Review – Space Architect – Gamerview

What happens if you combine Oxygen Not Included, and Factorio? Well, I have no idea what the outcome of this will be, but, judging by the cover, this was my first impression of Space Architect, which combines the mechanics of the aforementioned games, focusing on building, managing and defending your own space station.

Forget NASA, SpaceX and the like: Space Architect is, in theory, for those of you who have always dreamed of wandering through space. In a genre full of iconic games, such as Rimworld itself and even Dwarf Fortress, would this title be able to bring something new that went beyond the space theme?

A debt that not even Elon Musk would pay

The beginning of Space Architect already draws attention for a simple fact: instead of starting with money, you start owing a large amount, as your starting station is purchased through a billion-dollar loan. This mechanic is very reminiscent of , where you also start with a stratospheric debt to pay. For better or worse, the fact is that this misfortune gives the player a certain sense of urgency in their actions.

Inside the game, the mechanics are no different from the games mentioned. For those unfamiliar with the genre, instead of directly controlling a character, guiding him in his actions, you simply act by giving certain orders, as all of your subordinates have a certain degree of autonomy and automation. Therefore, your duty is to allocate the best workers for their appropriate skills.

To pay off this astronomical debt, you will need to explore the vast universe, mine asteroids rich in resources and, with them, manufacture products to sell. The variety of minerals and the complexity of production chains guarantee hours of planning and optimization – and when I say hours, I mean hours and hours. However, space is not a peaceful place. Space pirates, solar storms and other threats can emerge at any time, putting your station and profits at risk.

Verdict

Despite not having the same depth as games in the genre, Space Architect is a fun and cheap option. The simplicity of the game can be a negative point for players who are not accustomed to several management mechanics common in other colony builders.

Automation is one of the game’s strong points. Here, lovers of Factorio and Satisfactory style games will feel at home. There is a lot to do on the space station, which opens up scope for several automation options. If this isn’t your thing, then I don’t know what to tell you. Those who like this type of mechanics know how addictive it is to automate processes, constantly increasing their efficiency. Maybe I stayed up late at night doing this. I will neither confirm nor deny that last sentence.

In short, I can summarize that Space Architect’s greatest strength is its price. Of the options of its kind, this is the cheapest. Of course, the price is justified by the simplicity of the game – especially the graphics –, but it is still attractive. Furthermore, there is nothing that adds to the genre or evolves in the titles mentioned above. It’s beans and rice in the purest sense. If you’re an inexperienced player looking at the complex foundations of Rimworld and have a blue screen on the brain, Space Architect can be useful in teaching you the basics, but nothing more.