Space Pirates and Zombies

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 158 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 158
  2. Mixed: 45 out of 158
  3. Negative: 16 out of 158

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. detocroix
    Aug 16, 2011
    10
    One of the best games I've played in the last 3-5 years and for certain a game that sits somewhere in the best twenty games I've played. And honestly, a game that shares one of twenty seats with timeless classics and extremely fine games such as Star Control, Master of Orion, X-COM, Terra Nova and Battlezone (1998) definitely deserves all these/those praises!
  2. Andrew_Paterson
    Dec 9, 2012
    6
    The premise is interesting and the combat is generally fun (not to mention it's one of the few games where I've read the dialog). It's slightly let down by it's own size - there's a lot of grinding to get the more powerful ship hulls and weapons.

    Also the second half of the game could (I think) have been more strategic - or have been dropped entirely. Nevertheless the difficulty is    The premise is interesting and the combat is generally fun (not to mention it's one of the few games where I've read the dialog). It's slightly let down by it's own size - there's a lot of grinding to get the more powerful ship hulls and weapons.

    Also the second half of the game could (I think) have been more strategic - or have been dropped entirely. Nevertheless the difficulty is fair: attacking something many levels above one is going to end badly and attacking something levels below won't net you anything worthwhile and as one always knows the level of the system one's entering...

    All-in-all a solid effort that could have had just a little more polish.    … Expand
  3. LeonidasRex
    Dec 18, 2012
    5
    SPAZ is really two games on top of each other, and they don't mix well. One of the games is a complex space combat model. Beams work well against shields but not armor, point defenses stop missiles, scanners negate cloaks, and so forth. Somebody put a lot of thought into that space combat system, and it could have been the foundation of a great game similar to Faster Than Light. But thenSPAZ is really two games on top of each other, and they don't mix well. One of the games is a complex space combat model. Beams work well against shields but not armor, point defenses stop missiles, scanners negate cloaks, and so forth. Somebody put a lot of thought into that space combat system, and it could have been the foundation of a great game similar to Faster Than Light. But then there's the second game, an arcadey space shooter in which you blast your way through endless waves of enemies while amassing experience points to acquire better equipment with which to defeat bigger enemies. So the delicate rock-paper-scissors of the first game gets trampled by the second game's rush to XP. There's no point thinking too hard about ship layout and other tactical decisions, because most of the time the fleet with superior tech simply crushes the opposition. And even when the battles are close, there are no tools to help you understand why you won or lost. There's no combat log, no slowing of time, no rewind to review the battle. I often lost ships and battles without having any idea why. Was my fleet poorly designed? Did I use the wrong tactics? Was the enemy fleet simply too powerful? I didn't mind losing, but it was unsatisfying not to know why I had lost. And it was even more unsatisfying not to have much reason to care. There's no risk of losing in this game. There are no real setbacks. You just spend ten minutes fighting a battle, and if you lose then you spend ten minutes in tedious resource acquistion so that you can try the battle again, or try another battle. There are no real defeats and therefore no real victories. No emotional arcs. The flashy lasers and explosions become drudgery. You don't win this game with superior tactics or loadout decisions. You win this game with raw patience. If you grind away at battles that are not too easy and not too difficult, then eventually I assume you'll win. After 32 hours, I don't have any more patience for it.… Expand
  4. Zedben
    Apr 24, 2012
    5
    This game is okay. I realize it was developed by a very small team, but it seems more like a grind than a game. "Here we are in this section! Grind your faction with so-and-so so we can move on." From there it turns into a "you can't continue through the story until you are this level. Good concepts, but not too good of an immersive experience or story line.
  5. Ephemeriis
    Dec 3, 2012
    8
    Gameplay is vaguely similar to Asteroids - you point your ship with your mouse, and control thrust with the keyboard. There's even rocks to shoot, to free up 'rez', which serves as the primary resource in this game.

    That resource can be used to purchase upgrades for your ship, or build a whole new ship for yourself, or build a small fleet of ships to accompany you in your travels.    Gameplay is vaguely similar to Asteroids - you point your ship with your mouse, and control thrust with the keyboard. There's even rocks to shoot, to free up 'rez', which serves as the primary resource in this game.

    That resource can be used to purchase upgrades for your ship, or build a whole new ship for yourself, or build a small fleet of ships to accompany you in your travels.

    There are several factions to work for or against... Plenty of missions to undertake - again, in search of rez. Plenty of ships to blow up, technology to acquire, star systems to explore...

    The galaxy itself is as large as you'd like it to be. Randomly-generated. Very expansive.

    The storyline is actually halfway-decent. It does more than enough to provide an excuse to shoot battle your way across the galaxy.

    The gameplay is downright addictive. Simple twitch-shooter mechanics coupled with RPG-esque upgrades and treasure-hunting. Some simple fleet mechanics. Some resource management. Lots of explosions and some humorous commentary along the way.

    I've sunk absolutely ridiculous amounts of time into this game - and I can't see myself stopping any time soon.    … Expand
  6. Ceps
    May 4, 2012
    5
    Well it looks like I'm going to oppose some of the fanboys here, but this is my take: Overall the game is ok - there are about an even number of things the game does well as it does not so well. On the bright side, it can be quite rewarding to out-maneuver and crush fleets far larger than yours, steal blueprints, blow up space stations, and leveling and tech-ing up on top of it. TheWell it looks like I'm going to oppose some of the fanboys here, but this is my take: Overall the game is ok - there are about an even number of things the game does well as it does not so well. On the bright side, it can be quite rewarding to out-maneuver and crush fleets far larger than yours, steal blueprints, blow up space stations, and leveling and tech-ing up on top of it. The technologies are quite balanced, well thought-out and rewarding, and resource acquisition is simple and easy - especially if you choose to fly with large cargo hold ships and lose ships minimally. Therefore even if you do suffer a crushing defeat, you can always bounce back for some revenge without too much hassle (mining is very boring however). The usage of specialists is an interesting and nice twist on fleet capabilities.

    However, there are quite a few nuisances. I don't know what people are talking about superior AI. Ships you aren't immediately commanding will frequently rush off to their immediate deaths. While you may choose certain ships in your fleet because they can theoretically create a superior combination, in reality the AI will be controlling them most of the time and frankly uses them terribly (not firing as much as your reactors support, terrible evasion, charging through bullet/laser salvos, targeting things they have no hope of destroying or ignoring things that are pwning them), therefore its important to consider how the AI might use the ships you include in your fleet. The becon which serves as your base when visiting space stations ALWAYS spawns right next to the space stations. This can be convenient if you are friendly with the station, but absolutely stupid and annoying if your aim is to blow the station to smithereens (a very cheap way to acquire tons of tech). If the becon is destroyed, you cannot repair or drop off captured resources/slaves, and can't rebuild...and it spawns right within range of station weapons. Frankly, as a pirate, I really think its lame if I'm expected to bribe every single time as the range of the becon indicates I should. People have definitely got it right when they say the game is repetitive. As you move from star system to star system, its basically rinse and repeat the same actions with a very short list of mission variation. If you've traveled 5 star systems, you've probably seen every single mission except ones that progress the plot. There's also an annoying feature where you cannot leave a scenario so long as there as an enemy ship on the map, which means you will be using the mass retreat function for 9/10 engagements just to end it within a decent amount of time. You might think, well why not blow it up? Well, its about 17000 of whatever distance units they use away from me when a typical engagement is about 2000 distance units. If every battle requires some amount of minutes just to chase down one mostly dead fighter, it really starts to add up the time I'm drumming my fingers on my desk. Mostly dead fighters will often do this much to my annoyance in chapters 3 and 4. There are a few other things I could critique, but thats probably too much to ask from a 2-man company mainly in terms of story line, dialogue, ambience and general mood. Overall a decent game - I've spent over 100 hours on it already and intend to spend a bit more.    … Expand
  7. Lokathor
    Dec 8, 2013
    5
    SPAZ is an alright asteroids-like space game. You can customize your ship with different upgrades that you pick up as you play. You get more than one ship in your little fleet and can swap control between them if you want. Usually you always wanna play as your biggest and toughest ship, but not always. There's several types of weapon that you can focus on using, and the game allows you toSPAZ is an alright asteroids-like space game. You can customize your ship with different upgrades that you pick up as you play. You get more than one ship in your little fleet and can swap control between them if you want. Usually you always wanna play as your biggest and toughest ship, but not always. There's several types of weapon that you can focus on using, and the game allows you to "rebuild" your level ups for a cost if you realize that you made a mistake.

    The writing in this game is pretty deadful though, and the gameplay gets very samey after just a few hours of play. Some of the time you have to take a break from constant space fighting to go and restock on your resources, which gets a little dull.

    It's a good game to play while listening to a podcast or audiobook or something like that.    … Expand
  8. jim109109
    May 11, 2013
    5
    This game just isn't that good. What it all boils down to is, you move ships with WASD, and shoot other ships with the mouse. The ship modifications are boring and useless. Having more than 3 different weapons might have redeemed this game. What it is now is a cool space exploration game maimed by extremely shallow, repetitive gameplay.

    That being said you might enjoy it if you have a    This game just isn't that good. What it all boils down to is, you move ships with WASD, and shoot other ships with the mouse. The ship modifications are boring and useless. Having more than 3 different weapons might have redeemed this game. What it is now is a cool space exploration game maimed by extremely shallow, repetitive gameplay.

    That being said you might enjoy it if you have a hard-on for space exploration and getting in the atmosphere of a space game. It is definitely playable but really at the bare bone basics of gameplay.    … Expand
  9. askewreviews
    Aug 29, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Space Pirates and Zombies could so easily be a great game. The first five hours or so actually were great but then I started to notice the repetitive nature of SPAZ's missions and the slooow upgrade progression. More content, particularly a more fleshed out range of mission and event types, would really improve this game.… Expand
  10. Thirdsyphon
    Aug 18, 2011
    10
    The quirky sense of humor and sprawling universe of this game reminds me of Starflight; its elegant mechanics and satisfying storyline remind me of Ascension; and its giddy, free-wheeling amorality (and almost accidental-seeming invention of a completely new interface) remind me of Elite. If you don't remember those titles, don't feel bad. . . the last of them came out in 1995. If you DOThe quirky sense of humor and sprawling universe of this game reminds me of Starflight; its elegant mechanics and satisfying storyline remind me of Ascension; and its giddy, free-wheeling amorality (and almost accidental-seeming invention of a completely new interface) remind me of Elite. If you don't remember those titles, don't feel bad. . . the last of them came out in 1995. If you DO remember those titles (as the TWO GUYS[!!!] who wrote S.P.A.Z. almost certainly do), then you'll know how enormous those compliments are.

    If you're NOT old enough to remember those titles, then prepare to suffer the pangs of an addiction as insatiable as a century-old circus monkey's craving for cigarettes, which will sink its hooks into you from the moment you boot this game up. Do yourself a favor and grab this title now, while it's still just $15 bucks. You'll have it on your hard drive forever, and if you don't snag it now, you'll just end up buying it at full price.    … Expand
  11. kaltorak
    Aug 25, 2011
    8
    This game is very cool. I would specially recommend it if you like sandboxes. You got a whole universe to explore and pillage. You have reputations to raise, generated missions, random events, levels, ships, ship pats, ship customization.... I hate linear games with an end. This game has a finish, but it is played like a sandbox.
  12. visibledark
    Aug 17, 2011
    10
    You'll absolutely love this gem of a game, not only if you have a long history of gaming like me, going back to C64/Amiga age. It somehow manages to capture the charm of some of the greatest classics like e.g. Asteroids or the Star Control games. It is also a perfect example that a small ambitious team (only 2 guys) with a great idea and a quirky sense of humour can achieve whereYou'll absolutely love this gem of a game, not only if you have a long history of gaming like me, going back to C64/Amiga age. It somehow manages to capture the charm of some of the greatest classics like e.g. Asteroids or the Star Control games. It is also a perfect example that a small ambitious team (only 2 guys) with a great idea and a quirky sense of humour can achieve where Multi-Million Dollar Companies often fail. The 2 years of work that went into this product make it feel very solid and polished. The small amount of money you have to invest to get this game are nothing compared to the countless hours of spaceship blasting (pew pew) fun you'll have.… Expand
  13. Gamer_at_heart
    Aug 17, 2011
    10
    The perfect blend of strategy, resource management, tactics and space sim. Right from the start this game throws you in the deep end, but has a very helpful tutorial. The graphics are simplistic but suits this game well. What is very surprising is the A.I. One of the best indie game AI I've seen so far. The AI is very responsive but has some hiccups, but very very little. The voice actingThe perfect blend of strategy, resource management, tactics and space sim. Right from the start this game throws you in the deep end, but has a very helpful tutorial. The graphics are simplistic but suits this game well. What is very surprising is the A.I. One of the best indie game AI I've seen so far. The AI is very responsive but has some hiccups, but very very little. The voice acting is also good. The only thing that was not too good was the difficult spike, but you get used to it in about 10 minutes. I highly recommend this game for any person who likes a strategy or shooting game.… Expand
  14. JonesR
    Mar 7, 2012
    8
    Now here's a game that quietly passed underneath my radar. I thought it was going to be too strategy based for my liking, but there isn't a whole lot of strategy to it. It's more like a casual space exploration game that integrates action based combat. As you progress, the battles can get pretty intense, but there's no pressure because you don't lose the game if you lose a battle allowingNow here's a game that quietly passed underneath my radar. I thought it was going to be too strategy based for my liking, but there isn't a whole lot of strategy to it. It's more like a casual space exploration game that integrates action based combat. As you progress, the battles can get pretty intense, but there's no pressure because you don't lose the game if you lose a battle allowing you to experiment and move at your own pace. Usually you just have to reassess your ship configurations if you get into a situation you can't handle.

    There is a slight learning curve, but nothing overwhelming. The galaxy is very large providing hundreds of hours of potential play and the game always seems to throw you a new challenge as you advance, so it doesn't get repetitively boring. There's plenty to do between the main story mission, side missions, and the variety of faction objectives in each system. Hands down, SPAZ is a game that should be in your collection.    … Expand
  15. murtle52
    Sep 12, 2011
    10
    WOW!!!!
    This game is absolutely amazing!
    I've been hooked every since I've installed it. Great blend of R.P.G and top down shooter mixed with elements of strategy. Easy controls, great voice clips (I laughed out loud), awesome story,colourful level design and an overall visual aesthetic that is a work of art. Tons of missions and side missions in a huuuuuge galaxy that you explore at your    WOW!!!!
    This game is absolutely amazing!
    I've been hooked every since I've installed it. Great blend of R.P.G and top down shooter mixed with elements of strategy.
    Easy controls, great voice clips (I laughed out loud), awesome story,colourful level design and an overall visual aesthetic that is a work of art. Tons of missions and side missions in a huuuuuge galaxy that you explore at your own leisure.
    For a two man indie company to produce such a fine game, it renews my faith that the little guys can compete with the big development giants, but just on a different level.
    I was almost choked up when in the opening screen the developers leave a very personal message thanking you for buying it.
    I will be playing this game for a very long time.

    Bravo MinMax!

    and to everyone else....
    BUY THIS GAME!!!!    … Expand
  16. Tritonio
    Oct 21, 2012
    6
    Great idea, nice humor, nice mechanics in most cases but this gets boring very soon. After a point you'll find yourself kicking ass when suddenly you'll get stuck at a place, loosing all rez in the fight, and then having to fall back and gather more rez in various boring ways or fall back and kill the same enemies over and over trying to level up so that you can actually play the game. IGreat idea, nice humor, nice mechanics in most cases but this gets boring very soon. After a point you'll find yourself kicking ass when suddenly you'll get stuck at a place, loosing all rez in the fight, and then having to fall back and gather more rez in various boring ways or fall back and kill the same enemies over and over trying to level up so that you can actually play the game. I even tried at easy, but again, some missions are way out of their surrounding difficulty.… Expand
  17. Kluge
    Oct 7, 2011
    5
    There's just a lack of content. It takes a great deal of effort to marginally improve your fleet's status after you hit around level 15 or so - and if the randomly-generated map, in which your don't know where blueprints are scattered, doesn't have anything beneficial for you within your level range of solar systems, you end up stuck - which isn't okay when you've invested 5+ hours in thatThere's just a lack of content. It takes a great deal of effort to marginally improve your fleet's status after you hit around level 15 or so - and if the randomly-generated map, in which your don't know where blueprints are scattered, doesn't have anything beneficial for you within your level range of solar systems, you end up stuck - which isn't okay when you've invested 5+ hours in that map. Combat gets old fairly quickly, shooting the same weapons at the same handful of ships who utilize the same tactics over and over, on missions you've already done 5+ times. With more variety, more AI programming, and more upgrade mechanics, this game can be something great. The first few hours, I loved the game, but it felt much more like grinding after those few beginning hours when there was a strong sense of novelty.… Expand
  18. MrSniker
    Jan 5, 2012
    6
    Game starts off good but quickly get's very repetitive with similar missions structures and constantly ransacking similar stations. Game is easily a 7 or so until you reach the final quarter of the game when you reach the core with different enemies and it just gets annoying. I found the game extremely easy but found it annoying that my Beam build was given the shaft on the last enemiesGame starts off good but quickly get's very repetitive with similar missions structures and constantly ransacking similar stations. Game is easily a 7 or so until you reach the final quarter of the game when you reach the core with different enemies and it just gets annoying. I found the game extremely easy but found it annoying that my Beam build was given the shaft on the last enemies and was forced to switch. Annoying and once I switched to an alternate weapon the game was ridiculous easily and the last quarter consisted of me raiding enemy outposts and pressing the fire button repeatedly. The last quarter of the game really just showed me how little there was to the game and really brought out the repetitive nature of it. Decent game but don't go playing full price until they add some content to the later levels.… Expand
  19. nallath
    Oct 1, 2012
    5
    I'm not quite sure what to think of this game. The start is rather confusing and it has some really bad voice acting (It sounds like one of the devs recorded it). The controls are quite frustrating and the game itself has no redeeming qualities. It has nothing "new" to it. Overall it feels like a big flash game.
  20. Ozma
    Aug 18, 2011
    9
    My only grip about this game would the way your fleet is setup, That being said i picked this game up thinking it would burn a couple hours here and there while im off work for summer and put in 8 hours almost without realizing it on the first day. Very rarely have i seen an indie game by such a small dev team hit the mark like this game does. Reminds me of an old school asteroids with aMy only grip about this game would the way your fleet is setup, That being said i picked this game up thinking it would burn a couple hours here and there while im off work for summer and put in 8 hours almost without realizing it on the first day. Very rarely have i seen an indie game by such a small dev team hit the mark like this game does. Reminds me of an old school asteroids with a modern rts feel. The last time i had this much fun in a space game was Freelancer. Only one patch into release and its already easily one of my favorite games to hit steam this year. To the guys at MinMax You really hit the spot on this one keep up the good work. If you havent checked this out i can assure you its worth every cent of the $15 it costs, do yourself a favor and pick this up you wont regret it.… Expand
  21. 4-6-4-9
    Aug 30, 2011
    6
    I found the game to get repetitive quickly. At the beginning of the game it let's you set size of the random generated universe. Missions are random but there are only a handful of different ones. So after playing for awhile you'll run into the same missions quite a bit. There is also no point in exploring either since missions and star systems are the same. Because of that I found noI found the game to get repetitive quickly. At the beginning of the game it let's you set size of the random generated universe. Missions are random but there are only a handful of different ones. So after playing for awhile you'll run into the same missions quite a bit. There is also no point in exploring either since missions and star systems are the same. Because of that I found no reason to play on any map size besides the smallest available. Also with larger maps it spreads upgrades far apart, so it forces you to travel and repeat everything a lot more if you want a certain upgrade.

    Towards the mid of the game I grew frustrated with the repetitiveness and rushed through missions; blowing everything up regardless of faction, not caring about relations. It got interesting again when zombie were introduced along with new missions. Again though, there are only handful of zombie missions, and it starts to get repetitive.

    It may sound as if I hated the game but I did enjoy it. I am impressed that it was only made by two people, but I wished they compressed the world size (even smaller than the smallest available) or added more variety of missions.    … Expand
  22. Tridus
    Aug 30, 2011
    8
    It takes some time to get used to the controls in this game, because there's not much that plays the same way out there right now. At first it can be confusing. Once you get used to it, the game is an absolute blast. And for the price it's pretty hard to beat.
  23. Liam_Neeson
    Dec 30, 2011
    10
    This game is very under-rated and has not gotten the publicity that it deserves. The haters are only hating because they got stuck in a hard spot (there are more than a few) and then gave up and cried. It is an absolute blast to play, and has 30-60+ hours to keep you going and get your money's worth. It is a top-down view space shoot em' up like the old school games from the 80s and 90s onThis game is very under-rated and has not gotten the publicity that it deserves. The haters are only hating because they got stuck in a hard spot (there are more than a few) and then gave up and cried. It is an absolute blast to play, and has 30-60+ hours to keep you going and get your money's worth. It is a top-down view space shoot em' up like the old school games from the 80s and 90s on PC. You upgrade and buy new ships, secure territory, steal some pirate booty, and eventually you're the only thing standing in the way of an invasion that could destroy all life-forms! The gameplay is stellar, the story is astronomical, and the graphics are out of this world! (see what i did there?) The gameplay and story are both very deep; the story is full of twists (just when you think the game is getting repetitive, everything changes), and there are a lot of different upgrade paths and tactics to choose from when you build your fleet. I can't imagine why or how anyone could ever regret buying this game, unless of course it becomes so addicting that you catch the infection and turn into a SPAZ zombie (like I did). Good luck!… Expand
  24. Devil_Man_X
    Jan 30, 2012
    9
    This game was such a surprise for me. At release I immediately wrote the game off simply because it had "zombies" in the title. I am quite honestly just tired of the lazy way that zombies are getting pumped out in games these days. During one of the steam sales I decided to watch the trailer and it turned me around. I played it and fell in love. As a kid I grew up playing classic spaceThis game was such a surprise for me. At release I immediately wrote the game off simply because it had "zombies" in the title. I am quite honestly just tired of the lazy way that zombies are getting pumped out in games these days. During one of the steam sales I decided to watch the trailer and it turned me around. I played it and fell in love. As a kid I grew up playing classic space shooters like Life Force, Gradius, Darius, R-Type and all the big 16 bit era games. While there have been lots of great games in the genre since then none of them seemed to take the next logical step, depth. S.P.A.Z. does just that. Adding a level of depth to the genre that I have never seen. Now there have been some games that added some of the management systems and rpg like elements. They just tend to be centered around those elements and ignore the flight and battle elements. Now of course there is room for improvement but it does so many things well. The battles are fun, intense and usually pretty challenging. The management elements have depth and require thought and skill but aren't as daunting as you would expect. Un-lockable hull types with the ability to customize those hulls, weapons, shields and more. A very pretty game graphically, especially for an indie game with a 2 man development team. I've spent time just watching the A.I. battles that play in the background on the main menu screen. Now the ship controls can feel a little odd at first but once you get used to them they make sense. In short, if you have any interest in space battles and fun sci fi stories you have to own this game. I love it and have even bought copies for my friends. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.… Expand
  25. MarblesXIII
    Aug 26, 2011
    9
    This game is extremely addictive. The perfect blend of strategy, resource management, tactics and space sim. I cant belive that only two guys developed this game.
  26. xeranes
    Aug 26, 2011
    9
    WALL OF TEXT WARNING! Premise: Have you longed for the joy of 2D Space RPGs like Star control or Masters of Orion? Well, after years of waiting, two man company MinMax have released S.P.A.Z. with the intention of reviving that sense of adventure! However, does it live up to the standards set for it, or fall into its own black hole?
    Review:
    Plot: The plot of S.P.A.Z. revolves around a    WALL OF TEXT WARNING! Premise: Have you longed for the joy of 2D Space RPGs like Star control or Masters of Orion? Well, after years of waiting, two man company MinMax have released S.P.A.Z. with the intention of reviving that sense of adventure! However, does it live up to the standards set for it, or fall into its own black hole?
    Review:

    Plot: The plot of S.P.A.Z. revolves around a somewhat dystopian future, with earth a backwater planet and scattered colonies all but cut off from each other by blockades. It's here that a group of pirates set out from earth in hopes of reaching the galactic core in search of a motherload of Rez, a transmutable element that serves as one of the game's currencies. While this plot is amusing and quite humorous at times, it won't win any Oscars. It features voice-overs on the "cut-scenes" that explain the plot, but the majority of the story will be delivered by RPG-esque text boxes. However, the plot is engaging and more than exiting enough to drive you to complete your objectives, if not only to blow stuff up! Overall: 8/10

    Presentation: While S.P.A.Z. might look like a well made flash game at first, the true beauty of this game is in the details. Backgrounds are bright and colorful, often containing a myriad of nebulae, planets, and other cosmic beauties to catch your eye. The ships too are numerous and well made, having visible maneuvering thrusters (unlike many other games) and exploding with great fanfare of hull-breaches and escape pod ejections. Without revealing too much, I can say that the zombies too look fantastic, bits of ships mangled together with goo-like zombie "stuff", popping when you burst through them with weapons. The weapons too look great, especially beams! For a game like this, the eye-candy is almost never ending. Overall: 10/10

    Gameplay: An RPG at heart, S.P.A.Z. features all of the feature you love, ship customization galore, research and leveling, even multiple currencies in the forms of Rez and goons (ship crew collected from escape pods). S.P.A.Z. also features an RTS-like tactical window, where you can give orders to your ships and tweak AI behavior. The UI is simple to navigate and easy to use, a rare feature in a game as deceptively deep as this. Controls are also responsive and easy, though it may take a bit to get used to the side thrusters as they are oriented to your ship and not the camera. There are currently five ship classes, ranging from tiny to huge with a wide variety of modules and upgrades. Each system in your randomly generated galaxy of up to 300 stars has two factions, Civilians and the UTA, that you can complete missions for (or stab them in the back for the loot). Gameplay starts fast and furious and gradually slows down, never quite descending to a grind-fest, but as you would expect with an RPG there is a certain amount of grinding. There is quite a lot to do in S.P.A.Z., and you would be hard-pressed to find a time with nothing to do. Overall: 9/10


    Conclusion:

    Overall, S.P.A.Z. is an absolute steal for $15 on steam. You can easily find your weekends and free time lost to this game, but you will love it. As an added bonus, MinMax is still actively developing new content, so it can only get better from here.    … Expand
  27. Skawn
    Jan 29, 2012
    8
    Great game. Gets a tad repetitive at times but manages that addictive "just one more" feeling well. Would have been nice to have more ships to control though.
  28. ZZZappy
    Dec 29, 2011
    4
    I really do not like this game. Often compared to Star Control, it has neither the charm nor the entertainment of the game. It tries to imitate an old game style that died for a reason; it's not very good. The game starts off promising, shoots itself in the foot. The game is Repetitive, with a capital R, with such abysmal lack of content I don't understand how it got released in like so.I really do not like this game. Often compared to Star Control, it has neither the charm nor the entertainment of the game. It tries to imitate an old game style that died for a reason; it's not very good. The game starts off promising, shoots itself in the foot. The game is Repetitive, with a capital R, with such abysmal lack of content I don't understand how it got released in like so. You get maybe a handful of ships to play with, and the majority of them you will never use. At no point in time through playing the game did I ever concern myself with resources, as there was never any need. If you play well you're given everything you ever need. The missions feel tedious and the grinding for blueprints is aggravating, not to mention the restrictive modular system it presents. Why make such an amazing modular setup, then take it away, forcing specific pieces on the ship designs? So instead of getting a massive fleet of awesome variety, you get... cookie cutter setups. It makes the whole system feel a waste.
    Perhaps I am too hard on the game. It gave me 2 hours of entertainment! But afterwards, it felt so old, so repetitive.    … Expand
  29. Coeco
    Jul 22, 2012
    7
    SPAZ really manages to grabs one by the balls in the first couple of hours but along with it being the games greatest strength, It is also its biggest flaws. As fun as the first couple of hours will be if you're into space, zombies and all that good stuff, it becomes repetitive real fast. especially if you're having a blast and progressing faster than normally but I guess that's what IndieSPAZ really manages to grabs one by the balls in the first couple of hours but along with it being the games greatest strength, It is also its biggest flaws. As fun as the first couple of hours will be if you're into space, zombies and all that good stuff, it becomes repetitive real fast. especially if you're having a blast and progressing faster than normally but I guess that's what Indie games are made for. Other than that, It manages to be a bit linear with unlocking new goodies along with a few balance issues here and there but nothing that heavily affects the actual game-play. Buy it on a sale and you won't regret it.… Expand
  30. ghostmakermice
    Sep 11, 2011
    9
    after playing the FREE demo through Steam, I pretty much knew right away I was going to buy the full version - it's addictive and much better than most $15 games and after 400 hours of playtime I don't regret the purchase at all - the game devs are always on the forums talking to players about ideas and possible bugs - runs like a demon penis rotating in a bag of hot dog water.
  31. FattyMooMooMan
    Dec 29, 2011
    10
    Great indie game (in fact its more than a great indie game and I feel it gives many big name hits a sound thrashing), I have recommended this to several friends and another family member is also enjoying it as well, both of us are on chapter 4 and the dynamic of the game has changed quite a lot (I wont spoil how the balance of power/gameplay has changed), plus I have most of the gamesGreat indie game (in fact its more than a great indie game and I feel it gives many big name hits a sound thrashing), I have recommended this to several friends and another family member is also enjoying it as well, both of us are on chapter 4 and the dynamic of the game has changed quite a lot (I wont spoil how the balance of power/gameplay has changed), plus I have most of the games ships unlocked and there is plenty of variety in how I can build my fleet (I am running a huge drone control ship and my wingmen are in mixed laser/torpedo ships of their relevant tiers which works well so far). On the front screen of the game are details of upcoming new features and you get the feeling that the devs care about their game (there's even a winter mod available in the game at the moment). Well worth the money - the way the good indie games are piling up on steam at the moment I may give up buying full-price games altogether...… Expand
  32. Granet
    Feb 4, 2012
    10
    Wow I spent all of 4 dollars on this game and it's blasting me back to old StarControl 2 days when I couldn't stop playing games for food or work. I've grown up since then and have 2 kids, but this makes me want to skip work and leave the kids at day care. I can tell the devs wanted to res an old Microprose feel. Yes you might have to do some of the same old missions over a few times,Wow I spent all of 4 dollars on this game and it's blasting me back to old StarControl 2 days when I couldn't stop playing games for food or work. I've grown up since then and have 2 kids, but this makes me want to skip work and leave the kids at day care. I can tell the devs wanted to res an old Microprose feel. Yes you might have to do some of the same old missions over a few times, but if you loved shooting ships and watching things blow up the 1st time, why would that change the 10th time? It won't replace star control 2 as one of my all time favorites, but its a near enough miss to be worth 20 bucks, easy, much less 4 on sale at steam. Grats devs on taking my old school love and making a life out of it.… Expand
  33. not_good
    Jan 26, 2012
    4
    Boring game with a score jacked by indie fanboys. Not a single thing here is new or innovative, unless you count repetitiveness as a feature. I would not recommend buying this game.
  34. Philippe
    Oct 7, 2011
    10
    Awesome blend of 2D shooting, space exploration. The game is absolutely addictive, and downright funny. Plus it's a steal at ~15$. Go and buy it now, and save the universe from zombies!
  35. 0235
    Dec 4, 2011
    9
    an absolute gem of a game. this easy to get a hold of, and very deep game will have you playing for hours. in this huge mass of indie games, this game is a welcome change from your typical 8-bit graphics, and side scrolling, and is a wonderful reboot of the much neglected "space sim". and while not quite the sim of ELITE, this game does have very good space exploration and combat
  36. ivanover
    Jan 28, 2012
    10
    Truly one of the most addictive games I've ever played.
    Simple, fun, and with random and massive stellar systems.
    Never played 8 hours straight since the eighties.
  37. Hety
    Sep 15, 2011
    10
    A must have. Pure, addictive and constantly updated piece of pure awesomeness. You explore, you fight, you do missions and collect crew for your personal small fleet. ANdb the... you obliterate zombies! Or they obliterate you!
  38. klitorix
    Sep 11, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I chipped my foreskin after the first 200 hours of playing this - an insurance claim is pending.… Expand
  39. Billick
    Mar 26, 2012
    9
    Space Pirates and Zombies is a 2D top down shooter with some light RPG and strategy elements mixed in. You play as a motley band of space pirates, trying to make your way to the center of the galaxy, acquiring riches and upgrading your fleet along the way. I felt like the game strikes a nice balance between action and strategy. The game is simple to pick up, and the prospect of pickingSpace Pirates and Zombies is a 2D top down shooter with some light RPG and strategy elements mixed in. You play as a motley band of space pirates, trying to make your way to the center of the galaxy, acquiring riches and upgrading your fleet along the way. I felt like the game strikes a nice balance between action and strategy. The game is simple to pick up, and the prospect of picking up new toys and figuring out combinations that worked well together kept me from getting bored. SPAZ is a lot of fun for not a lot of money. The devs are constantly adding new content and listening to player feedback. It's basically everything I love about indie games.… Expand
  40. HwoDragon
    Dec 1, 2012
    8
    SPAZ is easily one of the best games I've played in a while. My only criticism is that while the game is fantastic as is, it would be so much better with multiplayer
  41. Nile3
    Oct 12, 2011
    9
    Great game, Neat graphics, fun combat, Takes very long to beat. Did I mention there's space zombies in this one?? Holy **** this is good! Finally we can kill zombies IN space!! yikes.
  42. AWG
    Jul 28, 2013
    4
    Oh, look! A game set in space where you to read tons of witty text to learn how to build ships! And it got "Zombie" in the title! Not boring or ripetitive at all! SO indie and original!
  43. Flayre
    Apr 8, 2012
    10
    This is a game i toughrouly enjoyed. Sure, there might be some people who don't like this style of game but to them i say this : It's not the game's fault, it's yours. Personally, i found this game to be amazing ! The way you upgrade, explore, discover and fight was simply stunning to me ! They just don't make games like these anymore ! Even better, this game was made by two friends whoThis is a game i toughrouly enjoyed. Sure, there might be some people who don't like this style of game but to them i say this : It's not the game's fault, it's yours. Personally, i found this game to be amazing ! The way you upgrade, explore, discover and fight was simply stunning to me ! They just don't make games like these anymore ! Even better, this game was made by two friends who had a dream : Mission accomplished guys !… Expand
  44. MightyThor
    May 20, 2013
    9
    SPAZ is a throwback to 2d arcade space shooters. What's really cool about it is it has realistic physics. You control the direction of your ship with the mouse cursor and forward, backward and side thrusters with the keyboard. So you can spin your ship, make it move backwards, side to side, all while controlling turrets to still shoot at your enemies. Really cool, allows for a lot ofSPAZ is a throwback to 2d arcade space shooters. What's really cool about it is it has realistic physics. You control the direction of your ship with the mouse cursor and forward, backward and side thrusters with the keyboard. So you can spin your ship, make it move backwards, side to side, all while controlling turrets to still shoot at your enemies. Really cool, allows for a lot of variety in gameplay. A lot of ships have fixed guns too, not turrets so you can do quick hit and fades, strafing etc. There's a lot of ways to play out the battles.

    There's also a ton of customizable weapons and ships. You level up throughout the game and pick different weapons to upgrade, as well as collecting new schematics for new weapons and ships. Ultimately the quest to collect all the weapons and ships in the game kept me really involved. The hours just flew by playing this game. I have over 140 hours on it through about 4 play throughs.

    It also randomly generates the galaxy based on some input from you like size, density, difficulty, so it has a lot of replayability. The only reason this game doesn't get a full 10 is it gets a bit grindy, especially on the hardest difficulties. Though I do like that the devs put some insane difficulty settings in there.    … Expand
  45. fireskull98
    Apr 4, 2013
    9
    The only problem I had with this game was the repetitiveness, but everything else about this game is excellent. SPAZ reminds me of some of the older top down space shooters, but with a modern update. Also, zombies. The zombies in this game remind me of the flood from halo.
  46. Timber
    Jan 25, 2013
    7
    This is really fun. 2D space battles with progression and ship customization, fast action and nice visuals. Not sure I like the bounty hunter addition though, boring fellows.
  47. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    6
    This is very reminiscent of older space exploration games I used to play (whose names I can't remember which is why I picked this up on a whim). You start off piloting a flying trash can and through the tutorial fix it up enough to control a small fleet. There is some seriously deep customization with your ships. With carriers that can support their own miniature fleets to turret coveredThis is very reminiscent of older space exploration games I used to play (whose names I can't remember which is why I picked this up on a whim). You start off piloting a flying trash can and through the tutorial fix it up enough to control a small fleet. There is some seriously deep customization with your ships. With carriers that can support their own miniature fleets to turret covered behemoths that can shoot 360°, both the pea-shooters you get at the beginning and the imperial destroyers you get near the end all have their uses throughout the whole game. The devs have released tons of free patches with new content and fixes since release and is worth picking up if you enjoy old-school space sims.… Expand
  48. ibitato
    Sep 8, 2013
    7
    The game is good in short bursts, but it gets repetitive really fast, once you've learned the basics.

    That is, after the first 4 hours, your will only be moved by the desire of unlocking new ships, since everything else becomes a (repetitive) grind fest. Every system seems similar in structure and quests. The combat is fun, since every ship behaves different, but balancing issues    The game is good in short bursts, but it gets repetitive really fast, once you've learned the basics.

    That is, after the first 4 hours, your will only be moved by the desire of unlocking new ships, since everything else becomes a (repetitive) grind fest.

    Every system seems similar in structure and quests.

    The combat is fun, since every ship behaves different, but balancing issues on game's difficulty are there.    … Expand
  49. Zuralot
    Jun 28, 2013
    8
    I acually hate Indi games cause thay have bad grapics and soso but i saw this on sale 4 1 Euro and some change and yust did buy it it makes alot of fun dont now exactly why but yes a good Indie game FINALY.
  50. TheLagbringer
    Jul 31, 2013
    9
    I loved this indie game, the genre is one of my favorites. It was a long journey to finish it, but worth every second It tends to get slightly grindy and repetitive, but it's so damn catchy you will be playing until the very end and lick your finger afterwards. And lastly Total Biscuit as a story narrator Hell yes, shut and take my money
  51. eponymous
    Aug 21, 2013
    7
    I really enjoyed this game until it got way out on the impossibility scale. The battles are involved and entertaining until you progress the storyline far into the 'space-zombie' end of the game Then it just becomes more difficult than it is fun. So this one will sit in the 'almost complete' basket labeled 'too hard'. Shame that, could've been better.
  52. jack4live
    Jan 20, 2014
    9
    A great game which i have enjoyed a lot. Great open world exploration. One of the best things in this game is that you can choose yourself how you want to play it. you can choose to either make friends or rule over everyone while everyone hates you. The only downside for me is that you can't play this game 4 hours and not get bored of it. It's a game which you play for an hour and then youA great game which i have enjoyed a lot. Great open world exploration. One of the best things in this game is that you can choose yourself how you want to play it. you can choose to either make friends or rule over everyone while everyone hates you. The only downside for me is that you can't play this game 4 hours and not get bored of it. It's a game which you play for an hour and then you do something else.… Expand
  53. Jazbezz
    Nov 2, 2013
    10
    I have several games on my steam page, the Hitman series, Total War, FTL, but SPAZ is the one game I find myself coming back to and I enjoy every moment of it.
  54. SupaChigga
    Nov 19, 2013
    6
    Single Player/Multi Player (2/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player) Gameplay (1/2) Visuals/Story (1/2) (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is    Single Player/Multi Player (2/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player)

    Gameplay (1/2)

    Visuals/Story (1/2)

    (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is better than the visuals, review this section as if the visuals didn’t matter)

    Accessibility/Longevity (0/2)

    (Review this section only on Accessibility if the game has no longevity) (Review this section only on longevity if the game isn’t accessible)

    Pricing (2/2)

    Wildcard (0)

    This is a guideline for how to properly review games. Many reviewers like to get a “feel” for a game, and arbitrarily give a game a score that they believe it deserves. This results in wildly different scores between different reviewers, and vastly different scores between similar games. This guideline addresses these problems and scores games fairly and consistently. This guideline also gives scores that are usually similar to the metacritic score.

    The review score is based out of 10 points. There are no “half” or 0.5 increments. It is impossible to have a score above 10 or below 0. The review score will change as the game gets new dlc, drops in price, or if more secrets are found through the game increasing its appeal.

    The scoring is split into 6 sections. The first five sections can add a possible 2 points to the final score. The first 5 sections are Single Player/Multi Player, Gameplay, Visuals/Story, Accessibility/Longevity, and Pricing.

    Notice that 3 of these sections have two parts. These particular sections will be scored based on the stronger part of the game of the two. For example, if a game has a lousy single player campaign, but an excellent multiplayer component, that section will be based solely on the multiplayer as if the single player did not exist. This allows games to be based on their own merits, as many unnecessary features are shoehorned into video games by publishers to reach a “feature quota”. Games that excel in both areas of a section don’t receive should be noted in the written review, but cannot increase the score past 2 in that section. However, it can be taken into account in the final section

    The final section can add 1, add 0, or subtract 1 to the final score. This final section is the “wildcard” section. This section is for how the reviewer “feels” about the game, but limits this only to this section, rather than the entire 10 point review. This section can include any positive or negative point that was not covered in the previous 5 sections.    … Expand
  55. PanaCZech
    Dec 10, 2013
    6
    I was pleasantly surprised with this game. The ship building and tech upgrades are nice, randomly generated space is also great. But it becomes kind of repetitive when you play it for more than 10 hours. Maybe there could be more of the main and secondary quests and less of those which are generated automatically.
  56. iama2p
    Dec 20, 2013
    8
    What contributes to the score here is the price. The game itself is good, although it can get repetitive. When playing through I tend to do it over an extended period of time, so I don't get bored. But for the cheap price that it costs, it is more than worth it.
    The actual game-play is simple, and working out how to customize your ships to get the most out of them in a certain situation    What contributes to the score here is the price. The game itself is good, although it can get repetitive. When playing through I tend to do it over an extended period of time, so I don't get bored. But for the cheap price that it costs, it is more than worth it.
    The actual game-play is simple, and working out how to customize your ships to get the most out of them in a certain situation makes it enjoyable. You can get put into a position where the game is a challenge. And when you've beaten it, step it up a difficulty level and try again. It will be far harder, and renew the enjoyment.
    One of the few criticisms I have of it is the ship choice. Once you've found a good ship, you're unlikely to replace it with another of the same class. This means that of the ships you collect, you won't use many.
    Overall though, a good game, worth the small cost and if you're a fan of space games, enjoyable. A hail-back to a slightly older era of games, and who doesn't love a classic?    … Expand
  57. IcecreamSnowman
    Mar 12, 2014
    8
    The game play is fun and challenging but there's fairly little variation once you've seen the different scenarios the game offers. It gets rather grindy towards the end when you just go around stomping all over zombies and hoovering up blokes off space stations in order to build an allied fleet which isn't really any help at all. Once you have certain ship components you'll stick toThe game play is fun and challenging but there's fairly little variation once you've seen the different scenarios the game offers. It gets rather grindy towards the end when you just go around stomping all over zombies and hoovering up blokes off space stations in order to build an allied fleet which isn't really any help at all. Once you have certain ship components you'll stick to them, as the top-tier stuff outclasses the rest. The first half of the game requires you to compromise in many places and adapt your play style to the strengths of your ships but this peters out as you progress and I always end with the same set up.… Expand
  58. benster56
    Jun 22, 2014
    10
    Easily one of the best games I've ever played. The gameplay always seems fresh and there is always new stuff to explore. Although it is a bit repetitive- I believe that's so you can get enough material to upgrade your ships. It's for farming purposes only. The game looks beautiful and is pleasing to the eye. The jokes/humor in the game is refreshing and well timed. I truly enjoy thisEasily one of the best games I've ever played. The gameplay always seems fresh and there is always new stuff to explore. Although it is a bit repetitive- I believe that's so you can get enough material to upgrade your ships. It's for farming purposes only. The game looks beautiful and is pleasing to the eye. The jokes/humor in the game is refreshing and well timed. I truly enjoy this game- and I'm only 1/20th in. That's another thing- this game is HUGE. It will take me a while before I can beat it. Gives me something to do.… Expand
  59. carlosgtardon
    Jun 10, 2014
    6
    Entretenido juego de gestión y habilidad, aunque satura sus mecánicas al poco tiempo. Como compra se queda tal vez un poco corto pero en grandes rebajas puede valer la pena.
  60. Szlomka
    Oct 13, 2014
    10
    Wholeheartedly recommended. Quite a multi-layered "spass-wagen" we have here. There is a galaxy to explore, a story to follow and an addicting arcade shoot-'em up. The replay value is amazing as I've been going back to this game for a few days every half year. The allocation of skill points coupled with different available ships give a lot of working combinations that play altogetherWholeheartedly recommended. Quite a multi-layered "spass-wagen" we have here. There is a galaxy to explore, a story to follow and an addicting arcade shoot-'em up. The replay value is amazing as I've been going back to this game for a few days every half year. The allocation of skill points coupled with different available ships give a lot of working combinations that play altogether differently.

    There is considerable attention to detail in the somewhat simple but "get the point across" graphics.    … Expand
  61. Dco326
    Aug 15, 2023
    10
    Extra igrica stvarno, moze da bude bolja naravno ali za mali tim itd. su napravili stvarno top top igricu bravo!
  62. jake_siege
    Feb 19, 2020
    0
    Doesn't work. Won't launch. The devs won't fix it. They expect you to fix it. Ha. Give them money just so you can research half a dozen fixes that don't work. Fun. Don't waste your time or money on greedy lazy developers. Too many good games out now that actually work.
  63. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    7
    A really fun space combat game that is buried under extensive grinding because it feels the need to be a palpably vast struggle. Its a double edged sword, the scale of the galaxy comes across and leaves an impactful impression on the story, but it really drags down game time.

Awards & Rankings

90
#90 Best PC Game of 2011
77
#77 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 3, 2011
    70
    Admirable, but maybe not lovable. Requires stubborn determination on the part of the player. Then it's rewarding. [Nov 2011, p.50]
  2. Gamereactor Denmark
    Sep 12, 2011
    80
    If you're into strategi, roleplaying, action and science fiction, Space Pirates and Zombies offers a delightful mix that, once you've grown aquinted to it, offers an insane amount of playtime and catchy entertainment.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gamer UK
    Sep 8, 2011
    67
    The germ of a cool game, not quite ready for prime time, but with plenty of potential if the right choices are made. [Oct 2011, p.90]
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »