Astroneer

Great game, helped me through one of the worst stages of my entire life and distracted me from every bad thing.
Good quality and there is no lack of anything at all.
10/10

I've supported Astroneer since it first released in early access, many years ago. But I've never written a review for it!

Upfront, I want to say - this game's ongoing development is ... I wouldn't say "dire", but it certainly doesn't match the precedent they set in those bygone early days. The majority of content they add now is seasonal / limited-time, and the introduction of microtransactions was a dark day, to be sure.

In that regard, I wouldn't recommend Astroneer ... as an investment, or anything like it. I concede that Astroneer probably won't get better than it currently is - the game feels 90% the same as it's (1.0) launch day, if not higher, and about 80% the same as when I first played it.

However, that just means I have to look at the game for what it is; and Astroneer is a technical marvel! I really appreciate the completely diagetic UI (UI that takes place in the world; rather, there is no UI, you can seamlessly move things around the environment and inventory in a way that would usually take place in a menu). The planets use marching cubes, an algorithm I've implemented myself in past projects - and it's been polished to a magnificent scale here (other games with this method include DRG and NMS). The cell-shaded art style is visionary, and what every cell-shaded game ought to strive for, and the gameplay is pretty good too. I like the 1.0 story a lot, it all feels very grand and somewhat divine, devising schemes to activate ancient technology one-by-one across the solar system.

That's about all I have to say on it. I'm leaving this review in 2024, and nothing has happened for Astroneer in 2024, but this 2019 game is still worth all your attention. Gosh, it's been almost twice as long since release as the game spent in early access in its entirety ... time really flies.

I know on steam it shows but 92 hours played, but I have far more on a different platform. This game is phenomenal. It imposes basically no limits on how you wish to play other than basic progression, and, of course, its progression is superb. The main reason this was my 'favorite' game for the longest time was its MUSIC. Oh my god the soundtrack is transcendent, I adore it. Exploration is nice with vibrant biomes and planets. There is also a cutesie side quest with like, space snails, which are wonderful and I will kill anyone who merely alludes to an attempt to harm them. Well, enough yapping. I should sleep, it's 5 am :3

It's a really cool game that I'd recommend to anyone who likes space exploration and survival games.
Though there are a few parts late game that can be annoying and make you less motivated to keep playing but overall it's one of the best games I've ever played!
PS: It is NOT worth 30£. Wait til it's on sale if you plan on buying the game.

I've spent about 60 hours playing No Man's Sky on the Nintendo Switch, and I absolutely loved it! Astroneer feels like a "No Man's Sky Lite." My biggest gripe with the game is its lack of guidance. It doesn’t teach you how to interact with its systems, and that’s a problem. The game desperately needs a more detailed tutorial instead of the barebones one it currently offers.
I understand that Astroneer has come a long way compared to its early versions, but that’s irrelevant to me as a player today. Even with my extensive experience in this genre, I would have been completely lost without my friend, who patiently acts as my sensei, walking me through all the mechanics. And honestly, that's the saving grace for me. Playing with a friend is incredibly fun and engaging, and I genuinely enjoy the time I spend exploring and learning the game with his help.
Despite its flaws, I’m giving it a thumbs up, but only because the multiplayer experience makes it worth it. If you’ve got a friend who’s willing to guide you, this game can be a blast! :)

---{ Graphics }---
☐ You forget what reality is
☐ Beautiful
✅ Good
☐ Decent
☐ Bad
☐ You will get eye cancer
☐ Get a pepper spray for your eye instead
---{ Gameplay }---
☐ Won’t ever touch any other game anymore
✅ Very good
☐ Good
☐ It's just gameplay
☐ Mehh
☐ Watch paint dry instead
☐ Tic Tac toe is better
---{ Audio }---
☐ Eargasm
✅ Very good
☐ Good
☐ Not too bad
☐ Bad
☐ I'm now deaf
---{ Audience }---
✅ Kids
✅Teens
✅ Adults
☐ Grandma
---{ PC Requirements }---
☐ Check if you can run paint
✅ Potato
☐ Decent
☐ Fast
☐ Rich boi
☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer
☐ Search the galaxy for dark matter fuel to run
---{ Difficulty }---
☐ Just press 'W'
✅ Easy
☐Easy to learn / Hard to master
☐ Significant brain usage
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls
---{ Grind }---
☐ Nothing to grind
☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks
☐ Isn't necessary to progress
✅Average grind level
☐ Too much grind
☐ You'll need a second life for grinding
---{ Story }---
☐ No Story
☐ Some lore
☐ Average
☐ Good
✅ Lovely
☐ It'll replace your life
---{ Game Time }---
☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee
☐ Short
☐ Average
✅ Long
☐ To infinity and beyond
☐ Until GTA6 releases
---{ Price }---
☐ It's free!
☐ Worth the price
✅ If it's on sale
☐ If u have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended
☐ You could also just burn your money
---{ Bugs }---
☐ Never heard of
☐ Minor bugs
✅ Can get annoying
☐ ARK: Survival Evolved
☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs
---{ ? / 10 }---
☐ 1
☐ 2
☐ 3
☐ 4
☐ 5
☐ 6
☐ 7
☐ 8
✅ 9
☐ 10

This is the game equivalent of a cozy adventure book you take on vacation. The stakes aren't high but it's not about that, it's about the journey and the fun had along the way. Astroneer might be one of my favorite games of all time.