A cohesive combination of play styles
I would call Planet' s Edge an RPG were it not for the many different gameplay elements that this game packs, though, indeed, it features RPG elements as well. What I find it to be, if I am to look for a more accurate description, is an adventure similar to the point and click Star Trek adventures, with space flight portions with exploration of planets, with some economic elements and the RPG developmental skill tree and leveling up. The story is a sort of space opera, based on a crew of space explorers not unlike those of the USS Enterprise, though these are more interested in exploiting the planets they encounter rather than being focused on just exploring to find strange new worlds. Though there are strange worlds in this game too, as each planet has its own theme and feel, each one harboring a civilization unlike the other. There is also combat here, based on the Might and magic type of dice roll mechanic, adapted to the needs of this environment. At any rate, it manages to create an interesting merging of gameplay styles, maybe a little confusing at first but nonetheless immersive once you get the catch. Centauri Alliance seems like an appropriate alternative for this title, though maybe more interesting in terms of the economics it simulates.
