Does every game have to be plot heavy? I don't think so but its got to have other standout elements. Void has little to no plot at all. You are a convict picked at random that's rehydrated from a potato chip bag and you are tasked with collecting junk to build various parts so you can escape the Nebula. Most decisions come from which ships to raid and what you build with that junk. It isn't always easy, most of these ruined vessels have guests aboard who won't take kindly to your planned raid. You get to make choices but they have no affect on the story. Its a serviceable mechanic meant to get you from A to B. Thankfully with how self aware the game is, they know how to poke fun at that so you can avoid being annoyed by it.
The strategy elements of Void aren't too demanding so they can be picked up pretty quickly. I like how the game is pretty careful to direct you to what you need and when its time to turn tail and run as opposed to trying to shoot it out. While it may feel a little intrusive for true strategy gamers, I found their suggestions to be helpful. Instead of walking around and bumping into an overpowered screw, you can carefully navigate your way around the ship and buy a layout that reveals where they are. That you can get what you need in certain missions without icing all the aliens on the ship which was a nice change of pace. They also manage to inject some humour into it, the game is very tongue-in-cheek and it keeps the gameplay from getting stale. Plotting your character's course does get more difficult as the game goes on but you're playing the game for some kind of challenge and you cannot outright fail the game. When your character dies, you get to keep their junk and you're presented with a new one. You have to rebuild their upgrades but its not like starting from square one.
Looking at the FPS (first person shooter) parts, I would use the word enough. There is enough precision to keep you going, there's enough weapon variety to take on different types of enemies and they vary the ship layouts enough so it isn't too formulaic. Its inclusion in a strategy game is more impressive than those fights themselves but they work and I enjoyed them when I got the hang of them.
Void also has a bold animation style. Its cell shaded (like Borderlands) but its merged with comic book illustrations. Its distinct and it matches the game's vibe. The enemy types aren't run of the mill and each have fun elements to their design and their attack patterns. It may not seem like a big deal but this game has a lot of personality and taking it away would really diminish the experience.
I got frustrated playing Void off the start but I got into it as I went along and by the end, I was fully on board. Void is a splendid and undemanding trip through the Nebula with some funny dialogue, some intriguing strategy choices and some unique elements that help distance it from the pack. I got it for full price and I got enough out of it to be happy with the money I spent. If you're looking for something different than your typical strategy romp, Void fits the bill
