Spacebase Startopia

 PlayStation 4
User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 2 more ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
  3. Negative: 1 out of 2
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  1. SplitMind
    May 30, 2021
    6
    I really wanted to give SS a higher score because I am quite enjoying the game, but I suspect of those who play this game, few will be able to persevere long enough through the flaws to actually enjoy the game. SS is brimming with potential but appears to have cut corners in development.

    The graphics are a cool selling point of SS. It's Star Wars meets Age of Empires, right? Well, not    I really wanted to give SS a higher score because I am quite enjoying the game, but I suspect of those who play this game, few will be able to persevere long enough through the flaws to actually enjoy the game. SS is brimming with potential but appears to have cut corners in development.

    The graphics are a cool selling point of SS. It's Star Wars meets Age of Empires, right? Well, not quite. You do have a nice futuristic spaceship setting, but the framerate is downright awful in some parts. It's not unplayable, but noticeable as soon as you started playing and, really, is unacceptable from a game released in 2021. It's cool being able to zoom in quite up close, but the curved design of the spaceship makes for nauseating gameplay at times when trying to move through the ship. It would have been nice to see more of space rather than just looking out the odd window. Another point of note are very unfriendly menu screens, a common issue in strategy sims.

    The gameplay of SS is quite typical of any sim where you're building up a base. I think one of the biggest problems is that these games aren't really suited for console controllers. Once you get the hang of it, I found it fairly manageable, but I suspect many people would be deterred by this point. Add to that a hell of a learning curve and badly explained mechanics in the game and you could be forgiven for wondering why you're even bothering to play it. For example, I was told to buy the next compartment on my ship, so I sat there hammering X whilst highlighting it, until I randomly pressed Square and discovered my mistake. Little irritants like these can add up.

    The story? Well, after my battle to get through the tutorial, I spent the remainder of my time in free mode so that I could actually learn and enjoy the game properly, so I may come back to the campaign another time but I'm not expecting much.

    Overall, SS could have been excellent but even issues like the framerate are too hard to ignore. Sitting amongst the company of Aven Colony and Surviving Mars means SS really needs to up its game to stand out in the genre. At present, it does not. If you're going to buy, make sure it's on sale.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Metro GameCentral
    Mar 31, 2021
    50
    A complex space base builder remake that’s marred by inadequate tutorials, clumsy attempts at humour, and a general lack of polish.
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  2. Het Nieuwsblad
    Mar 30, 2021
    60
    Spacebase Startopi’ taught us that aliens are just like people - they're cranky if they don't get a latte in time, tweet about their day and leave a giant pile of trash behind - and that running a space station is damn hard work. The game won't achieve the same cult status as the original, but as a strategic building game that doesn't take itself too seriously, it's good for several hours of solo and multiplayer fun.
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  3. Impulsegamer
    Mar 29, 2021
    60
    I’m not done with Starbase Spacetopia (or whatever it’s called, I give up), I still want to nail the perfect base, especially now I’ve fully understood all the games systems, and for the most part, I’m having fun. On top of the campaign and free play mode there’s a perfectly serviceable multiplayer mode too, albeit the current small player base means it takes a while to locate a game. Is it the pinnacle of base management strategy games? No, far from it in fact, but it’s a more than serviceable space station sim that satisfies the itch for galactic domination.
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