Take a break from all the serious deep-space exploration games like No Man’s Sky, Obduction or Eve’s Online, and enjoy a laidback the space-based sandbox game. Developed by System Era Softworks, “ASTRONEER” is similar to space exploration games. It lets the player colonize planets, create structures, and mine resources to continue their projects. There are no storylines or specific goals to follow. In short, it allows the players to explore freely and is free to do anything he wishes.
Astroneer is set during the 25th-century gold rush. Players must explore throughout outer space and risk their lives to get rich. While there is no mandatory goal, the main idea of the game is for players to do space exploration, colonize planets, and harvest resources or minerals which they can use to improve their ship, their machines, and colonies. While doing so, the players must be able to survive the harsh environments of each planet. These dangerous occurrences, when ignored, can kill the player or damage their possessions.
Another notable thing that Astroneer have is its ability to terraform the land of any planet to their liking. This makes salvaging easier since wrecks of spacecraft can be found submerged in the terrain of many alien planets. Terraform also allows the players to access hard-to-reach location quickly. In fact, they can use it to kill another player by burying them or causing them to fall.
So how can the player create tools? Each of them is equipped with a small 3D printer in their backpacks. However, throughout the game, the players must obtain a full-size printer to create larger objects such as land vehicles or rovers.
According to its developers, they want the game to capture the adventurous spirits of players and instill a sense of wonder for the universe around them. The game also tends to showcase an artistic minimalistic visual paired with vibrant colors.
Astroneer is created by System Era Softworks and was just released on December 16, 2016, for XBox One and Windows 10 gaming PCs . The game is available via Steam for US$19.99 and is described by many as a great game about aerospace industry and planetary exploration.
The game has received great reviews from many. If you want to check Astroneer, here’s its trailer:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yHRKssKtO0]