SPACELAND Review for PlayStation 4

Spaceland is self-described by the Tortuga Team as “perhaps the most dynamic turn-based shooter in the spirit of XCOM.” In terms of addicting XCOM gameplay, Spaceland certainly delivers. Tortuga Team wows with an edgy sci-fi soundtrack, cartoony graphics and interesting RPG elements.

I personally really enjoy when games have multiple levels of difficulty, as it serves as a good entry point for individuals who are not well acquainted with the genre. I started this game knowing that I wasn’t really too great at turn-based strategies, but I was pleased to see that the developers had offered two modes—one for people who were familiar with strategy games, and one for people who were not. I decided to play on “easy” mode, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the mode was not hand-holdy at all. In fact, it was hard to see that I was in “easy” mode at all, the help that was given was so subtle. On the other hand, switching to normal mode came with a considerable challenge, which I am sure that veterans will appreciate.

I also really enjoyed the personality that this game has. I love the edgy soundtrack, which has an edgy beat and cool synths and drums. It really sold the sci-fi aspect to me and got me in the zone. After a while, the music never got to be overpowering to the rest of the game and I never got an urge to turn it off. The cartoony graphics are very endearing to me—I don’t know why, but this game gave me Half Life vibes but at the same time the colors and graphics made me think Lego Star Wars. The story, while simple, is very much inspired by 90’s era science fiction, which if you are familiar with the genre is very familiar and never gets old.

The gameplay is very enjoyable. The developers mention that they took out covers and allowed for more action on their website and I think they hit the nail on the head here. Taking out many of the covers that are present in games like XCOM really focus more on the action, which is a shining star in Spaceland. The fights are really addicting and satisfying to play. Tortuga Team also allows room for customization of gameplay, by allowing you different ammo types and customization of squad members. I also really like the subtle RPG elements peppered throughout by the way the development team sets up the scene as you begin a level. For example, one of the first couple maps starts out by telling you: “Squeezing through the doorway, you find yourself in a dusty room. With a screeching sound the door slams permanently shut.” I really like this subtle touch as it helps you connect with your characters in ways that other turn-based strategies do not always give the opportunity for.

All in all, Spaceland is a very sweet and minimalistic turn-based strategy game. It does not try to be big and flashy, but instead appeals to fans of the genre and science fiction in general. This, to me, is very endearing and I really enjoyed playing it with the time that I had with it. I would certainly recommend it to people who enjoy turn-based strategy games and are looking for something to get their fix; or to people who are looking for a fun and accessible starting point to a very fun and rewarding genre.

8/10

Check Out the Spaceland Trailer:

Spaceland is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.

For more information, please visit: https://www.tortugateam.com/en/