The other review will be for the Advanced Edition, focusing on its additional content and improvements over the early version. One review will be for the early version of the game, circa 2002, and it will focus on the core gameplay designs of FTL. To answer this question, it has to be said first that this reviewer (that is, me) happens to have a back-up of the GOG installer for the original version of FTL, specifically that for version 1.0.1, one of the early versions of the game.įor purposes of posterity, there would be two separate reviews for the game. The expository message quickly gets into the thick of the gameplay. There is not much which the player would miss if he/she is not paying attention to anything other than what the player must do in order to succeed in a playthrough. This intel will not matter much in the end, because the game would ultimately have the player’s ship and crew saving the Federation’s backside all on their own anyway. The player takes on the role of the disembodied commander of the crew of a lone cruiser the player is technically every crewmember, but that is really beside the point.Īnyway, the cruiser and its crew have been charged with the mission of bringing vital intel to the Federation. However, it is under threat from the Rebellion, a surprisingly powerful and possibly pro-human opposition. The Federation is a conglomerate of races which have come together, ostensibly for peaceful co-existence. Don’t let the game’s looks fool you it can take a while to load the game’s assets – which include a lot of RNG scripts - into computer memory.įTL may not start with a lengthy exposition on its premise, but Star Trek fans might recognize the game’s sources of inspiration not long into the first playthrough. Nevertheless, FTL has its own charm and sophistication to be enjoyed – if one can persevere through its infuriatingly luck-dependent gameplay. It is far from the likes of the Homeworld and Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, which have far more convincing portrayals of what warfare in space (if there would ever be such a thing) would be like. Therefore, FTL came about as quite a surprise, namely how the setting has been adapted for use in a Rogue-like-like indie game.įor more observant (or cynical) people, its use of the space sci-fi setting is little more than window-dressing. A store in Rock Space is established in an abandoned capital ship by a few Zoltan.By Gelugon_baat | Review Date: December 7, 2014Īt the time of FTL: Faster Than Light’s debut, the prevalence of the space sci-fi setting has been reduced to inclusions in the shooter, RPG and MMORPG genres. The Rockmen are described as xenophobic, though are tolerant of the wisdom of the Zoltan. The Rockmen are the only alien race whose homeworld is canonically mentioned by name. However, their poor speed makes it hard for them to respond quickly in urgent situations. Their immunity to fire obviously makes them perfect for putting out fires, and Rockmen can be devastating to enemy crew when boarding enemy ships in conjunction with fire weapons. Their extra health is also great for fixing hull breaches since they take longer to suffocate. Their increased health make them useful as both defense and boarding crew, as they can outlast any other race in one on one combat, except for the Mantis, unless they are experienced combatants. Also, from random occurrences, some Rockmen seem to be quite religious. Still, there are always exceptions to the rule, and having Rockmen crew can be very beneficial. While the Rockmen are generally not an adventurous race, and can only be consistently located within their own territories' borders, the Rockmen are liable to open fire on any ship they encounter that they aren't familiar with. As a result of their physical attributes, the Rockmen have evolved throughout their race's existence into a warrior race which values personal strength and martial prowess over nearly everything else. Additionally, the Rockmen are extremely well-conditioned and physically strong to compensate for their thick rock-like skin, giving them an astounding resilience. The Rockmen, as they have been nicknamed by humans, are called so because of their unique skin, which, according to scientific experiments, can be nearly as hard and rugged as solid rock. The 'Rockmen' of Vrachos IV are rarely seen and are known for their fortitude.

Ftl faster than light fanart