FTL: Faster Than Light

FTL: Faster Than Light is a roguelike spaceship simulator that arrived on mobile in 2014, after starting an entire wave of similar indie games on PC. The player commands the crew of a ship fleeing an enemy fleet, allocating power between shields, weapons, and engines while dealing with fires, boarding enemies, and damaged systems in real time – and a single mistake can mean the definitive end of the current run.

On a touchscreen the game controls surprisingly naturally – allocating power and giving crew orders is handled by tapping and dragging icons between the ship's systems, so the tension of managing a ship during crisis moments loses none of its intensity compared to the PC version. Permadeath and a procedurally generated galaxy mean no two runs are the same, and the crew's death is final, which gives FTL long-term replayability despite its seemingly simple pixel graphics and austere interface.

This is a one-time paid title with no ads or microtransactions. FTL is today considered one of the founding games of the roguelike-lite genre, which has influenced dozens of later titles, and the mobile version only confirms that status – it made the classic accessible to a new circle of players without needing a computer.

Why play it: Suitable for players who want to experience one of the founding games of the roguelike-lite genre and don't mind the tension of knowing a single mistake can end the entire run.