Mad Experiments: Escape Room
Mad Experiments: Escape Room
Game
Game2025Published by indie.io
Grimstar: Crystals are the New Oil!
Developer SvenRahn Games
Grimstar is a real-time strategy game with a story-based single-player campaign. Your brother's sudden death has hit you hard, but the laws of the corporation for which he laid down his life dictate that you must take his place until his contract is fulfilled... From the Steam store page
16 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Oct 26, 2026 · last updated Oct 27, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
80
LovedLoved
12 positive · 3 negative
95% range 55–93%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Positive
12 of 15 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
80% recommend · 12 yes, 3 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 15 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Positive (12 of 17 positive).
Players praise Grimstar for its nostalgic classic RTS feel, especially reminiscent of Command & Conquer. [1][2][3] Many highlight the game's atmospheric tension and eerie soundtrack as standout features. [4][5][2]
Liked
Representative posts
- [10]
I do not recommend this product. The UI isnt good. The gameplay feels awkward. The story development is too little, too slow and doesnt mix well with the game. To the developer I want to point to a video from another indie game developer that I think he should take a look. Its from a channel called Eastshade studios and its in regards to marketing. Its easy to find and it makes a lot of points that I think need to …
- [1]
If you miss the good old times of classic Command&Conquer Tiberium Wars or Red Alert - this game might be for you. It takes the formula and puts a nice little spin on it, with a voiced campaign, a story, diverse missions, and nice visuals. It does have it quirks - the writing is not triple-A level, and there are very few options to adjust graphical fidelity, for example, but at this price point and with the lack of …
- [2]
Grimstar genuinely caught me off guard. It starts off feeling like a traditional mining-focused RTS, but there’s a slow-burn intensity that creeps in as you play. The visuals and soundtrack do a fantastic job of building this eerie, oppressive atmosphere — it feels like the planet itself is watching you. The campaign adds a personal touch with the mystery surrounding your brother’s death, and even though the game …
- [9]
Grimstar brings a refreshing spin to a genre that’s been too quiet lately. The game blends old-school real-time strategy with modern ideas — voiced missions, a personal story arc, and a sense of progression through leveling and unlocks. The hero units that carry over and grow stronger after each mission are a great touch, and the different planets keep the gameplay varied. It’s not without its quirks — the writing …
- [3]
This is actually a fun little RTS game, reminds me a lot of C&C, just you call troops in like reinforcements rather than building. army size does seem limiting at first, though it does get bigger and you never need them lol, some missions are stupidly easy, one i just finished had me move all over a decent sized map, 88 troop supply, briefing that u have to collect all on the map and will have to go through nests.. …
Summarised from 14 of the 15 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
80% of the 15 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Grimstar: Crystals are the New Oil!. The complaint that keeps coming up: limited graphics options. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
16 of 16 · most liked firstI do not recommend this product. The UI isnt good. The gameplay feels awkward. The story development is too little, too slow and doesnt mix well with the game. To the developer I want to point to a video from another indie game developer that I think he should take a look. Its from a channel called Eastshade studios and its in regards to marketing. Its easy to find and it makes a lot of points that I think need to be articulated. Normally I try being supportive of the smaller guy and the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you miss the good old times of classic Command&Conquer Tiberium Wars or Red Alert - this game might be for you. It takes the formula and puts a nice little spin on it, with a voiced campaign, a story, diverse missions, and nice visuals. It does have it quirks - the writing is not triple-A level, and there are very few options to adjust graphical fidelity, for example, but at this price point and with the lack of RTS games in general, you really can't complain. After 13 hours, it still…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game kinda snuck up on me. At first it feels like a basic sci-fi mining sim, but then you realize there’s more going on. The tension builds slowly, and the music + visuals really sell the vibe of exploitation and unease. It’s short, yeah, but the mood stuck with me long after I closed it. Would love to see a full version one day.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I didn’t expect to get this hooked, but here we are. Grimstar starts off like a classic RTS, but there’s this constant sense of dread in the atmosphere—like the planet knows you’re mining it. The tech tree is pretty limited right now, but what’s there feels solid. If you're into resource management with a creepy edge, it’s worth checking out. Hoping the devs expand it more!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the best Roguelike RTS's out there, Just bought this game a few days ago to kill time but got instantly hooked onto it. The graphics are good the SFX/VFX are amazing but the combat has to be the best part about it!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →if you're looking for a nice little single-player-rts for the weekend - take this. The graphics are simple but nonetheless high-quality and I like the colorful cartoonish-like touch and that the screen isn't fully scattered with foliage and stuff... The gameplay mechanics are quite easy to understand even for beginners of the genre - though it does get challenging at some points. Controls are absolutely smooth - some higher-priced games could take something from here The story is quite…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grimstar genuinely caught me off guard. It starts off feeling like a traditional mining-focused RTS, but there’s a slow-burn intensity that creeps in as you play. The visuals and soundtrack do a fantastic job of building this eerie, oppressive atmosphere — it feels like the planet itself is watching you. The campaign adds a personal touch with the mystery surrounding your brother’s death, and even though the game isn’t massive in scope, the mood it creates lingers long after you close it. For…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →x-- 7/10 --x Very enjoyable RTS. Simple and satisfying! I also quite enjoyed the story, it's definitely unique enough to hold it's own against other indie titles!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grimstar: Crystals are the New Oil!, developed by SvenRahn Games and published by indie.io, presents itself as a compact real-time strategy experience that blends classic RTS sensibilities with a light layer of modern progression systems. The premise revolves around a future where Earth’s traditional energy sources have collapsed, forcing corporations to seek alternatives on distant planets. Players step into the role of a contractor tasked with extracting valuable crystal resources from…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you’re after a quick single-player RTS fix, this one’s a great pick. The visuals are clean and colorful without being overly busy, and the gameplay is easy to pick up, perfect for newcomers but with enough challenge to keep things interesting. Controls are smooth, the story gives just enough context without dragging things down, and the persistent hero units add a nice sense of progression. For the price, it’s a real gem. Definitely worth a look if you enjoy strategy with a sci-fi twist.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Oh the amount of nostalgia I got from this game, Went in blindly without knowing what awaits me bug grimstar didn't disappoint, Loved every aspect of the game and honestly I couldn't stop. The game is fun addicting love the bgm what else do you need??
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grimstar brings a refreshing spin to a genre that’s been too quiet lately. The game blends old-school real-time strategy with modern ideas — voiced missions, a personal story arc, and a sense of progression through leveling and unlocks. The hero units that carry over and grow stronger after each mission are a great touch, and the different planets keep the gameplay varied. It’s not without its quirks — the writing isn’t perfect, and graphics options are limited — but for the price, you’re…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is actually a fun little RTS game, reminds me a lot of C&C, just you call troops in like reinforcements rather than building. army size does seem limiting at first, though it does get bigger and you never need them lol, some missions are stupidly easy, one i just finished had me move all over a decent sized map, 88 troop supply, briefing that u have to collect all on the map and will have to go through nests.. yea 3 little baby nests that don't fight back, im guessing the enemy was…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🎲 RANDOM GAME, Grimstar: Crystals are the New Oil! (Steam) https://store.steampowered.com/app/1631230 Earth's resources are depleted, and the energy crisis is imminent. Hope remains in the discovery of a distant world rich in a new kind of natural energy. #SteamAndEpic #Grimstar #Crystals
neutral · AI labelView post →Its bad, bland, boring and difficult right at the start. And you will realize later, that the game rewards replaying the "safest" mission for crystal grinding with better stats for the rest of the game! Just stay away.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not my cup style of game
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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