Astroneer, developed by System Era Softworks, is a space-exploration sandbox game where players gather resources, craft items, affect change on several different planets, and develop technologically advanced bases. It has both an Adventure Mode and a Creative Mode. Since its release on other platforms, Astroneer has already had a great reception among players, but as of January 13th, 2022, it is now available for the Nintendo Switch!
This game immediately drew me in. Apart from being perfect for the Switch with its colorful and cartoon-y aesthetics, the music is very atmospheric, and the graphics seem so polished. One of the biggest (and simplest) enticements while playing was the anticipation of seeing what a new structure or material looked like. This seems like such a basic concept, but I was excited to keep advancing in the game to see what new kinds of cool-looking gadgets I was going to get. Cycling through the catalog of locked blueprints, I couldn’t wait to get some really advanced tech for my base. This simple aspect alone is a real testament to the game’s success.
The excitement of unlocking new items, to me, seems to be the biggest factor in how addictive this game is. When I picked my Switch up to play Astroneer, I didn’t put it down again for hours, hearing the familiar “just one more…” chorus in my head! As almost everything (in the Adventure Mode, that is) is about advancement, this cycle never really stops. There are new planets to explore, new items to unlock, and generally just so much content to look forward to especially as a new player. Though gameplay is genuinely a joy, I found it truly addictive, so those with little free time, beware!
As for its recent release on the Nintendo Switch, I found the implementation nearly seamless. The controls are not as completely intuitive as some other games, and the simple tutorial images available in-game are just that—simple—but, after playing for a little while, I definitely got them committed to memory and don’t foresee any further confusion. While the other controls took just a little getting used to, the biggest issue I found was selecting small items on top of larger items. On many of the machine-type items in the game such as the smelter, gathered resources are slotted in on top to create something new. When simply walking around the items, I found it difficult to select a smaller item just by looking at it, so I spent some time walking around things before finally getting into just the right spot.
You actually do have access to a cursor in this game, which can then be used to select something specifically rather than aimlessly wandering around. However, activating the cursor requires either going through an extra step or pressing multiple buttons. This definitely feels like it highlights some of the Switch’s limitations, but this is by no mean game-ruining. Simply put, it reminded me I was playing on a console.
Another aspect that may bother (or delight) players is the lack of a formal tutorial within the game itself. I didn’t quite realize this going in, but there are specific tutorials in the game menu, rather than the game running the player through a tutorial at the start of a new save. After a little bit of wandering aimlessly again, I was feeling somewhat frustrated, seeing that I had a quest objective but little idea of how to do it. However, once I figured it out, I felt like I was now capable of figuring out the rest of the game. It was actually rather exciting to get a new item, not know what to do with it, and then figure it out myself. I could definitely see this leading to confusion and frustration for some players, but others may have a fun time discovering things on their own. And, for those who want extra help, the tutorials are available.
For a game that has already proven to be very well-liked and successful, its release on Switch is definitely exciting, and well-implemented. Whenever I have a few hours to put into a game, and no urgent tasks that I might miss by “just going on one more trip to that cave system,” Astroneer is definitely going at the top of my list!
9/10
Check Out the Astroneer Trailer:
For more information, visit the official website, and follow Astroneer on Twitter and Instagram.
I have been playing video games since I got my first pink Gameboy Advance SP when I was six years old. From that point on, video games have held a special place in my heart and I have been fascinated by the way games involve the player in the narrative and how their mechanics interact with that narrative. As an aspiring video game narrative writer, I jump at the opportunity to play any and all games at my disposal.
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