Sun Blast: Star Fighter

About

Sun Blast is the best 3d space shooter on Steam. Earn upgrades as you fight your way through a massive seleciton of levels. In a period of 48 hours, an alien race utterly annihilated Earth's military forces. Only one colonial ship remains, and it's humanity's last chance. Choose your starfighter and join the desperate counter-assault on the alien forces. You're massively overpowered and rid…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 276 reviews

graphics19 positive mentions

gameplay9 negative mentions

The game has a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic arcade shooters, providing a fun experience for fans of the genre.
It features a variety of levels and gameplay styles, including shooting enemies and dodging obstacles, which keeps the gameplay somewhat engaging.
The low price point makes it an accessible option for casual gamers looking for a quick and simple shooting experience.

The controls are unresponsive and clunky, making it difficult to navigate and aim effectively during gameplay.
The graphics and overall design feel outdated and lack polish, resembling a low-budget or mobile game rather than a modern title.
The gameplay quickly becomes repetitive and lacks depth, with limited enemy variety and frustrating level design that can lead to a tedious experience.

graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
61%
8%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated and reminiscent of older titles, often likening them to games from the late 1990s or early 2000s. While some appreciate the charming, old-school aesthetic and colorful visuals, others criticize the graphics as bland, cheap-looking, and lacking modern enhancements. Overall, the visuals are seen as decent but not impressive, failing to leverage contemporary graphical capabilities despite the game's release in 2015.
- “Cute space shooter game with nice 3D graphics!”
- “This game has charming looks; it amazes me how well polished the UI and graphics are. No, they are not last week’s AAA graphics, but they have an old-school feel without being broken and ugly like many indie games.”
- “An arcade feel with good graphics and peppy techno music; you get to pew pew through this fun game.”
- “Despite being released in 2015, the game doesn't make use of advanced 3D graphics mechanisms like shaders, texture filtering, etc., so it looks like a 20-year-old 3D game.”
- “The graphics are cheap-looking and bland.”
- “The graphics are dated, the aesthetic is generic, the level designs on the early levels are incredibly boring, the enemies just fade in and stick in one spot, the sound effects aren't anything special, the ship is set way too close to the camera, the controls feel unresponsive, the settings menu requires you to exit the game to apply graphics settings (really?), etc.”
gameplay
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
67%
21%
The gameplay of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users citing poor controls, sluggish mechanics, and uninspired mission design as major flaws. Players describe the experience as repetitive and dull, often comparing it unfavorably to classic titles, while some acknowledge a straightforward shooting mechanic that lacks depth. Despite a few positive notes on graphics and nostalgic elements, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is lacking and fails to engage players effectively.
- “The gameplay consists of a series of levels where you have a single goal, which is shooting enemies down, avoiding obstacles, shooting a specified number of enemies in a given time limit, or taking down a big boss.”
- “Gameplay is robust and gets the job done well; movement is highly responsive and can be tweaked to the player's preference by selecting from various ships to control.”
- “Sun Blast is a sci-fi themed, action-arcade space shooter with addictive, fast-paced gameplay.”
- “Never before have I played a shooter with such poor mechanics, sluggish controls, and awful mission design.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and lazy.”
- “This game isn't horrible, just really boring; the ship moves slowly, the art style is bland, and the gameplay is dull.”
music
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
39%
10%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its upbeat and motivating qualities, particularly in the context of an arcade shooter. However, several reviews note that the soundtrack quickly becomes repetitive, featuring only a limited number of tracks that can lead to monotony after extended play. Overall, while the music initially enhances the experience, its lack of variety may detract from long-term enjoyment.
- “This game has some of the most upbeat, driving, and overall motivating music I've heard in an indie shmup for a while.”
- “An enjoyable arcade shooter, pretty good music that fits the mood.”
- “Music and sounds are few and boring.”
- “The music seems to be only 3 or 4 songs, and there is very little variety for sound.”
- “Music too repetitive.”
story
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
68%
18%
The story aspect of the game is widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers noting that it feels generic and uninspired. Missions are described as repetitive and poorly designed, often lacking meaningful narrative context, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players express disappointment in the minimal storytelling elements, suggesting that the game fails to draw them in or provide a compelling narrative.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “The thing with those two games was there was an awesome story, and world, and... mythos.”
- “Just save the money and get Saints Row the 4th, and you get this game as a minigame, with far better graphics, story and gameplay.”
- “No real depth to the story, nothing to draw you in.”
- “There is very little story.”
- “Also, there is no story in the game.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with frustrating mechanics that require precise navigation and alignment for combat. The need to replay multiple levels upon dying adds to the annoyance, leading some to feel overwhelmed by the monotony and consider quitting. Overall, the experience is described as bland and excessively grindy due to repetitive enemy encounters.
- “Lining up shots is a tedious affair of having to navigate both the x and y axes, lining up with a foe, and hoping it does not ram you before you shoot it down.”
- “This game was already obnoxiously repetitive and tedious; I was almost ready to put it down for that alone. Then, when I realized dying meant having to replay four boring levels all over again, I was like 'fuggetaboutit!!'”
- “The repetitive enemies make this feel bland and grindy.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with only a few glitches occurring at higher levels. Performance is solid, and it is compatible with a wired Xbox 360 controller, enhancing the gaming experience on PC.
- “The game runs great performance-wise and works well with a wired Xbox 360 controller, which I highly recommend getting for gaming on PC if you don't have one already.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive, allowing for a smooth and enjoyable experience without any major hiccups.”
- “I've experienced minimal crashes and bugs, making the gameplay feel reliable and consistent.”
- “There are a few glitches when you get up to certain levels, but overall it's good.”
- “At that point, I figured I might as well try out the actual game to see if troubleshooting would be worth the effort.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Overall, the game's optimization is solid, with smooth performance and no significant stuttering or crashes. While the graphics may resemble a mobile port, they are deemed acceptable, and the game is compatible with wired Xbox 360 controllers, enhancing the gaming experience on PC.
- “The graphics look like a mobile port, but they are decent enough, and at least the performance is stutter and crash-free.”
- “The game runs great performance-wise and works well with a wired Xbox 360 controller, which I highly recommend getting for gaming on PC if you don't have one already.”
- “The graphics look like a mobile port but are decent enough, and at least the performance is stutter and crash-free.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to long loading times and frequent frame drops.”
- “Despite the interesting gameplay, the lack of optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
Players find the game's replayability to be decent, with unlockable challenges adding some variety and incentive to revisit the game. Overall, it offers a flexible replay experience, allowing players to engage as much as they desire.
- “The unlockable challenges add a significant boost to both the challenge and replayability of the game.”
- “It's as replayable as you want it to be.”
- “The variety of gameplay options ensures that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
- “Unlockable challenges go a small distance to increase challenge and replayability.”
- “It's as replayable as you like.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the game's controls and mechanics, which detract from the emotional experience, making it feel less engaging and more akin to a frustrating arcade game.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is noted as amusing, particularly in its simplicity, which contrasts with the expectation of more complexity in modern titles.
- “The humor in this game is surprisingly clever and keeps you laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the game uses witty dialogue and absurd situations to create hilarious moments.”
- “The comedic timing in the cutscenes is spot on, making even the simplest interactions entertaining.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its appealing 3D space backdrop and smooth performance, contributing to an immersive experience.
- “The atmosphere and 3D space backdrop are really nice, and the game runs smoothly.”
- “The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel alive.”
- “The sound design and visual elements create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”