Void Bastards
Last updated: 2025-12-29
- Stylish comic-book art direction enhances visuals
- Unique genre-blending mechanics stand out
- Humor and satirical writing engage players
- Repetitive core gameplay loop frustrates players
- Overpriced for content offered disappoints buyers
- Hollow progression and upgrades lack depth
Emotions
Players frequently cite repetitive gameplay loops, lack of variety in locations and mechanics, and unmet expectations as key sources of disappointment. Many also express dissatisfaction with underwhelming endings, short playtime, and perceived lack of depth or content for the price, leading to a sense of wasted potential.
Frustration stems from repetitive or monotonous gameplay, unfair difficulty spikes, and poorly balanced mechanics (e.g., ammo/oxygen limitations, RNG reliance). Technical issues like lag, clunky controls, and disruptive bugs (e.g., docking problems) further exacerbate dissatisfaction, alongside perceived developer neglect and lack of meaningful updates.
Players enjoy the game's fast-paced, engaging mechanics, humorous tone, and creative gameplay elements like unique weapons and crafting. The early-game experience, replayability, and satisfying progression systems are frequently highlighted as sources of fun and entertainment.
Satisfaction arises from mastering the game's systems, completing challenges (e.g., achievements, full loot escapes), and enjoying polished progression and loadout customization. Players appreciate the rewarding gameplay loop, persistent upgrades, and the sense of accomplishment from overcoming difficult or long-term goals.
Excitement is driven by the game's unique mechanics (e.g., hacking, traps), intense and dynamic gameplay, and strategic depth. Players also express enthusiasm for the game's atmosphere, presentation, and anticipation for sequels or late-game power fantasies.
Verdict
Mixed
Summary
Positive 61% · Negative 39%. Score: 39 / 100
Positives:
- The comic-book aesthetic, cel-shaded graphics, and vibrant colors are widely praised for their uniqueness and visual appeal. The art style is described as timeless, captivating, and well-executed, adding depth to the gameâs atmosphere.
- The game successfully combines FPS, roguelike, stealth, and crafting elements into a cohesive experience. Players highlight the unique take on the FPS genre and the seamless integration of roguelite mechanics like permadeath and progression retention.
- The gameâs British-inspired humor, witty dialogue, and raunchy comedy are frequently mentioned as standout features. The writing and tone add a layer of charm and entertainment, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game offers multiple ways to approach challenges, with varied weapons, enemy types, and randomized traits. Players enjoy experimenting with different strategies, whether stealthy, aggressive, or hybrid approaches.
- The gunplay is described as smooth, satisfying, and dynamic, with well-designed weapons that feel distinct and impactful. Players enjoy the strategic depth of combat and the variety of weapons available.
Negatives:
- Players consistently report that the gameplay becomes monotonous and repetitive after a few hours, with limited variability in mechanics, missions, and enemy encounters. This reduces long-term engagement and replayability.
- Players feel the game is overpriced relative to its short playtime, limited content, and lack of depth. The $30 price point is frequently cited as unjustified for the experience provided.
- Upgrades and progression feel unrewarding, as they often only counter enemy health scaling without adding meaningful depth or tension. Late-game becomes too easy due to overpowered builds.
- The story is described as shallow, anti-climactic, and unsatisfying, with abrupt endings and weak lore. Players feel there is no compelling reason to engage with the narrative or replay the game.
- Enemies and ship layouts are repetitive, with few unique designs or meaningful variations. This leads to a lack of excitement and visual monotony during exploration and combat.
Gameplay:
- The game blends roguelite structure with permadeath, progression retention, and randomized elements. This creates replayability through multiple playthroughs and strategic adaptation.
- The game features procedurally generated ships with randomized layouts, loot, enemies, and modifiers, ensuring varied gameplay experiences. Specific room types (e.g., helm, oxygen room) and factions add depth to exploration.
- A robust crafting system allows players to build weapons, tools, and upgrades using salvaged materials (e.g., bio, slag, volt). Upgrades persist across runs, enabling long-term progression.
- The core loop involves boarding ships, looting resources, upgrading gear, and managing risks (e.g., oxygen, enemies). Repetition is balanced by procedural generation and progression.
- Players must manage oxygen, fuel, food, and ammo, adding tension to exploration and combat. Scarcity forces tactical decisions, similar to FTL-style gameplay.
Performance:
- The game is optimized for high-end hardware, running smoothly at 4K with a 4070ti and at 1440p with max settings on a GTX1080. Players report excellent performance, including 144 FPS on specified setups.
- Players report encountering a white screen issue when docking, which requires a full game restart to resolve. This disrupts gameplay and immersion.
- The game is accessible on older hardware but may experience lag during intense moments, such as encounters with many enemies. Performance varies based on system specifications.
- The game supports controllers, but players recommend using mouse and keyboard for a better experience, suggesting potential limitations in controller functionality or precision.
- A specific setting related to granularity is causing problems for players, though the exact nature of the issue is unclear from the feedback.
Recommendations:
- The game is highly recommended for fans of roguelites, FPS hybrids, and challenging shooters. Players who enjoy replayability and genre-specific mechanics will find it most appealing.
- The majority of players strongly recommend purchasing the game only when discounted, citing its value as insufficient at full price. Many suggest waiting for a sale or bundle deal to justify the cost.
- While some players praise the game's unique experience, others feel it lacks depth or content to justify the full price. Neutral or negative recommendations often stem from repetitiveness or unmet expectations.
- Players expecting depth or complexity akin to immersive sims (e.g., System Shock) may find the game disappointing, as it leans more toward roguelite mechanics.
- The game is well-suited for short, casual playthroughs (e.g., evening sessions) but may not sustain long-term engagement due to late-game stagnation or repetitiveness.
Miscellaneous:
- Players report finishing the game in 6-12 hours, with most playthroughs lasting around 7-8 hours. A harder difficulty replay for rare achievements took only 6 hours.
- The game includes satirical commentary on capitalism, corporate culture, and modern punishment systems, which resonated with players.
- Players suggest adding features like an open workbench, balance changes, and new mechanics to improve gameplay depth and replayability.
- Players praise the comic-style visuals and immersive sound design, enhancing the overall experience.
