Space Reign
- June 12, 2023
- Propulsive Games
- 23h median play time
Get on Steam"Space Reign" is a combat-focused space simulation game where players represent a space corporation vying for control over valuable deep space resources. Begin with a single ship, complete contracts to earn credits, and expand your influence by claiming sectors and acquiring new, customizable ships. Utilize both first-person control and RTS-like tactical views to manage your fleet and adapt to a dynamic environment.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game successfully combines 3D real-time space RTS and first & third-person direct control, providing a fun and engaging experience.
- The progression system is satisfying, with players feeling a sense of achievement when unlocking new ships, turrets, and upgrades.
- The combat mechanics are enjoyable, with a good mix of tactical strategy and direct control over ships, making battles feel dynamic and exciting.
- The game is still in early access and lacks significant content, with repetitive missions and limited ship variety.
- Flight controls can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, making combat challenging and frustrating, especially for new players.
- There are several quality of life issues, such as the lack of keybinding options and some bugs that affect gameplay, which need to be addressed as development continues.
- story60 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, primarily revolving around generic mission types such as destroy, protect, and escort, with little narrative depth or engaging plot elements. Players progress by completing repetitive missions to earn credits and experience, which can feel grindy and tedious over time. While the game offers a basic setting and some AI interactions, it lacks substantial story missions that could enhance the overall experience.
“It feels quite a bit like House of the Dying Sun, which is also one of my favorite games, but with more of an Elite: Dangerous, open world mission contracts kind of loop for each sector, rather than a singular tactical mission.”
“You get to travel from sector to sector attempting to essentially take over as the controlling corporation in the sector. You do this by starting in the low sectors, grabbing a ship or maybe two smaller ones, and doing missions for the corporation already in the sector.”
“Content-wise, I expect the developers to add more sectors and contracts very soon, but the current state offers nice replayability already with various contracts, capture mechanics, and raid missions.”
“The biggest issue is probably the lack of deeper gameplay - there's a few mission types available, all variations of protect good guys and/or kill bad guys, and as you progress, they just get harder with more enemies thrown at you.”
“There's a setting, some AI stuff, but nothing like story missions to get you into the mood, just generic destroy, protect, or escort missions.”
“Last patch I could spend hours in a single system doing missions and jumping between battles, this patch it's always one mission at a time and there's not much to do after completing it other than loading out and doing another one.”
- gameplay44 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the core mechanics of piloting and space combat, which are described as tight and satisfying. However, many users note that the game is still in early access, leading to issues such as repetitive mission types, a lack of depth in gameplay, and unfinished mechanics. Despite these concerns, there is optimism about future updates and improvements, with players expressing excitement for the potential of the game as it evolves.
“Still in development, I'm happy with the gameplay loop and really want to see where they go with it.”
“The core gameplay - piloting, space combat - is tight, and feels good.”
“Space Reign currently has a solid basis and I look forward to where it's going to head in the future; can't wait for the implementation of new weapons, ships, and game mechanics.”
“There are a lot of gameplay issues.”
“The biggest issue is probably the lack of deeper gameplay - there's a few mission types available, all variations of protect good guys and/or kill bad guys, and as you progress, they just get harder with more enemies thrown at you.”
“I expect at least some gameplay worth playing if you put a game on early access, but that was just low effort in my opinion.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the aesthetic as reminiscent of popular sci-fi series like "The Expanse" and "Battlestar Galactica," and noting that the visuals are generally appealing and well-optimized. However, some players criticize the simplistic nature of the graphics and the limited customization options, while others find the ship designs and certain visual elements less favorable. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing positively to the gameplay experience despite some technical limitations.
“The aesthetic is phenomenal.”
“The graphics are very, very good!”
“Amazing graphics and combat system will make this game feel better than other space commanders.”
“The biggest complaint I have and see in other reviews is that the game is unplayable for some people, and would have been for me had I not had the inexplicable persistence to find the graphic settings that allowed me to proceed into each sector.”
“Very minimal graphics settings.”
“The visuals are very mid.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed bag; while some describe the missions as tedious and repetitive, others appreciate the fast progression that avoids excessive grinding. The ability to switch missions and fleets helps alleviate some of the monotony, but there are frustrations regarding penalties for grinding. Overall, the game strikes a balance between simplicity and engagement, making it more enjoyable than other titles known for their grind-heavy mechanics.
“Progression is fast; no grinding for days on end to get more ships or weapons.”
“The game strikes a perfect balance between challenge and reward, making grinding feel rewarding rather than tedious.”
“I love how the grinding mechanics are designed to keep me engaged without feeling like a chore.”
“It is very grindy with the missions; that is the only downside.”
“Firstly, you're punished for grinding, which is a slap in the face to all players.”
“The gameplay loop is fairly simple and can feel a bit tedious and samey at times.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its excellence, enhancing the combat experience and creating a captivating atmosphere that complements the visuals. Reviewers liken the quality to classical composers like Beethoven and Bach, noting that the soundtrack effectively supports the game's themes and overall aesthetic.
“The music is surprisingly excellent, and the combat is very satisfying.”
“I really like the theme of the game with good music and pleasing visuals.”
“It's like Beethoven or Bach was playing their music in space.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety.”
“The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere at all.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its engaging flight combat, distinctive ship designs, and supportive music that enhances the overall experience. However, some players note limitations such as the inability to turn their head in the cockpit and issues with readability of certain text elements.
“Music in this game is also good and supports the fighting atmosphere.”
“Good foundation of a game; I really like the concept, and the flight combat and atmosphere just feels good.”
“The ship designs themselves have an atmosphere about them, distinctive yet different.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the replayability of the game to be promising, with various contracts, capture mechanics, and raid missions contributing to an engaging experience. However, some users express a desire for deeper strategic elements and additional content to enhance replayability further. The current state is seen as enjoyable, but there is potential for improvement with future updates.
“Content-wise, I expect the developers to add more sectors and contracts very soon, but the current state offers nice replayability already with various contracts, capture mechanics, and raid missions.”
“Space Reign offers very interesting mechanics combined with good replayability.”
“Between now and release, I hope for some more depth and variety in the strategic layer; the sector capture isn't as deep as X3's intersector economy, and I think replayability is limited.”
“The game lacks enough content to keep me coming back; once you've seen everything, there's little incentive to replay.”
“While the initial experience is enjoyable, the lack of diverse scenarios makes replayability feel shallow.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is currently a significant concern, with users reporting frequent bugs, issues with settings not saving, and ships getting stuck on obstacles. Additionally, players experience frame rate drops during sector loading, indicating that the game is not yet polished, even in early access.
“Settings don't even save; it's extremely buggy at the moment, even for early access.”
“Cons: a little buggy; ships sometimes get stuck ramming into obstacles, and there are some frame rate issues right when loading into a sector.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky blend of aesthetics reminiscent of "Homeworld" and gameplay similar to "Battlezone 98," infused with a comedic flair akin to "The Expanse" and "Battlestar Galactica." Players find the combat amusing, particularly the satisfaction derived from destroying enemies with rockets, which adds to the overall enjoyment.
“Combat is very funny, and destroying enemies with rockets is really satisfying.”
“So odd, a combination of Homeworld in terms of aesthetics, Battlezone 98 in terms of gameplay, and, funny enough, with a fine flair of The Expanse and Battlestar Galactica. The scenery plus the visuals?”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game has seen significant improvements in optimization, with recent fixes reducing RAM usage and eliminating related crashes. Currently, it performs well and features graphics that are reminiscent of classic titles like Homeworld and the more recent Nebulous.
“Performance-wise, the game asked a lot initially, but a couple of fixes managed to decrease the RAM usage considerably and also eliminated crashes related to RAM.”
“It seems well optimized at the moment, and the graphics tick all the boxes, reminiscent of Homeworld and the more recent Nebulous.”
“Performance-wise, the game initially demanded a lot, but a couple of fixes significantly reduced RAM usage and eliminated crashes related to RAM.”
“The optimization is lacking; the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate even on high-end systems.”
“Despite some improvements, the game still suffers from long loading times and frequent stuttering during gameplay.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with many users feeling that the game is being sold at a price point that does not reflect its incomplete state, likening it to a demo or prototype rather than a fully developed product.
“At the price point, it feels like another cash grab that is abusing Steam's early access system while releasing something that is pretty much a demo or even a prototype of an actual game.”
