The Royal Cosmonautical Society

About

"The Royal Cosmonautical Society" is a game for PC and Mac that challenges you to become the best pilot in the system by gracefully flying your ship through 140 levels across 10 planets, each with unique mechanics. Compete for the fastest time on Steam leaderboards, with support for both controller and keyboard input, as well as Steam achievements and cloud save. The game features slick vector graphics to set the mood.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

The Royal Cosmonautical Society screenshot

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

music2 negative mentions

The game is a well-executed homage to classic lunar lander games, featuring engaging mechanics and beautiful graphics.
It offers a challenging experience with 10 worlds, each introducing unique gameplay elements and a global leaderboard for speedruns.
The quick reset button is a welcome addition, making it easier to retry levels and improve performance.

The controls can be awkward, with a slow turn rate and strong momentum that can lead to frustrating crashes and difficult landings.
Tight time constraints for achieving higher star ratings can feel punishing, especially for new players unfamiliar with the mechanics.
Certain hazards and obstacles, like tracking mines and missile turrets, can be overly frustrating and detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The gameplay is a nostalgic blend of classic titles, featuring 10 diverse worlds with unique mechanics that evolve as players advance. It offers a robust challenge with a global leaderboard for speedruns and a star rating system based on performance, ensuring a rewarding experience for those who enjoy competition and variety. Overall, the gameplay is well-executed, consistently introducing new elements to keep players engaged.
- “10 worlds, different mechanics on each, global leaderboard for speedruns, and a 1-3 star rating depending on your time. This is perfect for people like me who enjoy a challenge.”
- “Tons of content, a decent amount of variety with new mechanics introduced in every stage, and fairly challenging speedrun times.”
- “The gameplay is well realized, and new elements are constantly added as players progress.”
- “A mix of 1986's BBC Micro Thrust, 1979's arcade Lunar Lander, and even a little of 1982's arcade Gravitar in terms of graphics and mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is well realized and new elements are constantly added as players progress.”
- “Tons of content, decent amount of variety with new mechanics introduced in every stage, fairly challenging speedrun times.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics are reminiscent of classic titles like 1986's BBC Micro Thrust, 1979's arcade Lunar Lander, and 1982's arcade Gravitar, blending retro aesthetics with modern mechanics. The game performs well even on basic onboard graphics, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of players.
- “Runs just fine with onboard graphics.”
- “A mix of 1986's BBC Micro Thrust, 1979's arcade Lunar Lander, and even a little of 1982's arcade Gravitar in terms of graphics and mechanics.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story aspect of the game is tied to gameplay performance, requiring players to achieve a minimum rating of 1 star through timing and hand-eye coordination to unlock additional missions and worlds. This creates a sense of progression that is directly linked to player skill.
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a soundtrack, which is seen as a significant shortcoming by players.
- “The only thing the game is missing is a soundtrack.”
- “The only thing the game is missing is a soundtrack.”