StarBreak

About

StarBreak is a multiplayer role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Crunchy Games and was released on May 10, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"StarBreak" is a science fiction platformer MMO that features cooperative gameplay for up to 2 players. Explore strange worlds, battle deadly aliens, and join forces with other players to defeat epic bosses in this skill-based action game. With massively multiplayer environments, StarBreak offers a unique and exhilarating experience for fans of sci-fi and action games alike.

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77%

Audience ScoreBased on 888 reviews

gameplay39 positive mentions

grinding24 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a challenging permadeath mechanic that keeps players coming back for more.
Unique art style and great soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
Fun to play with friends or strangers, fostering a sense of community and teamwork.

Game can be frustrating due to the permadeath system, leading to loss of all progress and gear upon dying.
Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, especially when using a keyboard instead of a controller.
Limited storage space for items and characters, requiring real money for additional slots, which can feel restrictive.

gameplay
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The gameplay in Starbreak is characterized by refined mechanics and a high skill ceiling, blending elements of metroidvania and roguelike genres, particularly through its permadeath feature. Players appreciate the engaging combat, unique class mechanics, and challenging boss fights, though some express frustration with bugs, steep learning curves, and the potential for repetitive gameplay as they master the mechanics. Overall, while the game offers a fun and addictive experience, it may not appeal to everyone due to its difficulty and permadeath mechanics.
- “The gameplay is great, with each class having a satisfying mastery curve that makes you feel like you're improving as you play more, with many small tricks that are very satisfying to execute.”
- “It's a great game mechanic and wish it was used more often.”
- “The gameplay is fun when you're on a roll, when you're blasting through enemy after enemy, finding really good gear to use, and just nailing those difficult jumps and attacks when it really matters.”
- “As you advance through the levels and master the mechanics, the game that once was very demanding mechanically becomes incredibly boring.”
- “With a perma-death mechanic on top of that, Starbreak can get very frustrating, especially for brand new players.”
- “The tutorial explains nearly nothing about the game and a few game mechanics are iffy to me.”
story
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
88%
6%
The game's story is largely considered minimal and underdeveloped, with players noting that it lacks a significant narrative and relies heavily on repetitive missions. While there is a basic introduction to the storyline, the gameplay primarily focuses on fast-paced action and multiplayer missions, leaving many players feeling that the absence of a compelling story detracts from the overall experience. Future updates are hoped to enhance the narrative elements, but currently, the game is seen as more of a grind than a story-driven adventure.
- “The storyline in Starbreak isn't a major part of the game, but it does provide a backdrop for the action.”
- “I like how the tutorial both teaches how to play and sets up the story.”
- “Only missing more story elements, which I'm looking forward to seeing in future updates.”
- “This game is very limited in controls with essentially no story.”
- “There is no story; 'missions' keep getting repeated, and there is no end goal.”
- “The storyline in Starbreak isn't a major part of the game.”
graphics
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing art style and vibrant visuals, with many reviewers noting a nostalgic charm reminiscent of classic 2D shooters. However, some players have experienced performance issues, particularly in crowded stages where visual clutter can hinder gameplay. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.
- “The graphics in Starbreak are fantastic.”
- “Great graphics, gameplay is fun, action packed, crazy looking creatures, tech, weapons, so much to love!”
- “The visuals are pleasing to the eye and the music is good.”
- “For some reason, even though I have the system requirements, the graphics are completely messed up.”
- “Bad looking visuals, clunky controls, responsiveness is awful, requires editing of controls because the developers don't know how to set decent defaults.”
- “- graphics: graphics is... well... pretty bad actually.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
26%
9%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its engaging and thematic soundtrack that enhances the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the variety of tracks tailored to different environments and encounters, particularly noting the invigorating music during boss battles. Despite some comments on repetitiveness, the soundtrack is described as catchy and memorable, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack is brilliant and works so well with the themes of the levels and really makes you want to keep going.”
- “The music in Starbreak is phenomenal.”
- “The visuals are pretty good for a 2D side-scrolling action platformer, but what really stood out for me the most was the beautiful, beautiful soundtrack.”
- “Also the music is boolin so at least you'll feel rad while you die.”
- “-sound/music: 1.8”
- “The music is almost never going to bore you.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as both fun and tedious, with players enjoying the challenge but often feeling frustrated by the permadeath mechanic that forces them to repeat hours of farming after dying. While some players appreciate the balance and the cooperative elements that make grinding more engaging, others find it becomes monotonous due to the repetitive nature of the levels and the slim chances of obtaining rare items. Overall, the experience of grinding varies significantly based on player skill and group dynamics, with many still finding enjoyment in the grind despite its challenges.
- “The loot system is not very grindy at all; new players can get a functional loadout within an hour.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It isn't a game where there is a save and you can come back with your equipment after you die; no, if you die you lose the stuff you spent hours farming and you have to farm again.”
- “It can be a pain in the ass and you will lose your sanity if you have good gear and die (hours, days, weeks of grinding gone to waste).”
- “Permadeath makes re-grinding the same starter areas over and over again annoying, though.”
monetization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game's monetization has undergone significant changes, transitioning from a freemium model with microtransactions to a completely free-to-play experience with no invasive purchases. While some players appreciate the removal of pay-to-win elements and the focus on skill-based gameplay, others still find minor annoyances with the remaining cosmetic microtransactions and their perceived value. Overall, the consensus leans towards a positive reception of the game's monetization approach, especially after the removal of more aggressive monetization strategies.
- “Monetization has been removed from the game entirely and the premium currency used for buying bank space and character slots is now a drop from the final dungeon.”
- “It was freemium back in the day, but as of over a year ago, the microtransactions have been removed.”
- “A very difficult rogue-like experience with no invasive microtransactions.”
- “This game had the best foundation, sadly no updates due to unsuccessful monetization.”
- “In my original review of this game, I praised Starbreak overall but expressed my disappointment over the inclusion of pay-to-win aspects, because microtransactions are the bane of my existence.”
- “There are some minor annoyances, like leveling up is somewhat pointless other than so that you can gain access to different shells, group instances can become dispersed leaving you all alone, and microtransactions in the game are overpriced for what you get; but overall I am loving the game and can't wait to play some more!”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with players enjoying the fun classes, challenging stages, and the addition of RPG elements and permadeath that enhance the experience. Despite some repetitive aspects, many find it engaging enough to keep returning, especially when playing with friends.
- “Oh my god, I haven't enjoyed a game like this in a year! It has great replayability, the classes are fun to play, the stages are challenging at first, and I laughed so much playing with my friends.”
- “It's a phenomenal concept that's absolutely full of fun and replayability.”
- “While being repetitive, it still has a replayability that keeps you engaged.”
- “The slight touch of RPG elements and permadeath adds to the replayability more than the actual gameplay.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is severely criticized, with frequent freezes, disconnects, and lag issues leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. Players report that these technical problems often result in lost progress and gear, making the game feel unplayable at times. Overall, the game's stability is described as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “The game is a buggy mess; you'll end up dying due to lag or rubberbanding enemies/shots.”
- “Way too many disconnects; I can't even get past Fire Forest because the game freezes and then I get the infamous 'lost connection to server' error.”
- “It is very buggy.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's optimization is a mixed experience; while it runs smoothly and is enjoyable, players often need to adjust graphics settings or clear browser data to maintain performance, especially during prolonged play. Additionally, the leveling system encourages players to seek out increasingly difficult challenges, adding a layer of engagement.
- “You can gain account XP in nearly any way (boss kills, time spent, performance), but you can only increase the level cap by finishing a zone you haven't won before, forcing you to always seek out harder challenges.”
- “Runs smoothly and is fun.”
- “Then I have to work my way down the graphics settings, or in the case of the browser version, clear my whole browsing data for it to then, in another 20 minutes, degrade in performance.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find humor in the game's quirky bugs and the absurdity of debates surrounding its rogue-lite mechanics, particularly the inconsistency of losing everything upon death while retaining in-game currency. This blend of comedic elements adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.
- “I find it funny when people try to debate how with the rogue-lite elements it's justifiable that you lose everything upon death, but they conveniently want to ignore how you still keep your in-game currency, which by their logic, should also be destroyed upon death since you don't have a bank in your home to keep that currency.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its fantastic music and sound design, which effectively immerses players. Despite being somewhat abandoned and lacking content, the overall ambiance remains solid and enjoyable.
- “Fantastic music and sound design that draws the player into the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is nice, and the game is just solid overall.”