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Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander

Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander

Massive Damage, Inc. · released Sep 8, 2016

IndieRPGSimulationStrategy

Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander is a retro space strategy RPG with base building, deep tactical combat, crew management and emergent storytelling.

Steam page ↗OpenCritic ↗
77
VGC Score
·No trend datamedium confidence
73%
At launch
84%
Steam all-time
71%
Press
n/a
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)–715
All-time Steam reviews84%77661
Metacritic user ratings––0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)––0
Calibration prior (typical game)–7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (18)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 80
    Hu3brHu3br
    trust 75Sep 19, 2016

    “A bit too repetitive when it comes to missions, but Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander makes up for it with an addictive character progression system.”

    read full review ↗
  • 50
    Cubed3Cubed3
    trust 70Oct 4, 2016

    “Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander presents a tough game to rate: its composite elements set it up to be an awesome experience but it fails to meet the bar it raised. The mix of so many great franchises easily could set itself up to be a great game with crazy replayability; the problem is as it currently is, the novelty wears off quickly and the grind becomes real with no end in sight. The resource gathering is far too bland and repetitious, the battles start cool but devolve into similar, repetitive outcomes. There is nothing new as it is just more of the same, which was grindy to begin with. All the elements present come close to being this awesome game, but in the end the repetition of the core elements and the endless grind make it hard to recommend at this point, which is very unfortunate.”

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    GameWatcherGameWatcher
    trust 69Sep 16, 2016

    “Strategy, resource management, and RPG combat in one charmingly nostalgic package”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    GameSkinnyGameSkinny
    trust 65Oct 25, 2016

    “Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander is an addictive title that require tons of micromanaging, but it's somehow still fun.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    SwitchRPGSwitchRPG
    trust 64Jan 31, 2019

    “For some, these performance issues will be a bit too much to handle. While they didn’t entirely ruin my experience with Halcyon 6, I could see it being a problem for others. The addictive “one more turn” aspect of the gameplay was enough to get me hooked, as you are almost constantly making micro, and macro, management decisions in order to improve the efficiency of your dealings, as well as keep your galaxy safe. If it weren’t for these technical hurdles, I would go as far as to say that Halcyon 6 is a must-own for the Switch, but you’ll have to watch some gameplay in order to see if those hiccups are worth the entry price. Either way, I can’t recommend it enough, as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

    read full review ↗
  • 95
    Entertainment BuddhaEntertainment Buddha
    trust 60Oct 7, 2016

    “This is one of the few titles I have played this year that I plan on revisiting over the years for a great time.”

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    Nintendo EnthusiastNintendo Enthusiast
    trust 60Feb 12, 2019

    “Ultimately Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander is a game that’s fun in short bursts with considerable levels of potential that shine through in its combat, but the sheer level of busywork in-between sometimes felt unnecessary and too time-consuming for my liking. ”

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    Bit CulturesBit Cultures
    trust 59Sep 29, 2016

    “when I look back at my overall experience with Halcyon 6 Starbase Commader, I can’t help but nod at the enjoyment I had with the game. Its elements weren’t all original, particularly with the blatant X-Com base set up, but the game’s character helped set it apart. With enjoyable gameplay split between space and ground, battling your foes in Halcyon 6 is engrossing and loads of fun.”

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    The Outerhaven ProductionsThe Outerhaven Productions
    trust 56Nov 15, 2016

    “Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander is a fun (and funny) game with great art and novel ideas. For a casual experience, it’s a game that offers a lot of enjoyment, but can get a little stale pretty quickly. It’s a large improvement on everything that’s good about the games I love on iOS, but it doesn’t manage to bridge that gap to a full-fledged PC game completely, leaving you hanging in a few areas wishing for a bit more depth.”

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    Game RantGame Rant
    trust 56Sep 21, 2016

    “Halycon 6: Starbase Commander may lack the nuances of some of its peers, but it nonetheless delivers a charming and moreish strategy RPG for science fiction fans to enjoy.”

    read full review ↗
  • 88
    Gaming NexusGaming Nexus
    trust 55Oct 17, 2016

    “An addictive mix of strategy, RPG, exploration and storytelling, Halcyon 6 is slow to start but should satisfy anyone craving a deep, retro-affectionate science fiction adventure.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    SelectButtonSelectButton
    trust 54Aug 29, 2017

    “Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander is a fantastic game. The gameplay, visuals, and goofiness of the game are treats. I didn't necessarily enjoy the ramping difficulty of the game; I found myself almost destroyed 30 days into the campaign against a single alien fleet that ripped my three ships apart. Combined with the randomness that can potentially kill you (I ended up losing one of those ships in a random encounter) means even the best intentions can kill you. If you enjoy the threat of imminent death with fun gameplay, this one is for you.”

    read full review ↗

…and 6 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Dev Log v1.4.1.0 - Lightspeed Edition update!
    Sep 7, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  2. Dev Log v1.4.1.0 - Lightspeed Edition update!
    Sep 7, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  3. Prepare for Warp Speed. ENGAGE! Lightspeed Edition is OUT!
    Aug 10, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  4. Dev Log: v1.3.1.9 Hotfix + We’re almost there!!
    Jul 27, 2017
  5. Dev Log: v1.3.1.9 Hotfix + We’re almost there!!
    Jul 27, 2017
  6. DEV LOG: v1.3.1.8 Hotfix + SALE + Lightspeed Edition Trailer
    Jul 20, 2017
  7. DEV LOG: v1.3.1.8 Hotfix + SALE + Lightspeed Edition Trailer
    Jul 20, 2017
  8. DevLog: Hotfix v1.3.1.7 - Bug fixes!
    Jul 4, 2017
  9. DevLog: Hotfix v1.3.1.7 - Bug fixes!
    Jul 4, 2017
  10. DevLog: v1.3.5 Hotfix and News!
    Jun 22, 2017
  11. DevLog: v1.3.5 Hotfix and News!
    Jun 22, 2017
  12. DevLog: v1.3.1.4 Hotfix is up! More bug squashing goodness!
    May 30, 2017
  13. DevLog: v1.3.1.4 Hotfix is up! More bug squashing goodness!
    May 30, 2017
  14. DevLog: v1.3.1.3 - Hotfix freshly baked!
    May 25, 2017
  15. DevLog: v1.3.1.3 - Hotfix freshly baked!
    May 25, 2017
  16. DEVLOG: v1.3.1.2 is here, fresh out of the dev kitchens!
    May 10, 2017
  17. DEVLOG: v1.3.1.2 is here, fresh out of the dev kitchens!
    May 10, 2017
  18. DEV LOG: v1.3.1.0 is here - The Morale Booster Update!
    Mar 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  19. DEV LOG: v1.3.1.0 is here - The Morale Booster Update!
    Mar 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  20. DEV LOG: v1.3.0.0 is in - Loot 'Em Up!
    Jan 26, 2017
  21. DEV LOG: v1.3.0.0 is in - Loot 'Em Up!
    Jan 26, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  22. DEV LOG: v1.2.1.0 update - It's beginning to look a lot like Chruul-mas!
    Dec 20, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  23. DEV LOG: v1.2.1.0 update - It's beginning to look a lot like Chruul-mas!
    Dec 20, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  24. DEV LOG: v1.2.0.0 - Diplomatic Diversions FREE DLC! Boom.
    Nov 23, 2016
  25. DEV LOG: v1.2.0.0 - Diplomatic Diversions FREE DLC! Boom.
    Nov 23, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  26. Dev Log: Combat and Customization Update is OUT!
    Nov 10, 2016
  27. Dev Log: Combat and Customization Update is OUT!
    Nov 10, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  28. Dev Log: Combat & Customization (v1.1.0.0) BETA Update!
    Oct 27, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  29. Dev Log: Combat & Customization (v1.1.0.0) BETA Update!
    Oct 27, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  30. DEV LOG: v1.0.0.8 is here!
    Oct 24, 2016
  31. DEV LOG: v1.0.0.8 is here!
    Oct 24, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  32. DEV LOG: Update v1.0.0.6 has landed!
    Oct 4, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  33. DEV LOG: Update v1.0.0.6 has landed!
    Oct 4, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  34. DEV LOG: The one about automated resource collection! v1.0.0.4 is LIVE!
    Sep 24, 2016
  35. DEV LOG: The one about automated resource collection! v1.0.0.4 is LIVE!
    Sep 24, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  36. DEV TRANSMISSION: v1.0.0.2 patch notes!
    Sep 16, 2016
  37. DEV TRANSMISSION: v1.0.0.2 patch notes!
    Sep 16, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  38. Dev Transmission: Live long and schedule updates
    Sep 15, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  39. Dev Transmission: Live long and schedule updates
    Sep 15, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  40. IMPORTANT: Early Access saves will not be supported after tomorrow's update (1pm ET, Sept 6th, 2016)
    Sep 6, 2016

…and 29 earlier patch announcements.