FTL: Faster Than Light is the little video game that could; this indie game achieved funding through Kickstarter.  The game’s concept might sound hopelessly esoteric to the casual gamer: a real-time space sim with the consequence of permanent death if you slip up?  Roguelike games aren’t usually applauded for their accessibility.  However, Subset Games not only pulls this concept off, but it does so with aplomb.  The basic gameplay is fun and it manages to be strategic and skilled despite the lack of twitch reflexes and the inclusion of random events.

Every element of the game is made very clear in the user interface, and despite the fact the models aren’t too far off from the pixelated sprites of the NES in concept, in practice, they read clearly and express essential information – health, race, action, movement – in a glance.  The icons and areas of the ship are equally clear, in an almost utilitarian fashion that still manages to be pleasing to the eye.  The graphics and audio hail back to its retro ancestors, paying homage while adding modern twists.  It sheds the harsh sounds of old 8-bit soundtracks but keeps the same influences, smoothing the final product out into something that manages to be both eerie and hopeful at times, while staying entirely faithful to the genre of science fiction.

Of course, looks are meaningless if the product doesn’t work well. Thankfully, the Flux is a fantastic headset for gamers. The headset was simple to set up and worked immediately.  There was very little effort needed to calibrate the sound or microphone, and I was able to listen to music and chat with friends within minutes of opening the packaging. While playing my usual games, a whole new dimension of sound opened to me.  On the Fields of Justice inLeague of Legends, I could hear birds crowing and the wind whistling in the background.  In Borderlands 2, I could hear the distinction between my allies’ weapon types and every enemy’s cries and comedic lines. In Team Fortress 2, my performance as a Sniper skyrocketed when I realised I could now hear the footsteps of incoming sneaky Spies and perilous Pyros.  My old headset couldn’t detect these subtle background noises, and game soundtracks and sound effects were muddy and indistinct compared to the Flux. I was shocked at the difference.

The microphone is different than any other headset I’ve used in the past.  I was initially quite confused by the microphone’s placement, leading to a few minutes of fruitless searching for a microphone peripheral in the box.  Once I realised that the mic was connected to the wires via a small attachment that ends up resting against the shoulder, I was sceptical of the quality.  However, the Flux surprised me once again with high quality audio transmissions.  While using the Flux, you will need to turn your microphone volume up a couple of notches to compensate for the position, but the quality is fantastic and I came across crisp and clear while chatting and strategizing with my teammates.

Once you’ve gotten over the lack of a mic in front of your face, the Flux’s mic location is actually quite useful.  If you ever like to snack or drink while at your computer, you never have to worry about the mic being in the way.   As a cat owner, I was glad that there was no dangly mic to tempt the little devils.  Eventually, the shoulder positioning on the mic felt natural and useful.