I have a general dislike of building games. There’s a really genuine reason for this and most of it comes from growing up in a period when they were awesome. I adored titles like Dungeon Keeper and Theme Hospital. These titles were quirky, difficult, and really replayable. Most importantly they were fun and this, to me, should come above all else. Then the mobile market came along with all its paywalls, energy bars, and waiting for something to build and tainted what was a truly inventive genre. Now clones and cash grabs swamp the mobile stores and sadly many of those titles are builders, simply because they are easy to make pay-to-win. Having said all this I’ve just spotted Spacebase Startopia and its conjuring memories of what the building genre once was and still could be. If you’re like me, it’s definitely worth learning a bit more.
Spacebase Startopia is going to be available for PC via Steam, the Kalypso Store, and the Microsoft Store. PS4/5 and XB versions will be coming to your screens on March 26th. Switch players will be able to get their copy as well but will have to wait until a little later in the year. This title will have both virtual and physical copies for those of you that like to buy something tangible. If you get in quick, you can pre-order your digital copy now from Steam, the Kalypso Store, or the Microsoft Store and get a 10% discount on launch.
Spacebase Startopia is a base-management game set in … you guessed it, space! This title blends classic city building and base management with just a dash of RTS skirmishes to keep things interesting. Realmforge Studios are doing their best to breathe life back into a classic play-style while carefully balancing a mix of nostalgia and innovation.
Set around a donut-shaped space station, Spacebase Startopia will see you taking the role of the commander and have you running a base filled to the brim with a cast of colorful aliens. If your management skills are up to the task you might be able to carve out your own galactic utopia amongst the stars. You won’t have to do all of this on your own, though; you’ll have VAL, the station’s sardonic AI keeping you company at all times.
With three game modes and a fully voiced single-player campaign, there will be plenty in Spacebase Startopia to get your teeth into. With a vast amount of decisions that will need to be made there should be plenty of in-depth gameplay for both veterans of the genre and newcomers alike. Just keep an eye out for space pirates, they’ll be doing everything they can to give you a really bad day.
As with any management game you can expect to be spinning quite a few plates. Your alien passengers are going to have their own needs and desires that will need to be met and don’t expect them all to be on the same page. When you’re not keeping the extra-terrestrials happy you’ll be producing and trading resources to turn a profit. Amongst all of this, you might also want to find a little time to sabotage your competitors.
If all this sounds like your thing, or like me, you’ve been itching to rekindle a love affair with the building genre; Spacebase Startopia might be a solid choice. If you want to get your 10% you won’t have much longer to do it, so it’s probably best to get your skates on.
