Starbound

 PC
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 508 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 306 out of 508
  2. Mixed: 130 out of 508
  3. Negative: 72 out of 508

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  1. Cik
    Feb 10, 2015
    10
    A very, very enjoyable game, even at this stage of development; there is a very appealing uncomplicated beauty, yet depth of play and entertainment that has gripped me for days. It is worth it, and will continue to be as it develops more.

    There exists a lore for every character type as well, so the RPG elements are well polished for the build-stage this game is at, and will only get    A very, very enjoyable game, even at this stage of development; there is a very appealing uncomplicated beauty, yet depth of play and entertainment that has gripped me for days. It is worth it, and will continue to be as it develops more.

    There exists a lore for every character type as well, so the RPG elements are well polished for the build-stage this game is at, and will only get better. And the npc encounters that recognize you as your race and engage you differently in many circumstances is fresh and non-repetitive.

    The exploration potential is boundless and fun, along with the building emphasis of stages based upon your completion of quests; very fun. Jetting from planet to planet, system to system, makes the whole game seem never ending; very expansive. Not to mention that I found myself wandering on the surface of various planets a lot more, which I personally enjoy, and within the depths to accumulate more resources, hidden caves and base structures which I could gain unexpected gear and weapons from. The vast amount of weaponry and uniqueness to each one is simply brilliant.

    There is so much to see and accomplish in the game at the current stage, that I very much look forward to coming back to is with each developmental improvement.    … Expand
  2. shanecavaliere
    May 1, 2015
    10
    This game is being actively developed, and improves all the time. If you're considering buying it, I'd recommend only reading reviews within the most recent couple of months. Even in its current (unreleased) form, it's absolutely better than Terraria. The gameplay, effects, sound, and attention to detail are amazing - not to mention the massive amount of content. The most recent patchThis game is being actively developed, and improves all the time. If you're considering buying it, I'd recommend only reading reviews within the most recent couple of months. Even in its current (unreleased) form, it's absolutely better than Terraria. The gameplay, effects, sound, and attention to detail are amazing - not to mention the massive amount of content. The most recent patch hugely improved the way the game is presented, so quests and objectives are easy to understand and follow. This is a really, really impressive game.… Expand
  3. neowiz73
    Jan 18, 2017
    10
    Amazing 2D story driven sandbox game, similar to terraria but you are able to explorer a limitless amount of planets that have a very wide variety of creatures, biomes and landscapes. with a lot of hidden dungeons and treasures to find, even recover old artifacts from fossil locations.
    You can meet NPCs that are interested in being a crew member of your ship that will help enhance your    Amazing 2D story driven sandbox game, similar to terraria but you are able to explorer a limitless amount of planets that have a very wide variety of creatures, biomes and landscapes. with a lot of hidden dungeons and treasures to find, even recover old artifacts from fossil locations.
    You can meet NPCs that are interested in being a crew member of your ship that will help enhance your team if you choose to have them along or just leave them on the ship to continue to enhance your ship in various ways.
    a lot of random side quests can be gained from the various NPCs that dot all of the planets.
    Build anything like you can in minecraft but with a lot more variety of block types and furnishings to add a lot of appeal to the decor. then you can add people to each building or house and create your own civilization.
    with the update of 1.2 you are now able to terraform any biome into whatever biome you like.
    there seems to be more updates to come and more fun to be had in the coming months and years.    … Expand
  4. vanhaver
    May 25, 2014
    10
    Don't listen to these ignorant fools who wouldn't know a good game if it flew out of their ass. Play this game. Simple as that, it's absolutely fantastic w/ an amazing soundtrack to boot! The makers of this game have really committed themselves to this project.
  5. ReidW
    Aug 2, 2016
    10
    a Great game for COOP. I understand this game has some high negatives but I suspect this is due to the fact that this game was pre-alpha. It's now released and Awesome! even the pre-alpha game was a blast, but it ran out of content after 30 hours.

    I've played 30 hours with the released version so far and have no sign of running out of content! I'm excited and glad I supported this    a Great game for COOP. I understand this game has some high negatives but I suspect this is due to the fact that this game was pre-alpha. It's now released and Awesome! even the pre-alpha game was a blast, but it ran out of content after 30 hours.

    I've played 30 hours with the released version so far and have no sign of running out of content! I'm excited and glad I supported this game on Early Access.    … Expand
  6. Dark_D3s7r0y3r
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    You really gotta take reviews before the proper release date with a grain of salt. This game did have a long period of early access, yes, but what many people forget is that this is an indie game that only charges a fourth of the price of a full game release and still managed to actually deliver a full game's worth of content. It's arguable whether this game would actually be worth $60,You really gotta take reviews before the proper release date with a grain of salt. This game did have a long period of early access, yes, but what many people forget is that this is an indie game that only charges a fourth of the price of a full game release and still managed to actually deliver a full game's worth of content. It's arguable whether this game would actually be worth $60, but its $15 asking price for an entire universe of sandbox planets to explore that all feel both familiar and unique, seven interesting races with dozens of codex entries that flesh out their background, a full-length campaign that integrates with your exploration to encourage traversing the universe, a crew system that gives unique followers and passive bonuses based on who you recruit, and full mod support for the community to do practically whatever they'd like with all of this... I honestly couldn't ask for much more beyond making the game fully 3D, but No Man's Sky seems to indicate that that may not be such a good idea.

    Starbound integrates Role-Playing with sandbox and exploration in such a unique way and only has a $15 asking price. For the over 400 hours of enjoyment I've gotten out of it, I would be doing it a disservice to not rate it a full 10. It's been a long journey through the stars for me, and I can forsee a longer yet one in the years to come.    … Expand
  7. adrenilinmatt
    Nov 17, 2019
    10
    why is the user score for this game so low lol, i see that most of the negative reviews are from release date when the game was unfinished early access. this is ridiculous reason to rate a game 0/10.

    heres a 10/10 to counter the ridiculously low scores.
  8. Lhetre
    Jun 18, 2017
    10
    Amazing game, so much todo, so much to explore, so much to build. Possibly better than Terraria - advice may vary.
    PS Look at the date of the reviews, the game has deeply changed as of version 1.7, June 2017, and is still being updated with content.
  9. jecoconono
    May 19, 2014
    10
    Don't follow what the haters say. Play the game yourself and you will see that its amazing. The music, the art, the adventure is all greatly done, and plenty of mods from the community and the fact that you need little to no knowledge to mod the game too, its just a amazing game! Sure, it might be terraria-like but its mostly pure inspiration. Its a great game, and don't forget that itsDon't follow what the haters say. Play the game yourself and you will see that its amazing. The music, the art, the adventure is all greatly done, and plenty of mods from the community and the fact that you need little to no knowledge to mod the game too, its just a amazing game! Sure, it might be terraria-like but its mostly pure inspiration. Its a great game, and don't forget that its currently just a beta so things will change often.… Expand
  10. HeyItsAze
    Jun 29, 2014
    10
    This game is one of the best games ever, you can fly to other planets,you can create amazing building with the furniture so please ignore those haters and try this game out

    .PS the soundtrack in this game is amazing
    you should listen to, "On the beach at night"
  11. tpenterties
    Sep 4, 2014
    10
    Nomis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
  12. Madforstarbound
    Jan 30, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Whoever said this was abandoned, never tried the nightly versions. This game is solid, Really a masterpiece of a game, with all the things a good survival game should have. And also... MOD SUPPORT! Not many games have these. and chucklefish is great at what they do. idiots, who call themselves gamers, can't hold a candle, if they knew what one is, to how amazing this game is.… Expand
  13. Prodigyfire
    Feb 2, 2015
    10
    Anyone who rate this game below a 7 is lying, this game is just beyond comprehension of most people, and those are the people who put below a 7, anyone above that knows a good game when they see it, and we can clearly see the potential Chuckle Fish has out into this awesome game. If I could rate higher then a 10 I would, because this game is just pure awesomeness on our planet.
  14. Elroyscout
    Feb 14, 2015
    10
    This game is art, this game is soul, this game is what this culture needs to survive... sure there will allays some stupid Mushroom cloud in this culture, but that only makes this more amazing by comparison
    i know the art is hyper-generic, i know the combat system is stupid but i do not care, because that is part of the charm. the entire starting universe is lame bland and predictable,    This game is art, this game is soul, this game is what this culture needs to survive... sure there will allays some stupid Mushroom cloud in this culture, but that only makes this more amazing by comparison
    i know the art is hyper-generic, i know the combat system is stupid but i do not care, because that is part of the charm. the entire starting universe is lame bland and predictable, but the player is the one to put their own spin on it, turn their castle ship into Farmer Joe's Cornfeild, go roaming the universe with a cowboy hat or make a paintball arena on a dead planet... which we did on a whim and had such a great payoff.i know this feels unfinished, but that makes it ever more tantalizing, because this game, in early beta, has one hundred and fifty hours of playtime, while the unnamed game which many people claim that this is a ripoff of... has only fifteen minutes, because this thing feels like it has only scratched the surface of it's potential, and yet feels even more wholesome, encompassing, and unique. the races deserve a line and that line is... these may feel a bit generic, but when you actually look at the time, the philosophies, effort and lore they put into seven separate races... you want to pack you bags and move to this galaxy. Unlike other popular games, which are pretentious, silly and just make a lot a noise for the sake of noise, this thing is light, simple and sweet in telling a very simple message, in a very unique way that makes it actually viable...
    Go and explore    … Expand
  15. Alexanderrieke
    Jun 30, 2015
    10
    Look a lot, and I mean A LOT of people have said things like game is unfinished. And it was abandoned by developers. They are ignorant fools with no creativity. I beg you to ignore them. Starbound is a great game. It may not have much content but it has endless amounts of servers and communities! If you have already beat the game, don't worry! It's just the beginning. Go find new friends,Look a lot, and I mean A LOT of people have said things like game is unfinished. And it was abandoned by developers. They are ignorant fools with no creativity. I beg you to ignore them. Starbound is a great game. It may not have much content but it has endless amounts of servers and communities! If you have already beat the game, don't worry! It's just the beginning. Go find new friends, or build a giant house, or build a giant house with your friends. Maybe make a faction or help someone. Or join one of the great player communities. Or use one of the endless mods made by players. Starbound is a canvas. Many people have drawn on it to make a beautiful painting. Now it is your turn to make your painting. What will you decide?… Expand
  16. Popcultures
    Aug 24, 2015
    10
    Starbound is like space exploring adventure. Millions of planets to see and explore with randomly generated biomes and buildings. You can find villages, research facilities, castles, and the list goes on and on. There are currently 6 different races that all have their own unique weapons and armor. This game is still early access, but it still blows my mind on how awesome it is. FunnyStarbound is like space exploring adventure. Millions of planets to see and explore with randomly generated biomes and buildings. You can find villages, research facilities, castles, and the list goes on and on. There are currently 6 different races that all have their own unique weapons and armor. This game is still early access, but it still blows my mind on how awesome it is. Funny dialogue with random NPCs and cool biomes to explore. Speaking of biomes, there is a lot of em'. Underground slime biomes, mushroom villages, gnome villages, so many things to find.

    I love this game, and so should you.    … Expand
  17. CaptainPlatypus
    Oct 11, 2015
    10
    I just can't get my head around people not recommending this game. Stupid haters are gonna hate a guess. I have put 170 well spent hours into this masterpiece. The soundtrack is beautiful, The gameplay is awesome. There is so much lore to the game that you could write a book as long as Harry Potter 5 for every piece of it. This is by far my favorite game, and I would recommend this toI just can't get my head around people not recommending this game. Stupid haters are gonna hate a guess. I have put 170 well spent hours into this masterpiece. The soundtrack is beautiful, The gameplay is awesome. There is so much lore to the game that you could write a book as long as Harry Potter 5 for every piece of it. This is by far my favorite game, and I would recommend this to anyone that likes science fiction. This game is like a cross between Terraria and Startrek, and it is filled with so many hilarious references. I absolutely ADORE this game and everyone that likes Science fiction will to. Great job Chucklefish.… Expand
  18. Lunrun
    Oct 11, 2015
    10
    After the development's hiatus, Starbound is finally back into full-swing with regular updates and content. The recent addition of colonies adds quite a bit of depth to building in the game, and good things seem to be happening with the progression and combat. The art style is rather charming, and the game's humor keeps even some minor additions amusing.

    Furthermore, the game has a    After the development's hiatus, Starbound is finally back into full-swing with regular updates and content. The recent addition of colonies adds quite a bit of depth to building in the game, and good things seem to be happening with the progression and combat. The art style is rather charming, and the game's humor keeps even some minor additions amusing.

    Furthermore, the game has a surprising amount of potential for good builds and servers. My friends and I have built everything from space-bars to giant lasers, a steam-punk planet, an Avian home world, you name it! Even Terraria at its present height doesn't have this much potential for building flavor.

    Also, seriously, why is the OST so good? It's kinda ridiculous. They brought in some straight-up piano and fancy instrumentation for it. It's just another example of how damn ambitious this growing indie game has been.    … Expand
  19. Dreganius
    Oct 11, 2015
    10
    I've owned this game since its first stage of alpha, and felt it was a very well put together game. The updates were slow for a while, but now, the developers are quite actively trying to improve the game. I'd recommend reading only the recent reviews, as things have greatly improved.
    The community is good, the gameplay is good, but in my experiences the game really shines as a    I've owned this game since its first stage of alpha, and felt it was a very well put together game. The updates were slow for a while, but now, the developers are quite actively trying to improve the game. I'd recommend reading only the recent reviews, as things have greatly improved.
    The community is good, the gameplay is good, but in my experiences the game really shines as a roleplaying platform. The assets are very numerous, it's possible to change each individual color on any piece of clothing (with a third-party web-app called SBSE) and the RP communities are great. It's incredibly easy to create custom assets (such as guns, etc) that EVERYONE can see without needing mods, and is overall a very highly moddable game. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a good adventure, and especially people who like RPing.    … Expand
  20. Sir_Swag117
    Jan 19, 2016
    10
    This game is absolutely awesome. It is very fun, especially when joining an RP server or something. It doesn't update often, but it is absolutely AWESOME.
  21. Starbound
    Jul 26, 2016
    10
    Incredible. I bought Star-bound from steam 4 years ago for 15$. It was worth its money THEN, now here we are four years later with the 1.0 update (Leaving Orbit). It took a LOOOONNNG time for the game to come out, but the reason it took that long is because the community kept growing. The Developers (Chuckle Fish games) were flooded with money, the kick starter goal was annihilated (in aIncredible. I bought Star-bound from steam 4 years ago for 15$. It was worth its money THEN, now here we are four years later with the 1.0 update (Leaving Orbit). It took a LOOOONNNG time for the game to come out, but the reason it took that long is because the community kept growing. The Developers (Chuckle Fish games) were flooded with money, the kick starter goal was annihilated (in a good way) and Chuckle Fish wanted to give the community, a game that was worth the money that the community had put in, and they did it. The music is some of the BEST MUSIC I have ever heard in video games, AND the music isn't loud and in your face its in the background as you're focusing on collecting ores or exploring an alien planet, this is competing with my favorite game AND one of the best games on Meta-Critic: Cave story. The art style is joyous to say the little detail is what pushes this game to a ten instead of a 9. Oh, and if you're reading: ignore the other reviews that say this game is a linear grind, because it's not. IT'S THE BIGGEST METROID-VANIA THAT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN (sorry for the caps I had to get the point across). But at the same time it's not, its a RPG, and a Exploration, and a Terraria-LIKE game it doesn't copy Terraria but the Tier system is like it. I haven't even begun to talk about the Bosses (No Spoilers). All of them are different and unique, (No Spoilers) The Final Boss, while not being too hard, is FUN, it is PURE FUN, I won't talk about his attacks (even though i want to). The quests, while yes, SOME being fetch/Delivery quests, they make sense. The People who give you quests live on an asteroid, so it makes sense that they might need some Iron or some Silver, that just makes sense to me. Sorry for rambling on this long, if you couldn't tell I really like the game, so I'll end this here with one last thing:

    BUY IT    … Expand
  22. failboy84
    Jan 7, 2017
    10
    amazing game.... there's not much to be said as I haven't really played hundreds of hours (yet) but from the first intro I can tell its already an awesome game. the soundtrack is literally epic, and I don't use that word lightly or often, but in this case its fitting. Every new track I hear is well timed with the games cutscenes and events and sends shivers down my spine.

    The graphics    amazing game.... there's not much to be said as I haven't really played hundreds of hours (yet) but from the first intro I can tell its already an awesome game. the soundtrack is literally epic, and I don't use that word lightly or often, but in this case its fitting. Every new track I hear is well timed with the games cutscenes and events and sends shivers down my spine.

    The graphics are awesome (for a 2d tile based game) and the particle effects add a lot to the scene (rain is especially nice looking, when its wind for example).

    but the main thing that seems to keep me hooked is the sheer volume of content... there's just SO MUCH. I played a while online with my brother (who has played a lot more of the game than I have) and he has an amazing arsenal of bizarre and interesting weapons, all very different from each other.

    My only issue with the game is the performance. I couldn't get the 64bit version to launch and the 32bit version I can play never gets above 50fps on my machine (which isn't a beast pc but can play AAA titles just fine.) however for this game, anything above 30fps really is fine, is still looks smooth and doesn't feel choppy at all...

    so to sum up..... I got several new AAA games for Christmas this year and yet starbound is the game I will be playing for 2017.    … Expand
  23. ANDRESF2033
    Jun 17, 2017
    10
    LA VERDAD YA HE JUGADO TÍTULOS PARECIDOS DE CRAFTEO COMO TERRARIA PERO NUNCA ME LLAMARON MUCHO LA ATENCIÓN , STARBOUND LO TIENE CASI ABSOLUTAMENTE TODO, DESDE MECÁNICAS DE ATAQUE HASTA AUTOS VOLADORES, ES UN BUEN JUEGO SI QUIERES PASAR UN BUEN RATO DE AMIGOS. PERO ES EL MEJOR SI QUIERES CREAR EL MUNDO QUE SIEMPRE SOÑASTE
  24. VendonJura
    May 10, 2023
    10
    Really nice Terraria like game. Lots of fun to play. However, as in any survival game, you have real problems when it comes to hunger and the UI is extremely small. However, the game is still great.

    I've now spent a few hours in the game and I really have to say that this is one of the best games I've played in 2022. The game is just awesome. ✅ A lot to do ✅ NPCs on most planets ✅    Really nice Terraria like game. Lots of fun to play. However, as in any survival game, you have real problems when it comes to hunger and the UI is extremely small. However, the game is still great.

    I've now spent a few hours in the game and I really have to say that this is one of the best games I've played in 2022. The game is just awesome.

    ✅ A lot to do
    ✅ NPCs on most planets
    ✅ These NPCs often even have quests
    ✅ Many NPCs in space or on planets sell or buy things
    ✅ A lot of items that you can use well
    ✅ A lot of recipes you can find. Example 1. You collect a mushroom and learn a recipe such as Boiled Mushrooms.
    ✅ You have several classes that you can play
    ✅ Ingame commands for players who would like to test something or play as admin
    ✅ Achievements
    ✅ Sounds are good
    ✅ Great atmosphere
    ✅ Many skills such as those from Metroid. I won't say what it is because it would be a spoiler ;)
    ✅Many different animals 7 creatures
    ✅You can also capture animals, just like in Pokemon

    ❌ Unfortunately no minimap, at least I haven't seen it.    … Expand
  25. RustyHeart
    Oct 23, 2018
    10
    I'm really flabbergasted to see a 7,2 for user score. I suppose it's votes during early access. But Starbound changed since this period. It became a really complete game. Pixel art is marvelous. The story is cool and you've some greats awesome updates ! Like Mechas and spaces stations. You've such possibilities to have fun, especially with your friend.
  26. HondaSalesman
    Feb 7, 2020
    10
    This is a late review but all of the gripes from early patches in the games life have been revisited, with more content being added on a somewhat regular basis. The game-play is fun and engaging, with the movement getting better and better as you progress throughout the game. It's non-linear story is, while not the most original, is fun and unique in it's own sort of way. All and all it'sThis is a late review but all of the gripes from early patches in the games life have been revisited, with more content being added on a somewhat regular basis. The game-play is fun and engaging, with the movement getting better and better as you progress throughout the game. It's non-linear story is, while not the most original, is fun and unique in it's own sort of way. All and all it's just a fun crafter that you can spend hour after hour enjoying.… Expand
  27. Logonic
    Feb 9, 2020
    10
    Игра замечательная как для созидателей, кто может построить собственную колонию, так и для разрушителей и любителей экшена. С обновлением 1.14 в игре появился новый сюжет и возможности. Все это подталкивает игрока на новые приключения.
    В рецензиях с низкой оценкой от пользователей большинство плохих оценок стоят за неоправданные ожидания, а все баги и неприятности, найденные в 2014-2016    Игра замечательная как для созидателей, кто может построить собственную колонию, так и для разрушителей и любителей экшена. С обновлением 1.14 в игре появился новый сюжет и возможности. Все это подталкивает игрока на новые приключения.
    В рецензиях с низкой оценкой от пользователей большинство плохих оценок стоят за неоправданные ожидания, а все баги и неприятности, найденные в 2014-2016 годах давно исправлены.
    В игру советую заходить с друзьями, так намного веселее и интереснее, но если такой возможности нет, то в starbound вас всегда развеселят забавные диалоги и фразы персонажей.    … Expand
  28. DragonHeart000
    Feb 12, 2020
    10
    If you're a fan of Terraria then you'll love this game and despite what people say, they have some heavy differences. Starbound has a large focus on exploration and items whilst Terraria is more focused on boss fights. Both are excellent games in their own ways.
  29. jackrabbitt64
    Jun 4, 2021
    10
    This game gets flack for stuff that has been resolved years ago. This is one of those games that you play for 2 weeks straight then don't touch for a year and then you do it again. Beyond that, there are massive array of mods to enhance the experience to the point that its almost a new game. However the base game is nothing to scoff at, it is full of NPCs and a amazing bunch of in-depthThis game gets flack for stuff that has been resolved years ago. This is one of those games that you play for 2 weeks straight then don't touch for a year and then you do it again. Beyond that, there are massive array of mods to enhance the experience to the point that its almost a new game. However the base game is nothing to scoff at, it is full of NPCs and a amazing bunch of in-depth and interesting races. The exploration is amazing and the progression is perfect. Upon each playthrough you WILL find something new, whether it is big or small it will be something interesting and worthwhile. BUY THIS GAME, it is worth it, especially with friends.… Expand
  30. Tjerum
    Feb 14, 2022
    10
    For me one of the best games of all time.
    It is a combo from Terraria and No man sky but better.
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Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Best PC Game of 2016
32
#32 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
74
#74 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Everyeye.it
    Oct 24, 2016
    82
    Starbound is one of the very few games that gets both "open world" and "sandbox" done right. The amount of activities available is astounding and the best part is you can avoid them all, if you wish to do just that.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Oct 14, 2016
    85
    The price to fun ratio is amazing, but Starbound’s biggest advantage is the freedom it offers. I took a long break from Elite Dangerous to play this indie gem – it’s that good! [10/2016, p.58]
  3. Games.cz
    Sep 19, 2016
    70
    Starbound is not as polished and debugged as other games, and sometimes it may seem repetitive. But compared to more "modern" sci-fi games its explorative, almost melancholic spirit and emphasis on building catches your heart. Spare a few hundred hours of your time, the ultimate boundary once again calls for the survey.
    Read full review
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