#physex

[physex]

PicoReview: Space Engineers

PicoReviews are short reviews that give a little insight into how a game plays, whether I deem it worth your time, and, of course; whether I like it. 

Today I'm crashing, welding, and drilling my way through Keen Software House's 'Space Engineers'. 

Let me get this out of the way first; I absolutely adore this game. There's a reason I chose it as the star of the first 'PicoReview' - because it's so easy to write about something you love. 

The game forces you to 'engineer' your own craft to carry out the tasks that you give yourself. Here on the left is a ship I built to mine, in the middle is a fighter ship. Both built by raw materials I mined out of asteroids, refined into basic parts and welded together to create a working ship to do all of that work for me. 

Space Engineers is all about emergent gameplay, that is; you get out what you put in. This game isn't going to force-feed you a story and have you 'saving the world' in a matter of hours. This game gives you the tools, the resources, and the vastness of space to use them in. 

A ship built solely to mine asteroids. The drills link to cargo storage and the cargo storage links to an ejector that spits out the minerals directly into the refinery for processing - all designed by me; the player. Industry!

In saying that, however - I must also mention that this type of game is of my taste. I love being given freedom to create my own goals and achieve them. I struggle to attach myself to games that shove 'epic' storylines down my throat and usually tire of them before they can teach me a single game mechanic (usually shoot things). Space Engineers gives me a drill, a welder, and a grinder and says nothing to me.. 106 hours later and I'm still hooked. 

A look at a ship in the welding stage. Parts are laid out with a bare-bones structure and the player is required to bring the smaller parts to it and weld it all together. Sounds tedious, but I found it quite relaxing.

Space Engineers is a game about industry. You mine for iron using a hand-held drill to build a ship that has a bigger drill. You use that ship to mine for more iron to design and build a ship that welds new ships so you don't have to. You use those ships to build a mothership that carries all of these things around space.. you get the picture. One thing's for sure; Keen Software House are great at what they do. I've been playing Space Engineers since a week before the first alpha was officially released on the 23rd of October, 2013 and they have been relentlessly updating every week since then. They currently have a new game in development called Medieval Engineers, soon to be released into alpha in a similar fashion. I absolutely cannot wait.

Kudos, Keen Software House.

Space Engineers - 8/10

[physex]

Whoosh!

/respawn 

I'm proud to announce that OG 1337 site phySex, sister of the no0b site www.flunkus.com is breathing once again.  If anyone is still following - answer me this:  Would you like to see longer, more in-depth content and reviews once a week let's say.. or would you prefer quickfire shortened mini-reviews that might occur daily or every off-day? Hit me up with your feedback and I'm going to pick a game I like and write up my first quick-scope review for you, my darling phySex followers. Thanks for not unfollowing! :3 

[pirakeet]

Post nudes.

“Be gentle, it’s my first time”

[pirakeet]

Me: I'm a strong, independent Quiggle.

Matt: More like a strong, independent Moehog.

I want a divorce.

[pirakeet]

FOR REAL, YOU GUYS! MATT JUST ASKED ME WHO EDGAR ALLEN POE WAS!

I FACEPALMED AND RECITED THE FIRST SEVEN STANZAS OF THE RAVEN... (I couldn't remember any more)

His response?

"What band is he in?" <- I think at this point he was joking... but jesus fucking christ.

I have everything he's ever written including graphic novel adaptations of some of his most famous on my bookshelf.

Opening applications for a new long-distance relationship. Must have interest in the literary greats and occasionally buy me neocash.

Apply within.

(Seriously, he read this, laughed and then honked my boob. What is life)

[pirakeet]

Continually trying to break up with Matt because it's fucking Half Price Day and he keeps making me miss shit. Seriously, what's the point of this relationship if he doesn't take my need to restock once a month into account. Like, I'm joking... but also very serious.

[pirakeet]

physex replied to your post:When your boyfriend rings you and makes you miss a...

Fixed with Dennings’ boobs.

True.

[pirakeet]

Matt: Any idea where we can go to dinner tonight?

Me: The Soup Kitchen?

Matt: Okay, where's that?

Me: .............Neopia?

Matt: Okay, type it into Google Maps.