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Shortest Trip to Earth similar games & best alternatives

Shortest Trip to Earth

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2019

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Quick resume

Shortest Trip to Earth is a roguelike spaceship simulator focused on exploration, ship management and tactical battles. Embark on a perilous journey across the universe with nuclear missiles, armed crew and a cat.

Global score

77/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Indie, Simulator, Strategy, Real Time Strategy (RTS)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Deep and challenging gameplay
    • Rich ship and crew customization
    • Engaging tactical combat
    • High replay value
    • Immersive sci-fi setting and story

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve
    • Some ui and micromanagement tedium
    • Occasional bugs
    • Limited social or multiplayer features
    • Some balance issues with weapons and resources

    Analysis

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

    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 control over ship customization, crew assignments, and tactical decisions during combat and exploration."

    • Competence
      4

      "Game is challenging, requiring skillful resource management, tactical combat, and strategic planning."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on personal progression and overcoming game challenges rather than direct player-vs-player competition."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Players report long sessions, high replay value, and motivation to keep playing despite difficulty."

    • Cooperation
      -4

      "Gameplay centers on individual ship and crew management with minimal multiplayer or cooperative elements."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players customize ships, crew loadouts, and module configurations, though within some constraints."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Interactions are with AI enemies and environment; no evidence of social dominance or trash talk."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as a challenging space exploration experience, escaping real life through immersion."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Players try different ships, modules, crew setups, and tactics to overcome challenges."

    • Exploration
      4

      "Exploration of star systems, planets, and random events is a core gameplay element."

    • Expression
      2

      "Some character and ship customization allows for player expression, though limited to gameplay mechanics."

    • Fantasy
      3

      "Game features imaginative sci-fi setting with alien species, space combat, and fictional events."

    • Fellowship
      -4

      "Minimal social interaction; gameplay is focused on solo play and individual objectives."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players learn game mechanics, improve strategies, and unlock new ships and perks over time."

    • Health
      -4

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and micromanagement; not designed for passive or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "No evidence of close social relationships or emotional sharing among players."

    • Leadership
      3

      "Players lead and manage their ship crew and make strategic decisions."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate resources, unlock ships, and gain perks to improve future runs."

    • Relaxation
      -2

      "Game is challenging and tense, requiring constant attention and resource management."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Visual and auditory elements provide moderate sensory stimulation, though not highly intense."

    • Status
      -4

      "Achievements and progression are personal; no social recognition or popularity aspects."

    • Story
      3

      "Narrative elements and random events add lore and immersion to the gameplay."

    • Strategy
      5

      "Strong emphasis on tactical combat, resource management, and planning."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Tense combat and resource scarcity create suspense and excitement."

    • Value
      4

      "Players perceive good value for time invested due to depth, challenge, and replayability."

    • Violence
      3

      "Combat involves ship battles, weapons, and destruction of enemy ships."

    • Survival
      4

      "Core gameplay involves managing resources and avoiding failure to survive through sectors."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026