Fly, loot, shoot, build and explore with Everspace 2, currently in Early Access! This combination of a space faring dog fighter and a looter game instantly grabbed my attention and didn’t let go for hours. It casts a wide net, putting a pin in various genres, but will it manage to reel in an audience?
Everspace 2
Developer: Rockfish Games
Price: $39.99
Platforms: PC
Everspace 2 is an early access game with breathtaking space-faring visuals, combined with an awesome, diverse loot system and RPG elements. We are talking the works here, folks: perks, damage numbers, tons of space to equip different things, and ultimate moves on a recharging cooldown! I am a big fan of looter shooters, so clearly numbers scaling up and color-coded rarities are an easy way to keep me entertained, and both are present here. You aren’t just aimlessly flying around testing things either. The early access build, released January 18, contains a lot of story and polish compared to similar titles.
This is full-on space dogfighting. You will be rolling around chasing down enemy scouts, blasting alien foes, and getting that sweet, sweet missile lock-on that we all love so dearly. You have a huge arsenal, from unrelenting lasers that melt your enemies’ shields, chain guns that rev up and fill the space in front of you with bullets, and long-range gauss cannons. There’s also an impressive variety of sub-weapons. Combat-wise, this game has plenty to engage with., Its fast-paced and frantic feeling gameplay will have you whipping around in destroyed ships, dodging rebar and space dust as you pop off cool downs, switch between weapons, and outmaneuver your opponents.
Not content with just combat and loot? Everspace 2 also has many puzzles for you to complete. Whether you are moving around power cells, trying to reflect mining lasers, or figuring out the best way to move an energy orb in a limited amount of time, it’s not just about dog fighting if you are trying to get that delicious loot. Load up your jump drive and blast off because heading in any direction is bound to lead you to some kind of space rubble, derelict ship, or enemy fleet.
I had a fantastic opportunity to become fully immersed with this game by playing it in a friend’s space ship simulator with full HOTAS, short for hands on throttle-and-stick controls (my first time, so binding keys was a bit of a free throw) while surrounded by great sound, tons of monitors, and lots of other atmospheric elements. I got to say, even after I played for more than a few hours prior to playing on this setup, I had even more fun getting immersed and blasting down enemy ships with a joystick and more. The first person can be a little vertigo inducing, especially on three huge screens, so I made sure I kept the viewpoint change button close for when I had to navigate a destroyed ship in tight quarters. I could imagine playing with finely tuned controls, and on a rig that could handle a steady 60 fps would be even more fantastic! I had a great moment where I turned on my jump drive, set my auto pilot for a distant location, swung my controls away from me, cracked a beer open, and took a sip. For just a second, I was a space captain lightyears away from my house on Earth.
I am very hopeful for the future of Everspace 2, and I can’t wait to see this already solid experience refined and added to. Tight space and orbital dogfighting combat, awesome RPG progression and just a general awesome vibe to it, Everspace 2 has set the groundwork to be one of the best space-faring games we have seen in years. Keep your eye on this one, and show them support today. Give it a try!
