Space Prison
- July 18, 2024
- Wooden Alien
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Space Prison" is a survival RPG set in a space-based penal colony, where players must navigate the prison's social hierarchy, engage in tactical combat, and make use of various items and space rats to aid in their escape. Players can choose from three races and criminal skills, join one of two gangs, and build relationships with unique inmates. Death is not the end, as players will be reborn and given another chance to escape.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and engaging setting, combining elements of survival, crafting, and turn-based combat in a space prison environment.
- Players appreciate the humor and charm of the character-driven storylines, with interesting quests and a variety of inmate personalities.
- The crafting system is intuitive and allows for creative gameplay, while the art style and atmosphere are visually appealing and immersive.
- Combat can feel repetitive and simplistic, lacking depth and strategic options, which may lead to boredom over time.
- The inventory management system is cumbersome, with limited space and tedious item organization that detracts from the overall experience.
- There are several bugs and quality of life issues, including UI problems and a lack of developer engagement on platforms like Steam, which can frustrate players.
- story48 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is centered around the player's experience in a prison setting, where they can join different gangs, each offering unique quests and character arcs that enhance replayability. While the main narrative of escaping the prison is straightforward, the character-specific quests are well-written and infused with humor, providing depth and charm to the overall experience. Players appreciate the engaging quest lines and the dynamic nature of the story, which is complemented by a visually appealing art style and a simple yet effective dialogue system.
“I got myself immersed in my inmate and his story, his shift from his original form to the one he lasted in to the end, and the bonds he made as he helped out his fellow gang members.”
“Each inmate has a unique, often hilarious personal quest line, showcasing the game’s dark humor brilliantly.”
“It was pretty easy to avoid dying, but then I got a quest where I was forced to die and be reborn, and suddenly I wasn't playing the character I had made at the beginning of the game anymore, through no fault of my own, which was pretty disappointing.”
“The story here is more a context for the game to happen, but the semi-side-main quests used to progress the events are well written and engaging.”
“I would love this game, this world, this art, this everything, but expect it to be expanded upon to be more of a game and a story than just an outrageous amount of entropy mechanics.”
- gameplay29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, praised for its engaging mechanics, unique atmosphere, and enjoyable art style, though some players find it repetitive and simplistic, particularly in combat. While the game offers a fun loop of resource management and quest progression, issues like UI problems, exploitable mechanics, and a lack of strategic depth in early gameplay detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many players recommend trying the demo to see if the gameplay resonates with them.
“Personally, everything about this game appeals to me: the setting, the gameplay, the art style, the writing/humor...”
“The scramble for resources to upgrade various things creates a fun gameplay loop.”
“Beautiful game, very well done atmosphere, easy mechanics to understand which makes the gameplay very enjoyable.”
“It's just that, in net, my experience playing the game, trying to navigate some UI issues, and the general gameplay itself tilts this game towards the 50-75% mark range of quality.”
“The area for each turn-based fight is just too small; it's often the same every time you get into a fight, and it is too frequently littered with environmental hazards. The fights don't feel very tactical, and the overall gameplay is repetitive - very repetitive.”
“A big issue is that the game mechanics are pretty rudimentary and are not balanced well.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful and unique art style, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive character design and vibrant color palette. While the visuals are often described as eye-catching and well-executed, some players feel that the combat mechanics do not match the high quality of the artwork, leading to a disconnect between the game's aesthetics and gameplay experience. Overall, the art style is a standout feature that enhances the game's appeal, despite some criticisms regarding combat.
“The aesthetics are impressive, and the color palette is easy on the eyes.”
“Very glad I purchased it :) The art style for one is gorgeous, and I believe it's all hand-drawn as well.”
“If you like resource management survival games with tactical combat and a fantastic comic book art style, I highly recommend you give this one a look.”
“The positive review is to encourage the devs but the game has serious issues of quality; the art style and attention to detail are too well done, so the very low effort combat seems like a big contrast.”
“Boring aesthetic (stabbing people with shanks and using literal rats as party members, lame), boring constant inventory management.”
“I love the graphics; my only complaint is that I wish you could see the weapon that's equipped instead of using the same combat animation.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its clever and dark humor, particularly through the unique quest lines of its inmates, which often end in amusing and unexpected ways. Players appreciate the humorous writing, collectible posters with funny edits, and light-hearted references that enhance the overall experience without undermining the serious setting. Overall, the blend of survival elements with comedic elements creates a delightful and engaging atmosphere.
“The collectible in-game posters were hilarious; love the art style.”
“Each inmate has a unique, often hilarious personal quest line, showcasing the game’s dark humor brilliantly 😊”
“What this game does excellently is introducing the inmates in the gang of your choosing and the funny ways their quest lines end, either with a change somewhere in the prison or on the inmate himself.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While some appreciate the crafting system and find resource management manageable, others feel that the repetitive nature of resource gathering and combat becomes tedious and boring over time. Overall, the game offers a balance between enjoyable mechanics and the potential for grind, but it may not sustain interest for all players.
“The resource management is not grindy, and it's easy to get the items and parameters you want.”
“Honestly, it's just really tedious being inventory restricted in a game that wants you to collect 1-2 at a time of a few different things on each map and somehow also have room for the things you're crafting.”
“Cons: very short game, too much emphasis on rat training, tedious running around for resources, only 6 areas to explore and the rest is procedural content, your own area is the cellblock but you can't enter other cells, very repetitive combat after reaching max base upgrades.”
“In my opinion, it gets super grindy really fast and, unfortunately, boring. I'm 9 hours in and I'm not sure I'm going to be able to force myself to finish it.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability through the option to join different prison gangs, each providing unique side quests and crafting trees, as well as a 'broken collar' mode for additional challenges. However, some players note that after completing the game, the lack of new content and the deletion of save files diminish long-term replay value. Overall, while multiple playthroughs are encouraged to experience all content, the absence of post-completion modes limits replayability.
“You can join two different prison gangs, so there is some replay value, since every gang member offers different side quests and gangs have, at least I assume, different crafting trees.”
“There's a decent replayability factor with the randomization each playthrough, and you'll need at least 4 playthroughs to see everything.”
“Note: the game is worth the money but there is no replay value here; after finishing the game, you don't get anything new and your save file is deleted, so don't escape if you want to play more.”
“There is replayability at least two times due to the different faction quests, but I think it would be really neat if there was a game mode unlocked after completing both storylines.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, described as a captivating blend of settings reminiscent of titles like Citizen Sleeper and Griftlands, creating a unique and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals and engaging ambiance as key elements that enhance the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
“Up front: Space Prison is a decent turn-based offering with an interesting setting and great atmospherics.”
“Hands down, the setting and atmospherics are what makes this title.”
“The atmosphere feels as if Citizen Sleeper, Griftlands, and Gothic (2001) had a lovechild in space.”
“Beautiful game, very well done atmosphere, easy mechanics to understand which makes the gameplay very enjoyable.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the art style, including ambient design, character aesthetics, and animation, is visually appealing, the reviews do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game.
- music1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The combat soundtrack is noted for its enjoyable beat, though it lacks innovation or uniqueness.
“The music perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.”
“Each track is well-composed and adds a unique flavor to the gameplay.”
“The combat soundtrack isn't revolutionary, but it has a nice beat to it.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it easy to tune out.”
“The background music is forgettable and doesn't enhance the gaming experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that the game runs smoothly on devices like the Legion 5, with no glitches or bugs encountered so far, indicating a high level of stability.
