Lost Vessel

Good game. No one way to 'win', nothing you need hidden behind paywall, truely the only things you can buy are cosmetics. After the first few hours, you can play it in background, checking in every so often. Easy to work out how long you can leave it and not lose time progressing. Plenty to explore and the DEV is active and developing other games.

Awesome game. Highly addictive. Frequent updates from an active and passionate dev. What more is there to ask for? I can see myself playing this for a very long time. Hope to see more from this developer!

It's a nice idle game with plenty of depth, with a friendly community, and done by a single developer.

The base game is interesting. There are a few dozen versions of this same game, mostly in the hacking idle side of things. This takes the hacking version and puts it as a crash landed ship. Has good incremental systems. Could use the graphics of some kind other than black and blue squares. Unfortunately I can't recommend this game for two reasons. 1. While the developer is active in the game chats, or mods or whoever it is, they are way to invested and bias about the game. There is currently an event running in game for launch. Says 5 hours and 10 hours of active play time, typically in an idle game that means it's open not in closed mode. I have 30 hours on record on steam in my library. In game for the event i have 3 hours and 9 minutes of played time according to it. Over this week it's been open and going both with my assistance and while out of the house. Which leads to point 2. When asked the simple question of why is it off. The dev,mod, whoever, stated it was a design choice and that the event only tracked active time with keystrokes. This is baffling. There is zero reason for an idle game to monitor keystrokes for activity. This means it could potentially monitor keystrokes when game is active but not primary window. When this was brought up to the dev,mod,whoever, their response is the game is free to play and basically go play something else if you don't like their rules. He also stated this game isn't an idle game just partially idle. This is from the description on the store page. "Lost Vessel is a sci-fi idle RPG" and "playable in thirty-second bursts or five-hour grinds" there is literally nothing for you to click on that last longer than 30 seconds. It's pick a research, pick a skill, start combat repeat over and over. The only way to get active time is if you are using it as a chatroom. Which then raises other questions in todays world. I can see why the game is getting blasted in the forums and other areas for the AI UI and other clear quick design choices. Makes you wonder if the whole F2P is just to sell keystroke heatmaps to marketing companies.

Really well made game, great Dev and community. Amazing it is free and no Pay to Win! Recommended for sure.

I am having a lot of fun with this one so far. It has the standard idle game features with a lot of room for active gameplay if wanted.

A fun idle game! I'd played quite a few of this style and this one is a very solid game. I find it to be more intuitive than many that are out there - even though there is a lot, it is introduced fairly slowly and it all so far has been intuitive so I've never felt lost. Some upgrades for convenience are locked behind a small time gate but I don't really have an issue with that (such as auto - healing). The mission system is pretty good at leading you through what you need to be aiming for. I admittedly have put it on pause and am just doing my own thing and it's still fun which says a lot about how well the game is built. The only real complaint I have so far is that tools disappear when durability hits 0 instead of letting me repair them. Pretty minor overall, and maybe auto-repair comes later in the game anyway. For free - you can't really go wrong, absolutely worth giving a shot. I'll update later if my thoughts change after I pour more time into it.

Lost Vessel is a free-to-play sci-fi idle RPG developed and published by Lazy Frog Games that blends survival, automation, and role-playing progression into a surprisingly expansive experience. Set on a dangerous alien world after a catastrophic spacecraft crash, the game casts players as the lone survivor tasked with turning a hopeless situation into an opportunity for growth. Rather than focusing on constant action, the gameplay emphasizes careful planning, resource management, and gradual technological advancement. Every milestone feels connected to the larger goal of repairing your capabilities and eventually escaping the hostile planet, giving even routine tasks a meaningful sense of direction. One of the game's strongest qualities is its layered progression system. Players develop multiple skills that revolve around gathering resources, dismantling wreckage, mining valuable materials, researching alien discoveries, and crafting increasingly sophisticated equipment. None of these activities exist in isolation, as each supports the others and encourages players to diversify their efforts instead of repeatedly farming a single resource. This interconnected design creates satisfying long-term progression where every session contributes toward unlocking stronger gear, better technology, and more efficient production. Offline advancement further strengthens the experience by allowing progress to continue even when the game is not actively running, making it equally enjoyable for casual players and those who prefer extended optimization sessions. Combat adds another layer of depth beyond the typical idle RPG formula. Encounters feature different attack styles, including melee, ranged weapons, and mysterious void-based abilities, each offering advantages against specific enemy types. Instead of relying purely on inflated statistics, battles reward thoughtful equipment choices and adapting to enemy weaknesses. The loot system introduces increasingly powerful equipment with unique legendary effects that can significantly alter combat performance, while durability mechanics require players to think carefully about maintaining valuable gear. The ability to save multiple equipment presets also makes transitioning between exploration, resource gathering, and combat far more convenient without unnecessary inventory management. Lost Vessel also distinguishes itself through its broader gameplay systems that extend beyond solo progression. One of the standout features is I.D.L.E., a robotic companion that eventually becomes an additional source of productivity by performing independent tasks alongside the player. Supporting this companion requires specialized resources gathered from several gameplay systems, reinforcing the title's emphasis on interconnected mechanics. Multiplayer content expands the experience even further through cooperative expeditions, massive world boss encounters, optional faction-based PvP battles, and territory control activities. Importantly, these competitive features remain optional, allowing players who prefer a purely solo adventure to enjoy the full progression loop without feeling pressured into competitive play. The game's long-term progression appears designed to reward dedication rather than spending. Numerous mastery paths provide permanent account-wide improvements, while an extensive ship enhancement system offers meaningful customization that supports different playstyles. Instead of locking progress behind premium currencies or restrictive energy mechanics, Lost Vessel emphasizes consistent play and strategic planning. Cosmetic supporter packs exist for players who wish to support development, but they avoid providing gameplay advantages, helping preserve a fair environment for the community. Combined with accessible hardware requirements and a clean science-fiction presentation, the game offers an inviting package for players looking for a deeper idle experience. Although the sheer number of systems may initially seem overwhelming, especially for newcomers to incremental RPGs, the gradual pace allows players to learn mechanics naturally over time. The balance between active management and passive progression creates an engaging loop where every improvement feels earned. For players who enjoy games centered on long-term character growth, crafting, strategic equipment choices, and steady progression rather than constant action, Lost Vessel delivers an experience that stands apart from many traditional idle games. Its ambitious combination of survival mechanics, automation, multiplayer content, and player-friendly monetization gives it a strong foundation and considerable long-term appeal. Rating: 7/10