FTL: Faster Than Light

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1531 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,248 out of 1531
  2. Mixed: 185 out of 1531
  3. Negative: 98 out of 1531

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. refdxf
    Sep 17, 2012
    10
    Amazing game, deep gameplay, plenty of replay value. Game breaks a good bit of new ground in strategy games, well worth the time and attention. avoid the subreddit and wikis however, more fun to discover things yourself.
  2. Megatanis
    Oct 9, 2013
    10
    YES!! Finally, this is pure genius. A light in the dark.. take this modern uber hyped crap games!
    The proof that a good game is based on a good concept, passion, love for your work.
    No need for super graphics and 2gb cutscenes, no need for a 2000$ rig to run this gem. All those multimillion developers/corporations should be ASHAMED, faster than light is simply perfect. And it is    YES!! Finally, this is pure genius. A light in the dark.. take this modern uber hyped crap games!
    The proof that a good game is based on a good concept, passion, love for your work.
    No need for super graphics and 2gb cutscenes, no need for a 2000$ rig to run this gem.
    All those multimillion developers/corporations should be ASHAMED, faster than light is simply perfect. And it is unbelievable how much fun you'll have playing it.    … Expand
  3. not_good
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    One of the best hour/dollar ratios in gaming. This game is hard as balls though, not that there's anything wrong with that. As far as roguelikes go this is one of my favorites.

    I love this game.
  4. Jord68
    Sep 20, 2012
    10
    This is one of the best indie games I've ever played. It deserves every cent, I honestly can't wait to see what other games this company will make in the future.
  5. gasperk
    Feb 18, 2013
    10
    I never imagined this game would give me this much fun. Really. The graphics will not impress you.
    But they get the job done. Soundtrack is amazing. Creates a nice atmosphere. The gameplay is really great. I love it. And yeah, this game is not easy You will probably die a lot. But that is part of this game.
    But the controls and everything are really easy to pick up and play.
  6. vanzi
    Jul 14, 2013
    10
    One of the most addictive games I've played, just spent an entire weekend with this game and I loved it. Sure the luck factor plays a huge role and combined with general difficulty of the game can make it frustrating at times, but after all that's what makes me play over and over again. It's absolutely worth picking it up, it's 2.5€ on sale and it managed to keep me playing for way longerOne of the most addictive games I've played, just spent an entire weekend with this game and I loved it. Sure the luck factor plays a huge role and combined with general difficulty of the game can make it frustrating at times, but after all that's what makes me play over and over again. It's absolutely worth picking it up, it's 2.5€ on sale and it managed to keep me playing for way longer than most of the full priced 60€ titles (not that I'm done with it anytime soon though, still have ships to unlock!).… Expand
  7. Sonic_Doctor
    Sep 25, 2012
    10
    YES! I beat the game on easy!
    That is something that you won't hear that often, hardly ever for that matter, when it comes to most video games. This game is difficult and takes time to master the intricacies of what will work in certain situations. While the game randomly generates each play-through, you will from time to time get events that are similar, but with how unforgiving the game    YES! I beat the game on easy!
    That is something that you won't hear that often, hardly ever for that matter, when it comes to most video games. This game is difficult and takes time to master the intricacies of what will work in certain situations. While the game randomly generates each play-through, you will from time to time get events that are similar, but with how unforgiving the game can be at times, that is a good thing. You learn from mistakes and adapt, though you usually have to adapt more than once with each play-through.

    It is a wonderful top down spaceship command game, and with what games have come out in the past decade, FTL feels pleasantly fresh to me, but with a retro feel. The sound track is awesome; it's typical sci-fi fair but it definitely sounds original and also retro with the computerized sounding notes. The graphics have the same retro feel, like I'm playing a game that could have come out 15 years ago by the look. That is also a good thing, since it gives me something different to look at compared to the top of the line graphics oriented games. Not everything in gaming is about having the best graphics, and frankly, graphics rank low on the list about what is important in making a great game.

    Game play is a big factor in great games and FTL has just that. While the encounters can get repetitive at times, each encounter can change from that to different within seconds. On well placed hit by an enemy can have you sending your crew running to repair a hull breach or a heavily damaged life support system. It can get hectic at times, but the game does allow you to pause mid-combat to analyze the situation act out your best plan accordingly.

    Besides the music I mention before, the sound effects are great as well. The sound of missiles exploding as they hit their mark, varying "pew pew" style laser sounds from laser batteries, and the crackling of an ion cannon shot that has disabled a system on the enemy ship(though more likely yours). There is also is the ability to cloak your ship if it came with a cloak or if you bought one along your journey. If you want to teleport people, you can do that too if your ship has one or you get one. Teleport some of your crew to reek havoc on the enemy vessel.

    As I said the game is very unforgiving and permanent death is something that makes the game twice as nail biting since there is no save function that allows you to start at the last good place if you die. But since the game doesn't take that long to get to the end(play-throughs usually last no more that 2 hours), the permanent death is not a problem. Though it can tug at your heart strings, if you have named your faithful ship and crew, which the game lets you do. Oh, poor Engineer Gork, your effort in putting out the fire in the engine room was greatly appreciated, but sadly you perished from the lack of oxygen before you could get to safety in the nearby corridor.

    The game is quite amazing in every way. Though if you don't like a challenge, then I guess it isn't for you. As for me, I love it and all its quirks, so that is why I give it a 10.    … Expand
  8. M13
    Sep 28, 2012
    10
    Having the most fun playing this game that I've had in a looong time. Love the permadeath. And remember people the fights are just as hard on "easy" you just get a bit more money. When I was very young about 24 years ago there was a turn based Mech Warrior RPG.......I loved that then. And I love this now. They seem very similar.
  9. Humboldt1337
    Mar 26, 2018
    10
    You owe it to yourself to try this game out. It is endlessly enjoyable, and can be played in a relaxed manner. Really well done, a masterpiece of video game design.
  10. rant
    Oct 15, 2012
    10
    Perfect game for what it is--a very short, simple, highly replayable,sci-fi roguelike. For the price, it's an amazing game, and I'll probably keep it installed for years. It's harder than most modern games, and a given run can be ruined by the occasional bad roll at the wrong time. But the whole game takes about 2 hours, and the really bad luck doesn't happen often.
  11. kaiser10951
    Oct 9, 2012
    10
    Very fun game that may or may not keep you glued for hours. It has a crazy hard difficulty that may turn off some players or may attract some like flies to honey. Be warned, you will either love it or want to smash your computer to tiny bits in rage.
  12. ShtKck
    Dec 11, 2012
    10
    This game is so rouge like, I can't get enough of it. I would love to see a sequel. To address the critics, whom are mainly users and not professional reviewers, if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.
  13. BleedingKnee
    Apr 1, 2013
    10
    Incredible gameplay! FTL is an easy to learn and incredibly difficult to master game. It has a mix of arcade and strategy elements that I have never seen before. Building your spaceship as you go gives a sense of vested value that matches any RPG. To top it off, the soundtrack is excellent, and the interface is so good it makes you wonder how the AAA titles fail to get it right.

    I    Incredible gameplay! FTL is an easy to learn and incredibly difficult to master game. It has a mix of arcade and strategy elements that I have never seen before. Building your spaceship as you go gives a sense of vested value that matches any RPG. To top it off, the soundtrack is excellent, and the interface is so good it makes you wonder how the AAA titles fail to get it right.

    I have not played an indie game that comes near as close to FTL.    … Expand
  14. dwhee
    Sep 26, 2012
    10
    Better than any game I've played this year at a fraction of the price. It offers so many things that the industry seems to be completely devoid of these days. First off, there's an actual learning curve. You have to learn by doing in FTL, and it usually results in a few miserable failures before you have any chance of success. There is no hand-holding, no quicksaving- you're simplyBetter than any game I've played this year at a fraction of the price. It offers so many things that the industry seems to be completely devoid of these days. First off, there's an actual learning curve. You have to learn by doing in FTL, and it usually results in a few miserable failures before you have any chance of success. There is no hand-holding, no quicksaving- you're simply expected to go down with the ship and then give it another go. But when you do, you're prepared for more contingencies. What was your flaw? Did you get boarded and defeated because you lacked a strong crew? Did you over-invest in weapons while neglecting defensive subsystems like shields, engines, and cloaking? And if so, which subsystems should you have invested in? The gameplay is about preparing for contingencies, and there are only so many. Once you learn all of them you can adequately spec your ship to be able to counter all of them. However, the game makes it VERY difficult to cover all of your bases, mostly due to a simple lack of resources and time. Not a single player, no matter how experienced, enters the final boss fight with every contingency covered. And as a result, the final battle is always rewarding no matter how prepared you are.

    On top of all that, there are unique random events that can happen in the game that can really change your experience for the better- or the worse. I will always remember an event where my female human pilot was killed trying to save an alien crewmember from a civilian ship- there's no cutscene, no fanfair, just a dialog saying that your pilot is dead and the crewmember survived. That alien crewmember became my new pilot and led us to victory. Sometimes it's more harsh and less dramatic. Find an alien artifact in space? Be careful approaching it. It might cause one of your crew to rapidly age in reverse until they disappear.

    There are lots of achievements, which I'm not usually fond of, but in this case I think they complement the game well. Everyone's going to make multiple attempts at the game, so why not make certain starting options unlockables? I really don't mind achievements when they're not half-ass. Either the entire game should be based around them or they shouldn't be there. The designers of FTL seem to feel the same way.

    Most importantly, the game offers challenge. The "Easy" gamemode is almost inevitably what everyone will start out with, and everyone will likely die several times on it. The difficulty is what made me nostalgic more than any of the excellent retro music and graphics- what happened to side-scrolling action games without a save option, where the last level was legitimately SCARY just because you were afraid of losing your progress? I haven't felt that way about the final battle in a video game in a long time. In almost every game today, you die at the hands of the final boss- and then you're instantly resurrected in the fight again. For example, I remember in Batman- Arkham Asylum where the best strategy was to die in the second phase of the boss fight, because it would instantly resurrect you during that specific phase with full health. Ridiculous. NONE of that bs in FTL.

    FTL is a game about feeling a sense of learning and accomplishment. Victory is only earned through experience and endurance. In your first "winning" game, there will almost assuredly be times when, in any other game, you would have reloaded. A crew member dies to your own negligence; you run out of fuel and have to wait for help; you realize too late that you would've specced differently if you had known better. In any other game you restart. In this game, you keep going. You make it work. After all, it's just a game. Remember when games were like that?    … Expand
  15. Adamanian
    Sep 26, 2012
    10
    Wow. I haven't gotten so immediately and utterly addicted to a game this fast since... Civ II?! It's a little hard at first but once you learn from your mistakes things start going more smoothly. The Faster Than Light webpage has some good Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced tip sections that I highly recommend.
  16. keefbaker
    Nov 13, 2013
    10
    THE..... BEST.... ROGUELIKE.... EVER.... BAR.... NONE.... Amazingly well thought out game where you command a spaceship and given the way roguelikes work it doesn't appear to suffer from feeling horribly repetitive unlike the lions share of this genre.
  17. The14th
    Jun 4, 2013
    10
    An excellent take on the rouge-like, and possibly the closest we've ever come to how it feels to captain a ship from Star Trek. If you don't love this game and become addicted to it's simple brilliance then you truly have no soul. And FYI, if you can't handle the random encounter generator then you are simply not playing right.
  18. LeonidasRex
    Dec 12, 2012
    10
    This is a difficult game. When I started, it took me five tries to get to the end on easy. Two hundred hours later, on normal I can finish nearly every time. The fighting looks simple, but if you stick with it you'll find amazing tactical depth.
  19. Drej_X_Army
    Jul 18, 2013
    10
    If you loved the old 90's PC games, this game will be for you. I am spending every night, playing atleast one game. The game is very addictive and while the Steam sale is on, this game is a steal for $3.
  20. 60mm
    Feb 19, 2014
    10
    This is definitely a game for tactical/strategy aficionados. If you don't like challenging tactical games, thsi game is not for you. If you enjoyed playing X-Com on Superhuman or getting through FFT with 2 or 3 characters, this game is right up your alley.

    My winning odds on normal nowadays is probably about 2/3 runs. If you really feel this game is too hard or all up to randomness,    This is definitely a game for tactical/strategy aficionados. If you don't like challenging tactical games, thsi game is not for you. If you enjoyed playing X-Com on Superhuman or getting through FFT with 2 or 3 characters, this game is right up your alley.

    My winning odds on normal nowadays is probably about 2/3 runs. If you really feel this game is too hard or all up to randomness, you either have much to learn or maybe it's just too hard for you. I think the difficulty level is excellent.    … Expand
  21. ZZZappy
    Sep 19, 2012
    10
    I write this review 45 hours later... Wait, what? 45 hours?!?

    This game sucked me in extremely fast. I didn't buy it until a friend started playing it, and after watching him, I had to try it myself. The game has a very high replay value, but that might be due to the game's quite short playthrough. To start, the game is brutal and unforgiving. Making mistakes will quickly lead to a    I write this review 45 hours later... Wait, what? 45 hours?!?

    This game sucked me in extremely fast. I didn't buy it until a friend started playing it, and after watching him, I had to try it myself. The game has a very high replay value, but that might be due to the game's quite short playthrough.

    To start, the game is brutal and unforgiving. Making mistakes will quickly lead to a game over, and sometimes the RNG plays dirty by giving you time and time again the negative side of every random event. The enemies scale quickly, so you'll need to find a way to keep the pace. The first 10, maybe even 20 times you're going to lose. On easy.

    However, once you've got an understanding of how the game works, it's not as random and luck based as people make it out to be. Being tactical about your movements and not taking needless risks will take you consistently to the end of the game. Using resource management for your ship can save you tons of cash that you can use to upgrade other things or purchase more weapons at stores. Playing smart will almost always win, except for the very worst generated maps.

    No matter what type of gamer you are, I highly recommend this game. For $10, it's well worth the money.    … Expand
  22. Loldude12
    Oct 20, 2012
    10
    If you thought Minecraft was the only successful indie-game, then you haven't seen FTL: Faster Than Light. It's a great concept, and I was interested about it when I first saw gameplay of it. Many people would say the graphics in this game are not the best, but I think that the graphics in this game are brilliant. The music in this game is also catchy in my opinion, and it doesn't stressIf you thought Minecraft was the only successful indie-game, then you haven't seen FTL: Faster Than Light. It's a great concept, and I was interested about it when I first saw gameplay of it. Many people would say the graphics in this game are not the best, but I think that the graphics in this game are brilliant. The music in this game is also catchy in my opinion, and it doesn't stress you out. Some scenarios in this game are well thought-out about, and that the unexpected is usually around the corner. You may be boarded by pirates, approaching at a sun, or suffer ion storms on nebula systems. Also, if you die, you may rethink about what you have done to accidentally lead yourself to danger, and you may need to think on picking a different ship in case things go wrong on another one, if you have unlocked one. This is a game which says perfection to me.… Expand
  23. PhantomLimb
    Aug 9, 2013
    10
    I'll just start off by saying that "Losing is part of the fun", the game itself tells you this. Even if/when you beat the game, you realize it's not a lengthy game. You're meant to play this over and over again.

    Because of the randomness, you will have to play several times to get the quests to unlock ships. The reason I have so much fun is because I want to unlock each ship and    I'll just start off by saying that "Losing is part of the fun", the game itself tells you this. Even if/when you beat the game, you realize it's not a lengthy game. You're meant to play this over and over again.

    Because of the randomness, you will have to play several times to get the quests to unlock ships. The reason I have so much fun is because I want to unlock each ship and practice with each one until I beat the game with each ship because that's fun for me. Each ship has a different playstyle and figuring that out is fun.

    For people that don't like to try and try again when playing a game should just stay away.    … Expand
  24. TrueGamer81
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    How can anyone give this game anything less than a 10? I will be the first to admit that this is my very first experience with a rogue-like, let alone a rogue-like RTS space sim, but I am having more fun with this Indie game than I have had with AAA titles. This is such an amazing concept and the replayability is endless.

    I can't recommend this title enough. You have heard it said, "Buy    How can anyone give this game anything less than a 10? I will be the first to admit that this is my very first experience with a rogue-like, let alone a rogue-like RTS space sim, but I am having more fun with this Indie game than I have had with AAA titles. This is such an amazing concept and the replayability is endless.

    I can't recommend this title enough. You have heard it said, "Buy this if you are a fan of *insert*, or a gamer in general". Well I say, "Buy this if you are a human being". That may sound silly, but it really is that good.    … Expand
  25. sundog005
    Sep 26, 2012
    10
    awesome little game, i'm bewildered by the negative reviews...how anyone can criticize this game so heavily is ridiculous I've read their complaints and as a hardcore FTLer of some 89 hours i can tell you most of them are totally unfounded and written by impartial trolls...if you like Sci-Fi and RPG's and don't belong to the "ADD i like my games all graphics and no content and one buttonawesome little game, i'm bewildered by the negative reviews...how anyone can criticize this game so heavily is ridiculous I've read their complaints and as a hardcore FTLer of some 89 hours i can tell you most of them are totally unfounded and written by impartial trolls...if you like Sci-Fi and RPG's and don't belong to the "ADD i like my games all graphics and no content and one button wins" generation, buy it.... its cheap and genius, these guys need to be supported.… Expand
  26. BeatHour
    Oct 28, 2013
    10
    Amazing game. Best space simulator I've played, and a ton of fun. Hours and hours of playtime to be had. It could use some more content and further expansion, because its a marvelous base. A warning, though, its a killer to people who don't like to think or who can't learn (as witnessed by the few negative comments saying "this is impossible").

    It might help to watch a YouTube Let's    Amazing game. Best space simulator I've played, and a ton of fun. Hours and hours of playtime to be had. It could use some more content and further expansion, because its a marvelous base. A warning, though, its a killer to people who don't like to think or who can't learn (as witnessed by the few negative comments saying "this is impossible").

    It might help to watch a YouTube Let's Play of it before you jump in.    … Expand
  27. Specimen128
    Oct 8, 2012
    10
    its hard but yeah... It's a roguelike and it's supposed to. There's a bit of luck involved but its really about skills. The targeting system is AMAZING, they should make a multiplayer game with it. The universe is so cool, even with the low graphics you really feel like you're a spaceship captain!!!
  28. Skyleaf
    Feb 27, 2016
    10
    One of favorite games of all times! Am absolute masterpiece in which personal skill can overcome (almost) any challenge! Atmospheric, great combat, interesting progression, enough randomness to keep things interesting for many many hours (I played for far over 100 hours). Don't give up just because you died a few times, the more you learn the more fun you will have! If you even areOne of favorite games of all times! Am absolute masterpiece in which personal skill can overcome (almost) any challenge! Atmospheric, great combat, interesting progression, enough randomness to keep things interesting for many many hours (I played for far over 100 hours). Don't give up just because you died a few times, the more you learn the more fun you will have! If you even are remotely interested in a challenging but fun game, pick this up. Critic reviews for this game are btw. not representative of the final product, many sites used outdated reviewing system which had to attribute the games "retro" graphics to a lower score thus impacting (unrightfully so) the score negatively (e.g. Gamestars review). Also all the negative user reviews complaining about luck (RNG): honestly if your good at the game, you will most likely win 90% of your runs, no matter the starting conditions. Bad decision making (like also in many other games, like league of legends etc.) will cost you the game even though you "feel" you did the "right" thing, but it actually was just because you made a wrong decision without thinking much.… Expand
  29. AndrewBonieskie
    Sep 17, 2012
    10
    I absolutely adore this game. It gives anybody the chance to nerd out so much and is a perfect example of a community creating a game and making it near perfect. The ONLY thing I can fight bad about this game is that It doesnt give you enough to manage. Just four or five rooms while any extra crew just stands arounds. An amazing rogue-like strategy science fiction game. Even if you don'tI absolutely adore this game. It gives anybody the chance to nerd out so much and is a perfect example of a community creating a game and making it near perfect. The ONLY thing I can fight bad about this game is that It doesnt give you enough to manage. Just four or five rooms while any extra crew just stands arounds. An amazing rogue-like strategy science fiction game. Even if you don't like these kind of games, at least try it because it redifines the genre. Perfect 10 out of 10.… Expand
  30. TehOwn
    Sep 20, 2012
    10
    Excitement. Strategy. Fear. Hope. Panic. Joy.
    This game has them all and for a gamer who rarely feels moved by a game, it is a shining beacon of hope.
    Simply put, I love FTL. It is a work of art, in both design and execution.
  31. hxf
    Sep 22, 2012
    10
    great "star trek" style rogue like game. a lot of fun and random events plus the different ships you can unlock add a lot of re-playability to this fantastic game. can not wait for more from the developers.
  32. heychrisfox
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    An amazingly addictive game. There is so much depth, so much variety, and so much risk. You really want to succeed as you continue playing, but the game ramps up difficulty to higher and higher levels. One act of hubris, or one moment of bad luck, and you'll find your ship exploding into pieces. The variety of mechanics all balance themselves out fantastically, and the game never feelsAn amazingly addictive game. There is so much depth, so much variety, and so much risk. You really want to succeed as you continue playing, but the game ramps up difficulty to higher and higher levels. One act of hubris, or one moment of bad luck, and you'll find your ship exploding into pieces. The variety of mechanics all balance themselves out fantastically, and the game never feels like it's getting dull, especially with the constant onslaught of the Rebel Army, which prods you into keeping pace and jumping into the next solar system.

    I would probably write even more compliments, but my ship is in Mantis territory, and I don't want to let my crew of five down.    … Expand
  33. Mix52
    Sep 17, 2012
    10
    This game is an absolute blast and it is a perfect 10 for what it is meant to be. I played it 30 hours over the first weekend that it was available on Steam.

    It is quite challenging - even on easy - so be prepared. People who complain about the fact that you can't save/reload progress may be missing the point of this game and why permadeath is important to the fun and replayability.    This game is an absolute blast and it is a perfect 10 for what it is meant to be. I played it 30 hours over the first weekend that it was available on Steam.

    It is quite challenging - even on easy - so be prepared. People who complain about the fact that you can't save/reload progress may be missing the point of this game and why permadeath is important to the fun and replayability. This is not the type of game where you play through it once and put it away - the whole appeal of this game is to try again. Also, for the people who complain about how the game is just grinding to improve stats, I think you may not understand the appeal of RPG games, especially in the classic style.

    Flame wars aside, it is a massively good deal for $10 (I got it on sale for $9) and you will get your money's worth. I haven't been this addicted to a game in a long time, so be ready! Oh, and the music is AWESOME!!    … Expand
  34. sacbutter
    Sep 18, 2012
    10
    I started playing and was blown away by the depth this game has. It is not an easy game which is fantastic, the galaxy is random and there are times when even if you do everything right your crew just doesn't survive. But don't worry, a game only takes about two hours and if you die you just grab a new ship and start again! It is not an explore/conquer the galaxy game. One ship, one crew,I started playing and was blown away by the depth this game has. It is not an easy game which is fantastic, the galaxy is random and there are times when even if you do everything right your crew just doesn't survive. But don't worry, a game only takes about two hours and if you die you just grab a new ship and start again! It is not an explore/conquer the galaxy game. One ship, one crew, and you the player pulling their strings to keep them pushing on, fighting through every obstacle to escape the deadly rebel fleet that is chasing you. I will be keeping a very close eye on you from here on out Subset Games, you nailed this one and I can't wait to play what you release next. Hopefully more content for my newest addiction FTL: Faster Than Light!… Expand
  35. timmaeus
    Sep 26, 2012
    10
    I hate to admit this... FTL is one of the best games I have ever played. It reminds me of the glory days of old when video games oozed with authenticity, creative vision, and the love their developers put into them. And like the olden days, FTL isn't afraid to give you a challenge. This game will challenge you so much that soon after picking it up all your self-esteem will be sucked outI hate to admit this... FTL is one of the best games I have ever played. It reminds me of the glory days of old when video games oozed with authenticity, creative vision, and the love their developers put into them. And like the olden days, FTL isn't afraid to give you a challenge. This game will challenge you so much that soon after picking it up all your self-esteem will be sucked out into space just like the oxygen in your burning wreck of a spaceship. You'll be wailing and gnashing your teeth as your ship breaks into pieces, all your beloved crew named after TNG characters perish, and you raise your mouse to the sky and scream "noooo!!!".

    But just as soon as you quit, you'll suddenly smile and shake your head and say "Ohhh FTL...". A few seconds later you'll be hopping around the galaxy again, bopping to the amazing ethereal chiptune-esque soundtrack, basking in the retro pixel-arty graphics, fretting over every decision, knowing every new jump could result in a shiny new weapon, man-sized spiders, a slave trader on the run, or just .... plain old certain death.

    This game makes me feel like I'm 13 years old again. It gives me that buzz in my gut that I haven't had for such a long time, and that I never thought I'd get back again. It's everything that I thought games would be when I "grew up" - except that it looks like a Super Nintendo title. Don't get me wrong about the graphics though. I wouldn't change them for the world, or the galaxy for that matter. They're just perfectly suited to this beautiful, strange little game.

    For $10 you'll get to experience the entire spectrum of human emotion, from confusion, love, anger, rage... and back again. I can't recommend it enough.    … Expand
  36. No1livesforever
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    I read a lot of after-action story so I pre-ordered it. If you are a roguelike fan, this is the 10 out of 10 game for you. For others, you will find this game is about randomness and luck, yet shallow and repetitiveness. This is my first roguelike game and this game helped me firmly believe roguelike is not my cup of tea. If you are deciding whether you will enjoy roguelike, give this aI read a lot of after-action story so I pre-ordered it. If you are a roguelike fan, this is the 10 out of 10 game for you. For others, you will find this game is about randomness and luck, yet shallow and repetitiveness. This is my first roguelike game and this game helped me firmly believe roguelike is not my cup of tea. If you are deciding whether you will enjoy roguelike, give this a try; it is cheaply price anyway. I gave it 10 out of 10 because this is a good experience that I will avoid roguelike games from now on.… Expand
  37. Mykwon
    Dec 23, 2012
    10
    A very simple game with very simple graphics, yet very addictive! The strategy is extremely well balanced and the progress in succeeding in the game is constant. So, the pleasure is always renewed, the replay value is big and the potentials are vast. This is a magic game that is at the opposite of any gaming hypes but is tremendously well done. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! One of the best gamesA very simple game with very simple graphics, yet very addictive! The strategy is extremely well balanced and the progress in succeeding in the game is constant. So, the pleasure is always renewed, the replay value is big and the potentials are vast. This is a magic game that is at the opposite of any gaming hypes but is tremendously well done. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! One of the best games I've ever played in my 30 year gaming experience.… Expand
  38. jefflaydenrocks
    Dec 15, 2012
    10
    I usually need to have beautiful graphics to have an interest in a game. I passed by FTL many times as I heard about it. After hearing Giantbomb's podcast and them saying that without a doubt, FTL would be in their top 5 for game of the year, I decided to give it 15 minutes of my time. 5 hours later I am loving this game. This is one of those games that I do not understand why they don'tI usually need to have beautiful graphics to have an interest in a game. I passed by FTL many times as I heard about it. After hearing Giantbomb's podcast and them saying that without a doubt, FTL would be in their top 5 for game of the year, I decided to give it 15 minutes of my time. 5 hours later I am loving this game. This is one of those games that I do not understand why they don't have a demo. Making that leap of faith to spend money surely has kept more than a few sales from happening. I highly recommend trying this one out.… Expand
  39. PianoRepairman
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    Amazing game. For just ten bucks (or less if it's on sale on Steam) you should definitely give it a chance. Trust me, if the concept appeals to you at all you will find yourself sinking hours into this simple, brilliant, delightful game.
  40. Illex
    Jan 9, 2013
    10
    I don't play FTL for the epic spaceship battles. I play FTL for those quiet moments AFTER battle: drifting alone through space, bracing myself for the next jump as I limp toward the nearest space station, her hull barely intact, my ship silent save the sound of technicians mending laser holes in the oxygen generator and the soft hum of the Medbay repairing my injured shipmates. And the music.
  41. cblaked
    Jan 16, 2013
    10
    I downloaded this because it was on sale and I was curious... even though the images looked kinda cheesy.
    That was about 10pm. The next thing I knew the sun was shining through my window and I looked at the clock and went "OH S#&T! I HAVE TO BE AT WORK IN A FEW HOURS!" I do NOT do that. I found myself sitting on my couch with my girlfriend..... thinking about different strategies I'd use    I downloaded this because it was on sale and I was curious... even though the images looked kinda cheesy.
    That was about 10pm. The next thing I knew the sun was shining through my window and I looked at the clock and went "OH S#&T! I HAVE TO BE AT WORK IN A FEW HOURS!" I do NOT do that. I found myself sitting on my couch with my girlfriend..... thinking about different strategies I'd use in this game after I took her home.

    I expect it'll soon start to get less interesting, but the random even factors always keep you on your toes and you never know from the beginning which direction the game is going to go in. It's impressively hard, and I would imagine some people would be really frustrated by this, but in my opinion this makes a good game, because you can make it far into the game, start to lose, and see where one mistake or piece of equipment you foolishly passed up an hour before is the only reason you are dying.

    The game is incredibly simple to learn and play, yet the more I play it the more I'm seeing its complexities. According to Steam I've played 10 hours in the past three days.... So either I'll get tired of it, or uninstall it so I don't completely ruing my body with lack of sleep.    … Expand
  42. Cyberjepp
    Jul 13, 2013
    10
    I'd glanced at 'Faster Than Light' on the Steam store occasionally, but had never been a fan of strategy games. I had heard good things about this game, so I picked it up at a sale. Since then I've been thoroughly enjoying playing it on plenty of occasions, and there is still plenty to do in the game. Easily a solid 10.
  43. TheElegantMan
    Feb 27, 2013
    10
    Amazing is all I can say about this game. The difficulty is hard to get around, but by doing the right things at the right time, and learning to make smart decisions and risky decisions when needed is essential. After many, many attempts, I finally beat the final boss, and boy was it satisfying. If you just want a casual experience, then do not buy this game. If you are the type of personAmazing is all I can say about this game. The difficulty is hard to get around, but by doing the right things at the right time, and learning to make smart decisions and risky decisions when needed is essential. After many, many attempts, I finally beat the final boss, and boy was it satisfying. If you just want a casual experience, then do not buy this game. If you are the type of person that wants a challenge, then you need to buy this game. Especially fun to play with friends, even though it is a single player game. In conclusion, there is nothing much bad with this game. The only problem I have with it is the learning and difficulty curve, but you get the hang of it very quickly.… Expand
  44. nitehawk
    May 2, 2013
    10
    People say "Rougelike", but really FTL is in a category of its own. Inventive and simple, but with great replayability. Does not suffer from the "feature creep" that many similar games fall in to.
  45. Gnawer
    Mar 7, 2013
    10
    Very simple, yet original and addictive game. If you played games in early 90's, this one will remind you a lot of these times. Earlier, people did not necessarily have to spend tons of money to write a good game, so there was more room for experiment. This game is in that spirit. And still, it doesn't feel outdated, and it's not casual-browser-game simple. It actually has a lot of varietyVery simple, yet original and addictive game. If you played games in early 90's, this one will remind you a lot of these times. Earlier, people did not necessarily have to spend tons of money to write a good game, so there was more room for experiment. This game is in that spirit. And still, it doesn't feel outdated, and it's not casual-browser-game simple. It actually has a lot of variety to offer. You basically just shoot ships, but you can do it in many ways. Not just with lasers and missiles, you can board and attack the crew, set them on fire, use attack drones, etc. Fair warning: there's no save/load, and you will die a lot. It's OK. This game is like Tetris: it's intended to be played for the process, not for the end result.… Expand
  46. sgtkellogg
    Mar 11, 2013
    10
    This game had me completely hooked, a perfect combination of simplicity, depth and luck. It has the feel of a fast paced board game. The music is also incredibly atmospheric and very enjoyable. Highly recommend for RTS and space sim games.
  47. rangrang
    Mar 14, 2013
    10
    One of the best games I have ever played. Simple yet engaging and addictive. This is a game that I feel is truly worth getting. The price was good for the re-playability I got out of it so let's support these guys so that we can get more awesome games like this!
  48. nomanredd
    Mar 20, 2013
    10
    I truly love this game. Lot's of replayabiliy but I would have appreciated if there was a bit more randomness to the boss... but the overall experience starting and going to the boss area is really fun. I love the selection of weaponry, the number of passengers, the shields and the how you have to strategically utilize all of this using careful management of energy.
  49. sludgecake
    May 8, 2013
    10
    If you've watched space operas (i.e. Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, etc.) and wanted to try your hand as captain of a vessel, this game has something to offer you.

    If you like to have some difficulty in your game, and the uncertainty which causes one to think carefully about taking a calculated risk, this game has something to offer you. If you like to play through a game again to    If you've watched space operas (i.e. Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, etc.) and wanted to try your hand as captain of a vessel, this game has something to offer you.

    If you like to have some difficulty in your game, and the uncertainty which causes one to think carefully about taking a calculated risk, this game has something to offer you.

    If you like to play through a game again to try out different styles of play, this game has something to offer you. You can unlock a multitude of ships to use through later playthroughs, and each one lends itself to a different style of play. This element has got me coming back for a number of playthroughs months after I would have stopped even thinking about other games.

    There's depth to this game, a well-done sci-fi setting, a clean, neat UI, unique, interesting, and strategic gameplay... the music is awesome... it has a LOT going for it. Check it out.    … Expand
  50. toix
    May 31, 2013
    10
    I became addicted. that doesn't happen often to me.
    If you dislike difficulty, try easy mode.
    The randomness can make you unhappy but it makes you having a real space adventure.
    Only bigger drawback is the lack of events for long term players.
  51. MasterUnlocker
    Jun 13, 2013
    10
    Crying for days after my crew was shot down by the rebels after being stranded without fuel no other game has doen that and the people dont even talk. Why are indie games so much better tah nmost triple A games these days. RIP crew of the SS ChildMurderer
  52. LucasXplode
    Feb 6, 2014
    10
    This game is fantastic. The combat is fun, the different choices makes it re playable and the ship design is gorgeous. But the best thing about this game is the music! It is the best pixel music ever made! You can also get different ships, explore, buy and sell. It's fun to upgrade your ship as well. Best. Game. Of. 2012. I am very excited for iPad release.
  53. HeartsTM
    Jul 2, 2013
    10
    There's much to love and very little to criticize about FTL. The graphical interface is simple but adequate, the ships themselves look nice enough and the character sprites all have their own personality and animations that suit them. The music is excellent, seamlessly changing from combat to non-combat mixes of the same tracks while you're in a stage, which is something I can't recallThere's much to love and very little to criticize about FTL. The graphical interface is simple but adequate, the ships themselves look nice enough and the character sprites all have their own personality and animations that suit them. The music is excellent, seamlessly changing from combat to non-combat mixes of the same tracks while you're in a stage, which is something I can't recall ever seeing before. With all the different unlockable ships and their distinct strengths and weaknesses, there's a huge amount of replay value for people who eventually master it, and even though beating the game isn't likely on your first few runs, unlocking the different ships gives you enough different goals with tangible rewards that even your failures can turn out to be successes.

    If I could change one thing about FTL, I would have a greater variety of random events, because it seems like they could have programmed more of them easily enough and it won't be long before you've simply encountered every event in the game, which can make the game a bit more predictable. But I guess that's inevitable either way.

    All in all, FTL is an excellent game and truly one of a kind.    … Expand
  54. spazm
    Jul 16, 2013
    10
    This game is freaking amazing! I feel like I'm Admiral Adama, Malcolm Reynolds, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and Han Solo all rolled into one.

    If you like spaceship commanding, old school graphics, and rougelike games, do not miss this one!
  55. Pomegranate23
    Sep 22, 2013
    10
    EPICLY AWESOME GAME! For 10€ I have had 100+ hours of fun. T
    The game is hard, very hard. Its unforgiving and brutal but that makes it awesome. You will have such an epic feeling when you beat the game. Replay value is high since the game has alot of randomness in it.

    The setting and music is also great. Will make you feel like you're truely flying trough space.
  56. overfiend87
    Aug 7, 2013
    10
    a very nice catch by steam here. This game is basically star trek as you have many different rooms and systems and at times I felt like saying to myself "move full power to the shields" and it is a lot of fun. It's somewhat a simple game, but it's done so well and in such a way that it's like playing your own little star trek game. You have a story where you have to run ahead of thea very nice catch by steam here. This game is basically star trek as you have many different rooms and systems and at times I felt like saying to myself "move full power to the shields" and it is a lot of fun. It's somewhat a simple game, but it's done so well and in such a way that it's like playing your own little star trek game. You have a story where you have to run ahead of the rebellion to pass on the message to the guys in charge to give yourself a advantage. A lot of effort and fun in this game and well worth the price.… Expand
  57. BritMboh
    Oct 13, 2017
    10
    An absolute gem of a game. Almost infinitely replayable, brutally difficult and it's random element is what keeps the game fresh without screwing you over tooo hard that the game just becomes frustrating. There's no reason not to own it when it costs about the same price as a McDonald's saver menu.
  58. neigenoire
    Sep 25, 2013
    10
    Pros:
    + Very fun and addictive
    + Gameplay is simple but very tactical + Can be extremely challenging + Randomness factor coupled with interesting achievements and unlockables add a degree of replayability + Music is absolutely perfect + Makes you feel like a captain of a spaceship Can't really think of any big cons off the top of my head. Just a fun, little game that will rid you    Pros:
    + Very fun and addictive
    + Gameplay is simple but very tactical
    + Can be extremely challenging
    + Randomness factor coupled with interesting achievements and unlockables add a degree of replayability
    + Music is absolutely perfect
    + Makes you feel like a captain of a spaceship

    Can't really think of any big cons off the top of my head. Just a fun, little game that will rid you of sleep for a couple days/weeks.    … Expand
  59. SgtRexPowwer
    Sep 6, 2013
    10
    This game could be very frustrating. I ve raged when i died because Little mistakes everytime. But one time i won it and the feeling was great FTL is a very nice indie game. 10 Points for it.
  60. g0ing2f4st
    Nov 4, 2013
    10
    Space based rouge like with a bit of combat tactics. Music is incredible. Game can be very challenging at first. Start on easy and take your time to learn when to make what choices and what setups are the best. It sucks you in with your desire to get further each run and once beating the boss the pursuit of unlocking more ships provides many hours of entertainment.
  61. Idiocracy
    Sep 30, 2013
    10
    I adore this game, enjoyed every minute of it, loved the originality, and loved that the gameplay was exactly what they said it was, there was no trickery. So to decide if you want to play this just read the description and watch the video, easy peasy no way to coq it up. Yes this is a Roguelike game which means yes once you die you die, it also means is random, so if you read that in theI adore this game, enjoyed every minute of it, loved the originality, and loved that the gameplay was exactly what they said it was, there was no trickery. So to decide if you want to play this just read the description and watch the video, easy peasy no way to coq it up. Yes this is a Roguelike game which means yes once you die you die, it also means is random, so if you read that in the description, then saw it in the video, then bought the game and said WTF THIS IS RANDOM AND HARD, then got on here to talk trash about it, then its your fault and go die.… Expand
  62. Talbis
    Oct 20, 2013
    10
    A perfect game doesn't exist, but FTL: Faster Than Light is the closest thing to it I saw in recent years. Graphics may not look amazing, but they don't have to. They're clean, they allow you to both get an accurate view on what's going on on the screen and leave enough for your imagination to roam. Sounds and most importantly, music is amazing. Nothing short of art. It creates the properA perfect game doesn't exist, but FTL: Faster Than Light is the closest thing to it I saw in recent years. Graphics may not look amazing, but they don't have to. They're clean, they allow you to both get an accurate view on what's going on on the screen and leave enough for your imagination to roam. Sounds and most importantly, music is amazing. Nothing short of art. It creates the proper atmosphere and fits thematically to the game. It's great. Gameplay is quite possibly the best feature of FTL. It's simple to understand and hard to master. Never will this game allow you to be the best at everything, and the real time tactical battles with an active pause wirks in advantage for this title. It's a hard game, it will kick your ass, but it's also very addictive. And the story... Some people might say that this game has no story and that the text in the game is not a good script, if any... I treat FTL as a story generator. Just name your ship and crew, turn on your imagination and make a story for yourself! It's great deal of fun!

    This is easly one of the best games in recent years. It's a must play. It will kick your ass and you're going to love every second of it. It's been years since the last time I couldn't leave the game until I completely unlocked everything and got every achievement in the game... Give it a chance, you won't regret it.    … Expand
  63. thebuttsatisfie
    Nov 16, 2013
    10
    These game developers. They play coy, pretending like they aren't going to make DLC at some point. And as soon as I've finally weaned myself off this wonderful game, as soon as I'm no longer tempted to double-click it in Steam when I'm downloading a big file to pass time, they announce a damn DLC.

    This game is rewarding and enriching when you beat it; the rest of the time it's an    These game developers. They play coy, pretending like they aren't going to make DLC at some point. And as soon as I've finally weaned myself off this wonderful game, as soon as I'm no longer tempted to double-click it in Steam when I'm downloading a big file to pass time, they announce a damn DLC.

    This game is rewarding and enriching when you beat it; the rest of the time it's an alcoholic stepfather who just got back from the bar. You gon git it. Real good. Your ship all tricked out and you feel like the kid with the biggest nuts on the block? I bet you do! Here, remember that time that they disabled your oxygen systems and threw four mantis boarders at you in a random event? Bet you stocked up on Zoltans because you like that power boost. How cute. Good luck having them survive while they repair the oxygen systems.

    Look, it's hard. "Easy" in this game is "normal" everywhere else. Now don't take my word for it, test your pride and start out on "Normal" in this game and see how far you get. You'll go back to "easy". It's okay, we've all done it. Just don't get attached to your ship, crew, equipment, or anything really.

    Except the game. Get attached to the game.    … Expand
  64. Azzanation
    Mar 13, 2020
    10
    To this day, FTL is still one of my favourite Rogue Like Indy games. Its brutally difficult however addicting with an amazing sound track and a clever art style. If you have a PC this needs to be played if you are looking for a challenging experience.
  65. mrjonesezn
    Dec 24, 2013
    10
    Warning do not play this game if you don't have some serious time to kill. Once you get the game mechanics down, the "just one more game" syndrome kicks in, and before you know it, its 2 a.m. and you've got to go to work the next day!
    If you are a sci-fi fan and enjoy PC strategy games of any type, this game is definitely for you. It is worth full price, but catch it on a Steam sale    Warning do not play this game if you don't have some serious time to kill. Once you get the game mechanics down, the "just one more game" syndrome kicks in, and before you know it, its 2 a.m. and you've got to go to work the next day!
    If you are a sci-fi fan and enjoy PC strategy games of any type, this game is definitely for you. It is worth full price, but catch it on a Steam sale and you'd be a fool not to pick it up. Frustrating, thoughtful, exciting, extremely challenging, even on 'easy' level definitely one of the best games I've played this year.    … Expand
  66. Hurpix
    Nov 17, 2013
    10
    A very good game. If you like space, aliens, epic fights, events, and more, buy FTL: Faster Than Light and you will support the developers and maybe they can make multiplayer! This game is 10/10 BUY IT! :D
  67. PeregrineOmega
    Mar 9, 2014
    10
    Simply put: The Star Trek game they never made. A great little indie title with so much character and heart, it's hard not to get lost in it. It's a real challenge, but not unfair. It encourages replay like no other game I've played, and truly caters to the hardcore sci-fi fan. Worth every penny.
  68. PanaCZech
    Dec 10, 2013
    10
    A simple idea, simple graphics but great playability. I played this game over and over again for countless hours. The absence of saving/loading (if you do not want to quit the game and copy the files to a different location before each space jump) was a great choice. Losing is part of the fun as the game itself states. I recommend starting with the easy game though...beside oldchoolA simple idea, simple graphics but great playability. I played this game over and over again for countless hours. The absence of saving/loading (if you do not want to quit the game and copy the files to a different location before each space jump) was a great choice. Losing is part of the fun as the game itself states. I recommend starting with the easy game though...beside oldchool graphics this game has also oldschool difficulty:)… Expand
  69. SpardaKnight
    Dec 21, 2013
    10
    Epic game!, challenging game play, addictive, retro type graphics do suite it well, customizable ships, this game just does so many things right exploring the galaxy is fun and the game has great re playability. All around great game.
  70. Vauce
    Dec 24, 2013
    10
    FTL is a well polished roguelike-inspired masterpiece. Each time through you pray for a good run, and each failure teaches you a valuable lesson. The combat is very interesting and challenging, the dialogue is fun and interesting, and the graphics are simple yet pleasing. There is a modding community if you get bored, and the developers have stated they will soon release a version withFTL is a well polished roguelike-inspired masterpiece. Each time through you pray for a good run, and each failure teaches you a valuable lesson. The combat is very interesting and challenging, the dialogue is fun and interesting, and the graphics are simple yet pleasing. There is a modding community if you get bored, and the developers have stated they will soon release a version with additional features. My only issue with the game is that there aren't more like it.… Expand
  71. rdowney1
    Dec 25, 2013
    10
    If you want to control a ship, and the crew of it, putting out fires, repairing stuff, and beaming on board enemy ships and taking on their crew, then this is the game for you. On PC, via Steam the game is dirt cheap! It is coming to IPAD, and they are going to release an update for free! Great game. Go buy this game.
  72. MagicMann
    Dec 28, 2013
    10
    This game is very much like poker: if you're a beginner, casual or just not into it, it's completely based on luck. But if you give it a little time, slowly get the hang of it and evaluate your decision making, it's pure skill.

    The story is pretty straightforward, you're captain of a federation ship and there are rebels trying to overthrow the federation. Your job is to make sure it    This game is very much like poker: if you're a beginner, casual or just not into it, it's completely based on luck. But if you give it a little time, slowly get the hang of it and evaluate your decision making, it's pure skill.

    The story is pretty straightforward, you're captain of a federation ship and there are rebels trying to overthrow the federation. Your job is to make sure it doesn't happen. Along your jorney, many random events occur: pirates attack, you run into asteroid belts, aliens make contact, you encounter merchants... the list is giant.
    Music is simply good; it's pleasant even trough hours of playing and it fits the atmosphere, not much to talk about.
    Gameplay is simple enough, you micromanage your ship in combat and go around systems. The thing is, scrutinizing possibilities is essential. You have to decide wether it's worth exploring the system you're in, or it's better just to find a merchant and move on. Many times, you're given choices, and deciding what's best, wich risks are worth taking is at the same time a difficult and gratifying experience.
    What really appeals to me in this game is the overall feeling you get playing. That raw sense of discovery, encountering new alien races, ships, weapons, random events, it's all about exploration. And well, yeah, you'll die a lot. Like, Dark Souls a lot. And game over means a game over for real. But every gameplay is new, every gameplay is more discovery, it just shows how failure is not necessarely something bad, it teaches you a lot, and opens space for new experiences.    … Expand
  73. southpaw317
    Feb 21, 2014
    10
    Money vs. entertainment value - It's hard to beat this game. It's not flashy and almost could've been done on a NES, but it's challenging, strategic, and there's lots of replay value with the things to unlock. Kudos to the guys who made this one! Oh, and it will inevitably be on sale on Steam if you don't want to pay too much. The summer and winter sales will probably have it down toMoney vs. entertainment value - It's hard to beat this game. It's not flashy and almost could've been done on a NES, but it's challenging, strategic, and there's lots of replay value with the things to unlock. Kudos to the guys who made this one! Oh, and it will inevitably be on sale on Steam if you don't want to pay too much. The summer and winter sales will probably have it down to just a few bucks, though the designers probably do deserve a full price, so do what you will.… Expand
  74. juanval
    Dec 6, 2014
    10
    Faster than light is the example of a perfect Rogue-Like game. It´s simple but very addictive. Combat is great and intense, it has a high quality music. Management of your ship (weapons, shields, crew) is perfect. Events are well written and interesting. It's well balanced and bug free. A perfect game for people who like short games.
    I've been playing this game and its last update for 2    Faster than light is the example of a perfect Rogue-Like game. It´s simple but very addictive. Combat is great and intense, it has a high quality music. Management of your ship (weapons, shields, crew) is perfect. Events are well written and interesting. It's well balanced and bug free. A perfect game for people who like short games.
    I've been playing this game and its last update for 2 years and I continue having a lot of fun with it. Another gem from kickstarter.    … Expand
  75. Pestro
    Apr 5, 2014
    10
    This game's addicting. Simple SNES graphics and great game mechanics. Its only $9.99 (got it on Steam sale for about $4.99) and I spent about 100 hours total playing it. Wow. Its now available on iPad and as soon as the come out with it on Android, I'm buying it for my Android devices (all of them). Ship to ship combat never felt so cool until FTL.
  76. coljac
    May 1, 2014
    10
    Looks like you either love or hate FTL. I love it. It's a relaxing and engaging game with infinite replayability.I have only unlocked a fraction of the ships available in the game and my enthusiasm for getting there has only grown.

    Pluses: Can play in quick bites. Replayable. Great music. Sense of humour. Minuses: Lots of luck involved. High level difficulty. Parts can be repetitive.    Looks like you either love or hate FTL. I love it. It's a relaxing and engaging game with infinite replayability.I have only unlocked a fraction of the ships available in the game and my enthusiasm for getting there has only grown.

    Pluses: Can play in quick bites. Replayable. Great music. Sense of humour.
    Minuses: Lots of luck involved. High level difficulty. Parts can be repetitive.

    Given the price of the game and number of hours I've gotten out of it, one of the best investments I've made.

    "I should really go to bed."
    *looks at clock*
    "One more jump won't hurt..."    … Expand
  77. hboogie
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    This is a highly addicting game due to it's roguelike elements. I died so many times I lost count. You need to look up guides to be able to know how to play this game, but once you get the mechanics the game starts to be extremely fun. Even though you start over when you die the game still gives you an incentive to keep playing by being able to unlock other ships, or just playing it againThis is a highly addicting game due to it's roguelike elements. I died so many times I lost count. You need to look up guides to be able to know how to play this game, but once you get the mechanics the game starts to be extremely fun. Even though you start over when you die the game still gives you an incentive to keep playing by being able to unlock other ships, or just playing it again to see if a different strategy will give you a different outcome. This game gives you that sense of progression due to the unlockable features. There are 3 models for each type of ships and you have to unlock each model by doing achievements. The engie and stealth ships are my all time favorites to play with. This game have tons of replay value but with mods it adds even more replay value on top of it. It's a must buy game. 10/10… Expand
  78. whave
    Oct 4, 2014
    10
    First of all, addressing the complaining (most likely) younger generation gamers: no, I haven't only played the game for 2-3 hours. I put 120+ in, and still counting. This game is what I've been waiting for, and I didn't even know it. Reminds me of the golden age (which means the '90s for me) in terms of difficulty, atmosphere and replay value. Of course if you grew up on Halo, CoD and theFirst of all, addressing the complaining (most likely) younger generation gamers: no, I haven't only played the game for 2-3 hours. I put 120+ in, and still counting. This game is what I've been waiting for, and I didn't even know it. Reminds me of the golden age (which means the '90s for me) in terms of difficulty, atmosphere and replay value. Of course if you grew up on Halo, CoD and the likes, you won't value it. If you're a save-load-abusing kid, you won't value it. Yes, this game is not for everyone. But crying for the difficulty? Go and play your twelve-a-dozen railshooters which give you an achievment for shooting your weapon the first time.

    p.s. forgot to mention the AMAZING soundtrack. Ever noticed games these days don't really have a memorable soundtrack? It's either some overused orchestral wannabe-epic background track, or just some ambient whooo-lookatme-im-event-activated foolishness.    … Expand
  79. lunavixen
    Nov 23, 2014
    10
    A well polished space rogue-like that has excellent replay value and the new content in the Advanced Edition update makes this game well worth your money.

    The difficulty scales up as you go through the game, ending with a challenging and fulfilling boss fight. You have to prepare your ship and crew or you're not going to make it. Its top down presentation and pixelly graphics don't    A well polished space rogue-like that has excellent replay value and the new content in the Advanced Edition update makes this game well worth your money.

    The difficulty scales up as you go through the game, ending with a challenging and fulfilling boss fight. You have to prepare your ship and crew or you're not going to make it.

    Its top down presentation and pixelly graphics don't detract from the game, they're actually rather suitable, as most of the story in each playthrough is told via text boxes, and your decisions carry weight for you and your ship, do you try and help a colony but lose a crew member in the process? Can you synthesise a cure? Or do you leave them to their fate?

    Single playthroughs of the game are short (approxmiately an hour depending on your play style, RNG luck and skill level) but the game can sucker you in to try again and again just to beat that boss/enemy.    … Expand
  80. overkoell
    Jan 12, 2015
    10
    Great sound, great look, great Game!

    FTL is challenging, yet fair (mostly). One play trough takes around 1 - 2 hours. Yet you will want to play it over and over again because of the different ships, crew and systems. Every Ship has its individual strengths and weaknesses and offers a different experience because it forces you to adept. The visuals are just great and definitely work    Great sound, great look, great Game!

    FTL is challenging, yet fair (mostly). One play trough takes around 1 - 2 hours. Yet you will want to play it over and over again because of the different ships, crew and systems. Every Ship has its individual strengths and weaknesses and offers a different experience because it forces you to adept.

    The visuals are just great and definitely work great in the game.
    The sound alone is worth the price of the game and is the best sound i ever heard in an indie game.

    One of the best Indie Games out there and maybe THE best rogue-like.
    You will not regret buying this gem - promised.    … Expand
  81. chernenko_e
    Jan 22, 2015
    10
    The game is perfect. Great art and mechanics and tactics and sound and... well... everything. Good job. I look forward to the sequel. People who gave FTL "twos" and "threes" will definitely die in painful and monstrous way.
  82. iamnaten7
    Feb 4, 2015
    10
    FTL: Faster Than Light is greet and well-made tactical masterpiece. It's difficulty is extreme; I've started on normal and played for a while yet still can't beat it. I would definitely recommend to people willing to spend time in a strong, tough gaming experience. However, don't expect to play casually.
  83. SigilFey
    Mar 15, 2015
    10
    It's awesome wrapped in fried awesome with awesome sauce and a side of buttered awesome.

    Truly, this is a game that has never been done before. It blends strategic/tactical starship combat, time management, RTS, role-playing, and an interactive novel together in a roguelike experience. The game is bleepin' hard! And that's the point. Expect to lose about 20 times for every 1 time    It's awesome wrapped in fried awesome with awesome sauce and a side of buttered awesome.

    Truly, this is a game that has never been done before. It blends strategic/tactical starship combat, time management, RTS, role-playing, and an interactive novel together in a roguelike experience.

    The game is bleepin' hard! And that's the point. Expect to lose about 20 times for every 1 time you (almost...!) win.

    >;D

    ROGUELIKE, baby!!!

    In all seriousness, the game's mechanics blend together masterfully to offer the player complete control over what is very often a hopeless scenario. The whole point of a roguelike is to offer the player about the same chance of winning the game as being hit by lightning. (Granted, FTL's "Easy" mode is really that, and most games set to Easy can at least be played into the final stages...once you know what you're doing.)

    What I cannot praise enough is the level of gameplay you get even if you do lose. Many roguelikes can put you in a bad spot within 10 minutes of beginning a new character. And a "bad spot" in a roguelike usually means instant death by laceration, impalement, incineration, bludgeoning, infection, curse, malfunction, hallucination, insanity, implosion...or a pleasant mixture of them all. FTL allows for a level of player skill that actually affects your ability to succeed. It's not all, or even mostly, up to the RNG. Players will actually begin to get the idea of what they need to survive and can pursue it. In worst-case scenarios, I know I'm dead long before my ship actually blows.

    Controls, interface, and graphics are simple, clear, and I would not alter them in any way. Text scenarios are quick, interesting, and the number of variables that may appear based on your ship's systems, crew, weapons, etc. keep them from becoming old-hat on subsequent playthroughs. Ship designs are widely varied with many strengths and weaknesses, and the only game I can think of that matches the options you are given, moment-to-moment, during combat is Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates.

    Does the game have it's flaws? Yes.

    Is it occasionally very cheap in its reward/punishment randomization? Yes.

    Is the last mission an exercise in frustration with virtually no chance of success? Yes.

    That...is it's magic. Expect to lose. I'll put it this way: I didn't jump up out of my chair, raise two fists above my head, and proceed to do the butt dance when I beat Skyrim. (Oddly enough, my girlfriend didn't stare at me concernedly for two days after I beat Skyrim, either.)

    Play. This. Game.    … Expand
  84. dderpington126
    Apr 24, 2015
    10
    I've had this game for about 1.5 years. First off, the art style is really awesome. I love that you start out and you get to upgrade your ship. Overall this game is AMAZING. If you don't know if you want it, it's some of the best money I've ever spent.
  85. the_Slugman
    Aug 24, 2015
    10
    FTL manages to immerse you in a new story every single time that you fly out in a shiny new ship. As you might have surmised from the other reviews, you will die in a fiery space explosion, your crew will suffocate to death, they'll be eaten by giant mutant space spiders, they'll be beaten to death by giant rock aliens or mantises, you'll fly too close to a sun and burn up, a virus willFTL manages to immerse you in a new story every single time that you fly out in a shiny new ship. As you might have surmised from the other reviews, you will die in a fiery space explosion, your crew will suffocate to death, they'll be eaten by giant mutant space spiders, they'll be beaten to death by giant rock aliens or mantises, you'll fly too close to a sun and burn up, a virus will devastate your crew, etc. etc. etc. more time than you can count. FTL is brutally hard, and that's where it's beauty lies.

    Your crew members and ship upgrade individually and you'll be heartbroken each time a beloved slugman, human, or android is sucked into the cold abyss. In terms of setting, few games manage to create as intricate, random, and volatile a universe as FTL does. The tactical sacrifices you'll be forced to make while playing this game will make you cringe and curse your opponents, giving you all the more reason to persevere and destroy the rebel forces once and for all.

    The actual fighting of this game is so complex it deserves it's own wikipedia page. The strengths, weaknesses, and intricacies of each weapon, ship upgrade, character trait, and system must be studied carefully (as well as those of your opponents). The need to balance your ship's power between your weapons, shield, and other subsystems is quite possibly the most genius game mechanic of all time. You never know what you'll run into with your next FTL jump so you'll be taking a gamble with every bit of scrap you spend to upgrade your shields instead of fixing your hull or hiring a new crew member or purchasing a new beam drone. The game is intelligent, difficult, and completely engrossing. On top of all of this, the boss is a serious feat and, once finally vanquished, will make you want to write all of your friends and family to tell them of your greatest life achievement.

    Get this game on PC or iPad (PC is obviously better but it's probably the best iPad game out there) and you're making an investment in your future – I'm convinced my IQ went up by 20 points after figuring this gem out.    … Expand
  86. Chickendoodles
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is wonderful! A lot of people say that there is a lot of randomness to the game, but truly there isn't. There comes a point where you get skilled enough to take down the final boss on any ship, you just need to make sure to use the ships potential to the max. On Normal that is a different story where you do need a bit more luck on your side but honestly, if this was reality, it would still be the same concept. It is your one ship against the entire rebel fleet until you reach the final sector. I'd say the odds would be way against you for most of the journey. Randomness plays little factor in winning. However if you want to get a lot of the secret end game ships such as the crystal ship or weapons, then yes there is a lot of randomness behind that. But besides that the game has a lot of choices for you to make based on how you want to play and react. Throughout the game as well, if you have a diverse crew and well upgraded ship, it allows you to have more options when making your choices. Do you risk your crew to save an infested colony? Well if you have a robotic crew member he'd be immune and be able to help. What about saving the crew on a burning ship about to explode? If you have advanced teleport system you can just TP them to your ship without risking anyone's life. !--Watch out a space mine is trying to attach to your ship! Can you avoid it in time?! Well if your engines are upgraded enough, you have a better chance of avoiding it. It has so many ups and downs as well as so many choices and options to choose from the more you play. Will you lose? Most definitely, but the adventure you have out-weighs the frustrations of losing and is worth every cent and minute put into it.

    Also, if you get bored with the vanilla version of the game, YOU CAN MOD IT! Add new ships, Species of crew, weapons, sectors, situations, You name it! There is so much you can do with this game it's just wonderful    … Expand
  87. TinyDetails
    Jan 2, 2016
    10
    Also, in addition to my previous rating (which was high because this is a good and playable game) I'd like to note that I've played this game for several months in my free time, and that it's fun and playable throughout the entire time. This makes sense, since I consider myself to be pretty good at the game, and I hardly ever die, and almost never at the beginning of the game. Give thisAlso, in addition to my previous rating (which was high because this is a good and playable game) I'd like to note that I've played this game for several months in my free time, and that it's fun and playable throughout the entire time. This makes sense, since I consider myself to be pretty good at the game, and I hardly ever die, and almost never at the beginning of the game. Give this game some time and think about it, and it'll be fun and definitely doable.… Expand
  88. tbst
    Apr 29, 2016
    10
    The game is amazing. So much fun.. quite difficult, steep learning curve.
    Sometimes it just screws you because of, but that's the way she goes sometimes. Great replay value.
  89. Wineneeder
    Dec 20, 2020
    10
    I like it a lot. It could use a little more depth (I haven't tried to the expansion though), seems like mostly you just try to keep their weapons disabled and the AI is pretty basic.

    But I had a whole lot of fun with this.

    Though the randomness can really **** you over. I do not regret donating to this kickstarter.
  90. gentlebenno
    Jan 27, 2022
    10
    This game is a masterpiece of joy and pain. I get so into it and get shot up so many times I have nightmares about it. And yet I keep coming back and become obsessed. It doesn't help that I don't allow myself to use the pause button thus further increasing the difficulty level. I should be institutionalized.
  91. sitebender
    Apr 19, 2019
    10
    After sinking hundreds of hours in, this is still an enjoyable two hour long real time strategy mixed with random opposing spaceships and random events. It has basic art, but it's just so much fun to get invested all the way to the end each time I play.
  92. Budgerigan
    Mar 5, 2020
    10
    Probably, this is one of the best indie game. I like everything in this game, especially soundtrack. Balance is great, even the game is pretty hard.
  93. RackNRoll
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    Faster Than Light - это одна из тех игр которую ты скачиваешь из интернета бесплатно, но потом в голове рождается мысль "О ЧЕРТ ВОЗЬМИ, НАДО ЗА НЕЕ ЗАПЛАТИТЬ!".. почему спросите вы? да потому что это стоющая работа за которую не грех отдать те копейки, которые она стоит в стиме.. в нее хочется играть раз за разом, пройдя ее на одном корабле, другом, третьем.. четвертом.. пятом.. пока глазаFaster Than Light - это одна из тех игр которую ты скачиваешь из интернета бесплатно, но потом в голове рождается мысль "О ЧЕРТ ВОЗЬМИ, НАДО ЗА НЕЕ ЗАПЛАТИТЬ!".. почему спросите вы? да потому что это стоющая работа за которую не грех отдать те копейки, которые она стоит в стиме.. в нее хочется играть раз за разом, пройдя ее на одном корабле, другом, третьем.. четвертом.. пятом.. пока глаза не лопнут.. отличное звуковое оформление, музыка ненавящевая, радует слух.. красивая мультяшная графика не перестает удивлять.. огромный выбор вооружения начиная от бластеров, ракет и телепортирующихся десантников, вплоть до управления разумом вражеского члена экипажа.. огромный выбор кораблей и их модификаций, что делает игру разнообразной.. вообщем и целом это афигенная игра которая не потребует от вас супер реакции или убер креативного мышления и принесет уйму положительных эмоций.. если вы, конечно, не самый законченный "Ч"удак :)… Expand
  94. eigenvalue
    Jun 22, 2020
    10
    Simple graphic, beautiful soundtrack, many tactics. Even if you start under the same conditions, it is fun to choose different tactics each time depending on various encounters and situations.
  95. Night565
    Aug 12, 2023
    10
    Probably my favorite rogue like to this day. I had fun getting a good chunk of the achievements and unlocking all my ships. Good time all around, like to revisit when i'm bored late at night and need something to chill with. Game is pretty hard but its like a puzzle where you slowly learn the tricks, once you do you can pretty reliable clear the game without issue.
  96. bigsilverhotdog
    Nov 21, 2014
    9
    I originally wrote a very negative review of this game here upon release, and I still feel today that the review was both accurate and well deserved. At release this game was a tease -- offering promise but not delivering on any of it. Maddeningly simple combat mechanics, limited RNG for everything especially encounters, narrow options for progression and unlocking, and little freedom ofI originally wrote a very negative review of this game here upon release, and I still feel today that the review was both accurate and well deserved. At release this game was a tease -- offering promise but not delivering on any of it. Maddeningly simple combat mechanics, limited RNG for everything especially encounters, narrow options for progression and unlocking, and little freedom of strategic gameplay if you wanted any measure of success in the late game made it a huge headache for a lot of old pc gamers like myself. We wanted to love it -- we simply could not.

    Time has addressed most of my complaints, and I definitely love FTL today. Or perhaps to be more precise: Patches, the Advanced Edition version of the game, the Captain's Edition mod, Captain's Edition's addons, and several other key mods have addressed most of my complaints, and this combination is now what I love today -- not the game "FTL - Advanced Edition", but the gestalt that the community has created through modification. Finally, FINALLY, the game is what it should have been at release.

    First of all, FTL+AE+CE+mods is just randomly, spontaneously fun now, even when you fail, and without removing the rogue-like level of difficulty. The game is still very difficult, even incredibly so, but largely through strategy and choices rather than arbitrary "haha you died" RNG events that took no account of what had been done in that particular game up to that point. You can still get crippled or killed in RNG events, but they're MUCH less arbitrary and annoying than they were in the original release, and as you get stronger you will actually feel the power increase and be able to handle situations that previously you thought were impossible (and in the original game, 999 times out of 1000, WERE impossible).

    FTL+AE+CE is also more refined everywhere you look, with mistakes fixed, crashes addressed, and details improved, even moreso when you start piling on the mods. There are many more mods that I haven't even mentioned in this review (such as Better Planets and Backgrounds) that improve FTL tremendously, and you can (largely) mix and match the ones you want to get the experience that you want.

    Another important point: with mods the game now has a much more expansive universe, with a lot more to see, do, and discover. Now each new new game genuinely feels much more random, spontaneous, and alive. It took me over 3 complete playthroughs (that ended in winning the game -- a death is not a playthrough, and I had many of those) to actually see all of the RNG events. This is well over 200 hours of playtime alone, and I still haven't seen all the possible outcomes/choices, just the actual events themselves. The choices and strategic options you have now, from crew composition all the way down to roleplaying the metagame in RNG events, are so much more expanded that comparisons with the original game are hardly even valid anymore.

    In summary, the original release of FTL was promising, and with a lot of great ideas (and trance loops), it just wasn't a good game. FTL Advanced Edition + Captain's Edition + CE addons + your choice of further modding is INDEED the great game that FTL should have been. It's a pity that the mod community had to make FTL into a properly fun computer game, but I'm just glad that the community did it. If I could, I'd pay them instead of the developer, because they took something lacking structure, polish, features, depth, and overall quality, and made it simply fantastic. Thanks guys! You are one of the many reasons that PC will always be the #1 gaming platform.

    One last thing: Buy this game on GOG and support the DRM-free Revolution. I did.    … Expand
  97. Tridus
    Sep 17, 2012
    9
    Brutally difficult. If you dislike game over screens, this is not the game for you. You will die, a lot. Sometimes it won't seem fair. Other times everything comes together just right and it's the greatest feeling in the world. The mechanics work really well here and if you like a challenge you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.
  98. UglyBaby
    Mar 24, 2013
    9
    There plenty of reasons to complain about FTL. Luckily for this little game? None of those reasons are that it isn't fun. It is a one of a kind game there really is nothing like it out there. Let's call it an epic space flight sim? If you're after graphics this is not the game for you. Yet I consistently find my room mates and friends watching me play this game. It has real decisions,There plenty of reasons to complain about FTL. Luckily for this little game? None of those reasons are that it isn't fun. It is a one of a kind game there really is nothing like it out there. Let's call it an epic space flight sim? If you're after graphics this is not the game for you. Yet I consistently find my room mates and friends watching me play this game. It has real decisions, 'real' stakes and 'real' consequences. Huge replay-ability and a truly fresh feel. Definitely pick this one up.… Expand
  99. Mikester7
    Jan 11, 2013
    9
    It seems people do not remember the old rogue like games of the past and are pretty quick to bomb this game because they got angry at their bad luck.... It is a shame really, because you can't win, with people complaining about games not being hard anymore and when one comes out, they can't handle it. Regardless, FTL is an awesome polished game with an amazing soundtrack, plenty of contentIt seems people do not remember the old rogue like games of the past and are pretty quick to bomb this game because they got angry at their bad luck.... It is a shame really, because you can't win, with people complaining about games not being hard anymore and when one comes out, they can't handle it. Regardless, FTL is an awesome polished game with an amazing soundtrack, plenty of content and proves to be a fun, addicting and difficult video game for people who can handle it. Game mechanics are stressful, but well implemented and generally enjoyable. Ship unlocks provide a long-term and difficult challenge for people who are interested in unlockables and full completion. Like any rogue-like, it is difficult, unfair in some places and heavily dependent on luck once you learn how to play. But that's a good thing, it keeps the game varied and interesting. Getting lucky is not the whole story, success will come from making the right decisions with what your luck gives you.… Expand
  100. Comradepinko
    Sep 17, 2012
    9
    If you like maddeningly difficult old school games then this one is for you. The graphics are primitive, but I feel like that just adds to the old school feel of the game. The game play is simple enough to pick up quickly, yet complicated enough to keep you thinking and coming back for more.

    The basic mechanics of shields, weapon systems, drones, and boarding parties make me feel like    If you like maddeningly difficult old school games then this one is for you. The graphics are primitive, but I feel like that just adds to the old school feel of the game. The game play is simple enough to pick up quickly, yet complicated enough to keep you thinking and coming back for more.

    The basic mechanics of shields, weapon systems, drones, and boarding parties make me feel like I'm the captain of a Star Trek vessel in a way that previous Star Trek and other Sci-Fi games have failed to do so well.

    For an inexpensive indie game with such a small team the design is nearly perfect. Aside from having not quite enough different random encounters (expect to play through the same encounters over and over again) I don't think I have any complaints for this title. I hope a AAA studio decides to make something like FTL, or picks up these guys and makes FTL2.    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best PC Game of 2012
21
#21 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
13
#13 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Gamers' Temple
    May 27, 2013
    87
    Fulfill a sci-fi fantasy by becoming the Captain of your own starship! Don't expect great graphics, but do except to lose many hours to FTL and expect to lose your ship ... a lot.
    Read full review
  2. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    85
    Kickstarter has accomplished its mission in this one, giving the opportunity to an original, non-mainstream title to go public and meet its well-deserved success. Especially for sci-fi fans, it’s a no-brainer; buy this game at once and live the life of a courageous pilot that only has one mission: survival. [November 2012]
  3. GameStar
    Nov 24, 2012
    77
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »