Star Merchant

About

"Star Merchant" is a galactic trading simulation where you become a space entrepreneur, buying and selling items, upgrading your ship, and striving to meet self-appointed goals without going broke. The game features a slick high-res UI, randomly generated items and universe, and the option to choose from 4 starting ships with different advantages. Note: The game requires 100% fonts in Windows 8 and up or 96 DPI system fonts in Windows 7, and uses 1024x768 resolution in Fullscreen mode.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 81 reviews

humor3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game is simple and easy to play, making it accessible for casual gamers.
It offers a nostalgic feel reminiscent of old space trading games, providing a relaxing experience.
The low price point makes it a worthwhile purchase for those looking for a light gaming experience.

The game suffers from a lack of depth and complexity, leading to repetitive gameplay.
There are significant technical issues, including a fixed low resolution and no options for graphic settings.
The user interface is crude and there is no tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand the mechanics.

graphics
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
81%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely criticized for being outdated and lacking customization options, limited to a low resolution of 1024x768, which makes it unplayable on modern widescreen displays. Many reviewers describe the visuals as mediocre or terrible, comparing them unfavorably to games from the 80s and 90s, with some stating that even simple flash games have better graphics. While a few comments note that the graphics are simple yet effective, the overall consensus is that the visual presentation is subpar and detracts from the gaming experience.
- “Somewhat weird space trading simulator – it has mechanics of a game from the 80s, with graphics from the turn of the millennium.”
- “Decent graphics, interesting story play, and a simple though tricky journey in developing your economy.”
- “The graphics and music/fx fit the theme very well and work with the respective menus and buttons.”
- “Warning: due to development with an old codification, this product has no graphic configuration options and only runs in 1024x768 resolution for a 4:3 screen aspect ratio, making it unplayable in others like 16:9.”
- “There's no way for gamers to try to improve the low-quality graphics.”
- “It has the single worst graphics I've seen - and I've played a couple of games from 1999.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay of this space merchant game has been criticized for its outdated mechanics and simplistic design, resembling a browser game with minimal interaction and a confusing user interface. Players noted a lack of engaging elements, with gameplay primarily focused on basic trading without the depth of exploration or combat found in similar titles. While some found nostalgic value in its mechanics, overall impressions highlight a lack of innovation and enjoyment.
- “I enjoyed building up my character and felt right at home enjoying the gameplay.”
- “I had a warm deja vu feeling in the gameplay, and there are certainly similar elements to games I used to play and enjoy like Taipan, and even some elements of Santa Paravia and Fiumaccio.”
- “Somewhat weird space trading simulator – it has mechanics of a game from the 80s, with graphics from the turn of the millennium.”
- “This is a 'new' space merchant game with old mechanics and lazy implementation.”
- “This time they've got their hands on a simplistic, poorly done 'space trading' business simulator, basically like Elite Dangerous except you cut out all the spaceship combat, spaceflight, exploration, action, gameplay, etc., and just have the raw number crunching as you buy low and sell high.”
- “A lot of pointing and clicking, no real explanation of game mechanics left me feeling confused about how the game works.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The game's story is criticized for its lack of a coherent plot and meaningful level design, relying instead on repetitive procedural generation. While some players appreciate the moral themes of perseverance and economic development, many feel that a more structured narrative about the game's universe would enhance the experience. Overall, the storytelling aspect is seen as underdeveloped and in need of improvement.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “Decent graphics, interesting story play, and a simple though tricky journey in developing your economy.”
- “The game features no proper level design or game/story flow/plot, as they opted to try to use samey repetitive procedural generation algorithms as a substitute for adding such content to the game, to avoid doing the important job of level/map design.”
- “There's no plot to them or anything - you get money if you find them, or nothing if you don't.”
- “A storyline with a narrative about the planets and what they produce and consume would be nice.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in "Star Merchant" is generally well-received, with players appreciating its ability to enhance the gaming experience without being overwhelming. The battle music stands out as a favorite feature, while the overall sound design complements the game's theme effectively. However, some users noted a lack of music during the planet selection screen, which slightly disrupts the game's flow.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “While Star Merchant isn't the sort of game that depends on sound, I have to admit, the times I've played it, the game music and sounds were good enough that I forgot to mute the game and play my own music in the background.”
- “The battle music would have to be my most favorite feature of Star Merchant.”
- “Music and sound effects are minimal.”
- “The lack of music for the planet selection screen felt like it interrupted the game's flow a little, depending on how long it took to select the next destination.”
- “The lack of music for the planet selection screen did feel like it interrupted the game's flow just a little, depending on how long it took to select the next destination.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort to farm cards and resources. While some acknowledge its utility for farming, the overwhelming sentiment is that it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Tedious, tedious, tedious, tedious.”
- “Did I forget to mention it's tedious?”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of Star Merchant has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with reviewers labeling it as shovelware created by developers who rely on pre-made game templates and asset flips. Many users feel that the game lacks originality and is primarily designed to exploit players financially rather than provide a quality gaming experience.
- “Star Merchant is yet another ripoff/cash grab from serial shovelware pushers, Trinity Project.”
- “These guys do nothing but copy premade game templates and game tutorials, fill out a few things, stamp out basic levels using the construction kit templates, slap on an asset-flipped set of sprites/assets, and dump them on Steam and into cheap nasty shovelware game bundles as cash grabs.”
- “Trying to get paid for someone else's game templates and assets... at best, this is shovelware; at worst, it's a scam/cash grab.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by its absurdity and randomness, particularly in the stock market mechanics where share prices fluctuate wildly. Additionally, the comically named special items found on planets add a layer of playful satire, drawing inspiration from sci-fi tropes. Overall, players find the humor to be a standout feature that enhances the experience.
- “The game is 2D but has very good management and is very funny.”
- “"Shares" in the market are hilariously random, jumping from 1 credit/share to 100 credits/share in a matter of turns (one planetary visit = one turn).”
- “In addition, every 10 planets or so, you can go to a planet and pick 1 of 3 spots to "look for a special item." These have hilariously terrible names taken straight out of sci-fi garbage.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Overall, user experiences with stability vary; while some report encountering glitches, others have enjoyed smooth gameplay without any issues. One player noted a seamless 80-minute session with no bugs, highlighting that stability can differ from person to person.
- “I played the first game in 80 minutes, and there were no bugs or glitches. I ruled the galaxy!”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is; it allows me to focus on strategy without worrying about technical issues.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely viewed negatively, with users expressing strong dissatisfaction and advising others to avoid it altogether.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the game's mechanics and the element of randomness, which contribute to its overall replayability, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.
- “I found the mechanics of the game to be fun, and the randomness adds to its replayability.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh and exciting, making it hard to put down.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is praised for its relaxing quality, providing a refreshing contrast to the intensity of larger 4X and other complex games.
- “I found the relaxing atmosphere a nice break from some of the huge 4X and other types of games I play.”