Starbound PC

Starbound Image
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81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 288 Ratings

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  • Summary: In Starbound, you take on the role of a character who’s just fled from their home planet, only to crash-land on another. From there you’ll embark on a quest to survive, discover, explore and fight your way across an infinite universe.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. DarkZero
    Sep 8, 2016
    100
    Starbound is a game that, after a few hours of play, starts to seem like an instant classic you’ll be revisiting from time to time over the next unknown period of years.
  2. IGN
    Jul 28, 2016
    91
    Starbound excels as a crafting and exploration game, as a 2D platformer with varied and engaging combat, and as a Zelda-esque story RPG with a detailed world and memorable alien cultures to interact with. The sheer volume of different kinds of locations to discover, items to craft and build great structures with, and flashy ways to vanquish aliens prevent any part of the experience from getting boring quickly.
  3. IGN Spain
    Sep 1, 2016
    88
    Starbound is a profound and economic alternative to No Man's Sky. Despite its technical section, behind the title hides a deep and harmonious universe worthy of being explored.
  4. Vandal Online
    Aug 1, 2016
    82
    Starbound is an amazing effort, a very solid game with something for everyone. Considering there's an indie team behind it, you can't really ask for more.
  5. Gamer.nl
    Aug 28, 2016
    80
    Starbound offers way more than just a colorful and cute outside. Its inside is a deep platformer that makes you start a colony on a planet filled with alpaca's, or something like that. And it is awesome.
  6. Metro GameCentral
    Aug 5, 2016
    80
    Still a little unpolished in places, but with its huge variety of locations and gameplay elements this already stands toe-to-toe with both Terraria and Minecraft.
  7. Brash Games
    Aug 16, 2016
    60
    Starbound is coming into a genre that most people either love or hate. I really wonder if there is room in someone’s schedule for yet another crafting game. Starbound is certainly a good one of those, but it doesn’t really stand out among the many challengers.

See all 20 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 96
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 96
  3. Negative: 29 out of 96
  1. jecoconono
    May 19, 2014
    10
    Don't follow what the haters say. Play the game yourself and you will see that its amazing. The music, the art, the adventure is all greatlyDon't follow what the haters say. Play the game yourself and you will see that its amazing. The music, the art, the adventure is all greatly done, and plenty of mods from the community and the fact that you need little to no knowledge to mod the game too, its just a amazing game! Sure, it might be terraria-like but its mostly pure inspiration. Its a great game, and don't forget that its currently just a beta so things will change often.… Expand
  2. Sir_Swag117
    Jan 19, 2016
    10
    This game is absolutely awesome. It is very fun, especially when joining an RP server or something. It doesn't update often, but it isThis game is absolutely awesome. It is very fun, especially when joining an RP server or something. It doesn't update often, but it is absolutely AWESOME.… Expand
  4. ZippyRagu
    May 21, 2014
    9
    I believe this game is truly something of beauty and amazement. It's lore is the best I've seen in a long time, combined with the aspect ofI believe this game is truly something of beauty and amazement. It's lore is the best I've seen in a long time, combined with the aspect of building, combat, and most important, exploring. Hopping from planet to planet, system to system, makes the whole game seem never ending. So much to see do and build is beyond anything I've seen in a long time.

    What makes this game differ from an incredibly similar game like Terraria? One thing major thing that caught my eye was the animations. They're beautiful, bouncy and fun to look at. Even swinging a sword feels good. Another major difference is that this ones more surface-based. You'll be finding yourself wandering on the surface a lot more which I personally enjoy, considering you may encounter npcs like avians or glitches, which are actually birds and robots.

    I encourage anyone questioning whether or not to purchase this to not be off put by reviews that say it's not worth it because its a Terraria clone. Many have said the same thing about Terraria and Minecraft in fact, that Terraria is just a 2D clone of Minecraft, which depending on your definition, really isn't. I say take a risk, spend a few bucks, and have a great time exploring the universe. Creativeness bursts within this game.    … Expand
  5. TimW001
    Sep 26, 2016
    7
    This is a world builder game that fixes a lot of the flaws and annoyances of other games in the same genre. The game is best played withThis is a world builder game that fixes a lot of the flaws and annoyances of other games in the same genre. The game is best played with friends and others. It's easy to connect to your friends. it also has very light specs so anyone can play it with no lag or connectivity issues. Also no loading screens. It's a large expansive universe with diverse planets. It's simple to learn and has fun enemies and weapons. You can dig to nearly the center of a planet and still find new things and adventures. Including portals to other worlds and underground cities.
    it also gives you the ability to build dwellings for residents who can move in and start a shop or restaurant. These buildings can be as large or small as you want. You can build it.
    I'm well over 12 hours deep in the game and I simply wish there was more direction, more quests, more story. it is a world builder and that's basically it.    … Expand
  6. eponymous
    Jun 29, 2014
    6
    Strong foundation with a lot of potential. A number of times in co-op MP my friends and I would comment that Starbound has some greatStrong foundation with a lot of potential. A number of times in co-op MP my friends and I would comment that Starbound has some great foundation mechanics for an awesome game. Either large scale content releases need be released or strong community modding is required to complete what still feels like a slightly hollow game. There is a skeleton of progression but not much in the way of end-game. It represents reasonible value but in current form wont be a minecraft or terraria quality time-vampire.… Expand
  7. jparker782
    Jul 11, 2014
    3
    This game had a lot of potential but it seems to be effectively abandoned by its developers(save for an occasional blog post about theirThis game had a lot of potential but it seems to be effectively abandoned by its developers(save for an occasional blog post about their "progress"). Avoid this one and save your money.… Expand
  8. wytas2
    Aug 19, 2014
    0
    This "game" is a scam.The devs arent even uptading it.Its just a list of what they want to (not) add.The last real uptade was last year.TheyThis "game" is a scam.The devs arent even uptading it.Its just a list of what they want to (not) add.The last real uptade was last year.They just keep prototyping "uptades" and taking money… Expand

See all 96 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

#49 Best PC Game of 2016
#19 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
#42 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

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