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

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  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.
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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

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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
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