A colorful take on a space classic, Spacebase Startopia is an economic simulation and empire-building game that places you in the commander seat of an alien-filled space station. I initially had a GDC appointment for this game, but I was able to get a virtual walkthrough with one of the game designers at Realmforge Studios, Florian Delank.
The main objective of the game is to build the best luxury star cruiser in the galaxy by attracting aliens of all types to your station and building amenities to fulfill their needs. The ship is divided into 3 decks: the sub-deck for survival, the fun deck for entertainment, and the bio deck for nature and relaxation. Across these three decks, you can build various different rooms such as sleep bunkers, hospitals, jails, dancing floors, research labs, and gambling casinos. Aliens who visit your space station pay you in energy and rate your station, which contributes toward your overall reputation. As manager, you are constantly on the lookout for maintenance issues such as trash buildup, depleted oxygen levels, harmful cocoon spawns on the bio deck, and even space pirates who can raid your ship. The main AI narrator, “VAL,” thankfully helps monitor all the different stations and sometimes points out different objectives you should complete. For defense, you can build an army of mechs and choose from artillery, sniper, or siege capabilities to fight against threats. The game also features a multiplayer mode that allows you to play competitively or collaboratively with up to three other players.
For me, the most interesting aspect of the game was the variety of aliens species you can interact with. From a design standpoint, they are extremely fun to watch and come in a delightful array of colors, shapes, and sizes. However, they also differ in their interests: for example, when I watched Florian build a gaming arcade on the entertainment deck, I saw a whole new species of gaming tourist aliens arrive on the ship. In addition to serving alien guests, you can also employ them in roles that match their species-specific skills. Certain aliens help operate the comm station, while others conduct research or act as janitors. For compensation, these aliens don’t have to pay energy to use the other amenities. Lastly, you can check on each individual alien’s satisfaction level as a tourist or an employer, which makes the game feel extremely complex and realistic.
One of my favorite types of games has always been empire-building games, where you can constantly upgrade your home base while also simply watching all of your guests use and enjoy the various different amenities. I really like the fact that this game taking a successful classic from 2001 and revamping it for a new generation of players. Although my tour was only a walkthrough, I could see myself having a lot of fun clicking on different aliens and assigning them a job or giving them a stress-free vacation. With all the different things to explore, there seems to be enough to entertain aliens—and gamers—of all kinds.
Check Out the Spacebase Startopia Interview/Gameplay Video:
Spacebase Startopia is scheduled for release in Q3 2020 on Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mac, and Linux.
For more information, please visit here: www.kalypsomedia.com
From the moment I first played Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy on the original Xbox, I have always had an avid curiosity and enthusiasm for video games. I admire their ability to immerse us in completely different worlds, and I am always eager to see how they integrate the newest breakthroughs in digital technology to make virtual reality feel real. I am currently a senior at UC Berkeley, but when I'm not studying I always make time to play Xbox One with my younger brother.
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