Startide

About

Startide is a single player and multiplayer arcade action adventure game. It was developed by Swimming Scorpions and was released on September 8, 2017. It received neutral reviews from players.

Play as an elite pilot driving the Interstellar Recon Mecha geared with an unique set of weapons and special abilities.

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56%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features a variety of mechs with unique weapons and customization options, allowing players to tailor their gameplay experience.
The graphics are bright and colorful, providing an appealing aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
The Boss mode allows players to create and share their own custom bosses, adding a creative element to the gameplay.

The gameplay can feel repetitive and tedious, with similar bosses and mechanics that lack variety across stages.
There are numerous technical issues, such as freezing when accessing controls and unpolished menus with spelling errors.
The pacing is slow, making it difficult to engage with the action, as enemies can be off-screen for extended periods.

graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics are generally praised for their impressive 4K quality and decent execution, particularly in the context of an old-school arcade style. However, some users note that certain between-mission visuals could be improved, and there are concerns about the optimization of PC versions compared to their console counterparts. Overall, while the graphics serve their purpose, there is room for enhancement.
- “Great 4K graphics!”
- “Old school arcade game with nice graphics and a good soundtrack.”
- “While the graphics serve their purposes, some of the between-mission graphics leave a bit to be desired.”
- “Most PC shmups turn out to be terrible console ports that don't take advantage of the PC's graphics capabilities.”
- “Graphics are decent enough.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The gameplay of Startide offers a mix of action shooter elements reminiscent of classic titles like Warning Forever, featuring multiple modes and mech upgrades. However, players find the experience somewhat monotonous due to its slower pace and limited stage variety, with only minor differences in mechanics across levels. Additionally, some weapon choices feel ineffective against certain enemies, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “Inspired by games like Warning Forever, Startide provides an amazing gameplay experience for those who love action shooters.”
- “Multiple gameplay modes and a limited progression as you upgrade your 'mech' (it's a shoot 'em up, don't expect MechWarrior 5 here).”
- “As you progress, you fight five different alien races, three of which have their own gimmicks, making each encounter feel unique.”
- “Startide is a strangely boring shoot-'em-up, strongly reminiscent of the 2003 freeware title Warning Forever, but much slower-paced, to its detriment.”
- “Likewise, there's not all that much difference between stages - some will have time limits, and some will have breaks for asteroid fields (which are to your advantage, since you regenerate health and super bar during this time). As you go on, you fight five different alien races, three of which have their own gimmicks, two of which matter - except for stages where you are attacking supply trains, which are similar but involve different enough mechanics that they at least feel like something different.”
- “The least and silliest gripe is that the game gave me a giant laser cannon with only one fight left before the rest of the game was fighting the 5th race, and due to how the mechanics interact, the giant laser cannon is useless against the 5th and final race of aliens.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported stability issues, particularly noting that the game freezes when attempting to access the controller layout through the options menu.
- “When I went to Options > Controls > Show Controls (to see the controller layout), the game freezes.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and stuttering, which severely affected my gameplay.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as the health regeneration and weapon destruction mechanics make stages progressively easier, diminishing the challenge and excitement over time.
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The progression system is so slow that it feels like a chore rather than a rewarding experience.”
- “With a system where you regenerate health and destroy the boss's weapons as you fight, all stages become easier over time, which contributes to a tedious feeling.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it forgettable and annoying, others appreciate the nostalgic quality of the soundtrack, particularly in the context of its old school arcade style.
- “Old school arcade game with nice graphics and a great soundtrack.”
- “A barebones shooter with annoying sound and forgettable music.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is generally well-received, though some users feel that the graphics during mission transitions could be improved, suggesting a disconnect between narrative engagement and visual presentation.