Starbound

Starbound is a Terraria-like that shoots for the stars and lands squarely among them.

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"Starbound" is a Science Fiction Platformer game that offers both single-player and multiplayer/co-op modes. The game's "Bounty Hunter Update" introduces new procedurally-generated quests, where players hunt down criminal gangs and restore law and order in the universe. New features include Peacekeeper stations for bounty hunters, new monsters, furniture, armor, and tenants, with the ultimate goal of rising up through the Peacekeeper ranks.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 50,770 reviews

story2,314 positive mentions

grinding1,297 negative mentions

story
11,000 mentions
21 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story in Starbound is often described as simplistic and repetitive, primarily revolving around a series of fetch quests that require players to scan items from various alien races to progress. While some players appreciate the narrative as a means to guide exploration, many criticize it for being linear and uninspired, detracting from the game's sandbox nature. Despite its shortcomings, the game offers a rich universe to explore, and the modding community has created additional content that enhances or even replaces the base story, providing players with more engaging experiences.
- “The story is fairly simple but fun; the gameplay has a little bit of a learning curve, but nothing too serious for the most part, and the modding community has some pretty cool stuff.”
- “The story is interesting and fun to play through, but the combat and boss battles feel lacking in a way I can't describe (except the first one).”
- “The story is a bit short, granted, but I still like it even with the changes since so many years ago.”
- “The story is incredibly bland and predictable.”
- “The main story quests are the same thing over and over again: scan a bunch of junk, talk to an old lady in a hovering wheelchair, go to a dungeon, fight a boss, and repeat about 5 different times before something interesting actually happens.”
- “The story is a fetch quest and the crafting system feels like it was thrown in to thicken the game but it is a fun side scroller with a diverse set of npcs.”
gameplay
3,844 mentions
33 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Starbound has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its similarities to Terraria while also highlighting its unique features such as space exploration and crafting mechanics. While some enjoy the expansive universe and the variety of gameplay options, including building and resource management, others criticize the repetitive nature of quests and the lack of depth in combat mechanics. The modding community is frequently mentioned as a significant enhancement to the gameplay experience, providing additional content and improvements that can alleviate some of the base game's shortcomings. Overall, players appreciate the potential for creativity and exploration, but many feel that the core gameplay loop can become tedious over time.
- “The gameplay is simple yet effective.”
- “The gameplay loop is solid, and I love the retro pixel graphics.”
- “The gameplay is engaging, exciting, and also really zen sometimes.”
- “Starbound has no creativity and freedom in the gameplay: the same weapons (but with more damage), character movements (that do not become faster and complex with your game progress), planets generation, and even bosses are extremely repetitive and uncreative.”
- “The gameplay loop is just boring, and it feels incomplete and imbalanced with a somewhat poorly designed progression.”
- “The gameplay is bland and not worth playing once.”
music
2,985 mentions
58 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in Starbound is widely praised for its beautiful and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many players highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions, with tracks that range from serene and calming to intense and action-packed, perfectly matching the game's various environments and situations. Additionally, the inclusion of musical instruments allows players to create and play their own music, further enriching the game's immersive experience.
- “The music hits me deep in the soul; it can swap between serene ambient music and tense battle music, and it feels completely natural.”
- “The soundtrack is easily one of the best I've ever listened to; major props.”
- “The captivating soundtrack of Starbound serves as a celestial symphony, perfectly complementing the ethereal atmosphere of the game.”
- “The music in this game is ill-fitting, to put it lightly.”
- “The music is the most mushy peas classical music that puts you to sleep.”
- “The soundtrack is quite bland on average.”
graphics
1,998 mentions
48 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of Starbound have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its charming pixel art style and vibrant visuals that evoke nostalgia. While some comparisons to Terraria are common due to their similar aesthetics, players appreciate Starbound's unique environments and detailed animations, which enhance the overall experience. However, there are criticisms regarding performance issues and a lack of graphical options, which can detract from the enjoyment for some users.
- “The graphics are beautiful, the sound is lovely and appropriate, mechanics make sense (for the most part), and its graphics are a set of pixelated masterpieces.”
- “Starbound is a beautiful game with incredible music, fantastic graphics and a lot of fun to be had.”
- “The graphics are charming, the art style is wonderful and whimsical and the animations are simple but effective and incredibly immersive for a 2D game.”
- “Sure, the graphics don't look like much.”
- “The art style clearly speaks to a sort of primordial force of stupidity in its patronizing efforts to constantly look cutesy in an upbeat corporate dystopia sort of way.”
- “The graphics are old-school, but very well done.”
grinding
1,334 mentions
1 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Starbound" has received mixed reviews from players, with many noting that while the game offers a wealth of activities such as farming, crafting, and exploration, the repetitive nature of quests and resource gathering can become tedious. Players often find the early game slow and unfulfilling, with quests primarily consisting of fetch tasks that lack meaningful rewards, leading to a sense of monotony. However, some players appreciate the depth of gameplay and the variety of options available, suggesting that with the right approach or mods, the grind can be mitigated, allowing for a more enjoyable experience.
- “I completed the campaign with little to no grinding as the resources you need seem to be plentiful.”
- “The combat system just got better and it's not grindy like other games in this genre.”
- “Exploration is exciting, good loot is plentiful enough that the grind to get it is not tedious but still rare enough that it is an exciting moment when you find something really good.”
- “Quests are very repetitive, being 'deliver a to b', 'kill c', or 'rescue d', all of which are tedious to do and often give nothing worthwhile.”
- “The first 5 hours are so tedious, slow, and unrewarding; I should have known then to stop giving it the benefit of the doubt.”
- “The art is great, the music is great, Starbound should be fun, but progression feels tedious; every single quest is a meaningless fetch quest, everything just feels insubstantial.”
optimization
720 mentions
14 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
32 % negative mentions
The optimization of Starbound has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as frame drops, stuttering, and lag, even on high-end systems. The game is primarily CPU-bound, utilizing only a single core, which exacerbates these problems, particularly in busy environments or when using mods. While some community-created mods aim to improve performance, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized and in need of significant updates from the developers to address these persistent issues.
- “I love the game, the universe, all of that 9/10 just need some little optimization.”
- “Really nice game, I can definitively not recommend enough that you play with mods; you're missing out if you don't indulge in Starbound's modding community, it has rebuilt this game ten times older, better, more optimized, and more fun than before.”
- “The optimization is probably the easiest to explain - the whole game runs on the CPU, and only on one core, and in addition to that there's a memory leak you can regularly encounter in gameplay that makes things grind to a halt.”
- “Lastly, the game is extremely poorly optimized; it can only use a single CPU core and does not utilize the GPU for anything, which causes extreme lag when playing with automation and movement mods.”
- “The game is horrendously optimized, basically being held together by bubblegum, duct tape, and a dream.”
- “The main reason for the negative review is because the game is extremely poorly optimized, and I feel this will probably not change.”
replayability
589 mentions
34 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The replayability of Starbound is a contentious topic among players, with many noting that the base game offers limited replay value due to its linear storyline and repetitive quests. However, the game's extensive modding community significantly enhances replayability, providing fresh content and experiences that can keep players engaged for much longer. Overall, while the vanilla experience may feel lacking, the addition of mods can transform Starbound into a highly replayable game.
- “The modding community really blew it out of the water with overhauls like Frackin' Universe and Arcana, giving near limitless replayability.”
- “Endless replayability, fun boss fights, a never-ending procedurally generated universe, great pixel art, and fun interesting world building all culminate into this single, incredible game.”
- “With the amount of mods for this game, the replayability is almost endless.”
- “The game suffers from a major lack of replayability, but I will never forget those feelings of wonder and awe as I explored new planets and learned about an amazingly crafted universe.”
- “The beta was selling the game more than everything, now we have a forced linear story containing boring quests that ruin the replayability.”
- “Starbound has currently zero replayability - you'll unlock skills in the same order, craft stuff in the same order, visit the same planets, do the same quests, have the same adventure over and over.”
stability
515 mentions
4 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players have experienced issues such as game freezes, lost progress, and unresponsive multiplayer sessions, leading to frustration. While some acknowledge that the game can be enjoyable despite these problems, the overall consensus is that it remains a "buggy mess" that requires substantial improvements to reach its potential.
- “Runs great out of the box on Ubuntu Linux (specifically KDE Neon)!”
- “I haven't encountered any bugs so far and the game runs great.”
- “The game runs great on lower end hardware.”
- “This game is a buggy, unoptimized mess of spaghetti coding.”
- “The game is so buggy, we played for hours and lost all our data overnight.”
- “It is a buggy, unfinished mess that will ruin your life.”
humor
399 mentions
98 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky and offbeat nature, with players enjoying the clever item descriptions, funny NPC dialogues, and amusing interactions throughout the gameplay. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to generate hilarious moments, especially in multiplayer settings, and the modding community enhances the comedic experience with additional content. Overall, the humor is seen as a significant and enjoyable aspect, contributing to the game's charm and replayability.
- “I love the offbeat sense of humor with the item descriptions (and how the descriptions change based on which race you play as).”
- “The mysteries are fun to unravel and the funny quirky things are just funny and quirky enough to make you laugh, without trying so hard it feels forced.”
- “The characters are enjoyable and funny while the story has very good ups and downs.”
- “Man is not funny.”
- “And creatures are not funny, they are just predefined crap; I see the same creature planet by planet as I pass.”
- “Just like my real life, this is not funny and depressing. Look, I know this has absolutely nothing to do with the game, but I will point it out anyways: before I went to college, I was like Alex from Stardew Valley.”
atmosphere
378 mentions
60 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Starbound is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by a beautiful soundtrack and vibrant pixel art. Players appreciate the diverse planetary environments, each with unique atmospheric conditions that require adaptation, creating a sense of exploration and adventure. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest aspect, providing a relaxing yet engaging experience that draws players back for more.
- “The captivating soundtrack of Starbound serves as a celestial symphony, perfectly complementing the ethereal atmosphere of the game.”
- “With pixel art that packs a cosmic punch and an atmospheric soundtrack that'll make you feel like Captain Kirk on a good day, this game nails the sci-fi vibes to a T.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing and incredibly calming.”
- “The atmosphere this game emits is unlike anything I've ever played before (the way the soundtrack accompanies the gameplay is perfect).”
- “It's flawed in some regards with choices made by the devs but the music, atmosphere, difficulty and core game mechanics and exploration is just fun and engaging.”
- “The older, intricate and detailed lore has been redone and is all the more bland and generic (check the wiki's removed content to see yourself) and the atmosphere of towns has been removed.”
emotional
156 mentions
81 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of responses from players, with many praising its heartfelt storytelling, beautiful art, and moving soundtrack that can evoke strong feelings, including joy and sadness. However, some players criticize the game for its linear and often boring storyline, which detracts from the emotional engagement and replayability. Overall, while the game has the potential to create deep emotional connections, its execution leaves some players feeling disappointed.
- “It's beautiful and heartfelt, and I wish the whole world could play it.”
- “The story just is too cliché and sucks to be of any emotional value to the player.”
- “This game has made me cry tears of joy more times than I can remember.”
- “The game crushes all forms of replayability by making the player repeat the same dumb, overused, boring storyline every time they create a character instead of being original and allowing players to choose the role of their character.”
- “The game became this linear and boring story-driven game with exploration being neutered to the bone.”
- “If only the game didn't force a boring storyline on you, that'd be cool.”
monetization
39 mentions
8 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
69 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players labeling it a "cash grab" that capitalizes on popular titles like Terraria and No Man's Sky, often criticizing the developers for incomplete content and misleading advertising. However, some users appreciate the absence of microtransactions, highlighting the game's affordability and the availability of mods that enhance gameplay without additional costs. Overall, while there are positive sentiments about the game's mechanics and potential, concerns about its monetization strategy and development practices persist.
- “In addition to not having microtransactions of any sort, this game is cheap.”
- “This is one of my favorite games of all time; it has everything you want in it: crafting, building, endless exploration, multiplayer, and the best thing is, no microtransactions! There are also great mods that completely change the game, so you can replay it differently.”
- “I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes space exploration, sandbox games, survival elements, and no microtransactions or pay-for-DLC.”
- “This game is just a cash grab with the early access stamp as an excuse for an unfinished game that you can pay to 'help develop' even though they don't do anything themselves.”
- “They cut a large portion of content from the game because it wouldn't feel polished upon the 1.0 release, which really just feels like another attempt at a cash grab because the game isn't done -- what other reason is there to pull a game out of early access and call it complete when it hasn't come anywhere close to reaching Chucklefish's original goals?”
- “Most of those negative reviews were from angry fans who believed that Starbound had just been a cash grab and was being abandoned.”
character development
38 mentions
34 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the vibrant character designs and customization options but criticizing the lack of meaningful character progression and narrative depth. While some enjoy the fun and unique character aesthetics, others feel that the absence of substantial character development and engaging storylines detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players express a desire for more depth in character relationships and development to enhance the gameplay.
- “It had survival mechanics, biomes, deep character development, and a slowly growing backstory.”
- “Great concept, fun character designs, some neat lore, and a strong early game.”
- “What actually got me going was the existence of my favorite element in a good RPG: character development.”
- “Character development and upgrading is non-existent.”
- “There is almost no character development.”
- “Character development is nonexistent, and it's impossible to warm to any of the protagonists given their propensity for murder.”