Star Conflict Review

MMOs aren’t just high fantasy fighting games anymore. Innovative games like Star Conflict challenge the very definition of MMOs. They don’t have to consist of a team-based competition like Overwatch or a fantasy realm like World of Warcraft. Star Conflict proves an MMO can combine peaceful crafting and space exploration with vicious PvP fights and still be successful.

Story

The story to Star Conflict is simple. It’s been thousands of years since humans left Earth, and that time has seen numerous battles and conflicts. The galaxy currently finds itself divided between star empires and various mercenary groups with no allegiance to any specific planet. As humanity continues to explore, it stumbles upon Sector 1337, a dead zone. There are signs of former battles and conflicts by the aliens that once lived there. Factions are now fighting for control of this area, and you get to decide which side you’re on. Or if you want to be on any side at all.

PvP

Like many MMOs, the focus of Star Conflict is largely centered around a PvP, or player versus player, element. Rather than interacting with game-created characters, you’ll mostly team with or fight against other players connected via the Steam network. Where PvP can go terribly wrong is when you find yourself matched against someone who can hopelessly outgun you. When you’re at an early level, you don’t stand a chance against someone who’s been leveling for weeks. To combat this, Star Conflict implements a level range cap. You can only interact with other players who are in the same level range as you. This makes it difficult when you’re at the first step of a new level range, but it’s less frustrating.

There are a few PvE missions available, as well as a story mode that was released in 2014. In this “open space” mode, you can warp around the universe by way of strategically placed gates. You need to have your ship specifically modified to visit several of them. Currently, there are nine open space missions available that involve fighting NPCs instead of other players.