Starcom: Nexus
- December 12, 2019
- Wx3 Labs, LLC
- 22h median play time
Get on Steam"Starcom: Nexus" is a single-player space exploration and combat game. You'll mine resources, build spaceships, and diplomacy with alien races while defending yourself from hostile forces. With a rich story and open-ended gameplay, your choices will determine the fate of the galaxy.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Engaging story with well-written dialogue and interesting lore.
- Fun ship customization and modular design, allowing for creative builds.
- Satisfying exploration and discovery of unique anomalies and events.
- Vague quest hints and lack of direction can lead to aimless wandering.
- Combat can become repetitive and easy as the game progresses.
- Ending feels abrupt and lacks a satisfying conclusion.
- story898 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story in "Starcom: Nexus" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative and the depth of lore that unfolds through exploration. However, the quest system has been criticized for being vague and sometimes confusing, leading to frustrating moments where players struggle to progress due to unclear objectives. While the main storyline is compelling, some players feel it lacks depth and can become linear, with a few noting that the ending feels rushed or unsatisfying despite the intriguing twists throughout the game.
“The story is engaging and compelling; you'll want to know 'what happens next??'.”
“The story kept me hooked from start to finish, and I always felt a sense of wanting to explore the next system to see what little story or interaction I was going to experience next.”
“The story is very well put together, and so is the atmosphere.”
“The quest system is terrible; fetch quests disguised as 'clever puzzles', the mistake is thinking that a total lack of access to information already presented is 'challenging'.”
“The plot is extremely thin with no effort made to integrate 'fetch this, blow that up, go there' quests into any kind of real storyline.”
“The story takes some time to get rolling and it can feel a little grindy at the beginning, but as you figure out how to trade and what is and isn't valuable, it comes together at a nice pace.”
- gameplay276 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Starcom: Nexus" is characterized by a solid core loop of exploration, resource gathering, and ship customization, which many players find engaging despite some repetitiveness and simplicity in mechanics. While the game offers a satisfying experience with its modular ship-building and exploration elements, some users noted that the gameplay can feel rushed or shallow, particularly towards the end, and may require players to keep notes to avoid getting lost. Overall, it provides a fun and casual experience for fans of space exploration, though it may not appeal to those seeking deeper mechanics or intense combat.
“The gameplay loop is spot on - collecting resources, meeting alien races, talking to them, etc. I like being able to customize my ship and I like how big the map is.”
“The core gameplay and progression loop is tight and well-paced; there's always just one more thing to do before you finish up for the night.”
“Starcom Nexus is a true indie hidden gem that nails the core concepts of this genre and does so extremely well, offering some of the best sci-fi exploration gameplay I've seen around in years.”
“The final 10% is interesting in terms of story but clearly rushed in terms of gameplay: you're expected to do very specific things in a very specific order else the option to ask the obvious question to the obviously relevant NPC won't unlock and you won't be able to progress.”
“On the other hand, the gameplay is too repetitive for the long time it takes to solve the story.”
“The game has a lot of potential, but suffers immensely from lack of depth and content, and an overly simplistic gameplay.”
- graphics150 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Starcom: Nexus" are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the atmospheric visuals and attention to detail, particularly in planetary designs and particle effects. While some describe the ship designs as blocky or simplistic, the overall aesthetic is considered fitting for the genre, evoking nostalgia while still delivering a visually appealing experience. Although not a graphical powerhouse, the game effectively combines modern graphics with engaging gameplay, making it enjoyable for players who value both visuals and story.
“The graphics are gorgeous, the gameplay is fantastic, the music works really well with the atmosphere of the game, the writing is excellent and even though it is in early access there is still a pretty solid amount of content, with more being put out on a monthly basis.”
“Graphics are nice, atmospheric for this genre.”
“The graphics and designs of the ships and stations are nice and simple, yet the background worlds and animations are beautifully done.”
“I had this game on my wishlist multiple times and took it off a few times too because the graphics didn't grab me.”
“If you're here for the graphics, you're in the wrong genre.”
“Going nowhere for a long time with lousy graphics and tiny fonts just to mash buttons for a shoot-em-up.”
- grinding59 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the late game where resource collection and exploration can feel repetitive and drawn out. While some enjoy the grinding as a means to upgrade their ships and progress, many express frustration with the excessive travel time and the lack of meaningful rewards, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable gameplay and frustrating grind, with opinions varying on whether the grinding enhances or detracts from the experience.
“This game isn't grindy either; everything you do progresses the game.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“After you get as powerful as you're going to get, grinding out the end of the story is truly a grind.”
“The early to mid-game is grindy because you need to farm a lot of resources in order to upgrade your ship.”
“Whilst the design of the combat and exploration aspect of the game works superbly in the early hours of play, it makes the endgame an unbearable tedious and uninspiring slog.”
- music55 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance immersion during exploration and combat. While some find the soundtrack soothing and fitting for the genre, others note that it can be repetitive and not particularly memorable. Overall, the music complements the game's visuals and narrative, contributing positively to the overall experience.
“While not on par with Stellaris, the exploration music is soothing and captures the vastness of space.”
“The music is entrancing, reminds me of 2001.”
“The graphics are gorgeous, the gameplay is fantastic, the music works really well with the atmosphere of the game.”
“The combat tracks and other music elements are decent but not particularly memorable.”
“The soundtrack also needs improving if players are expected to spend a lot of time listening to it in transit between missions.”
“Music is ho-hum and gets repetitive quickly.”
- replayability48 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low to moderate, with many players noting a lack of significant variation in subsequent playthroughs due to fixed locations and a linear story. Some aspects, such as different choices, difficulty settings, and shipbuilding strategies, offer minor replay value, but many reviewers feel that once the main content is completed, there is little incentive to replay. While the game provides a satisfying initial experience, the consensus is that it lacks the depth for extensive replayability.
“The game is surprisingly replayable.”
“There's even a degree of replayability due to the story choices, relations with alien species, and tech tree choices.”
“I highly recommend this game, it offers a fair amount of hours of entertainment for its price, has some replayability value and is overall quite nice and relaxing.”
“I was only barely able to force myself to complete the game and I see no replay value to be had.”
“Limited replay value due to largely fixed locations.”
“The game has very little replayability, but it takes a long time to get all the stories completed.”
- humor24 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a well-integrated element that enhances the serious moments without overwhelming the narrative. While it may not reach the comedic heights of classics like Star Control II, players appreciate the clever writing, amusing dialogue, and humorous references that provide a light-hearted atmosphere amidst the sci-fi themes. Overall, the humor is seen as a delightful addition that keeps the experience engaging and enjoyable.
“The hard sci-fi has wonderful attention to detail while still managing to be funny.”
“Both the main and side stories also have bits of humor sprinkled in to liven up the atmosphere, keeping it from becoming too serious.”
“The dialogue is genuinely funny at points, and the events/encounters are far more interesting and less repetitive than any other games with this kind of scripted encounters sort of system.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging graphics, atmospheric music, and well-crafted writing, which together create a compelling experience of deep space exploration. Reviewers highlight the blend of humor and seriousness in the storytelling, alongside a nostalgic sense of uncertainty during exploration. While some note that the pacing can suffer due to travel times, the overall ambiance and world-building contribute to a memorable and immersive adventure.
“The writing is really good, art and sound convey just the right atmosphere, and the gameplay is tight and balanced.”
“Great atmosphere, world building, and a great storyline.”
“The story had just the right touch of whimsy and humor along the epic sci-fi theme, the battle visuals and mechanics were amazing, the planet artwork was lovely, and the music complemented the atmosphere perfectly.”
“It has the atmosphere of exploration that I was hoping to find in Star Trek Online (spoiler: it ain't there).”
“The limitations of the map and tagging system cause you to spend far too long zooming in and out of systems to see if they have anything to offer you; you spend literally 25% of your time waiting for your ship to fly through empty space to reach incredibly out of the way zones for no reason other than 'atmosphere' (loses its appeal after the first 5 minutes of nothing with hours to go), and I can only assume the actual ending was just... given up on?”
“If you're in the mood for a space adventure, with buckets of atmosphere, this game delivers.”
- stability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report significant bugs and occasional freezes, particularly during endgame and particle-heavy battles, others find it relatively polished with only minor issues. Many appreciate the game's performance and design, suggesting that despite the bugs, it remains an enjoyable experience.
“The UI is good, the code runs great, and the story is interesting.”
“Really well made, looks good, runs great, awesome story, interesting exploration, and well-structured progression.”
“What is available feels pretty polished and, most notably, quite bug-free.”
“The Unity engine freezes temporarily at the endgame.”
“That said, the game is super buggy, and the creators don't seem to have made much effort to handle this.”
“Apart from a few rare crashes or freezes, the game ran without problems.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with smooth performance even during intense combat scenarios involving multiple ships and projectiles. The interface is polished, and visuals are well-executed, contributing to a solid gameplay experience. However, some users noted that the ship log could benefit from optimization, as it takes longer to open later in the game due to accumulated data.
“Interface is very polished, performance is fine. I appreciate the vector CRT effects, love the artwork, combat is fun, and the plots/stories/puzzles are engaging and meaningful, not just a bunch of procedurally generated soulless filler. The writing is great also, and the price is right.”
“You collect research data from encounters with aliens or observing cool spatial events, and you can spend that research on upgrading your ship's components and performance, while paying for new parts with scavenged materials.”
“The ship log might benefit from some optimization because it was taking noticeably longer to open at the end of the game than the start, but it's pretty understandable considering how much stuff goes in there.”
“The shape of the ship doesn't affect how maneuverable the ship is (it's a spaceship, after all), but it does affect module performance and which hitzones you expose.”
“Even with dozens of ships, drones, plasma projectiles, and missiles on the screen, the performance is smooth.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its ability to evoke feelings of nostalgia and wonder as they navigate a richly crafted universe filled with unique encounters. The experience of exploration and discovery resonates deeply, making them feel like genuine space travelers. However, some players note that a flawed ending detracts from an otherwise wholesome experience.
“The map is filled to the brim with handmade interesting encounters: this is one of the very few games that made me feel really like a space traveler charting the unknown and facing new phenomena.”
“This game brought me back 28 years and made me feel 14 years old again.”
“This game made me feel like a space explorer.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the monetization model of Starcom: Nexus, highlighting its absence of DLC and microtransactions, which evokes a nostalgic feeling reminiscent of earlier gaming experiences. Players commend the developer for prioritizing gameplay over profit-driven strategies.
“The monetization in this game feels fair and balanced, allowing players to enjoy the experience without feeling pressured to spend.”
“I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content, making it accessible for everyone while still providing optional purchases.”
“Starcom: Nexus brings me back to a time when games weren't just about DLC and microtransactions. Kudos to the creator.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its depth, with both individual characters and the various races encountered showing significant growth and complexity throughout the game.
“There's a lot of good character development, and the same goes for the races you meet.”
