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PULSAR: Lost Colony similar games & best alternatives

PULSAR: Lost Colony

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Linux • 2021

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Quick resume

The co-op open-world space sim where everyone has a role! Pilot the ship. Reroute power. Launch nukes. Explore alien planets. Research new talents. Work together to find the Lost Colony! ...or just deliver some biscuits

Global score

90/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator

Similar games

    Pros

    • Strong cooperative gameplay with distinct roles
    • Deep ship management and tactical combat
    • Large procedurally generated galaxy with exploration
    • Meaningful progression and upgrades
    • Active developer support and updates

    Cons

    • Limited content and missions in early access
    • Ground combat is simplistic and repetitive
    • Graphics and ui are basic and sometimes clunky
    • Steep learning curve without tutorial
    • Small player base and occasional toxic players

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Leadership, Exploration, Intimacy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have distinct roles with unique responsibilities and can make many decisions about ship management, upgrades, and tactics, supporting high player control."

    • Competence
      4

      "Game requires skillful coordination, managing complex ship systems, and tactical combat, with meaningful feedback and progression."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on cooperative play and personal/team goals rather than direct player-vs-player competition; no PvP currently."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Players report long sessions, high replay value, and habitual play due to exploration, missions, and crew progression."

    • Cooperation
      5

      "Core gameplay is team-based with 5 distinct roles requiring coordination and communication for success."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players can customize ships, upgrade components, and choose different roles and strategies, though within defined systems."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Interactions emphasize teamwork and shared decision-making; no evidence of power imposition or toxic dominance."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as an immersive space adventure to escape reality, with rich sci-fi themes and exploration."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and exploration, with no indication of obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Players try different roles, ships, strategies, and tactics, exploring mechanics and emergent gameplay."

    • Exploration
      5

      "Strong emphasis on discovering new sectors, planets, secrets, and missions in a large procedurally generated galaxy."

    • Expression
      3

      "Character customization and ship upgrades allow some personal expression, though mostly functional."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Game immerses players in a sci-fi space opera setting with imaginative ships, aliens, and space battles."

    • Fellowship
      5

      "Strong community and team identity through cooperative gameplay and shared adventures."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players learn roles, improve skills, and develop strategies over time, with meaningful progression."

    • Health
      -5

      "No physical activity involved; gameplay is sedentary."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires continuous attention and coordination during gameplay; downtime exists but is minimal."

    • Intimacy
      3

      "Players form social bonds and friendships through teamwork and communication, though not deeply emotional."

    • Leadership
      4

      "Captain role involves directing crew and managing decisions, providing leadership opportunities."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate upgrades, items, and experience points to improve characters and ships."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Game balances challenge and flow, though tense combat moments create some sustained pressure."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Visual and auditory sci-fi effects provide sensory stimulation and excitement."

    • Status
      -2

      "Recognition is mostly within the crew and community; no broad social status or leaderboard focus."

    • Story
      3

      "Narrative elements and missions provide plot and lore, though some players find story less developed."

    • Strategy
      4

      "Requires tactical planning, resource management, and problem solving in combat and exploration."

    • Thrill
      4

      "Space battles and emergencies create suspense and excitement."

    • Value
      3

      "Players perceive good value for time spent, especially with friends and ongoing updates."

    • Violence
      3

      "Combat and ship battles involve destruction and fighting, though balanced with exploration and cooperation."

    • Survival
      4

      "Players must manage threats, resource limits, and ship integrity to survive."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026