Space Race Showdown: Dark Frontiers vs Star Atlas

6 min readApr 25, 2022

With the multitude of blockchain-based games that seem to be continuously released, it can be hard to find the quality projects that truly stand out. Dark Frontiers and Star Atlas are two space-themed games that are looking to set a very high standard for the blockchain gaming space, and, while we are of course biased toward Dark Frontiers, we thought it would be fun to compare and contrast the two games as they get ready to release to the public.

Summary

Dark Frontiers is a third-person shooter RPG that takes place in a larger world outside of just the game itself. The game combines open-world exploration and standard RPG components with a larger game economy that allows players to more fully immerse themselves in the ecosystem. Players can choose to campaign solo or with a friend, and travel, explore, and fight across the galaxy. The browser-based gameplay allows for a more “economical” focus with the ability to manage assets, land, weapons, buildings, and more.

Star Atlas is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), meaning it is played in real-time with thousands of other players simultaneously in a sort of “open space” universe. Very limited gameplay footage has been released so far, but from what we’ve seen and heard, players will at some points just be in control of their character from a first-person POV, and at other times be in charge of a whole spaceship and crew. Each player starts by choosing to play as a human, alien, or android, and from there can begin their adventuring exploring, negotiating, fighting, collecting, and more.

Currency

$DARK is Dark Frontiers’ native currency and has a whole host of uses and benefits. Firstly, it is the coin used for all transactions that take place both in and out of the game. Whether a player is grabbing a new spacesuit NFT or claiming the latest alien-zapping weapon, they’ll need to use $DARK to make it happen. Players who hold certain amounts of $DARK will be eligible for discounts and rewards as well. Finally, since Dark Frontiers is a DAO, $DARK will act as a governance token giving voting rights to the players.

Star Atlas has two currencies associated with the game: $POLIS and $ATLAS. $POLIS is exclusively used as a governance token. Essentially it represents a player’s stake of ownership of the Star Atlas project and gives players the ability to vote on proposals and monetary usage. In contrast, $ATLAS is the actual currency used IN-game to transact with shops or other players. Unlike $POLIS, $ATLAS is inflationary to keep the price reasonable as the game expands and the player base grows.

Game Modes

Dark Frontiers’ main game mode will be a third-person shooter RPG, in which players can explore in an open-world environment or complete missions to advance the storyline. Players will travel the galaxy, either solo or with a friend, questing, fighting off alien hoards, and uncovering the mysteries of the universe, all the while levelling up their character, weapons, and inventory. The secondary game mode will take more of an “economic” approach, giving players the ability to purchase and manage plots of land, build bases, generate energy, and mine crystals.

Star Atlas primarily exists as an MMORPG, in which players navigate space with their character through various functions. The game will heavily incorporate player-to-player interactions and allow for participation in diplomacy, combat, exploration, piloting, strategy, and more. Like Dark Frontiers, there is an additional browser-based mini-game that is supplemental to the console game mode as well.

Play To Earn

Dark Frontiers will have multiple ways to earn $DARK tokens which can then be sold to other currencies. Firstly, like many other projects, players can stake $DARK and provide liquidity. NFTs collected or bought will also have value and these assets are expected to appreciate as the game becomes more popular, thus earning a profit for the seller. Most uniquely, however, will be the ability to mine crystals. Crystals can be mined both in the RPG game or collected outside the game in various ways (like owning plots of land). These crystals can be processed and sold for $DARK tokens.

Similarly, Star Atlas will provide multiple play-to-earn opportunities. The game will have similar staking, LP, and NFT mechanics, but many other mechanisms will allow players to earn $ATLAS. The in-game economy of Star Atlas looks to be quite intricate, and players will be rewarded and compensated for their contributions to their factions. From mining, engineering, refining, managing, piloting, or fighting, there are countless “jobs” that one can participate in to earn. This opens up the game to accommodate so many different types of players and should keep the game fresh.

Miscellaneous

Conclusion

While both games look to be space-themed powerhouse blockchain games, we can see some stark differences in the way that they will be played. If you like exploration, mystery, jump scares, and shooting aliens, Dark Frontiers is sure to satisfy your itch. If you prefer playing a huge game with thousands of other people that incorporates diplomacy, warring factions, and flying spaceships, you might want to look into Star Atlas to see what you think!

Both games have released at least some sort of browser-based interface where players can start collecting their assets, but we should see much bigger releases for the projects coming soon. Ultimately, we believe both games have huge potential to completely take blockchain gaming to a whole new level and we can’t wait to see what these projects can do!

About Dark Frontiers

“Dark Frontiers” is the newest, gamified space realm governed by a Gamestarter produced DAO. As NFT standards and values are shifting towards promoting use-cases, Dark Frontiers’ goal is to drive mainstream adoption by enhancing the usability of NFTs through staking, item ownership, and the creation of real-world value through in-game items.

Embarking on the gamified metaverse, players will pilot their own spaceship and conquer new planets, defeat oppositions, form guilds and capture new and unique NFTs that can either be built on or sold on the open markets.

The $DARK token in Dark Frontiers will cover an array of opportunities. For players interested in dominating entire sections of a universe, say, by owning a moon, or a planet, they can use this digital plot of land to earn interest on their $DARK. The token will not only be used for staking, but players can also purchase and upgrade their starship Galactica’s using $DARK. After upgrading your ship for universal domination, you are prepared to stand head-to-head with other opponents that are in your way!

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