Frontiers Reach
Strap into the cockpit of a retro-futuristic starfighter as you fight through the ravages of an interstellar war across 32 story missions, 15 side missions, and a dynamic warmap with over 2000 possible scenario variations.
It is the year 2230.
After nearly 100 years of expansion and colonization in space, the human species stands on the brink of war. On one side is the corrupt and aging Sol Confederacy. On the other is the fledgling, Frontier Republic. Neither one is willing to compromise and the coming war will see entire worlds decimated for it.
But way on the fringes of colonized space. On a lonely moon called Frontiers Reach. Captain Anya Zuban and First Mate Rhen Malavik are prepping their vessel, the Heliosiren, to ferry a group of survivors deep into uncharted space to escape the coming war.
Frontiers Reach is a mission based, story driven, sim-lite space and atmospheric combat game with a retro-aesthetic inspired by the Cold War era of our own history.
Engage with crew members! The Galley is a great place to get more info on characters, world events, or pick up a couple of side jobs for those extra salvage points when you need them.
Fly for the mission, or fly for the challenge! What fighter you choose and the weapons it carries are for you to decide.
Your starfighter is your space hotrod! From the engines to the countermeasures, spec out your fighter to your liking with the tools available and the salvage on hand.
Fly your own colors, or create a squadron! Choose a squadron logo and color scheme for your fighter and save it out so you can then share it with friends across the internet.
Detailed cockpits! Every fighter has a detailed cockpit with lots of visual feedback that you can leverage while you fly, or fly by the seat of your pants if you choose.
Survive an interstellar war! The war for the frontier rages across more than 35 different locations. Some in space, and some in the skies over planets.
Form up your wing! Each wingman brings something different to the table and can be assigned to a wing for quick and easy selection when taking on missions at the WARMAP.
Can you brave the worlds of the wild frontier? With over 35 locations there is a wide array of diversity throughout the Frontiers Reach Universe. Some will present extreme challenges, and others will offer serene views.
Last but not at all least. Frontiers Reach is Adult Accessible! All of the activities in Frontiers Reach have been designed to be completed within a 20 minute time span. With some activities leaving the option for resupply and untimed exploration of the level at your leisure. Frontiers Reach is a game you can play on a lunch break.
Game Discussion
Steam User 1
There was a time.
When games created worlds not because they thought they would sell well and tick a lot of data-driven vantage points, but because they had a vision and a story to tell.
When atmosphere was understood to be a powerful tool that could do a lot of work even when the rest of the game was basic in form and function.
When mission structure was freeform enough to let you find your own playstyle within the framework of the game, and not simply press X to win.
When storylines and game levels made coherent sense and the real joy of the game was unfolding a story piece by piece.
When the technology of the game world worked in consistent ways, letting you feel like part of that world and not some gifted, miraculous outsider who just wins all the time because of plot advantages and console-difficulty.
When a game didn't need to be the pinnacle of its art or the cutting edge of the industry in order to draw and command attention, because it had solid writing and crafted features that made it unique and valuable as a result.
Frontiers Reach is such a game.
Many will overlook this gem as too simplistic or repetitive, but they are wrong. If you played games during the 90s - games like Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri, Wing Commander, TIE Fighter and Hellbender - you will recall that those games were novel and charming because what they did, they did completely and without apology. Nobody said Terra Nova was one of gaming's classic titles, but it returned on Steam because there is no other game like it. The amount of worldbuilding and work that went into Hellbender seems wasted on what is now surely a forgotten chapter of gaming history, but I remember. TIE Fighter was so good it is also here on Steam, and also enjoying a fan-made remastering. Wing Commander essentially inspired Star Citizen, but unlike that project Frontier's Reach is not a long con.
Frontier's Reach *can* be repetitive. It can even be boring, because patrol duty is boring. But it is exactly that completeness of experience that is the treasure here. Frontier's Reach is not an aerial combat simulator, nor is it an Arcade Classic. It is a space opera that successfully manages to immerse you in a great story, in a familiar but nevertheless interesting game world, with mechanics that are simple enough to master but involved enough to present choices. It achieves what I believe was what it set out to do, which is to make you feel like the right pilot in the right place and the wrong time; a rebel among thousands; and a big damn hero. And if you were a fan of Firefly and Serenity, you may feel that no one can take the sky from you in this title either.
The altitude and missile alarms. The Radar buzz when *something* is out there. The cockpit view that takes up 60% of your POV. Being unable to look behind you. Flares. Simple, robust touches, and some of them serve only to bring simulator-qualities to an arcade style of flight combat. Nothing really takes away from your experience in Frontier's Reach. The customisation options for your bird bring a new level of immersion to what I should call a "rebel pilot simulator".
The game has bugs. Some frustratingly bar passage through levels by failing to spawn or complete objectives. The developer has responded to the ones I've reported within 48 hours of doing so.
I bought this in a steam sale and I have not yet completed it, but I will. Because for the first time in ages, here is a game that I want to know the ending of. When comes such another?
Steam User 1
Ship-Customization, Arcade-Spaceflight und ein bisschen Story. Das Game nimmt sich nicht zu viel vor.
Eine Menge Text. Ganz gut geschrieben. Kann übersprungen werden. Das Voice-Acting ist nice.
Das Game nimmt sich Zeit für Atmosphäre – manchmal etwas zu viel Zeit.
Immersion ist toll. Cockpit-Sound könnte subtiler sein.
Das Core-Gameplay funktioniert – wenn man durchkommt.
Mögt ihr den Style und legt nicht so viel wert auf eine makelose Spielerfahrung, dann kann man mit der Ballerbude durchaus Spaß haben. Wer sich leicht stressen lässt und die Unschönheiten nicht übersehen kann, wird sich weniger freuen.
Geiler Style, gutes Gameplay und letztendlich fehlt nur ein bisschen Politur.
Steam User 1
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