Vanguard Galaxy
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About Vanguard Galaxy
Vanguard Galaxy is a slow-burning space sim where you juggle trade routes, salvage missions, and occasional combat while your ship idles in the background. Developed by Bat Roost Games, it launched on PC in October 2025 as a single-player title with procedurally generated galaxies. The game’s minimalist design keeps everything visible in a small window, letting you multitask while managing resources, upgrading tech, and navigating markets. It’s a laid-back strategy game that rewards patience over action, ideal for players who want to simulate interstellar business ownership without intense combat or story-driven quests.
Gameplay
Your main loop involves scanning asteroid fields for valuable minerals, trading between stations at fluctuating prices, and occasionally defending your cargo from pirates. Ship upgrades and autopilot settings determine how efficiently you earn credits while away. Each galaxy has random events like black hole disruptions or alien artifact drops, but progression is deliberately gradual. You’ll spend hours optimizing trade routes, only to see tiny profit margins. Combat is basic, point-and-click dodges and counterattacks, but optional. The real depth lies in balancing resource allocation; for example, investing in a mining laser might generate passive income but delay your next mission.
What Players Think
Community reviews are split: 78% on Metacritic and 7.5/10 on Steam, with 35% of players labeling the game "relaxed" and 15% "frustrated." Average playtime is 20 hours, though 43% finish all 150 achievements. Fans praise its low-effort pacing: "Great for when I want to veg out but still have a goal." Critics call it "tiresome after a few hours." Achievement completion averages 62%, with 30% finishing in under 12 hours. The game’s 48% completion rate for its longest mission hints at a lack of late-game hooks.
PlayPile's Take
Vanguard Galaxy works best as a background distraction for strategy fans who enjoy number-crunching over action. At $29.99, it’s a minor investment for a game that rarely demands attention. The 150 achievements add 8, 12 hours of grind, but they don’t significantly alter the core loop. If you’ve ever found joy in spreadsheet management or simulating a profitable coffee shop, this might fit. But if you crave active gameplay or narrative depth, look elsewhere. It’s a niche title that rewards patience but risks feeling like a screensaver with goals.
Game Modes
Single player
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