# Element - RTS — Realtime Strategy Space Game

> Real-time space strategy game with accessible gameplay for busy players. (iPhone/iPad app by Flightless.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-rts/id749488884 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Flightless](https://appshunter.io/developer/367309147)
- Category: Games, Action, Strategy
- Price: $1.99 (on sale, was $2.99)
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 474 App Store ratings · 58 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 10.0 · 139 MB
- Languages: American English, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish and 8 more
- Released: 2018-10-18
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-rts/id749488884/reviews.md

## What is Element?

Element is a realtime strategy space game for people who don't have time to play realtime strategy space games.

Home no longer provides a means to survive.
A fight for resources to escape our system has begun.
The future lies beyond…

Element is a visually stunning realtime strategy space game with a focus on sharp, accessible gameplay.

Element is for lovers of beautifully crafted, original looking games. It is for people who are into space and strategy games but don’t have hours of time to invest. It’s also for gamers who enjoy launching missiles and blowing things up :)

You are escaping a decaying solar system. You must visit each planet, mine enough element, and defeat the enemy to progress to the outer planets and beyond. Generate energy, mine element, build attack and defense units, and destroy the enemy while maintaining a balance between earth, air and water.


Element
A Flightless Game
by John O'Reilly & Greg Harding.
© 2014-2018 Flightless Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Available for iPhone, iPad, and MacOS.

http://elementgame.com
http://www.flightless.co.nz
http://twitter.com/flightlessnz
element@flightless.co.nz

## Key features

- Real-time strategy gameplay
- Space exploration and combat
- Resource mining and management
- Unit building and deployment
- Visually stunning graphics
- Accessible for short play sessions

## What do users think of Element?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 Beautiful minimalist low-poly graphics
- 🧠 Strategic depth with simple learning curve
- ⚡ Quick, bite-sized gaming sessions
- 🎯 Intuitive controls and UI design
- 🏆 Challenging difficulty progression
- 📱 Works well across different device sizes

**Cons**

- ⏱️ Extremely short campaign (4 hours completion)
- 🔄 Repetitive gameplay after initial planets
- 💰 Expensive for content length ($5 price point)
- ⚙️ Tracking and progress system doesn't work properly
- 🎮 Unbalanced gameplay - can destroy enemy base instantly
- 🏃 Too fast-paced to develop real strategy
- 📊 Text and UI elements too small on iPhones
- 🐛 Frequent crashes on iPad Pro M1
- 📚 Tutorial unclear and insufficient

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Progress tracking doesn't register completed mines
- Game crashes frequently on iPad Pro M1
- Purchase transaction issues and money deduction without delivery
- UI text too small on iPhone XR and newer models
- Tutorial doesn't adequately explain mechanics

**Most requested features**

- Multiplayer/PvP mode
- More levels and planets
- Random world generator or sandbox mode
- Local co-op gameplay
- Skirmish/custom difficulty modes
- Infinite/survival mode
- Alien races or unique planet variants
- Sequel or prequel
- Bonus missions for capturing all mines
- Special upgrades for captured planet ores
- Larger UI text scaling for iPhone
- Post-game content or endless mode

## Recent user reviews (10 of 58)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-rts/id749488884/reviews.md

### 2/5 — Entertainment if functional

*2025-07-09*

The mechanics of the game are fun to play although the tracking and progress system it uses doesn’t work for a damn. You could mine 99% and have every mine under control and still not meet the requirements to show it as completed.

### 5/5 — Great find

*2024-07-10*

Super entertaining. If you like command and conquer this is you!

### 5/5 — Multiplayer

*2023-10-02, version 2.3*

Multiplayer

### 1/5 — Not worth 2 cents.

*2023-02-04*

Based on the reviews, I was excited to play this game but wow what a let down.  The game is interesting for the first couple of planets, but then it’s just the same thing over and over. It’s too fast paced to actually develop a strategy. Because you’re playing against the system which is very fast and it’s not like it’s turn-based so you quickly have to make bases, mine resources, build defenses etc. before the system does, which it does very quickly. So your forced to randomly build defenses and mines as fast as possible which does not allow you to develop a strategy at all.  I’m not saying the game is that difficult, it’s not, but it’s just not fun. So if you want my two cents that’s about how much this game is worth. Hopefully the developers use the three dollars it cost to develop a better game.

### 4/5 — A little half-cooked

*2022-12-27*

You can build structures right next to the enemy base and destroy it in seconds

### 3/5 — Verschenktes Potenzial…

*2022-08-09*

Man merkt die Entwickler hatten ein Konzept und sich etwas mit den unterschiedlichen Turmtypen gedacht leider hat das Spielprinzip eine Schwäche die es sehr eintönig werden lässt. Es gibt Ressourcentürme, Abbau Minen, Verteidigungs Türme, Angriffstürme, Raketen, Drohnen mit denen man reparieren und spezielle items einsammeln kann und das auch noch in verschiedenen Effizients Level und je nachdem wo man seine Türme platziert Land Luft Wasser gibt es unterschiedliche Boni. Das ist aber alles nicht von Belang um mit Bestpunktzahl abzuschließen benötigt man lediglich den Ressourcen und Angriffsturm. Zu Beginn stellt man so viele Ressourcen Türme auf wie man kann und hat man genügend stellt man überall angrifftürme um den Gegner kurz bevor der Gegner Tot ist noch auf alle Minen Abbau Türme setzen und das Level ist gewonnen egal in welcher Schwierigkeitsstufen und immer mit einer kaum zu übertreffend hohen Punktzahl sodas es sich auch nicht lohnt ein Level nochmal mit einer anderen tacktick zu spielen das ist irgendwie Schade und nimmt einem interessant und optisch echt schönem Konzept jeglichen Reiz. 
So hatte ich das Spiel nach maximal 2Stunden auch schon durchgespielt. Der Preis ist aber auch für so eine kurze Spielzeit in Ordnung.

### 5/5 — Excelente juego

*2022-07-12, version 2.3*

Un juego muy divertido y rejugable con mecánicas originales, interesantes y divertidas

### 1/5 — Great… when it is not crashing

*2022-04-15, version 2.3*

iPad Pro with and M1 and the game crashes frequently…. Not happy.

### 4/5 — Хорошо, но очень мало

*2021-10-14, version 2.3*

Я только освоил игру, а все, теперь просто проходи заново все при желании. Грустно…
А игра очень хорошая

### 5/5 — Is this neat indie dead?

*2021-09-04*

This is one of the best games ever. Cute graphics, minimalistic design and gameplay style, neat backdrop (can’t really call it a storyline), easy to pick up and hard to put down. The only planets I couldn’t beat in one go were Carbon, Radium, and Xenon. Boy was Xenon a toughie. Took me about 15 tries. The game was around 3 hours long. To any devs reading this, is this game dead. Seeing as its been a year since an update or any reviews even, it seems likely. I would love to see a random world generator, custom world builder, multiplayer, alien races, a sequel, a prequel… ANYTHING.
Not a whole lot of replay ability, so I would just love pretty much any addition to the game. If any devs are out there, thanks a lot for this diamond in the rough.

## Frequently asked questions about Element

### What kind of game is Element?

Element is a real-time strategy space game. It focuses on sharp, accessible gameplay that is designed for players who may not have extensive time to dedicate to gaming sessions.

### What is the objective of the game?

The objective is to escape a decaying solar system. You must visit each planet, mine enough 'element' resources, and defeat enemies to progress to outer planets and beyond.

### How does the game handle monetization?

Based on the provided information, the game does not have in-app purchases or advertisements. It is a paid application.

### What devices is Element available on?

Element is available for iPhone, iPad, and MacOS devices. This allows for a cross-platform gaming experience.

### What are the core gameplay mechanics?

Core mechanics include generating energy, mining element resources, building attack and defense units, and destroying enemies. Players must also maintain a balance between earth, air, and water elements.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 2.3 — 2020-05-28

- updated engine
- updated screenshot sharing support
- added privacy settings for GDPR compliance

Go and blow some stuff up :)

### 2.2 — 2018-12-10

- added new super missile supply crates!
- added new in-game dynamic music
- added screenshot sharing support
- optimized menu and game loading times
- updated localization
- updated engine

Have fun :)

### 2.1 — 2018-10-17

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-29.*