I’m still playing FTL, and it’s Still the Perfect iPad Game

Few games stand the test of time and touchscreen like this one

I got a new iPad a few weeks ago, and one of the first things I did on it was download FTL: Faster Than Light (again). It’s a game I’ve written about before, one that I keep returning to, and one that stands the test of time better than nearly anything else I can play on a tablet. Subset Games understandably put themselves back on everyone’s radar with the fantastic Into the Breach in 2018, but FTL, which is now up to a ripe old age of seven years, will always be the game that showed us what this studio can do.

The elevator pitch for FTL is that it makes you feel like a spaceship captain, a feeling that no other game can replicate (at least in my experience). Since every action takes place in real time, every run can lead to some impressively hectic situations: I might have to simultaneously fight off intruders and put out a fire, all while I’m furiously attacking an enemy ship’s weapons system. Turning a scenario like this one into a victory is majestic; failing to keep everything together (which is far more common) is unexpectedly devastating.

The game’s minimalist design and UI is also worth talking about — especially since it still oozes charm and personality. The buttons and loading bars are a little blocky and chunky, a semi-retro aesthetic that somehow feels perfect. Since FTL is a text-heavy experience from start to finish, this UI comes into play a lot. Into the Breach is built on that same foundation, which means that there’s now an identifiable Subset Games style, one that I hope I see again in the future.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this game is absolutely perfect for playing on an iPad, one of those elusive titles that feels like it was truly made to be played on a touchscreen. That’s even more stunning when you consider that it was originally made for computers — somehow it made the transition from mouse and keyboard to a tablet feel like an improvement. I’ve played on both a computer and my tablet, and being able to quickly tap the screen immediately is a huge improvement. It’s more comfortable and more effective. The App Store is littered with games that couldn’t quite stick the landing when moving from a PC to an iPad, but FTL is truly perfect for this platform.

So what’s next for FTL and Subset Games? The game hasn’t been updated in years (not that it needs to really add anything else), and the studio’s future focus is clearly either on Into the Breach, or whatever project they have next in the pipeline. I’m perfectly happy to keep playing FTL as long as I can, and since a sequel seems unlikely, this is most likely the best sci-fi space captain game that will ever exist. For now, and for the foreseeable future, FTL will continue to be the perfect iPad game.

Hopefully, Into the Breach will make its way onto my device at some point, too.