Void Bastards

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,567 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Void Bastards Game Cover
Void Bastards is a work of art, not only in its visuals but also in gameplay. The progression is strong and the gameplay is a blast. Exploring each derelict ship was a treat, and I can't wait to dive back into the Sargasso Nebula for more fun.
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Void Bastards is a first-person shooter with strategy and roguelike elements. You play as various prisoners trying to escape a ship filled with hostile enemies and environmental hazards. Each playthrough is unique, with procedurally generated levels and a wide range of weapons and skills to discover. Your decisions and strategy are key to survival as you scavenge for resources and battle through the dangerous ships of the Sargasso Nebula.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,567 reviews
gameplay277 positive mentions
grinding67 negative mentions
  • Unique comic book-inspired art style that enhances the overall experience.
  • Engaging gameplay loop that combines strategic decision-making with fast-paced combat.
  • Witty dialogue and humor that adds charm and personality to the game.
  • Repetitive gameplay and ship layouts that can lead to boredom after a few hours.
  • Limited enemy variety and some weapons feel underwhelming or ineffective.
  • The ending is unsatisfying and may leave players feeling that their efforts were pointless.
  • gameplay670 mentions

    The gameplay of *Void Bastards* is characterized by a unique blend of roguelite mechanics and first-person shooter elements, where players scavenge derelict ships while managing resources like oxygen and ammo. While the core gameplay loop of looting, crafting, and upgrading is engaging and addictive, many players find it repetitive over time due to limited enemy variety and similar ship layouts. The game's charming art style and humor enhance the experience, but some mechanics, such as stealth, are criticized for being underdeveloped, leading to mixed feelings about the overall depth and replayability of the gameplay.

    • “The core of the gameplay is finding what you need on the ship, while fighting/avoiding the many dangers awaiting you.”
    • “Fantastic graphics draw me in, but an entertaining gameplay loop keeps me playing.”
    • “The gameplay loop is very addicting – if you love looting and collecting parts to create new items.”
    • “The gameplay is highly repetitive, from the mobs, to the environment, to the hazards, to the ship designs, etc., ad nauseam.”
    • “The gameplay loop just fails to engage me, no matter how many times I try to come back and try it.”
    • “However, the gameplay gets very repetitive very quickly.”
  • graphics606 mentions

    The graphics of "Void Bastards" are widely praised for their unique comic book-inspired art style, characterized by vibrant cel-shading and a visually striking aesthetic that enhances the game's atmosphere. Many players find the visuals captivating and reminiscent of classic titles, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment of the gameplay, despite some noting that the graphics may not be as detailed as those in AAA games. Overall, the art style is considered one of the game's standout features, effectively blending humor and design to create an engaging experience.

    • “The graphics are fantastic and make it feel like you're playing a comic book, even more so than other cel-shaded games like Borderlands.”
    • “The art style is really original and executed perfectly.”
    • “The comic book aesthetic is near flawless, with colorful, cel-shaded characters and surfaces in the ships and wonderfully stylized 2D art in the menus.”
    • “I just wish it had the graphics of Dead Space or Callisto Protocol... I'm sure if the dev team had a spare hundred million bucks or so they could have pulled that off, but in this case I will gladly take what I can get!”
    • “Unfortunately, once you get past the slick comic book aesthetic, it all starts to feel a little too familiar.”
    • “The graphics look like puke.”
  • story399 mentions

    The game's story is often described as light and humorous, serving primarily as a framework for gameplay rather than a deep narrative experience. While some players appreciate the dark comedy and absurdity of the setting, many find the plot to be simplistic, repetitive, and lacking in depth, often reduced to a series of fetch quests with minimal character development or meaningful conclusions. Overall, the story is entertaining in its quirkiness but does not provide a substantial or engaging narrative, leading to mixed feelings about its value in relation to the gameplay.

    • “The story is a black comedy where hyper-capitalist ideals and bureaucratic red tape have commoditized human life.”
    • “The story, atmosphere, enemies, and basically everything does its best in its own cartoony way to absolutely make you feel uncomfortable being anywhere near these wrecks.”
    • “The storytelling and overall plot is simple but is as complicated as it needs to be and the humor lands most every time.”
    • “There is absolutely no story; the 'plot' is limited to 'we need you to get these random items for no reason to do a thing we won't explain.'”
    • “The story isn't much, and what little is there, the ending is kind of a buzzkill.”
    • “The story is nearly non-existent, and the ending was bad to the point where they should have just given you a 'good job!'”
  • humor384 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark, dry British wit and absurdity, often drawing comparisons to Monty Python and the Stanley Parable. Players appreciate the clever writing, quirky voice acting, and comic book art style, which enhance the comedic experience, although some find the humor can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game's satirical take on a dystopian corporate world, combined with its engaging gameplay, makes for a uniquely entertaining experience.

    • “It's like if you mixed the strategic depth of a space opera with the wacky humor of a Monty Python skit.”
    • “Void Bastards excels at what it sets out to do, presenting a bleakly funny universe with rules that make sense, and lets you learn and strategize so you can tackle the deeper, more difficult parts of its nebula/map at your own pace.”
    • “The humor in this game is brilliant; I had several points where I've genuinely laughed out loud at some of the lines of dialogue or an announcement.”
    • “The setting is supposed to be funny; I just find it very depressing.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, making the humor cringe-worthy.”
    • “I expected a light-hearted experience, but the humor is more awkward than amusing.”
  • music111 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its dynamic and atmospheric qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during combat and exploration. While some players find the soundtrack memorable and fitting, others describe it as average or repetitive, lacking diversity. Overall, the music effectively complements the game's quirky art style and humor, contributing to an engaging atmosphere, though some players wish for more variety and depth in the compositions.

    • “The soundtrack for this game is rather eccentric and used effectively to keep a nice tempo during combat, acting as feedback for the player to figure out if they've been found.”
    • “Awesome atmosphere, very well done, and certain pieces of the soundtrack gave me actual goosebumps.”
    • “The mix of comic-book aesthetics, exhilarating soundtrack, and solid shooter gameplay make this game an absolute delight.”
    • “I feel like sometimes the music bugs out and the alert music triggers for no reason.”
    • “The game itself is very repetitive; few enemy varieties; sound and music are also repetitive.”
    • “This game has no content, just repetitive enemies with the same music, texture, and art.”
  • replayability107 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its roguelike elements and procedural generation for providing unique experiences in each run. However, several reviews highlight a lack of depth and variety in gameplay, leading to diminished replay value after initial playthroughs. While some players find enjoyment in challenges and different playstyles, others express disappointment in the overall replayability, suggesting that improvements or additional content could enhance the experience.

    • “A great game with solid replay value; it feels like each attempt is unique so far.”
    • “The game has a lot of replayability as it is a roguelike and also offers more challenging runs you can do, such as unarmed, guns only, indirect weapons only, etc.”
    • “Not only is this game super replayable, it's really fun, easy to pick up and play, and oozes uniqueness.”
    • “After putting more hours into this game, I can say it is still incredibly fun and still tense as ever, though I do have something to mention: this game has poor replayability.”
    • “Unfortunately, the story is thin and the replay value is quite low.”
    • “The game has next to zero replay value once you complete a run for the first time.”
  • atmosphere79 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique blend of humor, art style, and immersive sound design, creating a captivating experience that enhances both the gameplay and narrative. While some reviewers note that it may not reach the heights of other atmospheric titles, the overall presentation and quirky elements contribute to a fun and engaging environment. The combination of comic-book aesthetics, tense moments, and a rich soundtrack effectively draws players into its world, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The atmosphere and cartoony art style is awesome.”
    • “Every scenario of Void Bastards has a fitting atmosphere and soundtrack to match it that intensifies the whole experience, enhancing the horror feel with the ambience and the rush that comes with the action-packed combat.”
    • “Its gameplay is solid and deep, the combat fun and full of strategy, the atmosphere is fantastically absorbing and the characters and universe it is set in are interesting, comedic, and a treat to experience.”
    • “I'm not sure why they mention System Shock 2; the game is nothing close to that past an extreme surface level in terms of gameplay and atmosphere.”
    • “Good audio immerses players into the atmosphere of a game, but this game kind of lacks that.”
    • “I'm sure some people like that atmosphere, but I just find it irritating and it tires my eyes out.”
  • grinding69 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it repetitive and tedious, especially in the late game where the lack of variety can lead to burnout. However, some appreciate the grinding for its fulfilling upgrades and the engaging gameplay loop, noting that it can be enjoyable if players embrace the grind. Overall, while the game offers stylish aesthetics and humor, the grind can feel excessive and may not appeal to everyone.

    • “The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but it adds to the overall experience.”
    • “While it can be a bit grindy, the rewards make it worthwhile.”
    • “I found it a bit grindy, but the progression kept me engaged.”
    • “A ton of grinding and dying for an ending that felt unfair after all that work.”
    • “The unlock system is really grindy and doesn't provide much in terms of gameplay.”
    • “It becomes clear after a handful of hours that you're grinding the same content repeatedly for the sole purpose of doing it again.”
  • optimization15 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its excellent optimization, featuring stable performance, short load times, and a bug-free experience. Players report smooth gameplay with no significant issues, although some recommend enabling Vsync for AMD GPUs to avoid tearing. The combination of impressive art design and technical performance contributes to a highly enjoyable gaming experience.

    • “Basically bug-free in my playthroughs with stable performance and short load times.”
    • “Great art design, well optimized, and funny characters.”
    • “Performance-wise... I'm actually impressed that an indie release is this stable right off the bat.”
    • “Overall sense that time invested/performance in each run does not translate to rewards or sense of accomplishment.”
    • “Vsync is pretty much a requirement to have on for AMD GPUs it seems - otherwise there's tearing/stuttering.”
    • “Yeah, the game is good, but it is perhaps a tad highly priced at 30 euros; 25 euros would have been the sweet spot.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The stability of the game is mixed, with some players experiencing significant bugs and complete freezes that require a system restart, while others report a smooth and stable gameplay experience with minimal glitches. Overall, the game's performance varies widely depending on the user's system and experience.

    • “The art style is very clean and runs great even on my low-powered laptop.”
    • “Almost no glitches or bugs; very stable gameplay.”
    • “The art style is very good, and it runs great.”
    • “Also, the game is super buggy.”
    • “Buggy tho.”
    • “Each time I have tried to play the game, after about anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, the game completely freezes up. It's the kind of freeze where you can't even use the kill command or bring up task manager, so I had to restart my entire computer each time.”
  • monetization7 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, as players appreciate the absence of ads and the lack of aggressive microtransactions or DLCs, allowing for a more immersive experience. However, some users express disappointment with the presence of microtransactions in certain contexts, suggesting a desire for a more straightforward approach to monetization. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prefer a sense of progress without constant financial pressure.

    • “Overall, I recommend it if you like to feel constant progress without the constant drumbeat of microtransactions and DLCs.”
    • “There are no ads in a 2019 FPS.”
    • “I loved Card Hunter (bar the microtransactions) and thought it had a very cool gimmick idea of a card game being used for a D&D session.”
    • “I am heavily disappointed by the misleading advertisements.”
    • “Overall, I recommend it if you like to feel constant progress without the incessant pressure of microtransactions and DLCs.”
  • character development5 mentions

    While the game's vibrant comic book-inspired art and stylish character designs are praised, many players feel that it lacks significant character development and narrative depth, falling short of expectations for a story-rich experience. The unique visual style may distract from these shortcomings, but the overall consensus is that character development is not a strong point of the game.

    • “The game's comic book-inspired art direction is a breath of fresh air, with vibrant colors and stylish character designs that leap off the screen.”
    • “Character design is very cool, and I love the detail.”
    • “The high-res 'ligne claire' style, zany but grim tone, and original character design made me forget any shortcomings in narrative.”
    • “Whatever hopes I had for a story-rich, atmospheric shooter with significant character development and a diversity of playstyles were quickly dashed.”
    • “However, there is definitely less narrative and character development in this compared to either of those.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate its humor and feel a sense of appreciation, others find it lacking in heartwarming moments and emotional depth. The game may evoke feelings of loss and disappointment, particularly regarding its value and lasting impact. Overall, it fails to reach significant emotional heights, leaving some players feeling underwhelmed.

    • “It made me feel appreciated.”
    • “It made me feel lost.”
    • “It fits the game's humor perfectly; in hindsight, it feels like the only way the game could have ended, but it isn't especially heartwarming.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
7-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 21 analyzed playthroughs

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