Release Date: April 30, 2025
A turn-based tactical game, enriched with roguelike elements and mechanics taken from Slay the Spire, Into the Breach and Space Invaders games. StarVaders is about controlling mechs and participating in card duels with the attacking aliens. Combat takes place on boards covered with a square grid and we must prevent aliens from reaching the bottom of the screen.
StarVaders is a tactical game with roguelike elements, incorporating features from games such as Slay the Spire, Into the Breach and the classic Space Invaders. It was developed by the independent Canadian studio Pengonauts and constitutes its debut work.
In StarVaders the action is viewed from a top-down perspective.
The gameplay takes place in turn-based mode, on a board covered with a grid of square fields. Just like in Space Invaders, the enemies occupy its upper part, while we take a position at its base, piloting a combat mech.
Our primary goal is to prevent enemies from reaching the three bottom rows. If we fail, then the process of filling the doomsday indicator will begin, which will consequently lead to our defeat.
We attack and eliminate enemies by positioning ourselves on appropriate fields and playing cards associated with specific skills and moves. They are complemented by relics, which in various ways expand the range of our possibilities on the battlefield.
As we progress, we accumulate an increasingly larger and more diverse deck. The key to success is to compose it in such a way that its individual elements complement each other, creating various kinds of synergies.
This is not the end, as the game also provides us with mechs diversified in terms of strengths and weaknesses as well as fighting style. Additionally, we can choose from pilots who also have unique characteristics.
Death on the battlefield ends in our defeat in the war with the aliens and forces us to start a new playthrough. Thankfully, as we progress we unlock permanent upgrades, which over time make us increasingly effective defenders of the planet. It's worth remembering that so-called Chrono Tokens can save us from failure, allowing us to turn back time and correct mistakes.
In StarVaders we can only play solo. Apart from the campaign mode, where we defend the planet from invaders from space throughout successive missions, there are additional modes and special challenges to check out here.
The graphic design of StarVaders is maintained in a cartoon style.
Platforms:
PC Windows
Developer: Pengonauts
Publisher: Joystick Ventures
Age restrictions: 12+
Similar Games:
Steam reviews for StarVaders are overwhelmingly positive, with 98% of over one thousand players recommending it. This could be your next obsession.
video games
Matt Buckley
May 16, 2025
With so many huge games dominating the conversation recently, it's easy for some small games to fall between the cracks. Thankfully, we've got you covered.
video games
Matt Buckley
April 30, 2025
System Requirements for StarVaders Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
CPU 2.0 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB, 3 GB HDD, Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10/11.
Game Ratings for StarVaders Video Game.
GideonsGaming: by Joseph Pugh
One of my favorite moments was the first time I played the Stinger after unlocking it. I thought after playing several runs with the Gunner that I had the game pegged. Playing the Stinger forced me to completely relearn how to play the game as if I had just booted it up for the first time. Much later, after I finally unlocked the Keeper, it happened again. There are not many games that have ever managed to give me that fresh game feeling twice, and StarVaders did it 3 times. That’s pretty incredible.
So Many Games: 4.5 / 5 by Christopher Lannoo
StarVaders is a game that takes the best influences from the genre—the seemingly simple basics that can be iterated on to make it as complex as you want, mostly—and adds its own unique twist. Maybe the best way to describe the game is ‘what if Cobalt Core leaned more into Space Invaders,’ with this one taking the best from both of those classics without being a copy/paste job. The game looks classy, plays wonderfully, and sounds amazing.
XboxEra: 9 / 10 by Genghis Husameddin
StarVaders is a wonderfully addicting game, one I didn’t expect to be a highlight of mine this month. The underlying mechanics present can make or break a run in a multitude of ways, the bosses are frenetic and can really pose a challenge, the runs don’t overstay their welcome, and it’s got the visuals and music to boot.
The main pros of the game
The main cons of the game
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
Summary
Summary generated on:
![[1:14] - Accolades Trailer](https://cdn.gracza.pl/galeria/filmy/640x360/1734727578.jpg)
