Star Traders: Frontiers

The main pros of the game

• Deep and Complex Mechanics: Players appreciate the game's intricate systems, allowing for various play styles including trading, piracy, bounty hunting, and diplomacy. The game offers extensive customization options for both ships and crew.
• Replayability: The game has high replay value due to its sandbox nature, multiple career paths, and branching storylines. Players can engage in different roles, leading to unique experiences in each playthrough.
• Ongoing Developer Support: Many reviews commend the developers, Trese Brothers, for their commitment to providing regular free updates and engaging with the community.
• Rich Worldbuilding: The game features a well-crafted universe with political intrigue, faction relations, and emergent narratives that keep players invested in the story.
• Engaging Combat: While opinions vary, some players enjoy the tactical combat elements, both in ship and crew encounters.

The main cons of the game

• Steep Learning Curve: Many users find the game difficult to grasp due to its complex mechanics and lack of clear tutorials, resulting in frustration for new players.
• Opaque Mechanics: The dice-based mechanics and RNG (random number generation) can feel unfair and lead to unpredictable outcomes, which some players find discouraging.
• User Interface Issues: The UI is often described as cluttered and unintuitive, making it hard for players to navigate and understand the game's systems.
• Balance Issues: Some players report that the game can swing dramatically between being too easy and too difficult, particularly in combat scenarios. They express frustration with the RNG favoring enemies in critical moments.
• Reputation System Flaws: The reputation mechanics can lead to unintended consequences, where players find themselves at odds with multiple factions regardless of their actions.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

• Improved Tutorials: Many users express a desire for better in-game tutorials or guides to help new players understand the complex mechanics without needing to refer to external wikis.
• More Intuitive UI: A cleaner, more user-friendly interface that allows players to easily access information and manage their ships and crew would enhance the experience.
• Better Feedback on Mechanics: Players want clearer indications of how their stats and skills impact gameplay, especially in relation to combat and RNG outcomes.
• Enhanced Story Engagement: Some reviews mention that the main storyline can feel disconnected or generic, and they would appreciate deeper character interactions and more engaging plotlines.
• Balancing of Combat Mechanics: Suggestions include reworking the difficulty scaling and RNG mechanics to provide a more balanced and enjoyable combat experience.

Summary

• In summary, while *Star Traders: Frontiers* has a dedicated fanbase that appreciates its depth, replayability, and developer support, it also faces criticism regarding its steep learning curve, UI design, and balance issues. Many players express a desire for improvements in tutorials and overall game accessibility.

Summary generated on: November 23, 2025