What if Diablo 2 was about piloting customizable spaceships instead of grinding for legendary swords? That’s exactly what Zorg Games created with Star Vortex, a top-down action RPG that launched into Steam Early Access on July 28, 2025 after years of solo development . You design your ship from scratch using hundreds of parts, hunt for rare equipment with random stats, build around synergies across three skill trees, and blast through procedurally generated sectors filled with elite enemies and bosses. It’s Path of Exile meets FTL, and it somehow works .
What Is Star Vortex
Star Vortex drops you into a galaxy where humanity fights wars on all fronts, only to be ambushed by a mysterious new enemy that appears out of nowhere . As a combat pilot of the Conclave, you must escort the mothership back to Earth with vital intelligence about this threat. But reaching Earth requires venturing deep into hostile alien sectors, fighting through enemy fleets, salvaging ancient technology, and turning the enemy’s weapons against them .
The game combines single-player space shooter action with classic ARPG item systems and skill trees inspired by Diablo 2 and Path of Exile . Your character is your ship. Instead of finding better boots or chest armor, you’re hunting for legendary laser cannons and shield generators. Instead of skill trees for fireballs and summons, you’re unlocking drone support, time dilation fields, and tesla coils. The loot chase and build crafting that defines ARPGs translates perfectly to spaceship customization .
Combat is top-down twin-stick shooting with ARPG pacing. You dodge incoming fire, activate equipment abilities, boost to recharge shields, and unleash devastating weapon combinations on enemy formations. Boosting makes you invulnerable but prevents firing, creating tactical decisions about when to push aggressively versus retreat . Elite enemies drop rare loot. Bosses guard legendary items. Procedurally generated sectors ensure every run feels different .
The Ship Designer That Changes Everything
Star Vortex’s most impressive feature is its versatile ship designer that lets you construct your perfect vessel from a vast array of pre-defined parts . You’re not just picking a ship class and equipping gear. You’re physically placing weapon mounts, choosing hull configurations, deciding equipment slot positions, and selecting colors for every component. Want a long-range sniper ship with forward-facing lasers? Build it. Prefer a close-range brawler with turrets covering all angles? That works too .
The system starts simple with small frigates that have limited slots and firepower. As you level up your pilot, you unlock bigger ship frames with more weapon hardpoints and equipment slots . Eventually you’re commanding massive battleships that dominate the screen, bristling with weapons and covered in defensive systems. The progression from scrappy fighter to unstoppable capital ship mirrors the power fantasy of leveling from weakling to god in traditional ARPGs.
What makes this special is how it integrates with the loot system. Every weapon and equipment piece you find has random stats and potential synergies. Maybe you discover a laser that deals bonus damage to shields but has reduced range. Do you rebuild your ship around close-range shield-breaking? Or keep your current long-range build and sell it? These decisions happen constantly as loot drops, creating the same theorycrafting addiction that makes Diablo and Path of Exile so compelling .
Sharing Ship Designs
One brilliant feature is the import/export system that lets you share custom ship designs with friends . Build something crazy and send the blueprint to others who can import it directly. This could foster a community sharing optimal builds for different difficulties or challenges, similar to how Path of Exile players share character builds. The potential for creativity is enormous when you combine hundreds of parts with full customization freedom .
The Solo Developer Journey
Star Vortex is a hobby project that Zorg Games has been working on in their free time for years, trying to combine their love of single-player space shooters with classic ARPG item systems and skill trees . Almost everything in the game was made by a solo developer, which makes the scope even more impressive. Creating a deep ARPG with complex itemization is hard enough. Adding full spaceship customization, procedural generation, and polished twin-stick shooting on top is borderline insane for one person.
The game launched into Steam Early Access on July 28, 2025 after an extended development period . Early Access makes sense for a project this ambitious from a solo developer. The core systems are solid enough to provide dozens of hours of gameplay, but there’s room to expand with more sectors, enemies, items, and balancing based on community feedback. Zorg Games is actively developing the title with recent updates as of December 2025 .
What’s remarkable is how polished Star Vortex feels for a solo passion project. The ship designer works smoothly. Combat is responsive. Progression feels satisfying. The item system has genuine depth with countless possible builds and synergies. Sure, it lacks the budget and presentation of AAA titles, but the gameplay fundamentals are rock solid .
The ARPG Systems
Star Vortex doesn’t just borrow the aesthetic of games like Diablo. It implements the core systems that make ARPGs addictive. Three large upgrade trees allow players to create the perfect build to suit their playstyle . These aren’t simple stat boosts. They unlock fundamentally different approaches like heat-resistant builds for fighting fire-based enemies or corrosion-resistant ships for battling the mysterious Outcasts .
The item system features deep complexity with many possible builds and synergies to discover . Weapons come in various types including lasers, homing missiles, energy pulses, rocket launchers, and automatic turrets. Equipment slots can hold gadgets like time dilation fields, drones, cloaking devices, grapple guns, and tesla coils. Finding the right combination of weapons and equipment that synergize with your skill tree choices is where the theorycrafting happens .
Loot rarity tiers determine power levels, with legendary items offering game-changing effects. Elite enemies and bosses drop better gear, creating incentive to seek out challenging encounters rather than avoiding them. The progression loop mirrors Diablo perfectly: kill enemies, collect loot, upgrade your build, tackle harder content, find better loot, repeat forever .
Procedural Generation and Difficulty
Every sector is procedurally generated, ensuring each playthrough offers unique challenges and opportunities . You might choose to hunt specific bosses for their legendary drops. Or explore thoroughly to find hidden elite packs. Random events like surprise alien invasions, stranded pilots needing rescue, or enemy convoys to intercept add variety beyond pure combat .
The game includes various difficulty settings to suit all skill levels, with a Hardcore Mode for players seeking the ultimate challenge . Multiple difficulties encourage replayability, letting you master your build on lower settings before testing it against brutal endgame content. This difficulty scaling is essential for ARPGs, providing goals beyond just reaching max level.
The Mystery Space Worm
Beyond the main plot about escorting the mothership to Earth, something stranger is happening. A giant space worm has taken interest in you and seemingly guides and supports you throughout your journey . This mysterious entity adds intrigue beyond the straightforward military conflict with alien invaders. What does it want? Why is it helping? These questions drive curiosity alongside the loot chase.
The narrative setup is simple but effective. Humanity faces existential threats from multiple directions. A new enemy emerges that could tip the balance. You’re the pilot who must warn Earth before it’s too late. It’s classic sci-fi conflict that provides context for why you’re shooting endless alien fleets, but it doesn’t get in the way of the core ARPG gameplay loop .
Controls and Accessibility
Star Vortex offers extensive control customization allowing keyboard only, keyboard and mouse, controller, or Steam Deck play . This flexibility matters for twin-stick shooters where input method significantly impacts feel. Some players prefer mouse aiming for precision. Others like the tactile feedback of analog sticks. Supporting all options means more people can enjoy the game how they prefer.
Accessibility features include color-blind friendly options, subtitles, configurable controls, and an interactive tutorial . The tutorial is crucial for a game this complex. Teaching players about ship building, equipment synergies, skill trees, and combat mechanics requires careful onboarding. Throwing them into deep waters without explanation would alienate newcomers unfamiliar with ARPG conventions.
Early Access Content and Roadmap
The current Early Access build includes the core ship designer, three skill trees, deep itemization, procedural sectors, various enemy types including elites and bosses, multiple difficulties with hardcore mode, and full controller support . That’s substantial content for an Early Access launch, easily providing 20-40 hours for a single playthrough depending on how thoroughly you explore.
Planned additions include more sectors, enemies, and items . Expanding variety is essential for ARPG longevity. Even with procedural generation, players eventually recognize patterns and memorize encounters. Adding new enemy types with unique mechanics, additional sectors with environmental hazards, and fresh item sets with novel synergies keeps the experience fresh.
Community feedback will shape development priorities. If players want more endgame challenges, Zorg can focus there. If ship customization needs more parts, that becomes the priority. Early Access done right treats players as collaborators rather than beta testers, incorporating their insights to create the best possible final product.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Star Vortex?
Star Vortex is a top-down action RPG space shooter where you design custom spaceships, collect loot, and fight through procedurally generated alien sectors. It combines ARPG systems from games like Diablo and Path of Exile with spaceship customization and twin-stick shooting .
When did Star Vortex release?
Star Vortex launched into Steam Early Access on July 28, 2025. The game is currently in active development with regular updates from solo developer Zorg Games .
Who is making Star Vortex?
Star Vortex is developed by Zorg Games, essentially a solo developer who has been working on the game as a hobby project for years. Almost all aspects of the game are created by one person .
How much does Star Vortex cost?
Star Vortex is available on Steam with a 15 percent Early Access discount. The exact price varies by region, but it follows typical indie ARPG pricing .
Can you play Star Vortex on Steam Deck?
Yes, Star Vortex fully supports Steam Deck with customizable controls optimized for handheld play. The game works with keyboard, mouse, controller, or Steam Deck inputs .
What games inspired Star Vortex?
Star Vortex draws primary inspiration from classic ARPGs like Diablo 2 and Path of Exile for its loot systems and skill trees, combined with single-player space shooter mechanics .
Is there multiplayer in Star Vortex?
No, Star Vortex is a single-player experience focused on combining solo space shooter gameplay with ARPG progression. However, you can share custom ship designs with friends using the import/export feature .
How long is a Star Vortex playthrough?
Average playtime varies significantly based on playstyle and difficulty, but expect 20-40 hours for a complete run. The game includes multiple difficulties and hardcore mode for extended replayability .
Why This Matters
Star Vortex represents what passionate solo developers can accomplish when they commit to a vision. Zorg Games spent years building this as a hobby project, combining their love of space shooters with ARPG systems, and the result is something genuinely unique. Yes, it’s inspired by Diablo and Path of Exile. But translating those systems to spaceship customization and twin-stick combat creates an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
The ARPG genre is saturated with fantasy games about warriors, wizards, and demons. We’ve killed millions of skeletons in dungeons. We’ve collected endless legendary swords. Star Vortex offers the same addictive loot chase and build crafting in a fresh setting where you’re piloting customizable spaceships instead. That simple premise opens entirely new design space for what items can do and how progression works.
The ship designer alone justifies attention. Building your perfect vessel from hundreds of parts, choosing colors and slot placements, then taking that custom creation into combat against procedurally generated threats creates investment that goes beyond stat optimization. Your ship is your character. Every upgrade changes how it looks and plays. That tangible progression feels more satisfying than invisible stat increases.
Is Star Vortex perfect? Probably not. Early Access means rough edges and incomplete content. The solo development shows in places where additional polish or resources would elevate presentation. But the core gameplay loop works. The ship building is deep. The combat feels good. The loot chase is addictive. For ARPG fans tired of fantasy settings or space sim enthusiasts wanting more accessible combat, Star Vortex delivers exactly what its elevator pitch promises.
The Steam page is live. The demo is available. Early Access is ongoing with active development and community engagement. If you’ve ever thought “I wish Diablo was about spaceships,” this is your game. Zorg Games built exactly that, and it’s ready for you to pilot your custom-built battleship into the void.