Fit check
Is 500 Years Act 1 worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Space-opera fans who want a story-driven adventure
- Players who prefer arcade combat with unusual ship controls
- Explorers who want to visit star systems and meet alien races
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players seeking conventional ship controls may hit a wall when combat uses the game's non-traditional control scheme.
- Players wanting a self-contained story may stop at the end of Act 1, since the narrative is planned to conclude in Act 2.
- Players looking for primarily ground-based exploration may find the focus on star systems and ship travel limiting.
- Players seeking a large selection of unrelated activities may find the emphasis on exploration, encounters, equipment choices, and boss fights narrow.
Our take on 500 Years Act 1
Players who expect standard space-combat controls will likely bounce off at the first arcade-style encounter, where the game’s unusual ship handling becomes central. Those seeking a complete narrative may also hit a wall when Act 1 ends before the story’s planned conclusion.
What is 500 Years Act 1?
500 Years Act 1 is a story-led space adventure set 500 years after Earth’s destruction.
Humanity once left Earth aboard colony ships, including the Artemis, which established a settlement on an Earth-like moon. After the insectoid Ants enslave the colony and later depart without explanation, the player joins the resistance and is assigned to locate the lost Artemis. A functioning captain’s yacht found among the wreckage becomes the crew’s means of exploring the stars and searching for surviving humans. Gameplay involves visiting solar systems, meeting alien inhabitants, selecting ship equipment according to enemy types, and using arcade-style combat with unusual ship controls. The episode also includes large boss encounters. The story is planned to conclude in Act 2.
How 500 Years Act 1 plays
- 01Star System Exploration
- Travel between solar systems while searching for surviving humans and encountering their inhabitants.
- 02Ship Loadout Choices
- Change the yacht’s equipment based on the kind of opponent being faced.
- 03Alien Encounters
- Meet different alien races, including inhabitants who may be friendly or hostile.
- 04Boss Encounters
- Combat includes battles against very large bosses.
- 05Episodic Story
- This first act follows the search for the Artemis and is intended to continue in Act 2.
500 Years Act 1 compared to similar games
500 Years Act 1 combines space-system exploration with arcade-style ship combat and equipment choices tied to enemy types. Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition focuses on an unconventional story and exploration of a dangerous city, while Ghost of a Tale centers on a mouse protagonist, stealth, disguises, and conversations in a medieval animal world.
500 Years Act 1: platforms & release
Is 500 Years Act 1 worth it?
It is worth it if: space-opera fans who want a story-driven adventure. Skip it if: players seeking conventional ship controls may hit a wall when combat uses the game's non-traditional control scheme.
Where can I download 500 Years Act 1?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens 500 Years Act 1's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is 500 Years Act 1 on?
Windows only.
