Space and exploration go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly. Judging by the hype machine generated by some earlier releases in the year, people just can’t seem to get enough space. However, keeping the vast emptiness of the black entertaining has been a struggle for game developers.
Into this fray a new challenger has appeared, Astroneer by System Era Softworks. Calling itself “A game of aerospace industry and interplanetary exploration.” Astroneer has blasted off through Steam Early Access with a solid launch.
Already the early base building and resource gathering in Astroneer is very robust and engaging. The visual aesthetic aids in this, as you are continually drawn to see what is over the next ridge not only for the riches that might be discovered but perhaps another stunning view.
This is magnified by the addition of some drop in/drop out co-op. Though dedicated servers and the like a promised future additions the current state of co-op in the game is functional and enjoyable. Working with a friend to build a base and escape off world is truly a fun experience.
It is important to note that in its current Early Access state that everything is somewhat simplistic. You will not find yourself struggling too hard to work through the current technologies and within hours should be hopping from world to world looking for more stuff.
As simple and bare bones as it is everything works very very well. From a technical standpoint, Astroneer is on solid ground and the development roadmap that has been laid out promises a wealth of depth to be added.
Steady patches have already been offered with the dev team fixing bugs as they go which as great to see when a game is in Early Access. You can pick up the game for 19.99 through Steam currently and for those who may have been disappointed by other space exploration games may find the spirits lifted by Astroneer.
With a solid presentation, fantastic visuals, and early, but polished gameplay Astroneer is a title to watch regardless if you jump in for Early Access or not. I have been enjoying my time with it and am looking forward to the additions System Era Softworks are planning.