Star Citizen: A Vast and Viable Space Odyssey?
Source: media-amazon.com
A spaceship. A whole universe waiting. That's Star Citizen in a nutshell. This massive, persistent online universe is taking flight in the hearts of many a gamer.
Introduction: A New Frontier Beckons
Star Citizen promises a richly detailed spacefaring adventure. A massive undertaking, the game is trying to become the grandest online experience. Is it a promising future?
- Vast expanse of space
- Tons of starships
- Amazing characters (players)
- A whole new world
Many are convinced it's worth every dime (and time), others… less so. This review will look into that. (Honestly, the hype is insane).
Early Access & the Long Road Ahead
Source: behance.net
From what I gather, the early access was a rollercoaster. Patches, issues, and updates. A massive endeavor (developing such a universe takes forever!)
- Issues? Plenty!
- Waiting? Yes, patiently.
- Development changes? You bet!
What do you reckon about the commitment from CIG (the company making the game) to ensure that the promise stays true and continues? For gamers like me, that's an ongoing process to monitor.
The Starship Catalog: A Fleeting Glimpse of Majesty
Look at the incredible array of spaceships. Each design seems super cool.
Different Ship Classes (a quick rundown)
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One question, what kind of space ship will YOU want? (That's a big part of it.) It’s so much to choose from!
The Allure of Space Combat
Engage in mind-blowing dogfights amongst amazing planets. This looks awesome and worth seeing (a lot.) Do I find the combat exhilarating?
There is a very wide variety of ways to get involved in space-battle and space-racing and everything in-between! (If that sounds fun to you, it probably is!). Seeing space combat makes my blood run. It's epic.
Exploring a Vast Universe
- Uncover alien worlds
- New civilizations
- Many secrets. (If only!)
Does Star Citizen offer enough substance for me to dive into that exploration part of the experience? (There are people out there making these decisions!)
Source: optimole.com
Community & Interplay (a huge one!)
Star Citizen isn't just about blasting enemies in space. There’s a lot more than that in the grand space world. The players are creating all kinds of interesting interactions with each other (trading goods or simply socialising!). (These experiences add a dimension that can change any experience.)
- Making friends with amazing fellow travelers, sharing experiences and dreams.
- Encountering enemies and engaging with their perspectives, or maybe… forming friendships there.
- Creating guilds and clans, uniting in shared purpose
Source: giga.de
One major positive in Star Citizen (for many) is the lively and engaging community! This is really a cornerstone to playing this.
Costs and Commitments: Is it Worth the Investment?
I get it. (Lots of cash.) Star Citizen requires a financial commitment. There are different approaches (including optional subscriptions) to gain a foothold. (So the costs depend on what you want from Star Citizen!) (And from this I gather that you can probably have an enjoyable and entertaining journey even without having to throw in hundreds!)
Many in-game experiences aren't dependent on spending money in-game! But there are purchases.
- Various pricing strategies
- Spending habits depend on your choices! (A big, ongoing discussion amongst the player base.)
- Potential of worth of money or waste.
What to Consider
- Star Citizen’s constant development and ongoing changes may be intimidating to many
- Some features may never make the final product due to limited resources. A lot of development (more time required).
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Comparisons and Criticisms
"It feels like it will be another thing on my pile that may be there in the future."
"The future is going to be something entirely unexpected".
Some think Star Citizen feels like a "promise."
Others (who have already bought into the experience) speak of it with the language of appreciation for "building."
Others say…
Other reviewers (what other reviews) talk about…
"Star Citizen might be an unfinished product" one user reported
"Star Citizen is the grandest adventure waiting in front of us"
Star Citizen… how many experiences are out there to have, depending on what kind of experience you look for.
What if?
Questions are everywhere:
- Is it really worth it? For you, personally.
- How much development time? (Patience required!)
- If there are these problems/changes. What if there aren’t fixes and you have to work around issues… and changes… and lack of fixes… ?
- How does the developer CIG manage to pull it all together for us to get a great product and service out?
- Will it live up to the hype?
(You make the final call!)
Conclusion
Ultimately, Star Citizen is a game in progress, and that’s both fascinating and intimidating. (Something to keep in mind.) Is this one game a promise or something you have faith in, waiting to fulfill that promise? I am keen to find out.
Many aspects need to be seen, in order to discover a good conclusion to this question for me.
(But one thing's for certain. It's something pretty special.)
