Evochron Mercenary

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 65 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 65
  3. Negative: 11 out of 65

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. PeyoteCoyote
    Jan 24, 2012
    4
    I disagree with the other posts complaints that the learning curve is too steep for this game. The game delivers pretty much what it states. I found the flight physics pretty refreshing from the typical 'point and shoot' simulators. Also, the seamless flow from system to system of from space to planet surface was a pretty neat change from most games of the genre. The graphics are prettyI disagree with the other posts complaints that the learning curve is too steep for this game. The game delivers pretty much what it states. I found the flight physics pretty refreshing from the typical 'point and shoot' simulators. Also, the seamless flow from system to system of from space to planet surface was a pretty neat change from most games of the genre. The graphics are pretty blah, even though I have all the settings on their highest. That alone doesn't bother me, but I have found some of the screenshots and trailer vids to be misleading. My largest and greatest complaint is the amount of bugs and crashes I experienced. Most would counter with, "what do you expect with a privately developed indie game," blah blah. Unless a game is free, I expect it to at least work. The problem is that a lot of the bugs you may not even realize you're experiencing. A lot of the rendered objects and menu options flip out on me, and unless you know there supposed to be there, you don't miss them. I also experience frequent crashes, which is extrememly uncharacteristic for my system. This game gets an A+ for imagination and creativity, but a D- on execution. If you don't mind donating $20 to support the indie industry, this game is for you. Otherwise, go take your grandma out for a burger.… Expand
  2. Wilfogn
    Jan 24, 2012
    3
    This game gets a lot of things right and a lot wrong. With the 25$ price in mind I do not expect a top of the line title but After an hour of trying my best to enjoy this game I found it lacking. Pros: Everything you could ask for in a space sim:
    Good physics
    Easy Controls Cons: As a serious sim it does take a long time to travel. Landing on planets takes several minutes, better bring    This game gets a lot of things right and a lot wrong. With the 25$ price in mind I do not expect a top of the line title but After an hour of trying my best to enjoy this game I found it lacking. Pros: Everything you could ask for in a space sim:
    Good physics
    Easy Controls
    Cons:
    As a serious sim it does take a long time to travel. Landing on planets takes several minutes, better bring a book!
    Graphics are passable, but not a selling point.
    Overall it is unforgiving in all the wrong points:
    - the first race you enter you have to race a ship that can knock you off course at will and if you fail you have to pay for gas and try again. -When you warp to a station prepare to hit the brakes as soon as you exit the jump. You will be headed toward it at max speed.
    I really wanted to get into this game but after an hour of frustration I could not will myself to pick it back up. And I have played and enjoyed space sims since 1998. Give this one a pass unless you love frustration.    … Expand
  3. AgainstLazyDevs
    Jan 23, 2013
    1
    Combat in this game is simply way too hard. I find that as a Combat Pilot starting form the carrier, the contracts offered are usually much too difficult and only server to make your blood pressure rise from death after death. The Developers of this title are not cognisant enough of the difficulty level to use the beginner contracts as tools for the player to have fun whilst learning theCombat in this game is simply way too hard. I find that as a Combat Pilot starting form the carrier, the contracts offered are usually much too difficult and only server to make your blood pressure rise from death after death. The Developers of this title are not cognisant enough of the difficulty level to use the beginner contracts as tools for the player to have fun whilst learning the game. Instead, they opt to make the experience as miserable and frustrating as possible while simultaneously failing to actually teach you how to play.

    If you like games that make your blood pressure rise, this is the game for you.    … Expand
  4. harold5187
    Jan 22, 2012
    2
    I wasted $19.99 on t his junk! I feel so ripped off. The intro video and graphics were awesome, but when playing the actual game, I found that the tutorial wasn't enough, too many keys to memorize, it felt like a lower version of the already low end rip off of Universal Combat, a knock off of the same game called Battlecruiser Millenium. Same game engine it appears to be, only II wasted $19.99 on t his junk! I feel so ripped off. The intro video and graphics were awesome, but when playing the actual game, I found that the tutorial wasn't enough, too many keys to memorize, it felt like a lower version of the already low end rip off of Universal Combat, a knock off of the same game called Battlecruiser Millenium. Same game engine it appears to be, only I couldn't find any FPS in the game, not that I was looking very hard. Too busy trying to figure out how to get from point A to be B safely. The in game radio chatter is a total nuissance. I got the great impression that the makers of this game were trying to compete with X3 Terran Conflict, but failed miserably. The missions are few, and pay very little, and the learning curve for this game is pretty high, so I wouldn't expect to jump right into it anytime soon. I'm alright with the game engine, I would rather have ok graphics with a game that does a bit of everything than a souped up game with all the bugs. But my personal opinion of this game, is it could have gone so much farther, if the developer would have been me.… Expand
  5. sledge
    Jan 24, 2012
    1
    The game really fails at key aspects. Simple things like SAVING YOUR GAME literally do not work as intended. Reloading takes literally 5 minutes on my alienware PC. WTF? The price tag on this game is a huge rip off. It's not worth more than 5 bucks at the most.
  6. procyon4
    Feb 15, 2012
    1
    Even at $25 this game is way overpriced. The graphics are basic at best. Piloting the ship is relatively straightforward once you figured out the key combinations and the space travel physic is quite accurate (In space that is, not when landing on a planet) but, beyond this, I have nothing good to say about this game. The game play choices are clear, either boring or nearly impossible toEven at $25 this game is way overpriced. The graphics are basic at best. Piloting the ship is relatively straightforward once you figured out the key combinations and the space travel physic is quite accurate (In space that is, not when landing on a planet) but, beyond this, I have nothing good to say about this game. The game play choices are clear, either boring or nearly impossible to achieve. Too many programming shortcuts were taken in the making of this game. Safe for the player's information, nothing is saved. The same fighting mission stated number of foes will change every time after restoring a saved game. Regardless, you can never trust the information provided. The estimated number of enemy ships as nothing to do with the actual number of foes you'll be faced with. The difficulty has nothing to do with your abilities. It's always based on inaccurate information, better equipped enemy ships and large number of foes with seemingly endless supplies of missiles while yours will be expended within the first few shots. You can even get killed while docked at a station, just trying to trade or get a mission. Don't expect to be able to do the same though as you will never find your target in the same position. As far as upgrading your ship, you better be very, very, very patient. You will need about half a million credits to equip a barely acceptable fighter ship. With the ship you have to start and the type of missions you can hope to do in the beginning, you'll barely get 15,000 credits for each successful mission once you have paid for spent fuel and equipment. So just do the math... it's a long time on cleaning arrays (tantamount to washing windows), mining asteroids (Even there, you can not choose what you're mining so you'll waste even more time dumping what you did not want in the first place) and racing through ever winding ring type tracks. Fighting missions pay more but, as explained before, the odds are stacked against you and your slow poorly equipped ship. With luck though, you may end up fighting against three ships only and win the prize but, likely, other foes will materialize and blow you to pieces unless your lucky enough to make it to a jump gate and get out in a not too unfriendly solar system. The problem is that as soon as you accept to take a mission for one faction then the others will become your enemy until you accept long enough work for one of the others and then the first one will turn against you. Need I continue? The only thing I appreciated about this game was that it was easy to un-install... Good riddance!!!… Expand
  7. ABNMP
    Feb 4, 2012
    3
    Imagine going to dinner and spending $25 dollars for your entree. When it arrives at the table you are presented with a 4 piece chicken nuggets with a small order of fries. Pretty sure you would be upset. This game needs another 3 years of development, and an infusion of several million dollars. Seems like PC gaming has been moving backwards since I started playing in 1986. Avoid thisImagine going to dinner and spending $25 dollars for your entree. When it arrives at the table you are presented with a 4 piece chicken nuggets with a small order of fries. Pretty sure you would be upset. This game needs another 3 years of development, and an infusion of several million dollars. Seems like PC gaming has been moving backwards since I started playing in 1986. Avoid this title and go to Pizza Hut instead. You'll thank me for it later.… Expand
  8. nacon242
    Apr 29, 2013
    3
    This game was a disappointment to me. The UI isn't great and the learning curve is a bit steep for piloting. The graphics are very primitive. It takes a while to do anything, it feels like. The game was buggy as well I had issues saving. Any money you spend on this game is a donation more than a payment for a decent product.
  9. tiailds
    Dec 7, 2017
    4
    Didn't get too far into the training, so don't take my opinion too strongly. My biggest problem is that controlling the ship it too realistic and not intuitive or fun. I want to be able to move easily without thinking of the physics of it all. Too many controls to map or use for my taste.
  10. Broyax
    Apr 17, 2017
    0
    C'est l'histoire d'un mec qui fait un jeu dans sa cave. Il le faisait dans son garage mais sa bourgeoise l'a dégagé vite fait (le garage c'est réservé pour kinect). Il fait donc son jeu avec les pieds. Personne ne l'a embauché chez les éditeurs ou il n'y est resté à chaque fois que très peu de temps comme stagiaire. Il a quand même développé quelques freewares de temps à autre, si, si. LeC'est l'histoire d'un mec qui fait un jeu dans sa cave. Il le faisait dans son garage mais sa bourgeoise l'a dégagé vite fait (le garage c'est réservé pour kinect). Il fait donc son jeu avec les pieds. Personne ne l'a embauché chez les éditeurs ou il n'y est resté à chaque fois que très peu de temps comme stagiaire. Il a quand même développé quelques freewares de temps à autre, si, si. Le dernier a été téléchargé 14 fois l'année dernière.

    Mais il a de l'espoir, c'est quand même son deuxième jeu : avant Evochron Mercenary, il a fait Evochron. Un nom prémonitoire dont il eut l'inspiration assis sur le trône. Il fait tout lui-même, vraiment tout, y compris la voix du tutorial, entièrement en apnée. Bien sûr, il a hypothéqué la maison pour éditer Evotron Mercenary mais on n'a rien sans rien : il faut vivre son rêve.

    Et puis la presse a été assez souvent indulgente : diantre ! 70 sur Metacritic tout de même. Ce n'est pas pour rien qu'il est invité tous les mercredis soir chez le gros Gabe. Il nous fait tant rire. Personne n'a joué plus d'un quart d'heure à son jeu mais l'écouter en parler pendant des heures, ça n'a pas de prix. Il est si gentil et si aimable, les clochards du quartier se sont cotisés pour Evotron War of the Etrons, son prochain projet. Cette fois, vous allez voir, ce sera un succès "international". Allez, cours, Forrest, cours !    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

96
#96 Best PC Game of 2010
57
#57 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
43
#43 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. PC Gamer
    Jul 12, 2012
    79
    A slow-burning but compelling universe in which to indulge your trading, mining and mercenary fantasies. [Sept 2012, p.74]
  2. Gaming Nexus
    Mar 8, 2012
    67
    Life in space is probably not easy, so it's no surprise that there is a distinctly tough learning curve in Evochron Mercenary. Those with enough interest and diligence to stick with it, though, will be rewarded with deep, unfettered space sandbox game play.
    Read full review
  3. GameStar
    Feb 9, 2012
    53
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »