Faster Than Light, created by Subset Games, is a single-player rogue-like game that blends strategy, quick thinking, and resource management. As the player, you take on the multifaceted role of controlling a spacecraft crew, processing critical information, and making swift decisions under pressure. As someone who does not typically play rogue-like games, this was definitely outside my comfort zone. I decided to start with the tutorial but was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information. About fifteen minutes in, I decided to turn to a YouTube tutorial to better understand how to play.
When I launched into my first real run, I picked the Kestrel, which is the default starting ship. At first, after watching other streamers play several runs, I felt like I had a baseline sense of what to do and things felt manageable. I jumped between a few nearby beacons, repaired a few minor hull damages, and attempted to defend my ship against an approaching pirate by using some of my weapons randomly. However, it quickly became obvious that I was not fully in control and did not have a clearly thought-out strategy. For instance, during one of my attempts, I forgot to reroute power to my shields during an attack, which left my crew scrambling to put out fires, and lost half my ship’s health before even reaching Sector 2. At this point, I was frantically trying to manage my oxygen levels and weapons all at once, all while still figuring out how the game’s mechanics fully worked. I felt like I was constantly trying to catch up and eventually had to give in to the inevitable destruction of my ship. Even though I did not make it far, my first few runs gave me a glimpse into how much tactical depth the game offers and how much more I have to learn in order to survive.
Upon playing FTL, the discussion of permadeath really stuck with me. I find it very interesting to think about what dynamics within a particular game allow for permadeath to be more or less of an appealing feature. Upon reflection, it makes sense why a rogue-like game where you are overseeing a spacecraft and are somewhat detached from the experience would make permadeath feel more reasonable. Although I was playing as captain of my ship, I felt more like a resource manager trying to optimize for the best results. I did not feel personally invested in any aspect of the ship or its people and knew all along that my progress would be gone if my health completely depleted. In this way, I found permadeath to be an enriching component, bringing a sense of urgency through the unforgiving nature of the game’s setup.
