Rebel Galaxy

Because this space adventure game is so open-ended (which is sort of its point), the overall act of playing it can feel aimless. Not that there isn't a lot to do. It's that you'll be spending as much time looking for something to do as you will be doing that something. Your usual activity is going from outpost to outpost, looking for jobs and dealing with any would-be attackers while en route. Space itself is deceptively not as huge as it seems, and though there's a lot to explore, the y-axis doesn't exist when you're in your ship, which means everything is in front of or behind you, so there's far less maneuverability in things such as combat or just trying to wander around. Similarly, there are hints of depth but difficulty in fully appreciating or grasping how to make the most of doing trader-like activities. There's a bustling commodities market, which you can try to manipulate to your advantage by blasting ships with certain cargo aboard, but there's also no way to tell how long prices will stay what they are or how long a single day in the game happens to be.

You can fall off the deep end trying to figure those sorts of things out, but it's clear that Rebel Galaxy is meant for more casual play. The combat is fun, but since you can't really maneuver or tell whether another ship is a threat or strategize accordingly until you're locked in battle, it's clear these experiences and others are meant more for popping in and poking around than sessions that last for hours. There's a ton to do -- you can upgrade your ship, become a space pirate, build your own trading route, try to find your aunt -- but none of it has a lot of staying power. This game is best enjoyed in short bursts and not thought about too deeply.