DarkStar One: Broken Alliance

DarkStar One is a fairly big (and dangerous) world; while it isn't always the prettiest game nor does it host a wide variety of missions like other contemporary sandbox titles, the important thing to know is this: for a 4 year old port it still manages to bring something new to the table that is fun and the combat works, and in the end isn't that exactly what we want out of our games?

DarkStar One: Broken Alliance is a solid adventure that brings due to a lot of side missions quite a long game time to you and is fun as a space-shooter. But the bad presentation drops the mood several levels.

DarkStar One: Broken Alliance is big, complex, and just messy enough to make it hard to recommend without some reservation. If you've been hard up for a space combat sim, this is a lot of game for $50. If you're short on patience, though, you may want to sit this trip out.

If you're prepared to put up with a little bit of grinding and can deal with some of the more repetitive missions outside of the main quest, there's a lot here to enjoy. For those hankering for an Elite style fix, there's definitely an amount of homage and given that there's a distinct gap in this genre, DarkStar One is ahead of its competition.

Almost unique gaming for the 360, but the one-note gameplay soon becomes routine. [Aug 2010, p.90]

Darkstar One was good four years ago, today the space-action is fair average at best. The graphics are dated and the mission design is too repetitive.

DarkStar One is undoubtedly a bit of a throwback. It's not the all-singing, all-dancing AAA space combat title which could still make a lot of console owners' days, but it does go an awfully long way to proving that a game of that calibre is eminently possible on consoles, as well as providing an entertaining diversion.

It is definitely showing its age in some respects as the developers didn't do a whole lot of improvements when they were porting it to the Xbox360. With that said though there aren't a whole lot of games like this on the Xbox360.

This long space adventure isn't deep or refined, but it's still good, simple fun.

Even if it weren't the only game of its type on the console, it would be easy to recommend Broken Alliance as a purchase for anyone looking for a spaceship shooter with some depth. It's not the best surprise game of the summer, but it is an enjoyable one.

In truth, the very best thing about Dark Star One is just how little competition it has in the space combat sim genre. The closest you'll get on the 360 is Project Sylpheed, and that's far more arcadey and fantastical than this.

Darkstar One: Broken Alliance is a good game. It will find a dedicated following in the RPG/Space Sim/Combat gamers and most will enjoy the 20 or so hours of gameplay provided. However, this is due in part, to the lack of good genre games being created instead of being because of the outstanding playability.

So the first thing Darkstar One: Broken Alliance has going for it is that it doesn't have a lot of competition. The second thing it has going for it is that it was already a good game on the PC, and it was simple enough that it didn't have to be compromised on the way to the Xbox 360. So right away, that's a heap of good news for anyone who fondly recalls the thrill of flying a load of medical supplies past pirates to sell it for a modest profit that will go towards a bigger laser.

Since there is no other option for console gamers, it is take it or leave it but those who take it will be left with a well rounded game, but not elite enough to lure gamers uninterested in the genre into the loop.

Four years later, Darkstar One comes back on the Xbox 360 identical to the PC version and well adapted for console controllers. The experience is quite deep and lets the player enjoy many different missions, but in the end you will find yourself fighting too often. Also, technically suffers its age, despite the 1080p resolution. If you like the genre, anyway, this game is at the moment your only choice.

If you like space simulations and a broad universe to explore you should check this game as there is nothing like this one on Xbox 360.

It's hard to recommend a four-year old game whose main selling point for the AAA price-tag is upgraded graphics, but leaves the core gameplay unchanged.

When you stop thinking about how much better this game could be and accept it for what it is, you realize it's an enjoyable, story-driven, partial sandbox, space-flight sim that doesn't hold your hand like most current games. But even a space geek may not be able to overlook all of its out-dated and ill-conceived elements.

I certainly understand that it's unrealistic to expect a developer to fill an entire "universe" with stunningly unique content, but while DarkStar One's heart might be in the right place, it needs a top-down overhaul before I can recommend that anyone climb aboard for the journey.

It might not be the Elite sequel of your dreams but this space trader is in a field of its own on 360.

There's a lot of gameplay here, but unfortunately, a lot of it is a repeat of the same few activities. There needed to be a lot more variety to keep the player interested over long periods of time.

Average fare, but the core Elite concept dazzles. [Aug 2010, p.93]

The voice acting, dialogue and narrative itself are all weak, thereby demanding that the underlying systems do all the heavy lifting in terms of player engagement - something they sustain, but only to a certain point. [Aug 2010, p.97]

None of the single pieces of Darkstar are particularly shoddy (voicework aside), but mixed together they form an experience that's largely devoid of anything memorable, but also one that remains hypnotically sedate until eventual boredom sets in.

The game's combat and ship customization are fun, and were great at the time they were originally released, but now simply aren't enough to keep the many hours of random quests and predictable story from losing their luster.

Avoid this unless your space dogfighting itch is keeping you up at night. [Sept 2010, p.93]

DarkStar One isn't the best representative of its gender on consoles, but it still got some serious arguments.

Only dedicated privateers will make it to the unsatisfying conclusion. [Oct 2010, p.75]

DarkStar One: Broken Alliance has solid combat and a promising RPG-type leveling system. It is unfortunate that everything else seems to have been sucked into a black hole. The campaign is repetitive, and the lack of explanations and direction makes this game a confusing play and provides an overall thin experience.

Can't compete with "Elite" or "Colony Wars." [July 2010, p.103]

Some of the space battles are quite entertaining, but the graphics are mediocre, the voice actors are terrible and the mission repetitive.