LONESTAR is a strategic Roguelike spaceship deckbuilder. As a bounty hunter, you will capture criminals scattered across the universe. Win the shockwave battle to gain rewards and vacations. Find treasures, customize spaceships, unlock talents, defeat the felons and be a legend!
The game's core gameplay revolves around a unique deck-building mechanic that sets it apart from other roguelike deckbuilders. Players must slot randomly generated numbers, representing power levels, into their ship's various systems and devices to create specific energy output patterns. This creates a puzzle-like optimization challenge, as players must carefully allocate their limited resources to overpower the enemy's energy beams. The ability to rearrange and retry battles without penalty allows players to experiment with different build configurations, leading to a deeply satisfying sense of progression as they unlock synergies and devise winning strategies.
One of the game's major strengths is the wide variety of playable pilots, each with unique passive abilities that fundamentally change the player's approach. Coupled with the randomized pilot perks, this ensures that each run feels distinctly different, encouraging experimentation and exploration. The planned addition of a third ship type promises to further expand the depth of possible builds and playstyles.
The game's structure of interspersing combat encounters with random "vacation" events presents players with a constant stream of meaningful choices. Whether deciding to risk precious resources for a potentially powerful treasure, or carefully managing fuel to ensure survival, the game keeps players engaged in a web of strategic considerations. The ability to preview the outcomes of their actions before committing adds an extra layer of depth, allowing for calculated risk-taking.
Many players praise the game's difficulty curve, which starts accessible but gradually ramps up as players unlock higher tiers. This allows newcomers to grasp the core mechanics before being challenged by more complex enemy behaviors and encounter types. The inclusion of a boss rush mode after completing the main campaign also provides an additional endgame challenge for players seeking to push the limits of their builds.
The combination of procedural generation, diverse pilot abilities, and extensive unlock progression systems ensures that each run feels unique and rewarding. The ability to revisit and optimize successful builds in the boss rush mode further extends the game's longevity, creating a satisfying loop of exploration, experimentation, and mastery.