's heartbreaking to lose your captain in FTL.”
- “The devs also recently added skill leveling to crew members, which helps the player to emotionally invest in the characters to help forward the story.”
- “Awesome FTL-like that made me feel attached deeply to my crew and always looking out for ways to upgrade my ship's slots and systems.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users describing the performance as subpar and likening it to a less efficient version of "Faster Than Light." Despite offering more features and resource management options, the overall performance issues detract significantly from the gameplay experience.
- “It's like Faster Than Light (FTL) but with more sectors and stuff to discover, more optimizations available from the start. You can fight up to 3 ships at once, and you'll have to manage more resources.”
- “Performance in this game is just a joke.”
- “Performance in general is not great.”
- “It's like Faster Than Light (FTL) but with more sectors and stuff to discover; however, the optimization is lacking.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with excessive advertisements cluttering their library, indicating a negative perception of the monetization strategy employed in the game.
- “Stop spamming my library with ads!”