Between The Stars Is A Space Sim That Lets Players Decide The Galaxy’s Fate
Between The Stars is a space sim that feels like a choose-your-own-adventure & arcade mashup. Its narrative is largely told through text though there is some voice acting. Players will get multiple choices which have some effect. The story is linear however. Combat involves players actually maneuvering their ship. Ships have multiple shields though some will be stronger than others. Turning the ship helps keep weaker areas away from enemy fire, and ensures players stay engaged.
There’s a dice system that adds a unique randomized element. It’s used mainly in combat, but a narrative event will pop up occasionally that uses it. The RPG inspirations stand out most in the ship customization and crew leveling system. Players will spend a large chunk of time reading, so the crew’s temperament and skills can hinder or help interactions. Though some alliances can be gained without much help versus others that require multiple quests. This inconsistency does ruin the immersion at some points.
Between The Stars can get a little repetitive since side quests are similar. It’s the random encounters that really add anything new. These still fall into either the “enemy ships intercept the player” or “player must make a decision” categories. The latter can end with unexpected results, like losing crew, so it’s just as important to pay attention here. When the dice system gets involved, bad rolls can completely drain the fun. Otherwise the game is enjoyable enough.
If players can get past awkward controls and a slightly laggy UI, there’s an expansive game waiting. There are a few locations in any system. Enough randomization that replaying doesn’t feel like a chore with zero surprises. Between The Stars does enough different players familiar with space sims can find at least one redeeming quality. Its unintuitive controls, as well as odd difficulty spikes, might make this more daunting for beginners. Players looking for a sprawling space opera where various factions must be united, may have a more satisfying experience.
