Apollo Lunar Mission

Apollo Lunar Mission

I enjoyed this short experience. It conveys some sense of being on the moon and observing the lunar landing of an Apollo mission, along with the deployment of the various experiments. There is some detailed information on each of the experiments.

You also get to explore the simulated lunar surface in the moon buggy, which is indeed fun. There is a fairly extensive area to drive over before you reach it’s limits with some sizable craters in places. Going too fast and hitting inclines results in the buggy leaving the surface for periods of time including rolling which in low gravity is quiet exhilarating. The vehicle physics is good and it always recovers itself.

Real player with 1.2 hrs in game


Read More: Best Historical First-Person Games.


Like most games on Steam this does not work with Valve index controllers

Complete waste of money cannot get past the start button

you have been warned

Real player with 0.2 hrs in game

Apollo Lunar Mission on Steam

Earth 2160

Earth 2160

Earth 2160 is a somewhat unappreciated RTS with a number of nice features mixed in with a truckload of bland. It will provide some decent entertainment in the here and now but it will never be remembered for anything.

Earth 2160 sets you in the future, corporations fight for control over the Solar System’s dwindling resources as a new discovery rocks the power structure and sets the game’s events in motion. As you start out you get to play as either a generic male dominated corporation or the curiously female dominated Mars corporation. They both, not surprisingly, turn out to be evil rather quickly into the campaign and you eventually get to play as the “good” faction, a generic robot corporation that really has no personality and eventually, a menacing alien horde.

Real player with 67.0 hrs in game


Read More: Best Historical RTS Games.


I finally got down and finished the game all the way through, after nearly completing it some 12 years ago, and then not-even-close to finishing it some 5 years ago, so I’m naturally biased with nostalgia, but I think it’s an overall great rts, but sadly with a few shortcomings that can ruin the experience if you can’t or can’t be arsed to learn to avoid them.

The graphics in the game are often complimented, and at times they’re really amazing for 2005, but it kinda depends where you look. What I’m most impressed with though, is that each of the four factions has a COMPLETELY different gameplay. Literally every mechanic is altered: completely different vehicles with completely different types weapons, different ways to harvest resources (which require very different planning and sometimes microcontrol), different ways to set up bases and interconnect buildings, different defence systems (which require completely different base layout), etc. It’s literally a different game depending on what faction you play with, which is incredibly enjoyable. Crucially, the factions are all really well balanced, so that every faction has a fair chance against every other. Together with expansive unit customisation and cool base expansion options, it makes for tremendously fun gameplay once you get a hold of the basic faction mechanics. On top of that, the soundtrack is wicked!

Real player with 39.6 hrs in game

Earth 2160 on Steam

Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager

Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager

I almost let the most prominent Steam review here dissuade me from buying this game. It’s a shame that one so well written review completely misrepresents what this game accomplished and what game it really is. The reviewer really missed the point, or else it was before some updates and long since invalid. The game and its developers deserve better.

Puzzles just have one solution. This isn’t a puzzle. But it is much like chess, and there’s lots of ways to lose at chess when your opponent wants to win. Learning chess is fun, even if you never ascend to learning what the masters tell us: the number of openings with which you can plausibly win against a competent opponent is rather finite. Is chess still fun to play even when I don’t know the game that well? Yes it is. And if chess is a deal breaker for you, should you really be reviewing strategy games?

Real player with 146.2 hrs in game


Read More: Best Historical Multiplayer Games.


This isn’t a game for everyone, but it certainly is the one for me.

In Buzz Aldrin’s Space Program Manager, the player takes on the role of the administration of a space agency. Either NASA or the Soviet Space Agency, usually in competition with each other, or a fictional conglomeration of the two as the Global Space Agency (GSA). The goal, of course, is to land on the moon before your competitor, if playing NASA or as the Soviets–if you’re playing as the GSA the goal is simply to land on the moon by the end of 1973. Playing as the GSA replaces interagency competition with short term objectives set by political higher-ups, with give a small boost if achieved, but a moderate penalty if ignored. If a sandbox is desired with no pressure or competition, that is available too for all three agencies.

Real player with 121.3 hrs in game

Buzz Aldrin's Space Program Manager on Steam

Mars Horizon

Mars Horizon

Iniital Review 12.4 hours into Mars Horizon®

Update since initial review at bottom of review.

Second update December 2022 since initial below that update.

An update beneath an update… that is like four wall breaks. Mind blown!!!

  • Graphics are fantastic

  • Smooth operation and easy to follow learning tutorial

  • Not for under age of 12 years old, bit too advanced for under this age.

  • Few small non game breaking bugs, grammar, and what not. Nothing to get excited about.

  • FPS runs fine on a modern machine 2012 or better. Older and you may have some issues with processing of the information or video being smooth.

Real player with 71.3 hrs in game

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. This is easily the best manager I have played in a decade.

However, a warning up front. This is not readily obvious. Not, because the game starts outright weak. Instead, it seems to deliver exactly the underwhelming gameplay one learns to expect from indies nowadays. You build a rocket, you fire a rocket, and sometimes it rains. Everything hangs on the roll of a dice. Which makes the space missions look like a lackluster mini game.

Here’s the good news. It gets better. A lot. I just ended my first (short) campaign after 65 hours by landing a crew on Mars. While doing so, my palms were sweaty, because up until the very last turn I wasn’t sure I would make it. Magic question: When did the last manager make your palms sweat?

Real player with 67.8 hrs in game

Mars Horizon on Steam

Galaxy on Fire 2™ Full HD

Galaxy on Fire 2™ Full HD

Game Library randomizer once again returned me a familiar game title. Galaxy on fire 2 is a game I had on my iPhone 3. I probably wasted over 200-300 hours of my life playing this game when I was bored and I don’t even remember when I got this full HD version on steam.

After so many years I finally tried this game for real on steam. Graphics is aged but the full HD is still wonderfully eye candy. The Nebula, Planet, Asteroids and space station is well designed and looks on par with much bigger space game series like X, Wing Commander and space ranger.

Real player with 97.3 hrs in game

For those that find the X series of games a little intimidating this is probably the game for you.As a big fan of the X series I was looking for a ‘Space Fix’ as the new X game ‘X Rebirth’ is very very broken at the moment but I should point out that Galaxy on Fire 2 HD is no where near as in depth as those games so if you are a fan of the X series this game may not fulfill your space sim need.If however you are looking for a more arcade type space sim Galaxy on Fire 2 maybe the game for you.

The basics are simple enough..there is a storyline(a short one) and there are various freelance missions you can take at the stations to earn money and buy upgrades for your ship or buy another ship..you can also mine asteroids (an annoying mini game but a cash cow non the less).

Real player with 44.4 hrs in game

Galaxy on Fire 2™ Full HD on Steam

Cradle-18

Cradle-18

I wake disoriented. Where am I? Looking out a window, I see the light reflected off the planet below. Clearly, I’m in orbit, but over a planet I don’t recognize. How did I get here? Why can’t I remember anything? Where is everyone?

Cradle-18 is a 3D walking simulator aboard an orbital space station. Explore from one compartment to the next to unravel the mystery of this deserted craft. What was the mission? And what has become of the crew? Am I truly alone?

No enemies. Seems there is nobody to fight with.

Search for clues and collect information to piece together the answers. But space is a harsh environment, and the systems on this craft are showing signs of stress. Survival is not guaranteed.

Notes of horror. It feels uncomfortable on the uninhabited station in space.

Space ambient music. Enjoy space views to the beautiful space music. While you can.

Cradle-18 on Steam

Ballads of Moorfield

Ballads of Moorfield

When the wind still blows and trees still grow, there is always hope.

What I can remember. Years have passed. People come and last.

Whatever comes against us, we weather the storm. And with all our hearts together, we call this Moorfield our home.

Features

Build a Home and Let It Bloom

Get settled on new land, and build upon it your new homeland. A dream starts here once you build your first house. You need farms, and you need materials. Everything is randomly generated while you get more lands and unlock more challenges. Use all means you have to grow your place which you named home.

More Creating and Be Amazing

Be smart, be creative, and be positive. Trust your every thought and it will not fail you. Build your land however you want. You are a designer with a magic wand. Show off your work to others, and amaze them with your masterpiece.

Good Leader Never Withers

Lead your people, manage your resources, listen to your counsellor, and decide on the best strategy. As your land flourishes, your fellows' loyalty never perishes. Fill your people with joy, face the toughness with them, and they will laugh and enjoy the happiness with you.

Seasons Change and Profits Paid

Can’t make the scene if you don’t have the green. You can trade resources for all your needs. Seasons do change, and prices are different. And here comes your chance for big profits and a strong economy. With cash in hands, people are nice.

Obstacles Gone and Enemies Down

Stay alarm. Your enemies could be anything. Weather and terrain, thunder and water. They are all like dangerous beasts, lurking around, and waiting for hunts. So be prepared and avoid the preyers.

Across the Hill, a Future Fulfilled

Ballads were written to glorify the lord of Moorfield. Your name is there, heard by your heirs. All those years of hard work have fulfilled your words. The future has come and brings the dawn.

Ballads of Moorfield on Steam

A Curse From Beyond

A Curse From Beyond

Really fun for a text-based game which is not my normal game. I felt freaked out in my gut about certain moment. Really impressive work from a solo-developer. Worth it.

Real player with 1.9 hrs in game

Full play through w/ all achievements and time stamps here (once it uploads):

https://youtu.be/pQtbpvN5Gng

Overall it’s a pretty interesting story about some cave folk doing cave folk things WHEN BOOM A FLYING HUNK OF SPACE S*** changes their mundane lives FOREVER. I dug the story and it does a pretty good job of grabbing your interest it’s a bit short and the plot seems pretty familiar, but it’s not frustrating to play through as a text based game(which is nice) and there’s multiple endings. You can see the effort the creator put into the game and it’s definitely a good solid first game.

Real player with 1.9 hrs in game

A Curse From Beyond on Steam

Reentry - An Orbital Simulator

Reentry - An Orbital Simulator

Usually If I do a review it’s mostly something short and not really relevant. This one deserves a bit more attention.

If you are into space then this is a title you must add to your collection. At the time of writing this the sim offers 3 programs the USA undertook in the 50’s 60’s and 70’s namely the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. The developer is a one man team who so far has done an amazing job bringing these programs to live with a very high level of detail and accuracy, basically every switch there was on these spacecrafts, is or will be in the sim and will have a function and affect your systems. The simulator has a learning curve especially when diving into the Apollo, LM lessons/academy.

Real player with 531.3 hrs in game

This is a full fidelity cockpit simulator of the American spacecraft that were used during the Space Race. To keep this review from being unnecessarily long, I am going to break down the features of this game into a list.

Features in this game (what you can do).

  • Fly the Saturn V and all it’s modules, Mercury Redstone, Mercury Atlas, Gemini Titan, and drive the Moon Buggy.

  • Create custom missions for different objectives and scenarios.

  • Play as Mission Control for Project Mercury and Project Apollo. Please note that Mission Control in this game is not limited to just one person, and you could have a full room assisting and guiding a single astronaut. (Cockpit coop is not a feature yet, and the developer is using Mission Control to test the logic and systems).

Real player with 104.5 hrs in game

Reentry - An Orbital Simulator on Steam

Tiny Space Academy

Tiny Space Academy

10/10 - After 41 hours, a little story -

It was my first attempt at a crewed landing on Mars, of course I’d made mistakes. So, the lander arrived with too little fuel to survive the descent. But also, I found I’d mis-connected the faring triggers, so the ship couldn’t re-configure to land properly anyway. It looked like the trip was a bust.

But, just as I was about to scrub, I noticed the ship’s trajectory skimmed the outer Martian atmosphere before the ship went flying into the deep black forever. So my brave, doomed crew figured what-the-heck might as well test if the broken faring blocks the parachute deployment BEFORE WE ALL DIE.

Real player with 247.2 hrs in game

Very good value for money.

Strong “Just one more go” factor.

While there is a learning curve, it would be a far inferior game if there wasn’t. Personally I got the hang of it quite quickly, but I have played a lot of Kerbal Space Program.

The game undoubtedly presumes some familiarity with this sort of game. So total beginners may struggle a bit at first. But your perseverance will be rewarded.

I found this game to be just as satisfying to learn and succeed at as any other game in this genre, for a fraction of the price.

Real player with 16.9 hrs in game

Tiny Space Academy on Steam