Planet Killer's gameplay and progression are its standout features, with 43 positive mentions out of 59. Players praise the destruction and strategy mechanics, but performance issues and UI design could use some work.
What it's about: A physics-driven sci-fi destruction roguelite. Orbit hostile worlds, unleash devastating weapons, and carve real craters into fully simulated planets while escalating planetary defenses fight back.
In-game
« Game of the year every year. I think my friend bullied the dev into releasing early and is planning to take him the Balkans. Reduce AI target leading capability and I will not release classified ship documents, this is a threat. »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 10 h played1« Plenty of fun, lots of content. Kinda slow compared to many other roguelites, but its enjoyable every now and again. I think it'd be really great with controller support so I can better enjoy it on my Steam Deck. »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 6 h played« The game has great Replay value, it is super simple to play, BUT there are some strategic elements you realise down the line that make it more interesting. It runs fine on a MacMiniM4 (for MBased Mac users not sure for compatibility). »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 56 h played« Fun game, not much to it. a rogue-like game where you get new weapons and strike craft and then destroy planets while avoiding death. The dev is on top of fixing serious bugs. Thoroughly worth the money for a buy! »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 18 h played« A very decent and extremely atmospheric rogue-like. »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 3 h played« People who say it sucks clearly dont know how to play it »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 24 h played
« It's a cool game, but it is NOT designed for long runs, which for me is part of the appeal of roguelites. Very quickly becomes a 1fps slideshow. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 8 h played2« Sadly this game was great. But this dev is set on destroying it. 2 updates in, and both were nerfs to the player in a single player game? »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 24 h played« Gets dull very fast, some enemy planet weapons seem invisible and can knock out somehow 2000 shields at once, which is crazy, this is in the 20-30 planet range. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 6 h played« First major update nerfing fun stuff, great job devs. Having runs that go super strong is a fun thing in these style of games but yeah, nerf that in the single player game. Cant let people get too cool of builds going. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 11 h played« Demo was fun, difficulty was going up some what linear. After release its still fun, until something from off screen one-shots you. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 5 h played« Fun game, cool ship designs. Some of the later planets can get a bit crazy with their weapons and damage, but that just forces a run to end so you can use a different ship =) »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 14 h played
In players' words
« Game of the year every year. I think my friend bullied the dev into releasing early and is planning to take him the Balkans. Reduce AI target leading capability and I will not release classified ship documents, this is a threat. »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 10 h played1« It's a cool game, but it is NOT designed for long runs, which for me is part of the appeal of roguelites. Very quickly becomes a 1fps slideshow. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 8 h played2« Plenty of fun, lots of content. Kinda slow compared to many other roguelites, but its enjoyable every now and again. I think it'd be really great with controller support so I can better enjoy it on my Steam Deck. »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 6 h played« Sadly this game was great. But this dev is set on destroying it. 2 updates in, and both were nerfs to the player in a single player game? »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 24 h played« The game has great Replay value, it is super simple to play, BUT there are some strategic elements you realise down the line that make it more interesting. It runs fine on a MacMiniM4 (for MBased Mac users not sure for compatibility). »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 56 h played« Gets dull very fast, some enemy planet weapons seem invisible and can knock out somehow 2000 shields at once, which is crazy, this is in the 20-30 planet range. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 6 h played« Fun game, not much to it. a rogue-like game where you get new weapons and strike craft and then destroy planets while avoiding death. The dev is on top of fixing serious bugs. Thoroughly worth the money for a buy! »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 18 h played« First major update nerfing fun stuff, great job devs. Having runs that go super strong is a fun thing in these style of games but yeah, nerf that in the single player game. Cant let people get too cool of builds going. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 11 h played« A very decent and extremely atmospheric rogue-like. »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 3 h played« Demo was fun, difficulty was going up some what linear. After release its still fun, until something from off screen one-shots you. »👎 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 5 h played« People who say it sucks clearly dont know how to play it »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 24 h played« Fun game, cool ship designs. Some of the later planets can get a bit crazy with their weapons and damage, but that just forces a run to end so you can use a different ship =) »👍 anonymous review · Sep 2026 · 14 h played
Anonymized excerpts from public Steam reviews — picked among those most voted "helpful" by the community.
What players say, by aspect
PositiveMixedNegative
Gameplay
73 % pos · n=59
Performance
27 % pos · n=15
Content / longevity
67 % pos · n=12
Interface / UX
36 % pos · n=11
Value for money
57 % pos · n=7
Stability / bugs
50 % pos · n=4
Story / writing
100 % pos · n=3
Graphics / art
100 % pos · n=3
Audio / music
100 % pos · n=3
Multiplayer
100 % pos · n=1
Detailed data (table)
Aspect
Mentions
Positive
Mixed
Negative
Gameplay
59
43
7
9
Performance
15
4
0
11
Content / longevity
12
8
0
4
Interface / UX
11
4
0
7
Value for money
7
4
1
2
Stability / bugs
4
2
0
2
Story / writing
3
3
0
0
Graphics / art
3
3
0
0
Audio / music
3
3
0
0
Multiplayer
1
1
0
0
Positive reviews by playtime
🎮 Players who like it have spent 15 h on median; those who dislike it: 7.6 h.
<2h
50 % (n=6)
2-10h
70 % (n=27)
10-25h
85 % (n=46)
>25h
100 % (n=22)
100% completion difficulty ("platinum")
1 %Demanding
of players have unlocked the rarest achievement — the upper bound of those who "100%'d" it. 14 achievements in total; the median achievement is unlocked by 45,8 % of players.
Gameplay and Progression: 43 positive mentions out of 59, highlighting the fun and addictive nature of the game's mechanics.
Destruction and Strategy: Players enjoy the unique and satisfying destruction mechanics, with 7 mentions of 'progression' and 5 mentions of 'destruction'.
Playtime: A significant portion of players, 46 out of 101, have invested over 10 hours, indicating a compelling experience.
Weaknesses
Performance: 11 negative mentions out of 15, indicating potential issues with optimization.
UI Design: The user interface could use some refinement, with 7 negative mentions out of 11.
Story and Content: While the story receives positive feedback, it's a minor aspect with only 3 positive mentions.
Who is it for?
Planet Killer will appeal to action game enthusiasts who enjoy strategic, destructive gameplay. Players seeking a challenging and engaging experience with a focus on progression will find this game satisfying.
Is Planet Killer worth it in 2026?
Yes, without reservation for most players: 82% of 101 Steam reviews are positive (player score 75/100). Most-praised strength: Gameplay and Progression. Current price: 13,49€.
Verdict
With its unique gameplay and positive reception, Planet Killer offers an enjoyable experience. However, addressing performance and UI concerns could further enhance its appeal and make it a must-play for action fans.
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