Everspace gives it all: a challenge, beautiful scenery, fun gameplay, space exploration, and an intriguing narrative. This space shooter with rogue-lite characteristics takes us on an adventure across the galaxy’s most beautiful and perilous areas.
At the start of the journey, the hero knows as little as the player – aside from the secrets of managing the spaceship, which has an articulate and rather sophisticated on-board computer, he has no idea what is going on. We uncover the mysteries of the man responsible for producing huge swarms of clones as we go across consecutive areas of space and find memories. Amnesia is a cheap tactic that screenwriters frequently employ, yet it works well here. Copies of the hero do not need to know and remember everything, and thanks to the authors’ choice of viewpoint, it is simple to sympathize with the version of events and vision of the cosmos in a thousand years. Everything comes together neatly and makes a logical whole when we die and take on the job of a new clone on a new spacecraft. The basis of the action is rapid, visually gorgeous, and devilishly addictive space fights. We won’t find a complex physics model as in Elite: Dangerous or the anticipated Star Citizen here, and movement in space is more arcade than simulator-like. This is irrelevant, because spinning, barreling, and chasing the adversaries swirling around us is a lot of fun.
We journey through space in one of three spacecraft, each with its own gameplay style and weapons. We have a balanced, multi-role colonial fighter, a light reconnaissance vehicle, and a strongly armored ship that can absorb far more damage than its lighter, shield-using comrades. The final two units must be unlocked using credits earned while playing the game, which only takes a few hours. The variety of weaponry available is remarkable. There includes artillery, short-range shotguns, a large range of rockets, turrets, and drones, in addition to laser cannons and weapons specialized in damaging shields or hulls. If that isn’t enough, we may utilize tools to weaken opponents, take control of opposing troops, or install a module that allows us to remain invisible for an extended length of time. Because of the numerous configuration possibilities available, each voyage is slightly different from the last. We progressively gain strength as we advance through the game. What’s more, the credits you earn during the game allow you to buy upgrades for each following round, and weapon blueprints allow you to build your favorite death blasters after you’ve accumulated enough resources. Exploring the ruins and abandoned stations will also lead us to more serious, optional modifications that substantially alter the ships’ capabilities and the game’s course. The adversaries were separated into two groups. Some people like technologies and trickery, such as teleportation or drones that keep our ship from moving. The latter, for their part, emphasize conventional solutions and high direct fire power. There is also a corporation guarding the mining firm, but you may rest assured that they would not attack unprovoked.
We arrive in Everspace to find ourselves in a vast cosmic sandbox with only a vague aim in mind. We may execute a variety of actions by striving for it, which is the game’s biggest strength. The action takes place in a former battle zone, the demilitarized zone. We frequently come across wrecked spacecraft and space stations, as well as equipment left over from previous fights. Exploration, looking for treasures, and fighting against swarms of adversaries are all part of the enjoyment. When mining raw material deposits with a rifle, we frequently come across a bunch of adversaries who have just jumped into a specific sector, and even if there are no hostile ships nearby, we must keep an eye out for mines and fixed defensive sites spitting lead, rockets, or drones. The game universe is separated into distinct sectors to explore, similar to FTL – each sector comprises of numerous sites, and the player chooses which ones to visit. Most of these bubbles of space will need you to spend time gathering materials to create upgrades and armaments, as well as refueling. Sometimes we won’t have a choice since we’ll be obstructed by gadgets buried in the region that interrupt jumps or by strong enemy battleships that we’ll have to work hard to destroy. These difficulty spikes and scenarios in which we might seek for elite pilots do not destabilize the game’s general balance; they are exciting challenges that fit well within the game’s difficulty curve.
We have no idea what awaits us next as we go between zones – we may fall into an area of black space, lit only by rare beams of light and laser bolts, or into a cosmic storm that will strain our shields, adding a touch of spice to the combat. The Everspace cosmos astounds you at every turn, with shifting circumstances and sights that just beg you to pause and enjoy them in quiet. Furthermore, the game environment is filled with fantastic surprises that are a delight to find. ROCKFISH Games’ service excellence would embarrass any major studio. Whether we pick the first or third person perspective, the vast, extraordinarily bright expanses and tiny passageways of space wrecks leave a lasting impact. Laser flares, missiles flying everywhere, and spacecraft dissolving and then exploding make it difficult to take your gaze away from Everspace.
The German creation is without a doubt one of the year’s best-made and most engrossing games. Classics such as Freelancer and Descent provide inspiration. Despite the recurrence, we never feel long or fatigued. A single game might last anything from a dozen to several dozen minutes, and the full Everspace journey can keep you entertained for days or even weeks.