Steredenn

About

Steredenn is a single player and multiplayer casual shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Pixelnest Studio and was released on May 14, 2017. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

Steredenn: Binary Stars is an award-winning rogue-like shoot'em up game with intense boss battles, randomly generated environments, and a vast arsenal of weapons. Experience quick, challenging sessions with upgrades and space events, available now on PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. Receive critical acclaim with user ratings around 90% on Steam and an average press rating of 8/10.

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 609 reviews

music142 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art graphics and an excellent heavy metal soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
Steredenn offers a high level of replayability with procedurally generated levels and a wide variety of weapons and upgrades, keeping each run fresh and exciting.
The gameplay is fast-paced and challenging, providing a satisfying experience for players who enjoy skill-based mechanics and learning enemy patterns.

The difficulty can be punishing, with many players feeling that the game is unfair at times, especially when faced with random weapon drops and enemy patterns.
Some weapons and upgrades feel underpowered or situational, leading to frustration when they don't align with the player's strategy during a run.
The game lacks permanent progression elements, which can make it feel repetitive and discouraging for players who struggle to progress past certain bosses.

music
232 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
The music in "Steredenn" has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and engaging soundtrack, which blends metal and electronic elements, enhancing the game's intense gameplay experience. Many players highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, driving them to continue playing and adding to the overall atmosphere of the game. While some reviews note that the music can become repetitive, the majority agree that it significantly contributes to the game's appeal and complements its vibrant pixel art style.
- “The music is superb, a nice metal/techno fusion that lends to the intensity of the experience.”
- “The soundtrack is really great.”
- “The music is amazing, the retro art style is super clean and flashy, and the gameplay is smooth and easy to get into.”
- “First of all, the music and sound effects are just awful for this game.”
- “Personally, I prefer to turn the game music off and just play something else in the background (perhaps a selection of songs from Deus Ex: Human Revolution, or Blade Runner 2049, or Velocity Ultra).”
- “The only flaw with the audio of Steredenn is that there's no soundtrack to buy on Steam, which it entirely deserves.”
graphics
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The graphics in "Steredenn" are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art style, vibrant colors, and consistent aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience. Many reviewers highlight the retro feel reminiscent of classic 16-bit games, complemented by a strong soundtrack that matches the action. However, some players note that while the visuals are appealing, they can occasionally hinder gameplay clarity during intense moments.
- “The graphics are top notch and the hidden levels and bosses all add to the experience.”
- “Stereden is a fun roguelike shmup with beautiful pixel graphics.”
- “The pixel art is fantastic, with a good art style.”
- “Unfortunately, the choice to use lazy retro pixel graphics makes it impossible to recommend; the game just looks too ugly. It's 2017, let pixel graphics die.”
- “I also really just don't like the feel or look of the weapons, and the game has kind of a bland aesthetic in general.”
- “Having a coherent aesthetic is fine, but it turns out to be a bit of a problem when you need to react to instant lasers and very fast shots.”
gameplay
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The gameplay in Steredenn is widely praised for its smooth, addictive mechanics and engaging bullet-hell action, enhanced by a fantastic metal soundtrack and beautiful pixel art. Players appreciate the game's roguelike elements, which offer a variety of weapon combinations and synergies, contributing to high replayability. However, some critiques mention issues with weapon randomness and a lack of enemy diversity, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “Not much of a story but beautiful graphics and sound with super fun gameplay and endless replayability.”
- “With a variety of ships each with a distinct feel and just enough weapons/upgrades to create meaningful gameplay variety, choices, and synergies, Steredenn absolutely nails the perfect balance between simplicity and depth.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, tight, and rewarding, weaving into the basic mechanics flawlessly.”
- “The weakness mechanic is useless.”
- “After several hours of gameplay, I felt I progressed very little and became bored with the game.”
- “The non-sensical damage resistance mechanic gets more detrimental the deeper you get into the game, and it goes from being an annoyance to an abject frustration.”
replayability
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
44%
7%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its procedural generation, diverse ship archetypes, and a variety of game modes, including daily runs and cooperative play. Players appreciate the randomization of levels, enemies, and upgrades, which keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging, making it highly addictive for both casual and veteran players. While some note a lack of permanent unlockables, the overall consensus is that the game's replay value is a significant strength, offering endless fun and challenge.
- “There are multiple game modes, boss rushes, co-op, and tons of replayability through the various ship archetypes, upgrades, and weapon modules (you can build into heavy rocketry, lasers, melee weapons, automated drones, and more!).”
- “The replay value is what puts this game in the highest of ranks for me, with daily runs to see how much you fare against other players. You can boot this game up just a few minutes a day and you will easily see your playtime become worth the price of admission.”
- “Enjoy the infinite replayability of the game with its unforgiving gameplay, intense boss fights, (almost) randomly generated environments, twisted space events, and a surprisingly large arsenal of weapons.”
- “Not the most replay value I imagine; I'll end up having played around 40 hours.”
- “Additionally, the game's aforementioned scoring system feels pointless, because since the game is procedural, your score is also going to be randomized regardless of how good you are, so it does little to increase the replay value.”
- “The levels and upgrades are entirely randomized, which adds a degree of replayability, but can also make it very unfair.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The game's story is minimal and often described as lacking depth, with many players noting that it consists mainly of a brief introduction without significant plot development. While the gameplay is engaging and visually appealing, the narrative elements are often overshadowed by the action, leading to a sense of missed potential for a more immersive story experience. Overall, players express a desire for a more developed storyline to complement the enjoyable gameplay.
- “The plot is quite straightforward too and there are a number of subplots with enjoyable archetypes to be discovered.”
- “Story included here is of 'blink and you'll miss it' variety, but from the moment your base ship gets blown up by a mysterious enemy to that final showdown, action never relents in the slightest.”
- “I like the music, style, pixel graphics, integrated tutorial, and the way they integrate the storytelling.”
- “The game has no real story outside of the tutorial level.”
- “Putting a massive roadblock in the story just pulls me right out of the immersion and destroys the whole thing.”
- “I kind of wish it had a story or that there was a larger game with the same graphics and mechanics, like an open world space thing.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players highlighting the amusing boss introductions and pop culture references that add charm and variety even after extensive playtime. The lighthearted tone complements the game's challenging mechanics, while funny weapons and entertaining tutorials enhance the overall experience, making it a delightful blend of humor and gameplay.
- “And every time you meet a boss, there's a funny line or pop culture reference to introduce them.”
- “And the icing on the cake - bosses' introduction catchphrases are funny as hell, and I still discover some new ones after 40 hours on 3 platforms!”
- “Plus, the pixel art is lovely, the music is fantastic (and catchy!), and a bit of humor pervades the whole package, adding a lighthearted air to counterbalance the brutal difficulty and pounding pace.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere in the game is characterized by a heavy metal soundtrack, intense screenshake, and a gritty, rebellious vibe that evokes nostalgia while maintaining a unique identity. Players appreciate the punchy remastered audio and vibrant graphics, which together create an engaging and immersive experience. The combination of high-impact action and a variety of weapons enhances the overall atmosphere, making it both exciting and approachable.
- “This rebellious and gritty space trash vibe combined with the tight controls and high-impact action gives Steredenn a very nostalgic atmosphere similar to the legendary Jets n' Guns, but the random generation of levels and weapons strewn about creates a much more hectic, arcade-style play that stands out on its own.”
- “Steredenn has fantastic graphics, audio, atmosphere, and variety; it really drew me in when I started playing it, and I still love these aspects of the game.”
- “The difficulty is challenging but approachable, there is a big variety of fun weapons, and the art and sound make for a great atmosphere.”
- “Also features heavy metal and pretty severe screenshake if you like that kind of intense atmosphere.”
- “Some rock-inspired tracks deliver an atmosphere of excitement as you go blow things up.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with some feeling it detracts from the overall enjoyment. While the random wave spawns add some variety, the repetitive nature of grinding leads to a sense of monotony, especially during boss battles. Comparisons to other games suggest that a better balance between grind and content could enhance the experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “For me, it just feels too tedious and grindy.”
- “The random wave spawns during the stage portions of the game make them less tedious when you're grinding, but after a while this is irrelevant when you see most of the possible waves or learn what enemies do.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its flawless performance and lack of bugs, but it imposes strict penalties on players for suboptimal play, which may frustrate some users.
- “Zero performance issues or bugs.”
- “The game rewards players for optimizing their strategies and gameplay.”
- “The optimization features allow for a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, particularly on Linux systems, with seamless performance on both older and newer hardware. While there are minor issues such as music glitches and some bugs, these are expected to be addressed in future updates.
- “I appreciate the Linux support; the game runs great on my Ubuntu machine and recognizes my Logitech controller flawlessly.”
- “It runs great on any old laptop and especially the newer ones.”
- “A few of the cons include some weapons that feel weak, along with music glitches and a few scattered bugs, but these can be easily fixed when the release date rolls around.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report experiencing a "pac-man emotional effect," indicating that the game evokes strong feelings that resonate deeply, potentially leading to a sense of nostalgia or a profound connection to the gameplay. This emotional engagement enhances the overall gaming experience, making it memorable and impactful.
- “Now I'm experiencing a 'Pac-Man emotional effect'.”
- “The game truly captures the essence of human emotions.”
- “I felt a deep connection to the characters and their struggles.”