Brutally difficult. If you dislike game over screens, this is not the game for you. You will die, a lot. Sometimes it won't seem fair. Other times everything comes together just right and it's the greatest feeling in the world. The mechanics work really well here and if you like a challenge you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.

It seems people do not remember the old rogue like games of the past and are pretty quick to bomb this game because they got angry at their bad luck.... It is a shame really, because you can't win, with people complaining about games not being hard anymore and when one comes out, they can't handle it. Regardless, FTL is an awesome polished game with an amazing soundtrack, plenty of content and proves to be a fun, addicting and difficult video game for people who can handle it. Game mechanics are stressful, but well implemented and generally enjoyable. Ship unlocks provide a long-term and difficult challenge for people who are interested in unlockables and full completion. Like any rogue-like, it is difficult, unfair in some places and heavily dependent on luck once you learn how to play. But that's a good thing, it keeps the game varied and interesting. Getting lucky is not the whole story, success will come from making the right decisions with what your luck gives you.… Expand

A very simple game with very simple graphics, yet very addictive! The strategy is extremely well balanced and the progress in succeeding in the game is constant. So, the pleasure is always renewed, the replay value is big and the potentials are vast. This is a magic game that is at the opposite of any gaming hypes but is tremendously well done. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! One of the best games I've ever played in my 30 year gaming experience.… Expand

FTL is a very strategic spaceship simulator, where you must survive a harrowing trek across the galaxy with an army chasing you down. You have to decide how to configure your ship with what's available, and make tough mid-battle decisions that could mean life or death. And in this game, death is permanent.

This is one of those indie games that gets everything right. The gameplay is lots of fun. It's not hard to learn the basics, but winning is incredibly hard, even on Easy. Luck plays a big part, but skill can offset bad luck. There are lots of ship configurations, and with each, a new way to play. The music is very good, and fitting. The pixel art is beautiful. Controls are fairly easy to use.

I found myself playing this game over and over until finally getting my first win on easy on the 20th try. This game is definitely worth getting, and for strategy fans, it's a must-buy. The soundtrack is also worth the money.… Expand

FTL is often referred to as a roguelike, but it's more of a strategy/roguelike hybrid. You control a spaceship and its crew, attempting to outrun a rebel fleet and deliver vital information. On the way you'll face a series of random encounters you'll have to survive, while upgrading your ship and crew as best you can with your limited resources. At first, it all seems overwhelming, even on easy difficultly. It took me 12 tries before finally getting my first win, but I felt like I learned something I could use going forward with each loss. Each game only takes an hour or two, so even with permadeath, the losses aren't that punishing. There are also a number of unlockable ships and achievements to go for. Although it's not quite as deep as some other similar games, it's still a lot of fun.… Expand

I read a lot of after-action story so I pre-ordered it. If you are a roguelike fan, this is the 10 out of 10 game for you. For others, you will find this game is about randomness and luck, yet shallow and repetitiveness. This is my first roguelike game and this game helped me firmly believe roguelike is not my cup of tea. If you are deciding whether you will enjoy roguelike, give this a try; it is cheaply price anyway. I gave it 10 out of 10 because this is a good experience that I will avoid roguelike games from now on.… Expand

Amazing game, deep gameplay, plenty of replay value. Game breaks a good bit of new ground in strategy games, well worth the time and attention. avoid the subreddit and wikis however, more fun to discover things yourself.

This is one of the best indie games I've ever played. It deserves every cent, I honestly can't wait to see what other games this company will make in the future.

One of my favorite indies so far. This game is such a blast and was well programmed and thought out. No bugs, a fluid experience and a fun challenge every time. You either love or hate rogue likes so know that before purchasing. Only way to improve would be to add more content but for the sale price on steam it is an incredible value. Ive put in 38 hours so far and still have yet to fully beat the game on normal. Trying to collect all the cruisers is a blast as well. Well done.… Expand

Some people consider the luck-element in this game to be bad, but personally i believe it's great, without it a great deal of the re playability wouldn't exist. and of course this game gets boring after a while, but honestly, after you've spent so much hours into it it doesn't matter.

FTL: Faster Than Light was something I really didn't expect. It gave you your ship, your crew, and an objective to reach. Little did I know that the road to the objective was filled with sacrifice, close calls, and tough decisions.

This might sound surprising, as this is a rogue-like game after all, but it encourages you to roleplay and to play the game multiple times, as you will die a lot. And when you die, your ship doesn't respawn, you, and your crew, are dead.

So to survive all this, you need to explore, gather scrap to upgrade your ship, hire new crew, each race having it's own advantages and weaknesses. If there is one major complaint to note, is that is relies a bit too much on luck. You might find yourself fighting a hard enemy while being hit by solar flares, making your ship go down really easily. However, it doesn't stop it from being a great game, and one you cannot pass.… Expand

Well I easily sunk in over 30 hours so far, for a simple premise its so addictive. Whats more is its proof that game don't have to have major budgets and high end graphics to be compelling, intuitive and enjoyable. The price is more then reasonable for this throw-back to the 90s in terms of game play and style.

An impressive Indie game which is very surprising: With random sectors generated with each playing, combined with an array of weapons, equipment, encounters and crew which leads along a short storyline which can be completed in several different ways; this truly is a game travelling at Faster Than Light.

This is a truly excellent game with lovely artwork and an easy pick up & play style. However, it is EXTREMELY difficult. I've been playing it non-stop for weeks since I bought and still haven't beaten it on easy. The randomisation of loot/encounters is done very well so the game never feels unfair but it's still bloody difficult.

There isn't really anything bad I can say about this, really. The difficulty is insane, and there isn't much of a story there, but everything else in FTL is just so damn good that you don't really care. Also, the soundtrack is freakin' awesome. Seriously, get this game.

If you like maddeningly difficult old school games then this one is for you. The graphics are primitive, but I feel like that just adds to the old school feel of the game. The game play is simple enough to pick up quickly, yet complicated enough to keep you thinking and coming back for more.

The basic mechanics of shields, weapon systems, drones, and boarding parties make me feel like I'm the captain of a Star Trek vessel in a way that previous Star Trek and other Sci-Fi games have failed to do so well.

For an inexpensive indie game with such a small team the design is nearly perfect. Aside from having not quite enough different random encounters (expect to play through the same encounters over and over again) I don't think I have any complaints for this title. I hope a AAA studio decides to make something like FTL, or picks up these guys and makes FTL2.… Collapse

At long last, a game that doesnt underestimate people. In a time when pretty much every single game takes you by the hand until its very end, its refreshing to play something like this. Yes, you die a lot, and yes, sometimes it does get frustrating, but thats it. The gameplay seems simple yet its fun and addictive, loved the music and really liked the customization of your ship.

I absolutely adore this game. It gives anybody the chance to nerd out so much and is a perfect example of a community creating a game and making it near perfect. The ONLY thing I can fight bad about this game is that It doesnt give you enough to manage. Just four or five rooms while any extra crew just stands arounds. An amazing rogue-like strategy science fiction game. Even if you don't like these kind of games, at least try it because it redifines the genre. Perfect 10 out of 10.… Expand

I never imagined this game would give me this much fun. Really. The graphics will not impress you.
But they get the job done. Soundtrack is amazing. Creates a nice atmosphere. The gameplay is really great. I love it. And yeah, this game is not easy You will probably die a lot. But that is part of this game.
But the controls and everything are really easy to pick up and play.

FTL is just one of those Unique games that you can't say anything bad about. It is so simple but allows the player to get engrossed and continue on their mission. Faster than light is a game you can go to any time and have a great time, never seeing the same ting twice is a bonus which is rare within games these days.

I'll be honest I first downloaded this game illegally but after I played my first game I enjoyed it that much I went back and bought the game to support the developers in their great work. I have never played a game like this and you will never have the same play though of the game twice. I can't wait until more content comes out for this game. I would highly recommend this game.… Expand

Having the most fun playing this game that I've had in a looong time. Love the permadeath. And remember people the fights are just as hard on "easy" you just get a bit more money. When I was very young about 24 years ago there was a turn based Mech Warrior RPG.......I loved that then. And I love this now. They seem very similar.

This is a difficult game. When I started, it took me five tries to get to the end on easy. Two hundred hours later, on normal I can finish nearly every time. The fighting looks simple, but if you stick with it you'll find amazing tactical depth.

I've read some reviews warning you about this game to be "random", "unfair" and "stupid" (to name a few). Yes this game is random: Each situation is not from a fixed story line, making you powergame after two playthroughs. Sometimes a situation may be unfair, i.e. you run into an enemy with the perfect counter setup for you ship, ripping you literally apart IF you try to win by any means necessary. And for the meaning of a game it serves no purpose....but to entertain and challenge you from time to time. It is like playing a card game, sometimes with a bad hand but encouraging you to try hard enough to win anyway. There is no Golden Path to the Holy Grail I beat the game in three totally different ways so far and each of them was fun. If you need to save and instantly load the game after getting hit even once (like in some round based shooter), this game is not for you! BUT: Each Sector you reach should be a checkpoint to retry from there.
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This game does not teach you how to beat it!? Learn vital upgrades, learn your weapons, learn how to use what you have!
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This game has no high replayability!?
Does a "Call of Duty" with no choice at all have that!?
Different Ships in this game offer you different play styles from the start you may try. A playthrough is about half to one hour, so ideal to get your mid of something.
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Is the game worth its money? If you see it for 2,49$/€, GET IT!… Expand

There plenty of reasons to complain about FTL. Luckily for this little game? None of those reasons are that it isn't fun. It is a one of a kind game there really is nothing like it out there. Let's call it an epic space flight sim? If you're after graphics this is not the game for you. Yet I consistently find my room mates and friends watching me play this game. It has real decisions, 'real' stakes and 'real' consequences. Huge replay-ability and a truly fresh feel. Definitely pick this one up.… Expand

Very simple, yet original and addictive game. If you played games in early 90's, this one will remind you a lot of these times. Earlier, people did not necessarily have to spend tons of money to write a good game, so there was more room for experiment. This game is in that spirit. And still, it doesn't feel outdated, and it's not casual-browser-game simple. It actually has a lot of variety to offer. You basically just shoot ships, but you can do it in many ways. Not just with lasers and missiles, you can board and attack the crew, set them on fire, use attack drones, etc. Fair warning: there's no save/load, and you will die a lot. It's OK. This game is like Tetris: it's intended to be played for the process, not for the end result.… Expand

I truly love this game. Lot's of replayabiliy but I would have appreciated if there was a bit more randomness to the boss... but the overall experience starting and going to the boss area is really fun. I love the selection of weaponry, the number of passengers, the shields and the how you have to strategically utilize all of this using careful management of energy.

Better than any game I've played this year at a fraction of the price. It offers so many things that the industry seems to be completely devoid of these days. First off, there's an actual learning curve. You have to learn by doing in FTL, and it usually results in a few miserable failures before you have any chance of success. There is no hand-holding, no quicksaving- you're simply expected to go down with the ship and then give it another go. But when you do, you're prepared for more contingencies. What was your flaw? Did you get boarded and defeated because you lacked a strong crew? Did you over-invest in weapons while neglecting defensive subsystems like shields, engines, and cloaking? And if so, which subsystems should you have invested in? The gameplay is about preparing for contingencies, and there are only so many. Once you learn all of them you can adequately spec your ship to be able to counter all of them. However, the game makes it VERY difficult to cover all of your bases, mostly due to a simple lack of resources and time. Not a single player, no matter how experienced, enters the final boss fight with every contingency covered. And as a result, the final battle is always rewarding no matter how prepared you are.

On top of all that, there are unique random events that can happen in the game that can really change your experience for the better- or the worse. I will always remember an event where my female human pilot was killed trying to save an alien crewmember from a civilian ship- there's no cutscene, no fanfair, just a dialog saying that your pilot is dead and the crewmember survived. That alien crewmember became my new pilot and led us to victory. Sometimes it's more harsh and less dramatic. Find an alien artifact in space? Be careful approaching it. It might cause one of your crew to rapidly age in reverse until they disappear.

There are lots of achievements, which I'm not usually fond of, but in this case I think they complement the game well. Everyone's going to make multiple attempts at the game, so why not make certain starting options unlockables? I really don't mind achievements when they're not half-ass. Either the entire game should be based around them or they shouldn't be there. The designers of FTL seem to feel the same way.

Most importantly, the game offers challenge. The "Easy" gamemode is almost inevitably what everyone will start out with, and everyone will likely die several times on it. The difficulty is what made me nostalgic more than any of the excellent retro music and graphics- what happened to side-scrolling action games without a save option, where the last level was legitimately SCARY just because you were afraid of losing your progress? I haven't felt that way about the final battle in a video game in a long time. In almost every game today, you die at the hands of the final boss- and then you're instantly resurrected in the fight again. For example, I remember in Batman- Arkham Asylum where the best strategy was to die in the second phase of the boss fight, because it would instantly resurrect you during that specific phase with full health. Ridiculous. NONE of that bs in FTL.

FTL is a game about feeling a sense of learning and accomplishment. Victory is only earned through experience and endurance. In your first "winning" game, there will almost assuredly be times when, in any other game, you would have reloaded. A crew member dies to your own negligence; you run out of fuel and have to wait for help; you realize too late that you would've specced differently if you had known better. In any other game you restart. In this game, you keep going. You make it work. After all, it's just a game. Remember when games were like that?… Expand

If you thought Minecraft was the only successful indie-game, then you haven't seen FTL: Faster Than Light. It's a great concept, and I was interested about it when I first saw gameplay of it. Many people would say the graphics in this game are not the best, but I think that the graphics in this game are brilliant. The music in this game is also catchy in my opinion, and it doesn't stress you out. Some scenarios in this game are well thought-out about, and that the unexpected is usually around the corner. You may be boarded by pirates, approaching at a sun, or suffer ion storms on nebula systems. Also, if you die, you may rethink about what you have done to accidentally lead yourself to danger, and you may need to think on picking a different ship in case things go wrong on another one, if you have unlocked one. This is a game which says perfection to me.… Expand

awesome little game, i'm bewildered by the negative reviews...how anyone can criticize this game so heavily is ridiculous I've read their complaints and as a hardcore FTLer of some 89 hours i can tell you most of them are totally unfounded and written by impartial trolls...if you like Sci-Fi and RPG's and don't belong to the "ADD i like my games all graphics and no content and one button wins" generation, buy it.... its cheap and genius, these guys need to be supported.… Expand

For those among us who enjoy pain and suffering, sci fi themed tactical games with a bit of RP elements thrown in, FTL is an ideal game. A constant barrage of bad luck and impossible situations means you`re likely to spend a lot of time restarting the game, cursing loudly to the annoyance of family members or even crying.
This skillfully constructed tool for selling more nerve medication will include things like hitting your weapons 1 second after you enter stealth mode to reload your weapon in safety, forcing you to spend stealth putting out fires instead of reloading, which means you`ll be reloading later when the enemy is firing on you. Or killing off your crew with random events and not generating any way to shanghai more crew, leading to death by abandoned ship. Or it may refuse to provide you with a suitable weapon upgrade for level after level, until you can`t break the shields of any enemy and die. Once in a while it will even make dead ends for you, forcing you right back into the pursuing fleet which is what provides the time pressure in the game, preventing free exploration.
And I could list about 20 similar conspiracies hatched by the makers of FTL without effort; all with the express purpose of driving me insane. Having said this you might think the game is no fun. But it is! Unlocking ships, finding rare events and quests and the interminable difficulty of getting your ship to the last zone in an appropriate condition to fight the last battle is irresistible to all virtual flagellants and should not be missed.
Obviously the easily frustrated should perhaps look elsewhere. For the rest of us we can only hope that a sequel will appear at some point in the future. Until then, FTL will have to do:)… Expand

i've been hyped for FTL ever since I contributed to their Kickstarter. Now that it's here, I'm not dissapointed at all :)

Graphics - Old school, but very clean. there aren't any options though, including resolution, which makes it look quite bad on stretched fullscreen. More customisation would be nice.

Sound - AMAZING sound design. great effects and a very nice soundtrack, never feels repetitive.

Gameplay - WIN. Even though there really isn't much of a variety of gameplay, It is always fun, very repeatable and VERY hard. it will take you a long time to win the game just once, then so much more to unlock all the content available

Overall - I HIGHLY reccomend it.… Expand

Perfect game for what it is--a very short, simple, highly replayable,sci-fi roguelike. For the price, it's an amazing game, and I'll probably keep it installed for years. It's harder than most modern games, and a given run can be ruined by the occasional bad roll at the wrong time. But the whole game takes about 2 hours, and the really bad luck doesn't happen often.

Your a StarShip Captain with direct control over everything.
Which itself makes it an awesome indie RPG with addictive rogue-like elements. HUGE replayability - 1. There are 9 different ships, each with two different layouts for you to unlock), 2. Randomised events and results. Each choice you make, even though if it was the same choice in your last run , could end up differently for better or worst
3. A wide selection of weapons for different ships/playthroughs

And you can name your own ship and crew. What more can i say?
This is all for $9AUD for well over 20+hours of gameplay - and probably more!… Expand

Great game. Rougelike space ship game. Simple objective to the game, just reach the last zone and destroy the boss. You'll need to balance your power during combat so that not only can you attack but so that you can also have some defence. You'll unlock ships during your many play through of the game, each with their own distinct quirks. You can crew your ship with several different alien species although which ones you have available from shops and missions can be a bit random. Fairly tough game, deffo worth a punt.… Expand

Man is this game fun! I got it for $4.99 during this week's (Week of 1/6/13) Steam Sale, but its usual price is $9.99. After playing it for a couple hours, I would gladly pay up to $20 for it. For a lightweight game, there is a lot to it and plenty of customization. The only thing so far that I dislike is the whole randomness (Luck) to the game. If you don't find cheap weapons or weapons from battles, you'll end up losing entirely. However, sometimes you can have it so easy and barely try! (At least until the last sector because, well, it's pretty hard). Without giving away too much, you pilot a ship, upgrade it, repair it, blow up other ships, save people (or not if you don't care), get a bigger crew, and unlock more ships on your travels. LOADS of customization with every playthrough, and every single choice you make will affect you later (such as buying X or using Y or saving Z). A last point I want to say is that running out of fuel, while bad, isn't a "game over" like most other games would be. You can send out a distress beacon in hopes of some nice passerbys will give/sell you fuel, or it may just be evil people instead coming to kill you (and killing/letting them go may give you fuel!). Really great game for the price, especially during this week's sale. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because of the absolute RNG. It's a little TOO brutal, but hey, that just means more game time overall til I beat it completely.… Expand

Very fun game. Check it out if you like a challenge. This game is really hard but I think that is half the fun. You always strive for better results than the last time. It's really cool when you get new ships, and it makes me want to see how I fare with those. I have played about 15 time, and I've only beat it three times on easy. On normal I haven't even made it to the final boss.

This game is so rouge like, I can't get enough of it. I would love to see a sequel. To address the critics, whom are mainly users and not professional reviewers, if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.

Incredible gameplay! FTL is an easy to learn and incredibly difficult to master game. It has a mix of arcade and strategy elements that I have never seen before. Building your spaceship as you go gives a sense of vested value that matches any RPG. To top it off, the soundtrack is excellent, and the interface is so good it makes you wonder how the AAA titles fail to get it right.

I have not played an indie game that comes near as close to FTL.… Expand

Excitement. Strategy. Fear. Hope. Panic. Joy.
This game has them all and for a gamer who rarely feels moved by a game, it is a shining beacon of hope.
Simply put, I love FTL. It is a work of art, in both design and execution.

It could be a 10 but, although I understand, restarting from the hangar each time your ship explode can be sometimes frustrating. On the other hand, each time I restarted, I never used the same strategies twice; the scrap (money), equipment, crew is randomly generated each time. So you have to make with what you have. In overall, I love the game, graphic are simple and gameplay is great. For the price, it's a deal.… Expand

What a great little game. FTL takes you back to the 32 bit days when skill, luck and some persistence engrosses you into a well built adventure. FTL has been my guilty pleasure over the past couple months and i couldn't be happier with it. Anytime an indy game comes along to counter the "unfinished masterpieces", (Warz and Aliens:Colonial Marines) I am a happy camper.

People say "Rougelike", but really FTL is in a category of its own. Inventive and simple, but with great replayability. Does not suffer from the "feature creep" that many similar games fall in to.

FTL defied my expectations in a huge way. If you've ever wanted to feel like you were piloting Serenity, from Firefly, with a crew in an unforgiving and hostile environment, this is it.

The soundtrack is great. Combat is interesting. There isn't a plot, really, but the narrative that you can create for yourself is incredibly. You'll grow attached to your characters... and get sad when they die of Oxygen asphyxiation. The ship customization, and details, give this game a huge amount of replay value. Any sci fi fan should try their hand at this game it's awesome.

The only downside to speak of is the tediousness of unlocking certain ships. You have to be extremely lucky to get certain ships, no two ways about it.… Expand

Great game. Lots of fun. Can be repetitive, but only if you play without any breaks. Really challenging, but that's what keeps you coming back. My advice? If you feel that repetition wave coming on, go play something else for awhile. Guarantee you'll be biting at the bit wanting to play one more game though, which is why breaks help especially after a long play session.

This game is definitly why indie games should be supported with Kickstarter. This game shines brightly in the indie genre, a truly unique game. You take control of 1 of 8 ships and you have to micro mange every system of the ship including shields, engines, weapons even sensors and oxygen. Replayability is a whole new level. You also have to escape from the rebels which are hot on your tail all the time so when you approach a new galaxy you have to decide on a route and stick to it. Every galaxy you cross is different each with there own unique situations. Whether its a distress call that you go and investigate or just get across the galaxy as quick as possible every time it's different. This game has great suspense with every move you make, for example when approaching a distress call it could be an innocent mining colony being attacked by pirates or it could be pirates setting a trap. Each decision has a consequence that could be the difference between life and death. Each ship has 2 layouts which vary so that you can decide what you prefer, so altogether there is 16 different ship combinations. There is also an upgrade system in which you buy parts using the currency of scrap. You find scrap by destroying enemy ships or helping out the innocent. You have to manage every minor detail include power distribution, whether you want more power to the engines for evasive movement or more power to the guns for better offense. Lots of different things can happen for example if they hit the engines with a missile then the engine room will explode and the ship will catch fire. You can tackle this in multiple ways, for example you can send one of your crew into the room with a fire extinguisher to put it out however there is a risk to this because your crew members will get hurt and can, in the worse case, die whilst putting it out leaving you a crew member down. Or you can open up exterior doors to drain the oxygen to put the fires out however if the ships door system is also damaged during the fight then this is not possible. So there are multiple ways to deal with every situation its what you decide is best at the time. Altogether this is a fantastic little game that every one should have a go at and really see what indie developers are capable of.… Expand

It's a masterpiece of indi games. It really has no much graphics, but the gameplay is cool.

After few minutes you really accept the atmosphere of this game. That you have a small junky space ship, and you must go through space and kill dozens of enemies on your way and participate in random encounters.

The other cool side is that you can play very different - game offers you dozens of ways to improve your space ship.

And finally - there is NO saves, and it's really nice for this game!
Btw, while playing you can open other types of space ships, so the replayability is fantastic, i already played 60 hours in it, and will not stop.… Expand

When I heard that the Kickstarter for this game had finished and that I had to wait 5 months for it to be on Steam, I was annoyed to say the least. But when it hit Steam, it was well worth the wait. FTL is a great addition to the strategy category as a whole as it's fast game play, fights and trading allow for full games to be played within an hour (it being a rouge-like). After the first play through, it may feel slightly boring the next time round. But pushing through and trying different weapons, ships etc, makes the game fun and good to play for brief periods of time. This game is not for long strategic play (although I would advise pausing a lot) but for quick tactical decisions. It is also very easy for anyone to pick up. While it is very combat heavy, it handles other non-combat options such as trading very well. The excellent soundtrack also adds depth and excitement tho the overall experience.

For its £6.99 price tag on Steam it is well worth your money for the general combat, soundtrack and variation. Although the game is very random, the amount of player control allows for an exciting and addictive experience.… Expand

If you don't cheat by save-scumming, this game is brutal.
And I mean brutal.
Make a jump into an ambush at a low level? Prepare to restart.
But stick together and get your ship up to par? That's the true goal, and the game rewards you for it with new ships, layouts and other cool rewards everytime you make it through the game. High replayability and an original idea make FTL one of my favorite games this year. The only real downside in my opinion is that ship combat can be a bit unbalanced, and that you can't manually upgrade crewmembers.… Expand

This is not a game. This is a challenge. I've spent two weeks playing it in easy mode and still find myself overrun by the bad guys. Can't just give it a 10/10 because it's crazy hard difficulty, what, at times, might be frustrating. The combat system is very addictive and the ability to pause it at any time to evaluate the situation results in a very interesting real time - turn based strategy mix.
Apart from combat, quests help a lot in making you feel like a member of the crew.… Expand

Don't let the simplistic retro visual style fool you: this is a hardcore space simulation game. It has a great pace, the sense of urgency as the player races from the rebel fleet onslaught and tries to scrape resources at the same time is well-balanced, even if it is tuned to hard.

Even if a single playthrough is not overly long can take between 1 to 4 hours it has plenty of replay value, as new ships with unique features are unlocked and there are several random events which may pop up or not to the player, as well as achievements to be completed.

An indie gem for the hardcore strategist, and for those who are starved for Star Trek styled tactical space combat, where ships fa off each other like large, slumbering behemoths facing each other and the tactical decisions have much more weight on the battle outcome than strikecraft dogfighting (which is nonexistent).… Expand

YES! I beat the game on easy!
That is something that you won't hear that often, hardly ever for that matter, when it comes to most video games. This game is difficult and takes time to master the intricacies of what will work in certain situations. While the game randomly generates each play-through, you will from time to time get events that are similar, but with how unforgiving the game can be at times, that is a good thing. You learn from mistakes and adapt, though you usually have to adapt more than once with each play-through.

It is a wonderful top down spaceship command game, and with what games have come out in the past decade, FTL feels pleasantly fresh to me, but with a retro feel. The sound track is awesome; it's typical sci-fi fair but it definitely sounds original and also retro with the computerized sounding notes. The graphics have the same retro feel, like I'm playing a game that could have come out 15 years ago by the look. That is also a good thing, since it gives me something different to look at compared to the top of the line graphics oriented games. Not everything in gaming is about having the best graphics, and frankly, graphics rank low on the list about what is important in making a great game.

Game play is a big factor in great games and FTL has just that. While the encounters can get repetitive at times, each encounter can change from that to different within seconds. On well placed hit by an enemy can have you sending your crew running to repair a hull breach or a heavily damaged life support system. It can get hectic at times, but the game does allow you to pause mid-combat to analyze the situation act out your best plan accordingly.

Besides the music I mention before, the sound effects are great as well. The sound of missiles exploding as they hit their mark, varying "pew pew" style laser sounds from laser batteries, and the crackling of an ion cannon shot that has disabled a system on the enemy ship(though more likely yours). There is also is the ability to cloak your ship if it came with a cloak or if you bought one along your journey. If you want to teleport people, you can do that too if your ship has one or you get one. Teleport some of your crew to reek havoc on the enemy vessel.

As I said the game is very unforgiving and permanent death is something that makes the game twice as nail biting since there is no save function that allows you to start at the last good place if you die. But since the game doesn't take that long to get to the end(play-throughs usually last no more that 2 hours), the permanent death is not a problem. Though it can tug at your heart strings, if you have named your faithful ship and crew, which the game lets you do. Oh, poor Engineer Gork, your effort in putting out the fire in the engine room was greatly appreciated, but sadly you perished from the lack of oxygen before you could get to safety in the nearby corridor.

The game is quite amazing in every way. Though if you don't like a challenge, then I guess it isn't for you. As for me, I love it and all its quirks, so that is why I give it a 10.… Expand

Very fun game that may or may not keep you glued for hours. It has a crazy hard difficulty that may turn off some players or may attract some like flies to honey. Be warned, you will either love it or want to smash your computer to tiny bits in rage.

Wow. I haven't gotten so immediately and utterly addicted to a game this fast since... Civ II?! It's a little hard at first but once you learn from your mistakes things start going more smoothly. The Faster Than Light webpage has some good Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced tip sections that I highly recommend.

Disappointed that I can not give it a 10, as it lacks such an obvious feature as an open-world sandbox game mode. It could have benefited so much in terms of enjoyment and replay ability through having one.

It does have a tendency towards blind luck reminiscent of text-adventures, but this only adds to the charm.

Delightful soundtrack, indulgent retro art stile, solid UI and fun gameplay mechanics make it one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences out there for the price.… Expand

I write this review 45 hours later... Wait, what? 45 hours?!?

This game sucked me in extremely fast. I didn't buy it until a friend started playing it, and after watching him, I had to try it myself. The game has a very high replay value, but that might be due to the game's quite short playthrough.

To start, the game is brutal and unforgiving. Making mistakes will quickly lead to a game over, and sometimes the RNG plays dirty by giving you time and time again the negative side of every random event. The enemies scale quickly, so you'll need to find a way to keep the pace. The first 10, maybe even 20 times you're going to lose. On easy.

However, once you've got an understanding of how the game works, it's not as random and luck based as people make it out to be. Being tactical about your movements and not taking needless risks will take you consistently to the end of the game. Using resource management for your ship can save you tons of cash that you can use to upgrade other things or purchase more weapons at stores. Playing smart will almost always win, except for the very worst generated maps.

No matter what type of gamer you are, I highly recommend this game. For $10, it's well worth the money.… Expand

Perfect combination of space warfare and roguelike. Easy to learn, hard to master, unforgiving and rage inducing. Awesome game mechanics, encounters and a lot of routes to take on.

FTL is one of those games that shows up big budget games with simple engaging game play. It just goes to show you that a game does not need the latest gfx engine or super real rendered characters to be fun.

its hard but yeah... It's a roguelike and it's supposed to. There's a bit of luck involved but its really about skills. The targeting system is AMAZING, they should make a multiplayer game with it. The universe is so cool, even with the low graphics you really feel like you're a spaceship captain!!!

great "star trek" style rogue like game. a lot of fun and random events plus the different ships you can unlock add a lot of re-playability to this fantastic game. can not wait for more from the developers.

Freaking fantastic game. For it's 1st release it has a lot of interesting mechanics and combat that force you to strategist with efficiency or suffer lol. It has high re-playability already but I would like a lot of new features to add flavor to the game. Oh almost forgot the soundtrack is even better than the game lol. All that the game is missing is variety which I'm hoping will be addressed in the future. Still well worth a 9 even though it is missing content, but what it does, it does well and that is the basic definition of a rogue-like(but with space elements as you pilot your starship). I look forward to moding this game when that's possible, I would like to add more ship designs, weapons, environmental hazards, and quests.… Expand

After 11 hours of playing, and first victory over "Rebels", I feel that positive properties far outnumber negatives of this game.

Negative: 1/3 of all play-troughs are too much of bad luck and are doomed to fail in final battle, 1/3 are cake easy (too much of good luck). That is for easy difficulty, not for normal. I suppose normal is yet harder gambling, with less good luck options.
I would prefer more player strategic decisions on "play trough map" and not only luck when generating paths and events in nodes. I would like to have freedom and try to get that ie. "cloaking device" every time, or to have "3 dual burst lasers" if I decide that it fits my tactic. Game forces you to obtain random weapons, and many times I was not ready for final battle, my weapons (and other equipment) was not good mix for that battle.

Positives: Awesome battle tactics could be made, even with inferior ship/equipment compared to opponent. Just good plan (pause game) and some luck is needed.

Thank you Subset, P.s.: This game should be made 25 years earlier, for Commodore 64 & Spectrum and you would be kings of strategy games by now.… Expand

FTL is a great, original roguelike. Addictive gameplay, great design, and all around top notch experience. At a $10 price tag this game is a FANTASTIC value. The replayability is immense and according to Steam I've put 38 hours into this game in just two weeks (I believe it). This game rocks. The combat is fun and surprising deep. This is actually the first roguelike game I've played and it's introduced the genre to me in the best way possible. If you like space ships, challenging gameplay, and hardcore but fun gameplay experience this is game you owe it to yourself to play.… Expand

I usually need to have beautiful graphics to have an interest in a game. I passed by FTL many times as I heard about it. After hearing Giantbomb's podcast and them saying that without a doubt, FTL would be in their top 5 for game of the year, I decided to give it 15 minutes of my time. 5 hours later I am loving this game. This is one of those games that I do not understand why they don't have a demo. Making that leap of faith to spend money surely has kept more than a few sales from happening. I highly recommend trying this one out.… Expand

Amazing game. For just ten bucks (or less if it's on sale on Steam) you should definitely give it a chance. Trust me, if the concept appeals to you at all you will find yourself sinking hours into this simple, brilliant, delightful game.

im new to Meta and this is my 2nd review.
FTL is a great game in so many ways! low price tag and endless replays win! overall the game is simple, but well crafted...its what it needs, and nothing else!
over 20 hours played and I still have a drive to play it again.
for an indie game its one of the best ive played

Amazing is all I can say about this game. The difficulty is hard to get around, but by doing the right things at the right time, and learning to make smart decisions and risky decisions when needed is essential. After many, many attempts, I finally beat the final boss, and boy was it satisfying. If you just want a casual experience, then do not buy this game. If you are the type of person that wants a challenge, then you need to buy this game. Especially fun to play with friends, even though it is a single player game. In conclusion, there is nothing much bad with this game. The only problem I have with it is the learning and difficulty curve, but you get the hang of it very quickly.… Expand

This game is completely unfair & makes me want to throw my keyboard across the room.

This is precisely why I love it! It captures what I love about science fiction & puts you in an unforgiving environment and forces you to show what you're made of!

It has strategy & rpg elements which I love and is never the same game twice. I do tire of it after several marathon sessions, but I always come back for more beatings.

Thank you, sir! May I have another?… Expand

This is a great little game that is impossible to lay down. I started off dying all the time but after a couple of tries I got the hang of it and a better understand of what to do. Now I find it impossible to stop playing and I quite frankly feel that this is one of the most original and fun game I have played in a while. Hands down 10/10.

I'm a huge fan of roguelikes, so naturally I enjoy this game. So far I've only put about 3 hours into the game and I've been loving every minute. This is definitely a tough game, as any roguelike should be, but it doesn't seem unfair, every failure has been my own fault and it feels good to learn from mistakes and do that little bit better next time. Not that it's a huge difference, but I'm enjoying the space setting, it's nice to take a break from the high fantasy settings that you typically find. The controls are simple, but the combat is deceptively deep, as is the customization of your ship. Loot abounds as you progress, so there's always something to look forward to, my ship and/or crew rarely stays the same. There's the ability to unlock different starting crews, ships, and ship layouts, though I have yet to unlock any of these yet, I'm interested to see how it affects game play when you start with a different type of ship. I also must mention the soundtrack, it's awesome, I almost wish I had purchased the version that comes with the soundtrack. If you're a fan of roguelikes this is a must buy. If you're not a fan, this may be the game to get you there, as it does have both a normal and easy mode, perfect for a new player to roguelikes. Buy, then die!… Expand

Nice, decent game play. Rogue like means, every decision or encounter may be the last. No way back. That is what you get with FTL. FTL is a little space strategy game of space combat. Leading your ship and your crew through different space sectors. Manage ship and crew, optimize crew abilities like piloting, engineering, shield operations, fighting. Develop your ship with new weapons, drones, missile launcher, support gear and so on. Have friendly and hostile encounters, battle your way back to your home fleet to fight the enemy mother ship and protect your home base.

If you like these sort of (indie) games 10 EUR/DOLLAR won´t be wasted.

While graphics are appropriate, game play and handling is great.

I wonder what be will see next. There is a very high potential.… Expand

If your looking for a challenging game that requires skill, strategy, and maybe a bit of luck, then this game is perfect. Don't judge it based on the graphics (as I've seen some people doing), but instead judge it on the fact that it's an actual challenge, for instance, when you die you start over from the beginning. Sure, it may get annoying starting over the game from the beginning, but the maps are randomly generated leaving you to all new explorations each play through and with ships to unlock, you can explore the galaxy differently each time. You also have control of pretty much everything on the ship, from doors to crew members, to the weapons and power usage of each of your ships systems. Overall, it is a great strategy/star ship simulator that is worth the $10 price tag as the experience is almost always different each play through.… Expand

This game is an absolute blast and it is a perfect 10 for what it is meant to be. I played it 30 hours over the first weekend that it was available on Steam.

It is quite challenging - even on easy - so be prepared. People who complain about the fact that you can't save/reload progress may be missing the point of this game and why permadeath is important to the fun and replayability. This is not the type of game where you play through it once and put it away - the whole appeal of this game is to try again. Also, for the people who complain about how the game is just grinding to improve stats, I think you may not understand the appeal of RPG games, especially in the classic style.

Flame wars aside, it is a massively good deal for $10 (I got it on sale for $9) and you will get your money's worth. I haven't been this addicted to a game in a long time, so be ready! Oh, and the music is AWESOME!!… Expand

I started playing and was blown away by the depth this game has. It is not an easy game which is fantastic, the galaxy is random and there are times when even if you do everything right your crew just doesn't survive. But don't worry, a game only takes about two hours and if you die you just grab a new ship and start again! It is not an explore/conquer the galaxy game. One ship, one crew, and you the player pulling their strings to keep them pushing on, fighting through every obstacle to escape the deadly rebel fleet that is chasing you. I will be keeping a very close eye on you from here on out Subset Games, you nailed this one and I can't wait to play what you release next. Hopefully more content for my newest addiction FTL: Faster Than Light!… Expand

For 9 bucks this game is steal!! Honestly I love this game, I haven' played anything this good and interesting in a years and I've been playing games as far back as 20 years ago, this one stands up with such classics like Civ and Master of Orion. It's awesome how you get control your own little space ship and micromanage the systems and crew, putting out fires by unlocking the airlocks, sending boarding parties, and trying to knock out the other ships shields, all the while employing different strategies. Should I use drones, or invest in weapons? Shields or faster engine speed to dodge enemy attacks? A cloak shield or teleporter? Which system on the opponent ship should I bring down first? So many decisions and no game is quite the same. The graphics are simple but you soon forget about as you get lost in your own little world, you quickly get attached to your ship and your crew. Some people will knock the repetitive nature or replayability of this game (you can finish a game in 2 hours or less), but you have a lot of different strategies to employ and you can get new ship designs to better optimize those strategies, plus the encounters and weapon drops are random so you never have the same experience each game. As with any game you will get bored eventually, it's just a fact, but for the past week since I've been playing this I'm still eager to play more as I just got new ship designs and for the fact that I only paid 9 bucks for it, the investment has been returned 2 fold. The only reason it's not a 10 is because there isn't a longer campaign mode or just a bit more diversity in events to reduce the repetitiveness, but I doubt the developer will rest on his laurels and I'm sure more gameplay and features are planned. Playing this game has been a revelation and I will not hesitate to recommend this to anyone who likes sci-fi strategy games.… Expand

Faster Than Light is a sci-fi roguelike that follows in the vein of Star Trek. The objective of the game is to lead your single ship across eight sectors and defeat the boss before the enemy fleet catches up to you. The core part of the gameplay is the ship battles, which is quite variable when it comes to the encounters and strategies to win. Do you want to knock down the shields and rip them apart with every laser and missile you've got? Maybe you will take it steady by constantly disabling their weapons, giving them a slow but efficient death. You could disable their oxygen supply and set the medical room on fire so they can slowly burn or suffocate to death, leaving you to salvage a ship still in condition. The variable is vast and the fights are an enjoyable factor of the game that keep you on your toes to make sure your crew comes out unscratched. Outside of the combat the gameplay becomes a little lacking. You try manage scraps to buy new items or upgrade your own ship and try to complete quests or special events for a nice reward. It may come out a bit meager compared to the combat gameplay but it helps provide a little stress relief for the big haul you have to make.

When it comes to the game's design, the pleasant colors and pixels mesh into a simple but endearing style. The music plays off with pleasant and groovy electro tunes that only moderately pick up in tensity when a battle occurs. The game's interface is organized and well-sized, not relying on menu navigation while going through your options.

Being a roguelike, it's to be expected that the game is going to be difficult. And it is. Even trying the Easy difficulty doesn't show me any differences except that I will get more scraps from accomplishing things. The game is more luck than skill. Running into a solar flare that wipes out your crew or having your weapons constantly disabled in a firefight can quickly stop your adventure despite it having just started five minutes ago. This game can become very generous in one session and quite brutal in another. Losing is not just a possibility, it's to be expected. But with a successful run being around 45-60 minutes, it doesn't feel as upsetting when you can quickly get back on your feet for another round. In the chance that you do defeat the end boss and complete the game, there isn't much to go by replay value except unlocking new ships and doing game achievements. Faster Than Light is an enjoyable game that's very easy to learn but very tough to master. The gameplay's simplicity and short length gives it the lethally addictive formula that gives you the desperation to try another attempt at reaching the end. The reward of finally winning completely renews your spirit It's a fun game but a very harsh one. Game price: $10. Worth: Every penny.… Expand

I hate to admit this... FTL is one of the best games I have ever played. It reminds me of the glory days of old when video games oozed with authenticity, creative vision, and the love their developers put into them. And like the olden days, FTL isn't afraid to give you a challenge. This game will challenge you so much that soon after picking it up all your self-esteem will be sucked out into space just like the oxygen in your burning wreck of a spaceship. You'll be wailing and gnashing your teeth as your ship breaks into pieces, all your beloved crew named after TNG characters perish, and you raise your mouse to the sky and scream "noooo!!!".

But just as soon as you quit, you'll suddenly smile and shake your head and say "Ohhh FTL...". A few seconds later you'll be hopping around the galaxy again, bopping to the amazing ethereal chiptune-esque soundtrack, basking in the retro pixel-arty graphics, fretting over every decision, knowing every new jump could result in a shiny new weapon, man-sized spiders, a slave trader on the run, or just .... plain old certain death.

This game makes me feel like I'm 13 years old again. It gives me that buzz in my gut that I haven't had for such a long time, and that I never thought I'd get back again. It's everything that I thought games would be when I "grew up" - except that it looks like a Super Nintendo title. Don't get me wrong about the graphics though. I wouldn't change them for the world, or the galaxy for that matter. They're just perfectly suited to this beautiful, strange little game.

For $10 you'll get to experience the entire spectrum of human emotion, from confusion, love, anger, rage... and back again. I can't recommend it enough.… Expand

Not sure why people have been saying most of this game is down to luck. I have had to use a fair bit of strategy and quick thinking. For instance; i had intruders on the ship, so i quickly formulated a plan. That plan was to seal off all the rooms with crew in them. Then, open all the exterior hatches and rooms without crew, suffocating the intruders. If that's not strategy, i don't know what is. This is a fun game. It isn't what most people expect from a game these days, but it does have a sense of nostalgia (for me) and a nice little reason to while away a few hours. The only reason i didn't give it a 10, was because it is, as i say, something to play when bored or just for a little fun. This may not be a game you spend hours and hours on. But certain people will fall in love with its charm.… Expand

Graphics: 9 (So high because of the cool retro factor) Controls: 10 (really fantastic) Replayability: 9 Music/Sounds: 9 Value: 10

This game is really for smart people. There have been way WAY to many games made in the last 5 years that put you on rails and you really cant lose. On Easy, you die ALOT. Then you get the hang of it, and the boss level causes you to die ALOT. I unlocked 4-5 ships before I went back and beat the game on easy with the first ship i unlocked. Let me tell you, THAT was satisfying. For $10 I've played for $32, and I'm going to play it some more. I'd say I got my moneys worth. Like I said, If you are smart (IQ > 100) you WILL enjoy this. If Modern Warfare 3 on xBox is your thing, you probably want to pass.… Expand

I created an account here just to review this game. A great mix of real-time tactical action against a background of turn based strategy. While I feel the game does rely a bit too much on chance, it does make the game a bit more interesting in that no matter how dire the situation, if you can make it just one more jump, you might just find what you need to survive. On the other side of that coin, you can't become complacent if you're doing well because danger could be lurking anywhere.… Expand

I hopped on to disagree with the reviews who say this game takes a lot of luck to win. You can almost certainly win most (85+% of the time I'd say) as long as you play smart: specifically (1) you need to play to your ship's strengths (2) timing and the order of your actions is ** everything **. If you set your weapons on auto all the time, you're going to have a bad time. Simple toy example: your enemy ship has two shields, you have a single laser burst that takes 10 seconds to charge, and dual burst that takes 17 seconds. Rather than just letting both immediately discharge, you need to wait for both to be charged and discharge both weapons at the same time - so you can exploit the small amount of time both shields might be down (but not nec. destroyed). There's actually a lot of nuance to playing well, and the whole system is actually very well balanced.

I would argue that getting the right drops is more of bonus, rather than a necessity. You should be able to maneuver most of the ships at least past sector 3 without a single upgrade. On that note, you should be collecting as much scrap as you can in these earlier levels.

That's not to say this game doesn't involve any luck at all. Every now and then, a mildly risky maneuver can totally be the end of you and your crew.

I give the game a 9 for its well-balanced play and many nuances. I'd give it a 10, but the game gets pretty repetitive after a while.… Expand

I can't believe I'm giving this game a 9/10, but is way more fun and addictive than it has any right to be.

Occasionally I browse the indie games on Steam, and this one was on sale so I took a glance. Metacritic score of 84 (at the time I purchased)? Really?? I found that intriguing. I would have never purchased this game just from looking at the screenshots. It looked like a point-and-click-as-fast-as-you-can RTS. This is only half-true.

First of all, let me say I don't know if this game is brilliant or just sadistic. Maybe both. It dangles just enough of a carrot every time you play that you think "If I just woulda..." Just woulda found some fuel in time. Just woulda escaped from that last battle with a couple crew. Just woulda decided to repair my hull instead of buying that drone. Etc.

Reviewers keep calling this game "Roguelike", but I think that is pretty incorrect. It is Roguelike in the sense that it is randomly-generated so every game is different and has a lot of replayability, and you can't save your progress. It's a short-but-brutal all-or-nothing journey.

But the look, feel, theme, and more all remind me of one of the first addictive computer games I ever owned: Starflight 2 - Trade Routes of the Cloud Nebula. These guys were inspired by the Starflight series, for sure. So maybe the nostalgia is making me happy, too, but this game is good in its own right. Some people have complained it is merely a statgrinder, and while yes, this is technically true, you could say that about all sorts of games (anything with points or scores or money or upgrades, really. So, by that measure, most FPS, RPGs, and even friggin Mario Brothers would count as a "statgrinder")

What it is, really, is an exercise in damage-control. It's all about emergency preparedness and weighing calculated risks for rewards, and deciding how to best invest those rewards because -- just like in real life -- there are never enough resources at your disposal. So you have to pick and choose carefully, and if you choose a one-sided approach (heavy firepower, or defense, or only one type of weapon, or skimping on fuel or ammo to buy those things), you WILL get blindsided. The game demands you consider possible emergencies and how you are going to deal with them -- the space combat part is an obvious one, but what if the enemy boards your ship? What if your wonderful weapons get damaged? What if a fire breaks out? Will you have a backup plan, or will you be doomed?

Often, you are doomed. Some people complain about that. It's true that you can be wonderfully rewarded or brutally punished based on the whim of chaos. But then again, that's just like real life. The question i not "Will I face some impossibly-destructive scenario?" -- because, oh yes, you will. It's not a matter of if, but when (it's rarely in the first sector, but they start showing up by Sector 3. In the 24 hours I've been playing the game, I've only made it to Sector 5, a little more than halfway through)

The genius lies in the fact that, even though these punishing scenarios exist, none of them really feel IMPOSSIBLE. The game dangles enough of a carrot every time that you are motivated to jump back in and try again. It is ridiculous effective at making you want to play again. It's like Pringles -- you can't just take one bite.

Sure, sometimes you simply can't breach an enemy's defenses. Or they may have a brutal weaponry. But the beauty is you can prepare for that by: (a) bolstering your defense; (b) getting stronger weapons; (c) having a plan for how to hunker down, take some damage, and fire up the engines to escape quickly. The game keeps it interesting by also unlocking other ships you can use, each with very different strategies involved to use their strengths and overcome their weaknesses. I love it.

More than one way for success, and WAY more than one way to fail. In fact, I think this game is a great training in real-life decision making, where disaster can strike at any moment, there's never enough resources, and you have to figure out how to make it work anyway.… Expand

FTL is one of the most challenging and satisfying games I've had the pleasure of playing. In the game you are given a choice of starting ship (only one to start, and more unlockable). You command this ship and the crew within on a mission to the Federation's home base to deliver a message of the impending Rebel assault. Along the way you encounter enemy ships and distressed colonies alike having to choose how to resolve each conflict. You are given one life, when you die it's game over. But the game is all the better for it.

There is no doubt a percentage of luck in the game that determines the random encounters and their rewards. These will decide what weapons you are able to acquire after battles and from shops along the way. However, it is not solely dependent on luck as others may lead you to believe. There are certain weapon configurations that will make the game easier and more difficult alike, but beyond that the game simply has a large learning curve that many will not master quickly. There is a tactical solution to just about every possible situation, and though luck does prove a factor it is not the sole reason why you would be defeated. Beyond simply weapons and items to buy, you are given full control over the power and upgrade configuration of your shields, weapon system, drone system, engines, O2, Med Bay, Doors (more important than you think), sensors, etc. These play a huge part in whether you will survive or not with your current loadout. FTL isn't merely a dice roll, the game is simply unforgiving. Making a wrong choice early on about what to buy or choosing to finish a fight rather than run will impact the late game. Matching your upgrades to your weapons will determine whether you survive or perish.

The game is not perfect, and could stand to have a few more encounters however each time you die it's a learning experience about what you may have done wrong. Each new game is a different experience, and in the 25 hours played I have never had two journeys end the same way. Nor have I ever died for a reason that was not my fault.

Currently this game is the closest you will come to piloting your own starship through the galaxy on a mission to save the Federation from destruction. It is a brilliant game, challenging game, and one that will affect your gaming life forever.… Expand

Let me tell you before I write this review, that I've never liked strategy games a lot. And the sole reason for that is, I've never really played a good strategy game. So when I caught this tiny, kickstarted indie game on sale on steam, I decided that the remaining 5 dollars I had for my account would be used to jump in on this supposed indie gem. And I was COMPLETELY blown away. As you've heard, this is a part roguelike, part strategy, part ship command game. You choose a ship when you begin, name your crewmembers, then are thrown into the first sector of the game. I'll explain the gameplay as quickly as possible- you have to divert power from your main generator (excuse me if its called something different) to different parts of the ship, ie. weapons, shields, oxygen (if you run out of this, crew members will slowly suffocate), engines, etc. You travel from area to area in a starfox like map, and each area has a randomly generatored text box which will supply a small situation that usually requires quick thinking. And most of the time, these result in combat. Combat is mostly controlled by diverting power to different weapons for different situations. Missiles for a high shielded ship, lasers for a lightly shielded, etc. Occasionally the other ship will damage components, and you'll have to send crew members to fix the room so you can get it working again. Overall, this game achieves what it tries to achieve with flying colors. If anything in this long review intrigued you, I highly suggest you purchase this game.… Expand

I played about 40 hours of it the first week i got it. It's a very elegantly designed game, and massively addictive. Setting is a combo of star trek/battlestar galatica/firefly. You play the 2min tutorial and can pretty much understand all the basics.
The game has a high difficulty, but that’s part of the fun. So many ways to defeat enemy ships. You can fire bomb the hell out of the intererior, send a boarding party, fire missiles (they go through shields), fire lasers, fire beams (they do damage to multiple rooms, but damage is reduced when they have to go through shields), send robot drones to board or shoot the ship, etc.
It puts you in a command position, so you micromanage a crew of 1-7 peeps, prioritize power distribution. Very cool.
You'll get your money's worth. Guaranteed. Also cool that it was made by only 2 guys.… Expand

I don't play FTL for the epic spaceship battles. I play FTL for those quiet moments AFTER battle: drifting alone through space, bracing myself for the next jump as I limp toward the nearest space station, her hull barely intact, my ship silent save the sound of technicians mending laser holes in the oxygen generator and the soft hum of the Medbay repairing my injured shipmates. And the music.

FTL, a wonderful swirl of choice, strategy, luck, surprises, failure and delight. It puts you in the captain's chair just so you can get blown out of it. You'll fail objectives and die frequently, but the game is intended to be started over and over again to experience the vast, incalculable quantity of paths the game lays out in pure randomization.

The inner Star Trek Captain in me wishes it had more in the way of non-combat activities in space, but that's not the point of this game, so I can't dock it points for that. It instead focuses on pummeling you with Yes or No decisions with gleeful amounts of outcomes and happily offers you a large number of ships with extremely varied strengths and weaknesses to force yet again a fresh gameplay experience. Weapons, crew members, systems, subsystems, ship augmentations, drones, fight-or-flight, all with plenty of flexibility offered to always try something new, and to boot, never pressures you with time or urgency. You can always pause, and with all the game-pausing dialogue boxes flying around, you can play at any pace that pleases you without detracting from the experience, regardless of whatever else is going on around you.

FTL's strength isn't its consistency, it's how you don't feel that bummed out when you die, because you know next time something totally brand new - not the exact same encounter - is awaiting you. With fresh and surprisingly heavy challenges and achievements encouraging you to reach out for more, it's a welcome cup of hot chocolate made with the express purpose of getting you to branch out and leave your comfort zone - and the only reward is fun.… Expand

I downloaded this because it was on sale and I was curious... even though the images looked kinda cheesy.
That was about 10pm. The next thing I knew the sun was shining through my window and I looked at the clock and went "OH S#&T! I HAVE TO BE AT WORK IN A FEW HOURS!" I do NOT do that. I found myself sitting on my couch with my girlfriend..... thinking about different strategies I'd use in this game after I took her home.

I expect it'll soon start to get less interesting, but the random even factors always keep you on your toes and you never know from the beginning which direction the game is going to go in. It's impressively hard, and I would imagine some people would be really frustrated by this, but in my opinion this makes a good game, because you can make it far into the game, start to lose, and see where one mistake or piece of equipment you foolishly passed up an hour before is the only reason you are dying.

The game is incredibly simple to learn and play, yet the more I play it the more I'm seeing its complexities. According to Steam I've played 10 hours in the past three days.... So either I'll get tired of it, or uninstall it so I don't completely ruing my body with lack of sleep.… Expand

Well worth the cost! Those Sci Fi "emergency backup systems" start to make sense playing this Spaceship simulator. It is at first exciting and engaging. Then it can drag as difficult, random, and redundant . But if you find yourself bogged down, I encourage you to look online. There are abundant user forums, video guides, and mods (Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly). Post a comment that there is only one way to win, 15 players lobby how their unique victory strategy is easiest. Post a comment wishing for more variety, 10 players post how their unlocked ship or race is coolest. It is a rogue game. Expect to use the space bar to pause often. Expect to restart until you get the hang of what works. But you should be able to consistently play through to the last sector once you have learned how to protect your ship from hull damage, optimize your offense, and maximize your crew. In short: a pleasant little game that challenges you to lead your ship and crew through adversity - if you are up to it.… Expand

This game had me completely hooked, a perfect combination of simplicity, depth and luck. It has the feel of a fast paced board game. The music is also incredibly atmospheric and very enjoyable. Highly recommend for RTS and space sim games.

One of the best games I have ever played. Simple yet engaging and addictive. This is a game that I feel is truly worth getting. The price was good for the re-playability I got out of it so let's support these guys so that we can get more awesome games like this!

This game is amazing, a very real credit to what indie developers can come up with. I'd been curious about it for a while, and a friend told me it was his vote for Game of the Year. That surprised me, so I gave it a try and now I can't stop playing it.

It is a very difficult game, and since there is a large randomization factor with, well, every system and every encounter, it can feel at times that winning or losing (mostly losing) can be a matter of luck, but so much strategy goes into building your ship and dealing with combat that you wind up feeling like every choice you make must be a contemplated one.

This is a wonderful creation. Go give them your money.… Expand

Amazing, me and my cousin played it for hours non stop. Whether you play it with a friend or by yourself you'll not regret your purchase. The only downside is that it is incredibly difficult, but this only makes your accomplishment larger once you have completed the game.