EVERSPACE 2 Demo Impressions

Rockfish Games is on crusade to create a bigger and better loot based space shooter. Everspace 2 is coming in hot with quite a few improvements and changes from its predecessor.

The devs in Rockfish Games are really pushing for Everspace 2 to come across like a space based Diablo of sorts. With a control scheme that is adored by fans of the old school space shooter Freespace, Everspace 2 continues the look and feel of the first game. Doing so allows for very agile flying about slow ships, asteroids, or debris. Since there are a lot of things like capital ships, bases, and asteroid caves, the ability to dart around and easily maneuver about obstacles and laser fire allows for some impressive sequences. 

One of the biggest differences, aside from the map size, is making the game an open world rather than a roguelike game. By doing so, there is more concentration on randomizing encounters, missions, and so forth so that there are more opportunities for loot. 

Playing Everspace kind of reminded me of playing another space shooter called Rebel Galaxy. The biggest difference is that Rebel Galaxy has less maneuverable spacecraft and their combat scheme is a lot less fun than here in Everspace 2. Everspace 2, while it stresses maneuverability, still makes you hone in your targeting with the mouse. While it doesn’t have full turret like capability about the screen, it does allow for you to target things without being one hundred percent tied to the front of the hull of the ship. 

Also of note is how easy it was to interact with things in the playspace. Pressing a button to ‘suck’ in or tractor beam loot felt good while being able to ‘grab’ items and debris to sling at foes was also an interesting feature. Typically you’d have to have a specific type of ship equipped with a tractor beam in other games. This arcadey kind of feature just adds to the possibilties of using a ship that can flit around like a bug in space. 

Graphically, Everspace 2 seems to be built upon the amazing detail work that was found in the first game. The celestial bodies in space as well as the craft look great. Capital ships with turrets bristling with gunfire and missiles all light up the screen in ways that enhance the feel of speed and danger each encounter brings. The ships that you pilot also look great as you fly about in third person.

While this demo only had 3 ships in a reported medium class, the final build of the game looks to have 100’s of different types of ships. All of these ship types are to be grouped in the light, medium, and heavy classes yet will all still stay in the ‘fighter’ category. There will be no capital ship flying in Everspace 2. The differences in the ships will apparently be in the systems and slots for weaponry and cargo space as you progress through the game. It will be interesting to see what situations in the game will entice you to switch ships. 

Will there be ‘size’ requirements for fitting through certain caves? Will there be a need for speed to finish missions on time or before something is destroyed? Will there be certain weapon systems or secondary systems that can only fit in a certain class of ship? I’m certain all of these answers will come in time!

Early access of EVERSPACE™ 2 on Steam is currently scheduled for September 2020, with the full version for PC, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One scheduled for release in the second half of 2021.

If you want to back Everspace 2, just be certain you do so before November 4th at 6pm EST.

For a bit of action with Bunneh3000, check out his stream for his thoughts on the game as he plays.

Watch EVERSPACE 2 DEMO [PC] from Bunneh3000 on www.twitch.tv