Review for Everspace: Galactic Edition. Game for PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 29/05/2018
Early Access, two words that often scare us gamers. Many titles that end up in this section of Steam practically never come out again, remaining in an eternal limbo, appreciated by a very small circle of fans and supporters. However, when they manage to escape, we often find ourselves faced with incomplete products, which have not been able to make that extra qualitative leap. Fortunately this is not the case with Everspace, a title by ROCKFISH Games born from a Kickstarter campaign in the now distant 2015 and released on Xbox One and PC in May 2017. Considering the imminent arrival on PlayStation 4 on May 22, we decided to tell you the our.
A long time ago…
The narrative pretext of Everspace is the simplest and most banal one could ever conceive. Our protagonist, Adam, is the clone (a new one for each game) of a scientist, in an evident state of amnesia, who managed to escape from those who had captured and, apparently, drugged. Continuing in the various "sectors" we will discover new pieces to add to a thin plot network, but functional to the structure of the title.
The script is nothing more than a mere pretext to start a new game with a different clone. Everspace is in fact a roguelike, a genre that has gradually become more and more successful over the last few years, characterized by randomized worlds and character permadeath. At the end of each game we will be able to spend the money accumulated in the exploration to teach Adam new skills, to upgrade the spacecraft or to buy a new one (there are three different types).
The things to do at the start of each exploration are not very many, but they are still fun and varied. Basically, we will be able to turn in every sector of the game map with the spacecraft chosen at the beginning to collect materials (which can be used to upgrade weapons) and fight the fearsome Okkar, alien enemies who hunt us for an unspecified reason, at least at the beginning. This will be followed by secondary assignments given by merchants and marauders, trade in goods and much more. All based on simple and intuitive gameplay. Why not, Everspace is not a simulator: the ship is very easy to control and the simple and basic initial tutorial will be enough to master it. The keys to use are few and the guide is pleasant even with the controller.
The areas are limited in extent, but it is also true that you do not feel at any time a sense of disorientation due to the too vastness of a single area, which in fact will be well organized mentally and logistically every time in order to obtain everything that interests us. , before going with the super jump to the next.
In a galaxy far, far away ...
If the control system is simple, the same cannot be said of the general difficulty. Although a good part of the success of a game is dependent on the skill of the player, it cannot be denied that the other good part is completely based on randomness, the main characteristic of the roguelike genre.
We can start games in areas full of enemies and die within seconds of starting, or receive a very powerful equipment to the first downed Okkar ship and get to the end without any problem. In some cases, Everspace can be quite frustrating and, perhaps, even unfair: a hidden missile turret, an asteroid not visible because it is placed behind us, the damned mines or other small infamous of the kind can ruin games of over an hour in very few. seconds and let you review each saint on the calendar.
Artistically, Everspace is widely appreciated, both from the point of view of simple aesthetics and from that of optimization. Each map is filled with elements, from simple asteroids, to abandoned stations, to allied and enemy spacecraft, piles of rock to excavate and hazy clusters of plasma to absorb. We will also be able to see different biomes, from areas full of sand to others where there will be lightning storms and so on.
A small flaw is the lack of interaction with the elements on the screen, limited only to those objects from which it will be possible to obtain materials and new technologies. Everything else is there only for embellishment: it is not possible to tear down the rock walls to escape, for example, from an enemy spacecraft, nor to blow up the walls of abandoned stations. A real shame that it limits the dive, without spoiling the experience.
A praise to the soundtrack, which, although not sensational, manages to underline the most excited moments with pressing and catchy themes and to emphasize, when needed, the immensity of space with long and overwhelming silences. An excellent combination that increases even more the value that Everspace has, for enthusiasts.
Everspace is a valuable space roguelike, capable of guaranteeing many hours of fun. Although the plot is far from exceptional, it still proves to be a good base from which to explore the game world in search of the lost memories of the protagonist. Then add in good art direction and a wide range of unlockable skills and features for Adam and the spaceship, and we'll get the perfect title for fans of the genre. Climb aboard?
► Everspace: Galactic Edition is a game for PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 29/05/2018
