Strike Vector
- January 27, 2014
- Ragequit Corporation
- 11h median play time
Strike Vector is an excellent arena shooter with unique ideas and great gameplay that’s held back by a lack of maps and modes, and a poor tutorial. Still, this is an excellent game and fans of arena shooters should definitely check it out.
"Strike Vector" is a Sci-Fi shooter game with a focus on multiplayer and customization, featuring gorgeous graphics and unique gameplay, although some bugs may be present. According to IGN and Destructoid, it is a visually stunning, intensely competitive experience with strong mechanics, providing shooter satisfaction. Kotaku and Rockpapershotgun highlight its exceptional multiplayer combat and adrenaline-pumping action. Jeuxvideo.com and IGN.it praise it as an indie gem with high appeal, stating it delivers satisfying, spatial shooting action.
Reviews
- Fast-paced, adrenaline-filled aerial combat that is both challenging and rewarding.
- Beautiful graphics and well-designed maps that enhance the gameplay experience.
- All weapons and abilities are unlocked from the start, allowing for diverse playstyles.
- Steep learning curve that can be frustrating for new players, leading to frequent crashes and deaths.
- Low player population, making it difficult to find matches and diminishing the multiplayer experience.
- Lack of a proper tutorial and single-player content, leaving players to learn through trial and error.
- gameplay196 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its fast-paced, skill-dependent mechanics that blend aerial dogfighting with twitch shooter elements, offering a unique and exhilarating experience. While the core mechanics and customization options are praised, many players note a steep learning curve and balance issues, particularly with certain weapon combinations that can disrupt the flow of gameplay. Additionally, the game's multiplayer experience suffers from a dwindling player base, which can hinder the overall enjoyment despite the solid foundation of gameplay mechanics.
“The fact you can change loadouts, which seem to be in a kind of rock-paper-scissors state of balance, means the gameplay never gets stale within a single match.”
“I strongly recommend this game; it has such fast-paced gameplay with amazing game modes and maps, quite stunning graphics, and is in desperate need of players.”
“The gameplay is familiar yet fresh, with a lovely blend of the twitch shooter style and aerial dogfighting that is fast-paced and frenetic.”
“Looks great and brilliant fun to play, but only if you can find somebody to play against, which you can't as this game has been abandoned by the developers and the gameplay audience.”
“The gameplay grew boring and stagnant after about 10 minutes, and I've always been a fan of arena style FPS, so it's not even that I hate the genre.”
“This game was a huge let down in terms of gameplay; it implements all these mechanics that are basically obsolete, why bother with anything when someone with infinite-ammo-gattling-explosive-bullets finishes you off in 7 shots.”
- graphics102 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty, detail, and art style, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive visuals and smooth performance even on lower-end systems. However, some players noted that the graphics settings are limited, and the gameplay often keeps players too far from the action to fully appreciate the visuals. Despite some criticisms regarding the game's overall design and player population, the graphics remain a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience.
“The graphics are absolutely gorgeous and perfectly optimized, runs great on my sh*tty computer.”
“Fast-paced, the game requires pure reflexes from the player... gorgeous graphics, the landscape with industrial themes are unique....and the gameplay...wow... 11 out of 10.”
“The graphics are amazing for a team of 9 and the gameplay is fast-paced, but they are pricing it too high.”
“My biggest negative point in the game is the game's graphics settings, which are pretty much nonexistent in-game.”
“Dated graphics, ugly fonts, limited gameplay; this game is extremely boring and small in scope.”
“The graphics don't look much better than games released 15 years ago (Descent 2 comes to mind).”
- music26 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its quality and fit for the gameplay, while others criticize the lack of in-game music during action sequences, noting that it only appears in menus. Many feel that the soundtrack is either uninspired or not suitable for the game's futuristic theme, leading to a desire for a more engaging and varied musical experience. Overall, the absence of consistent in-game music detracts from the overall atmosphere, despite some positive remarks about the sound effects and occasional tracks.
“This game has kickass music, seems to have good mechanics and the ability to customize your ship as well as just looking cool.”
“Great graphics, sound effects, music, and gameplay.”
“A blast in the skies with great music.”
“Mediocre graphics, uninspired music, and terrible control scheme with very limited customization.”
“Also note that there is no music in-game; there is music in the menus, but nothing in the game.”
“The soundtrack is a little weak for this kind of game, and some battle tunes would be cool for the matches.”
- story24 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many players noting that it lacks a meaningful narrative or character development, reducing the experience to mere timed challenges and racing missions. While the training missions are appreciated for their mechanics, players express a strong desire for a more engaging single-player campaign that offers varied and longer missions. Overall, the consensus is that the game feels incomplete without a substantial story mode, leaving players wanting more depth and investment in the gameplay.
“The fast-paced flying and training mission challenges sold me on the game even before I got into playing with others.”
“I would really like to see some more enjoyable and longer missions with a more reasonable time limit.”
“But what I wish would be implemented is a mission/story/boss mode because doing PvP all day every day is kind of one-dimensional.”
“There's nothing for us to invest ourselves into: no story, no character/class development, no economy!!!”
“As it stands right now, it's just a cool game (very cool game) with no story.”
“I don't care much about story, but a campaign introduces you to how the game plays.”
- stability22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting bugs, glitches, and an unpolished interface. While some players appreciate the graphics and performance on lower-end systems, many express frustration with issues like a faulty server browser, terrain clipping, and crashes, leading to the impression that the game feels more like an early access title than a finished product. Improvements are needed to enhance the overall experience and address the various stability problems.
“The graphics are absolutely gorgeous and perfectly optimized; it runs great on my less powerful computer.”
“Runs great, looks great, and has a pretty original concept in this day and age.”
“The Mbps to run the game online is really good. I expected I might have lagging problems playing the game since I am currently deployed with around 20 Mbps, but it runs great!”
“The game is buggy to the point where I feel like I purchased a beta instead of a finished product.”
“Because the release is in less than a week (and they'll be releasing a terribly buggy, unplayable game) apparently they're taking the 'hush hush' approach rather than the 'let's fix these bugs before release' approach.”
“Servers crash frequently, and there are frequent glitches with the menus.”
- monetization11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 45 % negative mentions
The monetization approach of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and upfront payment model, while others suggest adopting a free-to-play model with microtransactions to enhance community engagement and player base. Overall, many users value the game's focus on fun over profit, contrasting it with typical cash-grab models.
“No microtransactions, no frills, just good old fashioned flyin' and shootin'.”
“I think that making this game have free weekends more often, or maybe even go entirely F2P and have microtransactions would help build the community and make it way more fun to play.”
“Everything from the gameplay and style, to the way the developers are handling the monetization of the game (one payment up front? What magic is this?) is done quite well.”
“Ever heard of microtransactions?”
“It's nice to see such a great game trying to be fun rather than a cash grab or a microtransaction machine.”
“I think that making this game have free weekends more often, or maybe even go entirely free-to-play and have microtransactions would help build the community and make it way more fun to play.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its excellent optimization, running smoothly even on lower-end hardware while delivering stunning graphics. Users appreciate the lack of performance issues and the game's frequent updates, although some note a limited range of graphical options. The gameplay is described as tight and satisfying, contributing to a positive experience despite concerns about player matchmaking.
“The graphics are absolutely gorgeous and perfectly optimized, runs great on my sh*tty computer.”
“This game is very well optimized and has all the weapons and perks unlocked from the beginning.”
“There aren't many options to toy with - just bloom and motion blur off the top of my head, but as a whole the game looks nice and runs smoothly, for my mid-range GPU.”
“...performance issues I have with this engine.”
“If you have a scroll mouse, use the infiniscroll like Logitech G700s or Performance MX mouse; it helps with vertical flying when you're in 'hover mode.'”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as oddly amusing, with players finding joy in visual rewards and the frequent crashes, which add to the comedic experience. The polished gameplay is complemented by humorous elements like chat interactions and the game's launch method, contributing to an overall entertaining atmosphere.
“What's hilarious about all of this is the game gives you visual rewards for everything, Call of Duty style.”
“Funny was had in this well-built game!”
“You will crash a lot and probably never stop crashing a lot, but to me, it's almost always hilarious.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its graphics, gameplay, and multiplayer features, but it suffers from a lack of replayability, with some users noting that the gameplay may not sustain long-term interest. While it has strong initial appeal, the lasting value is considered limited.
“All in all, I give this game a 10 in graphics, gameplay, replay value, and multiplayer, but I give it a 6 in controls.”
“Gameplay gets a solid 9/10, aesthetic and design and visuals get an 8/10, sound gets a 6/10, lasting appeal/replay value: I will be losing so many hours to this beastie/10.”
“The downside, however, is there isn't much replayability.”
“-2 replay value.”
“Overall, I give this game a 10 in graphics, gameplay, and multiplayer, but I give it a 6 in replay value.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its unique and visually appealing map designs, which range from chaotic close-quarters environments to expansive open areas. The lack of wind and atmospheric resistance contributes to a space-like feel, allowing for diverse gameplay experiences. Overall, players appreciate the distinctiveness and immersive quality of each map.
“The graphics are good, and the atmosphere of each map is very captivating and unique.”
“The physics actually feels more like outer space because there is no wind or atmospheric resistance.”
“The maps vary in size from the close-quarters chaos that has someone crashing every few seconds to the wide open expanses of atmosphere that let you sneak around the edges to get behind the enemy.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the game's competitive design eliminates the need for grinding to unlock functional equipment or better weapons, focusing instead on cosmetic unlocks. This approach enhances the gameplay experience by allowing players to engage without the frustration of extensive grinding.
“The competitive design means no grinding to unlock functional equipment, only cosmetics.”
“There is no grinding required to unlock better weapons.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be deeply emotional and heartbreaking, evoking strong feelings and resonating with their personal experiences.
“This game is heartbreaking.”
“The emotional depth of the characters left me in tears.”
“I felt a profound connection to the story that resonated with my own experiences.”
Critic Reviews
Strike Vector Review
Strike Vector is an excellent arena shooter with unique ideas and great gameplay that’s held back by a lack of maps and modes, and a poor tutorial. Still, this is an excellent game and fans of arena shooters should definitely check it out.
80%Strike Vector review
Strike Vectors aerial combat is brilliant and beautiful, but it needs to be put into a package that does it justice.
70%Fly, fly, die -- Strike Vector
Strike Vector is a game with great ideas, and really breathes some life into a dying genre. The game’s challenge may be a bit too much for casual players, but if you’re looking to scratch that aerial shooter itch with a frantic edge, then take to the skies -- but don’t expect to live long.
75%