Slipways

About

Slipways is a single player economy turn-based strategy game with economy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Jakub Wasilewski and was released on June 3, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Slipways is a single-player Science Fiction Turn Based Strategy game with a good plot, great gameplay, phenomenal graphics, and a spectacular soundtrack. Experience the space grand strategy genre without micromanagement or a steep learning curve, where you can finish a run quickly yet still have a deep and relaxing experience. Colonize planets, carefully manage industries, and make long-term plans to make trade profitable, all without military distractions, for a beautifully replayable game."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,802 reviews

gameplay110 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

Engaging and challenging gameplay that combines puzzle-solving with resource management.
High replayability due to randomized maps, technologies, and council perks, making each run feel unique.
Relaxing atmosphere with beautiful graphics and a soothing soundtrack, perfect for short gaming sessions.

Heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating runs where the starting conditions are unplayable.
The tutorial is insufficient, providing minimal guidance on gameplay mechanics and strategies.
Some players may find the game repetitive after several runs, as the core mechanics can feel similar.

gameplay
344 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
66%
2%
The gameplay of Slipways is characterized by its simple yet deep mechanics, allowing players to quickly grasp the core concepts while offering substantial strategic depth through resource management and trade route optimization. The game features a variety of modes, including a campaign with unique challenges, but some players note that the procedural generation can lead to frustrating scenarios. Overall, the gameplay loop is engaging and addictive, providing a satisfying blend of puzzle-solving and strategy within a relatively short playtime.
- “The mechanics feel very well balanced.”
- “The core gameplay loop is creating self-sustaining supply and demand networks, then expanding them.”
- “Slipways is simple, you'll likely have a grasp on all the main mechanics in the first ten minutes, but there is a surprising amount of depth to unearth and the longer you play the more you realize that planning multiple moves ahead is key to survival.”
- “Gameplay is ultimately shallow and frustrating.”
- “The game has a lot of snowball mechanics, which make getting a bad system early on with your limited time even worse of an experience: money (your actions cost money. you need money to earn money), science (invest early or your late game amounts to nothing) and score multiplier goes down (four planets unsupplied throughout a run is enough for the multiplier to go to zero. sometimes a planet is impossible to supply without late game technology).”
- “A lot of potential and of very good ideas, but the absolute randomness of maps can make one game too easy and the next mercilessly brutal (regardless of actual difficulty chosen) without any control, and the core gameplay loop soon becomes very, very repetitive.”
replayability
148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
48%
2%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its procedural generation of maps, randomized tech trees, and diverse factions, ensuring that no two playthroughs are alike. Players appreciate the variety of game modes and mechanics that keep the experience fresh and engaging, making it easy to return for multiple sessions. Overall, the combination of simple mechanics and deep strategic elements contributes to a highly replayable and addictive gameplay experience.
- “Slipways is a sci-fi themed puzzle game about logistics that incorporates rogue-lite elements to achieve impressive replayability despite the apparent simplicity of its mechanics.”
- “The wide variety of techs offers plenty of replayability - it takes several runs just to see them all, let alone master them - and then the campaign comes along and presents a unique set of challenges on top of all that.”
- “There's enough variety and randomness that no two games play the same, which adds a lot of replay value.”
- “The biggest drawback is that it's score-based, meaning most of the replay value is arcade-like, which I've never found very compelling.”
- “However, I cannot find a lot of replayability for myself after the first 6 hours or so.”
- “While the rules are very simple, the game's crazy technologies are randomized for each run, and because it is not even possible to unlock all technologies in a single run, there is a ton of replay value and so many different strategies.”
story
135 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
5%
The game's story is integrated into the campaign mode, which features a series of missions with unique challenges and a light narrative about a fallen civilization. While many players appreciate the intriguing twists and replayability offered by the campaign, some criticize its reliance on RNG and the abruptness of the plot, noting that the story elements are not deeply developed. Overall, the campaign provides a fun and engaging experience, though it may feel limited due to the small number of available missions at launch.
- “The campaign has a lot of twists that make every mission feel unique with their own set of wildly different challenges.”
- “There is a campaign that introduces interesting gameplay variables as well as an intriguing story about a fallen civilization.”
- “The campaign mode is a series of missions that each put some twist on the foundation of the quick-play game.”
- “There's no story, no lore, no real sense of purpose or progress, more like playing minesweeper.”
- “The campaign mode is (as of this writing) limited to three missions and totally unfinished.”
- “Unfortunately only 4 missions are available at the time of release and that's my only disappointment.”
music
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
40%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to adapt and grow with the player's progress, creating a soothing atmosphere that complements the strategic and puzzle elements of the game. While some note that the music can become repetitive over extended play sessions, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The music sounds great and adds a lot to the immersion.”
- “The soundtrack and presentation are, in a more compact package, up there with something like Stellaris.”
- “The sound design and soundtrack are also beautifully composed with an upbeat tone and lend themselves to a very immersive experience.”
- “Games like these unfortunately require you to make use of your +33 hours playlist, because of the many hours of gameplay it's very likely the soundtrack will get old fast.”
- “Only complaint is sometimes the music loops in on itself and starts to sound really discordant.”
- “The music is soothing but forgettable, and there are alien noises, but no voices: just you and an expanding space, filled with planets to wrangle and connect.”
graphics
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
36%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and depth, with many reviewers noting a significant improvement over previous pixel-art versions. The visuals are described as aesthetically pleasing, well-designed, and perfectly suited to the game's theme, contributing to an engaging and relaxing gameplay experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the game's appeal and enjoyment.
- “The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is intuitive, the little robot tutorial man is cute, and there's a whole plethora of game customization options.”
- “Not only are the graphics and artwork very well done, the UI is crisp and responsive as well.”
- “The visuals are great, the soundtrack is wonderful, and ultimately the game is easily worth the price of admission.”
- “Much like Battle Brothers, you should not be fooled by the phone game graphics.”
- “Visuals are pretty but nothing is getting in the way.”
- “I expected a 4x game given the visuals, though the description and other reviews indicated otherwise.”
optimization
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
44%
8%
The game's optimization is generally well-received, with players noting smooth performance and excellent UI responsiveness, though some report occasional frame stutters. It is primarily characterized as a complex optimization puzzle rather than a traditional strategy game, offering engaging challenges and a satisfying depth of mechanics. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy intricate resource management and optimization gameplay, despite not being designed for a systematic learning curve.
- “Relaxing and fun resource optimization game with a lot of depth.”
- “Fantastic if you want a puzzle game that's simple on the surface with lots of potential for optimization.”
- “Slipways is a logistics puzzle game with a very satisfying scope and pace of game: a phase where you're trying to get enough pieces together to make a working economy, a phase where you're trying to expand your economy, and a phase where you're trying to squeeze as much performance out of your current resources as you possibly can while it starts to crumple under its own administrative weight.”
- “Optimization only starts once you've explored your surroundings, but the decisions you have to make in order to explore also involve cutting off large amounts of options and strategies.”
- “This game is certainly not optimized towards a systematic learning curve experience; instead, you find yourself standing before a mountain overgrown with a confusing jungle.”
- “Not enough linking and optimization for flow, so just not enjoyable.”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
94%
Reviews of "grinding" in Slipways highlight a mixed experience; while the game aims to eliminate the tedious micromanagement typical of 4x games, some players find it introduces new forms of frustration, such as repetitive gameplay and the need to restart frequently due to strategic missteps. The absence of traditional fleet battles and production queues is appreciated, yet the game can still feel grindy, particularly when players must navigate through numerous tedious tasks to optimize their strategies. Overall, it offers a streamlined experience for those seeking less complexity, but may still lead to moments of tedium.
- “There are no small units to move around, and no tedious production queues to manage.”
- “The grinding aspect feels rewarding, as each effort contributes significantly to my progress.”
- “I appreciate how the grinding mechanics are balanced, making it enjoyable rather than a chore.”
- “This doesn't make the game difficult, just tediously boring.”
- “There's no time to waste in tedious micromanagement or waiting for ships to materialize.”
- “Sure, I can back up moves to a limited extent or play the whole map starting from scratch, but exploring the whole map and then going back to the start to pick the right combinations of perks and tech (if they were even available) is tedious busywork instead of a light, 60-minute strategy game.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
13%
The atmosphere of Slipways is characterized by its relaxing and immersive qualities, enhanced by soothing music and polished visuals. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke the feel of larger space 4X titles without the associated stress, allowing for a calming yet engaging experience. The clever design and attention to detail contribute to a captivating environment that supports strategic gameplay while promoting relaxation.
- “All of this while winding down and forgetting the hours you play in a soothing space exploration atmosphere with wonderful music and super polished visuals.”
- “The presentation with the art and UI makes the game easy to understand what is going on, and there are tons of cool small details that add to the atmosphere.”
- “It gives you all the vibes and atmosphere of bigger space 4X games without any real learning curve to reckon with, which is great for people like me who get anxiety sweats from 4X games and aren't always in the mood for a marathon session, but still want the immersion.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever use of text and images, which elicits genuine laughter, particularly in response to misunderstandings about game mechanics, such as the clearly indicated undo feature. Players appreciate the game's ability to poke fun at their own mistakes, creating a lighthearted atmosphere throughout the experience.
- “Funny puzzle game.”
- “I found that funny.”
- “And it's never a mystery of why something failed or didn't work; it's all right there in front of you, laughing at your face.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game is praised for its exceptional stability, functioning flawlessly right from the start with no bugs or glitches reported. Users have experienced smooth mechanics and consistent performance, highlighting the developers' commendable effort in delivering a polished product amidst a landscape of often incomplete games.
- “Works 'straight out of the box' with no messing around and appears to be completely bug-free!”
- “All handles smoothly, sharply, and bug-free.”
- “Good mechanics, and I've had no glitches or performance loss in 3 hours.”
- “The developers deserve a heads-up here, especially in times of incomplete and buggy games.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and disconnections, which ruined my gaming experience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers criticize the monetization strategy for lacking depth, as it primarily revolves around basic supply and demand management, which they feel misrepresents the game as a grand-strategy experience.
- “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to progress at a reasonable pace.”
- “It's frustrating to see that the game is designed around constant microtransactions, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra.”
- “The in-game purchases are overpriced and often feel necessary to compete, which ruins the overall experience.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a positive and wholesome portrayal of commerce, evoking feelings of warmth and optimism in players.