Parents' Guide to Genesis Alpha One

While this game tries to fuse multiple game genres together, it results in mechanics that don't always feel connected, which can ruin the fun that you would have across the stars. Genesis Alpha One is a struggle from the start, with lots of trial and error tied to the interface and tasks. Once the large tutorial is done, the most rewarding feature is the resource management and ship building; once done, you can walk through the various corridors and sections you've made. Of course, you have to make something before you can use it, and choosing your crew ahead of missions is based on the Corporation you select, which determines what you start with.

But you'll soon feel "alone": there's no A.I. to help you; crewmembers seem to wander around (as commander, you somehow can't easily assign tasks), plus they have dumb or repetitive things to say when you talk with them. Also, you need to use a terminal in each room to enlist help instead of a central interface (on, say, a device in your pocket). But what's worse is that from pirates out to steal your goods to alien infestations, surprisingly there isn't a lot of excitement in Genesis Alpha One. Scanning debris to "speed up" analysis is lame and repetitive, and missions feel disjointed with one another. Combat isn't very gratifying either, largely due to short bursts of fighting with limited weapons and control. As a result, gameplay feels tedious, dry, and unfulfilling.