Are you ready for a gritty space RPG? No, I’m not talking about Starfield, or perhaps any of the recent space RPG’s you may have seen. The topic of the day is Pahris Entertainment SIA’s Space Wreck. I’m a few hours into this title, so let’s see what it has to offer so far.
The selling point of Space Wreck is its aesthetics. Currently I’m only scratching the surface of the game, which involves, interestingly enough, a pit stop after searching for resources after your crash landing (a crash landing within a crash landing, if you will).
The style plays along this noir-esque futuristic universe where the high tech gadgetry of space travel has become old and outdated. Most interactions are performed on a run-down computer tablet, with pixelated graphics of actual people and things. Other choices and options look like light switches seemingly duct taped to the menu screen (high-tech duct tape most likely, gotta withstand space). I really dig the vibe of the art style, and it being a standard kind of RPG reminds me a lot of the game Coriolis, where the dark, decrepit void of space seeps into all of its inhabitants.
Woof, I sure made Space Wreck sound depressing, didn’t I? Perhaps the vibe is dark and brooding, but the actual storyline is light-hearted. Your interactions can branch into some awkward conversations and turn into sarcastic banter. Most documents you find (like emails and voice memos, this is the paperless future we’re talking about) aren’t necessary to read and your character will start to lose focus after a while.
Having useless documents can obviously lighten the mood, but I have the sinking suspicion that there are too many of these cases. Even with a list of objectives, it’s difficult to understand what to do next and what your motivating path is. If you do decide to peruse computers for more details, I feel like the player should be rewarded with a bit of helpful information so they don’t feel as if their time is wasted. Currently I’m aimlessly searching around for where I’m supposed to activate a keycard (seriously the very beginning of the game), but Space Wreck is very poor at its directions.
Perhaps I’m having such a problem with directions (besides the fact I’m inherently directionally challenged), is the angle in which you view the scene. The game is viewed at this awkward 45 degree angle facing your player. Most of the time you’re staring at the backs of walls, and objects that soar higher than the building you’re in block your vantage point. If Space Wreck’s camera was slightly higher and more vertically downward, then I can see what I’m selecting better on the map and have a better grasp at the area. Currently it’s hard to know where I’m going because everything feels hidden and far away. Perhaps it’s just a style I’ll need to get used to, but we’ll see as more of the game pans out.
Jordan played Space Wreck on PC with a code provided by the developer.
