Darkstar One
Does Darkstar One run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?
Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1
No Mac version is sold.
Through Proton. ProtonDB: Silver, runs with minor issues.3
Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1
One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs
How to get Darkstar One running today
- Delete the game's bundled iphlpapi.dll and netman.dll from the install folder to stop crashes at some resolutions and the netman.dll launch error, as described on PCGamingWiki.
- If graphics turn black at high resolutions, turn off FSAA in the game options, per PCGamingWiki.
Synopsis
A space combat and trading game in which a young pilot inherits a unique ship and searches the galaxy for the people behind his father's death. You take missions, trade, hunt pirates and collect alien artifacts that unlock upgrades for the one ship you fly through the whole story.
- Developer
- Ascaron Entertainment ltd.
- Released
- 2006
- Genre
- Action
- Where to get it
- Steam
Reception
Critics welcomed it as an accessible, Freelancer-style take on Elite, praising the mouse-driven dogfights, the ship growth system and its friendliness to newcomers, while calling the plot hackneyed and the side activities repetitive. Players today still enjoy the combat and upgrades but widely criticize the stiff voice acting and missions that repeat the same tasks over and over. Several also report needing small file fixes before the game runs at all resolutions.
Trailer from Steam Playability today
The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works
Runs today
4/5- Sold or given away today by an official source
- Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
- ?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connectionNo source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
- All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)The single-player game is intact in the current release (PCGamingWiki).
- Supports modern resolutions and widescreenWidescreen and 4K resolutions are supported, though menus do not scale (PCGamingWiki).
- Full controller support or remappable controlsControllers are supported, including vibration (PCGamingWiki).
- Steam Deck Verified or Playable
- No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
- No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
- Known game-breaking bugs in the current versionCertain resolutions crash the game until bundled outdated DLL files are deleted (PCGamingWiki).
Design today
3.5/5- Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboardFlight uses Freelancer-style mouse aiming with keyboard thrust, strafing and afterburner, and joysticks and controllers are also supported. Source: eurogamer.net, pcgamingwiki.com.
- Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screensWidescreen and 4K work, but menus and text do not scale with resolution, and some resolutions crash without a file fix. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
- Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progressThe game can be saved at any time, and it also saves automatically on landing at a trade station. Source: gamestar.de.
- It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progressNarrated, playable tutorial missions at the start ease players into full control of the ship, though some useful moves such as strafing and reverse flight have keybindings that appear only in the manual. Source: ign.com, pcgamingwiki.com.
- Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtrackingSide missions repeat the same few tasks at identical stations, and ship upgrades are gated behind finding artifacts, a repetition many players single out as the main flaw. Source: steamcommunity.com, ign.com, eurogamer.net.
- Camera and movement never fight the playerCombat uses mouse steering with a cockpit or chase view switchable by key, and an adjustable cockpit field of view. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, eurogamer.net.
If you like Darkstar One
How does it play for you today?