Starpoint Gemini 3
- November 5, 2020
- Little Green Men Games
- 66h median play time
In Starpoint Gemini 3, play as captain Jonathan Bold and explore the open world of Gemini, completing various tasks such as fighting, mining, freelancing, and trading. Experience action-packed space combat using an array of weapons and skill buffs, and discover Bold's mysterious origins alongside your trusty drone, ADAH. Engage in exhilarating space exploration and uncover the secrets of abandoned ships and alien structures.
Reviews
- The game features enjoyable space combat and dogfighting mechanics, reminiscent of classic space sims like Freelancer.
- The graphics and atmosphere are visually appealing, creating an immersive space environment.
- The modular ship customization allows players to upgrade and personalize their ships, adding depth to gameplay.
- The main character and dialogue are often cringeworthy and unlikable, detracting from the overall experience.
- The mission structure is repetitive and lacks variety, primarily revolving around simple 'go here and shoot' tasks.
- The game feels incomplete, with many features and content missing, leading to a sense of emptiness in the gameplay.
- story419 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in "Starpoint Gemini 3" has received largely negative feedback, with many players criticizing its shallow and repetitive missions, cringe-worthy dialogue, and unlikable characters. While some appreciate the humor and lightheartedness of the narrative, the overall execution is seen as lacking depth and coherence, often feeling like a grind rather than an engaging experience. Additionally, technical issues and bugs further detract from the storytelling, leaving players frustrated with the campaign's structure and progression.
“The writing is funny, the story is the right kind of cheesy, the combat is tight, and I like the characters.”
“It has a cheesy, but funny story and I like the chemistry between the captain and the ship AI.”
“The campaign has an old-school sci-fi adventure plot and atmosphere; it's fun lighthearted stuff, which is a big plus to me.”
“The universe is empty, the missions are boringly repetitive, and the story is disgusting.”
“The character writing in the story is beyond cringe-worthy.”
“The story is really pathetic, just bad all around; I wrote better plots in eighth grade than what's present here.”
- gameplay123 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the fast-paced combat and intuitive dog-fighting mechanics reminiscent of titles like Freelancer, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and lacking depth compared to previous entries in the series. Many users noted that the removal of complex mechanics such as fleet management and trading has left the gameplay feeling shallow and repetitive, with a significant number expressing disappointment over the game's failure to build upon its predecessors. Overall, while there are enjoyable moments and potential in the mechanics, many feel the gameplay is unrefined and lacks the engaging complexity that fans expected.
“The narrative depth, dynamic gameplay, and stunning visuals melded seamlessly, making it a captivating space adventure that kept me hooked from start to finish.”
“The gameplay itself is addictive, fast-paced, and delivers some intense space combat.”
“Good story with a rich background and fairly deep lore, solid gameplay and flight mechanics, the game progression has always been well done with missions and levels that felt as if they were intelligently put together to both create an enjoyable experience and further the story.”
“Many of the mechanics somehow feel 'fake', like doing jobs or economy stuff has a cheap, meaningless feeling to it.”
“The gameplay feels simplified and monotonous.”
“To call this game 'bare bones' would be an absolute understatement... most of what made this game good has been stripped away and we are left with a shell of a game.”
- graphics97 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the improved visuals and immersive environments, while others criticize them as dated and reminiscent of older titles. Many note that while the in-game graphics are decent, character models and animations often fall short, leading to an overall feeling of inconsistency. Despite these criticisms, some players find the graphics enjoyable and fitting for the game's nostalgic appeal.
“The narrative depth, dynamic gameplay, and stunning visuals melded seamlessly, making it a captivating space adventure that kept me hooked from start to finish.”
“Game visuals have also improved over the older games, and ship models, planets, and stations are quite well done.”
“Graphics - very nice, nebulae and scrapyards are awesome.”
“The graphics feel mostly subpar and very uneven.”
“Graphically the game looks dated already.”
“Awful dialogue, uninspired story, boring graphics, and frustrating controls.”
- humor44 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cheesy, slapstick style and witty banter, while others find it shallow and irritating. Many enjoy the interactions between the main character and the ship's AI, noting that their dynamic can be both hilarious and annoying. Overall, the humor is seen as a hit-or-miss aspect, with some players finding it genuinely funny and others deeming it poorly executed.
“The game doesn't take itself too seriously unlike its previous iterations and is actually quite funny in parts.”
“The writing is funny, the story is the right kind of cheesy, the combat is tight, and I like the characters.”
“The main characters are total a-holes, so much so it starts out irritating then becomes hilarious in my opinion.”
- music20 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its immersive qualities and unique blend of synthwave and cinematic influences, reminiscent of Blade Runner. However, others find the soundtrack underwhelming, noting a lack of variety and a preference for ambient tracks over the more "epic" electro themes. Overall, while the music enhances the atmosphere of space exploration, it may not appeal to everyone outside of gameplay.
“Music/atmosphere: the music, sounds, and overall the amount of ships and stuff filling this enormous universe is awesome.”
“- a great soundtrack, a weird mix of synthwave and Ennio Morricone now and then, makes you feel like a pioneer exploring the great beyond.”
“Smooth and casual ride down (up? left? right? your pick..) the space road, listening to awesome music doing laid back privacy.”
“Music and sounds”
“- sound/music: 1/10”
“I could not find anything to mention as a plus side in the hour I've played, aside from the music maybe.”
- grinding19 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often involving the same missions and tasks to earn currency for upgrades. While some appreciate the relaxing nature of grinding alongside other activities, many criticize the lackluster missions and the overwhelming amount of time required to progress, leading to a sense of braindead repetition. Overall, the grinding can feel necessary but ultimately detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“I found it tedious.”
“Do you enjoy grinding the same 3 missions over and over to upgrade your ship with fascinating upgrades like '+5%' to a thing?”
“This leads to a lot of braindead grinding.”
- stability12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some players note that it runs well on certain platforms, the consensus is that the game feels unfinished and suffers from a variety of issues, including clunky mission selection and game-breaking bugs. Overall, many users find the current state of the game to be too unstable for an enjoyable experience.
“Runs great on the deck!”
“The game runs great on my PC, which is at least 5 years old.”
“The campaign is so buggy.”
“The game was clearly unfinished and buggy.”
“Several times during the main campaign, I crashed to desktop, and the 'mysterious signals' sidequests were often very buggy, either being unable to complete them, spawning stacks of 5+ things right on top of each other (like asteroids, derelicts, or enemy ships) which sometimes had hilarious but game-breaking effects.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements compared to previous titles, with many players reporting smooth performance and minimal technical issues. However, some users still experience occasional stuttering and minor bugs, indicating that further optimization may be needed as the game progresses through early access. While the draw distance and pop-in could be better, the general consensus is that the game runs well, achieving solid frame rates for most players.
“Performance is a noteworthy improvement over previous titles as well, with very few bugs that I’ve noted.”
“Runs smoothly.”
“Game has been optimized and I no longer have major frame drops for no reason; I get a solid 60 most of the time and I got a 4K display for Black Friday, so hey, that's actually pretty good.”
“The boring fetch quests certainly don't help (they were a snoozefest even in Warlords), and the stuttering is making things even worse.”
“Poorly optimized.”
“It does need a little optimization; I've experienced a few stutters here and there, but overall it's pretty great so far.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive music, sound design, and rich environmental details, creating a dense and spooky ambiance. While some players feel it successfully captures the spirit of classic sci-fi adventures, others criticize it for lacking depth and originality. Overall, the visuals and atmospheric elements contribute to a soothing and engaging experience.
“The music, sounds, and overall the amount of ships and stuff filling this enormous universe is awesome.”
“Sound and atmosphere, this is where this game shines most for me.”
“It looks really nice, the atmosphere is lovely and very soothing.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with users expressing frustration over a lack of engaging storytelling and uninspired character interactions. The overall experience is described as dull and uninviting, with clunky controls and robotic voice acting contributing to a sense of disconnection from the game.
“Boring story with stupid lines and robotic voice actors.”
“Gamedesign from 2012, models and animations from 2005, uninspiring gunplay, and bland humor.”
“Clunky movements and crashes, leading to a frustrating experience.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, primarily due to its simplicity and lack of engaging content from the mod community. While the freeroam mode offers some exploration opportunities, the overall experience lacks depth and creative challenges that could enhance replay value.
“Game mode scenarios and replayability: Freeroam lets you go about exploring the game on your own terms.”
“It's a very simple game with not much replayability, really.”
“I see no replay value in the sandbox, and the mod community gave up when the developers did.”
“It's good if you want to sit back, relax, and shoot some spaceships in a braindead way, but rewarding players to think more creatively would've made the game a lot more replayable.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for improved character development, noting that the main character comes off as cringy and that some comedic elements feel forced. There is hope that the story will evolve to provide more depth to the characters as it progresses.
“The main character starts off a bit cringy, and while some of the comedy feels forced, I hope to see significant character development throughout the story.”
“The character arcs are incredibly well-written, allowing for a deep emotional connection as they evolve over time.”
“I love how the game allows characters to grow and change based on player choices, making each playthrough feel unique.”
“The main character is a bit cringy, and some of the comedy feels forced. I hope to see some character development throughout the story.”
“The character development is lacking; I didn't feel any real growth or change in the characters as the story progressed.”
“The protagonist's personality feels one-dimensional, and I was disappointed by the lack of depth in their development.”